Startup Repair

How to Do a Startup Repair in Vista​

   Information

Startup Repair is a Vista recovery tool that can fix certain problems, such as missing or damaged system files, that might prevent Vista from starting correctly. When you run Startup Repair, it scans your computer for the problem and then tries to fix it so your computer can start correctly.

For more information, see: Windows Help and How-to: Startup Repair FAQs

   Note

Startup Repair Process

Startup Repair will try to repair computers that are unbootable because of the following reasons:

• Registry corruption
• Missing or damaged system and driver files
• Disk metadata corruption (MBR, partition table, and boot sector)
• File system metadata corruption
• Installation of problematic or incompatible drivers
• Installation of incompatible Windows service packs and patches
• Corrupt boot configuration data
• Bad memory and hard disk hardware (detection only)

Startup Repair will not repair unbootable systems caused by the following issues:

• Malfunctioning firmware and other hardware components
• Problems with clean Windows installations or Windows upgrades (for example, from Windows XP to Windows Vista)
• Windows logon errors
• Viruses and malicious software

After Startup Repair has run, a text log with diagnostic information and repair results is generated. The log file is located at: C:\Windows\System32\Logfile\Srt\SrtTrail.txt

For more information, see: How Windows RE Works

   Tip

If you only have a OEM Recovery DVD or Recovery Partition, then you can also create a recovery disc that will let you boot into the System Recovery Options screen (see screenshot below step 6 below) to run a Startup repair with the download from here: How to Create a Vista Recovery Disc. It cannot be used to reinstall Vista.

Here's How:

1. Boot into the System Recovery Optionsscreen.​

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2. Click on the Startup Repair option. (See screenshot below)​

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3. The Startup Repair tool will attempt to fix your computer and get it booting up again. (See screeshot below)​

NOTE: Startup Repair might prompt you to make choices as it tries to fix the problem, and if necessary, it might restart your computer as it makes repairs. If repairs are not successful, you'll see a summary of the problem and links to contact information for support. Your computer manufacturer might include additional assistance information.​

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   Note

Sometimes it may take running Startup Repair up to 3 times with a restart after each time to fully repair startup issues.

   Note

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How To Perform a Repair Installation For Vista
• How to Do a Clean Install of Vista with a Upgrade Version
• How to Start the Memory Diagnostics Tool in Vista
• How to Check and Change the Startup Programs in Vista
• How to Repair and Verify the Integrity of Vista System Files with System File Checker
• How to Reset a User Account Password in Vista
• How to Run Check Disk at Startup in Vista
• How to Boot Up in and Use Advanced Boot Options in Vista
• How to Do a System Restore in Vista
• 1How to Get Out of Reduced Functionality Mode in Vista
• How to Start Vista in Safe Mode
• How to Fix the "The User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded." Error
• How to Fix the Error "Your user profile was not loaded correctly! You have been logged on with a temporary profile." in Vista
• How to Create a Vista Recovery Disc

 

[Brink]

Ok, I hope it goes well.

 

[StephanO_NL]

Problem solved. I've inserted an original vista dvd and did the repair.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Brink]

LOL, that's one way.

Thank you for posting back your results.

Shawn

 

[Joan Archer]

Hello Joan,

Yes you have it correct. It can be helpful to have and use the System Recovery Options screen at boot to try and repair your Vista installation instead of reinstalling it if needed.

Shawn

Thank you very much for the tutorial, it works, yesterday I downloaded the necessary file and burned the .iso image to CD. Today I tested it, well I went as far as the screen that shows all the options you can do, I didn't carry on to try out the repair as I didn't have a problem but I have all the options showing so hopefully it would work.

This site and the tutorials you provide are much appreciated by this old lady

 

[Brink]

You are very welcome Joan. I'm happy to hear that it works for you so far, but it should work completely since it got that far.

Shawn

 

[russty24]

Hey,

First of all thanks for setting up this forum.

Recently I built a computer and installed vista home premium 64. It was running great for a couple weeks until my computer crashed and when I tried to restart vista I got the BSOD. I tried booting up in safe mode and also got the BSOD. I checked out your tutorial, and created the recovery disk. When I boot off the recovery disk it gets to the "windows loading" screen and then again I get the BSOD. I've tried changing some things in the bios (based on some googled forum posts) but I still get the BSOD mostly with the message "Your motherboard is not ACPI compatible."

EDIT: I went into the BIOS and activated every ACPI feature it had, and now when I boot up i get the error "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL"

I've tried running my recovery disk on my old computer (windows XP), and it boots fine and I get get to Step 3 in the tutorial (which I could not on my Vista machine). I also have a Mythbuntu 8.04 live cd which I am able to boot on the Vista machine.

At this point I'm stumped, my only guess is that my hardware somehow became incompatible with vista after it was installed?

Russell

My system:
Q6600 quad core processor 2.4 ghz
ASRock X48TurboTwins-WiFi LGA 775 Intel X48
ATI radeon 4870
4 gigs corsair OCZ DDR2 1066

 

[Brink]

Hello Russell, and welcome to Vista Forums.

This link may be able to help you troubleshoot the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error message and hopefully fix it.

Stop 0×0A or IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL — MAXIMUMpcguides


If this does not help, then check to make sure that you have the DVD listed first in the boot order in BIOS. Next, use it to do a System Restore, using Method Two in this tutorial below, with a restore point dated before this problem.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[AdamC6Pocono]

Okay Shawn, beam me up into your all-knowing alien spaceship!

Wracking my brain here. I have a Dell XPS 420, processor, memory big and nice -- NVIDIA 8800gt card -- issue: getting blue screen errors on startup (sort of a dashed lines pattern across Dell and Microsoft screens, then just the lines, then blank, then crash dump blue screen).

I've run every diagnostic I can find, tested everything -- found a few minor issues, and infrequently I can boot up fine. However, more often than not, especially if the computer is turned off, I can't reboot and get the error.

Okay, so obviously I end up in startup repair. It seems to run a "short" repair, that never works (all this via safe mode) -- but in a long version, usually triggered automatically by Vista, it seems to work. Then I can boot for another day or so before it goes "bad" on me again.

Recently I got Startup RepairV2 error, autofollower, and tons of junk, including no root cause and unknown. What does all that mean....and of course, despite that, it managed to reboot.

I'm willing to restore to factory default if that sounds like it would help. I've tried all the tricks of switching items off, updated every driver I could find, unplug all USB, virus scan, etc.

Bottom line, does it sound like software or hardware to you.....and any advice would be SUPER appreciated.

 

[Brink]

Hello Adam,

Are you able to startup in Safe Mode?

It sounds like it could be a bad driver. Possibly the video driver. I would double check that you have all of the latest driver versions installed including your motherboard's chipset and BIOS. You may need to redownload some of them if they have become corrupted.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[AdamC6Pocono]

I can still boot in safe mode -- never a problem there.

Will update BIOS and chipset....never done that, before....always learning something new!

Thanks -- will let you know.

 

[Brink]

I can still boot in safe mode -- never a problem there.

Will update BIOS and chipset....never done that, before....always learning something new!

Thanks -- will let you know.

Hi Adam,

Just checking in to see how it is going. I hope well.

 

[Pily]

Hi
Above all, I want to tell them that I use a translator as they do not write their language.
I have an HP Pavilion laptop 9000, with windows ultimate 64 bit, and here for some days this giving me problems when you start the laptop. When you turn comes a screen where the startup repair attempts to repair the system, then get a screen where it says it was unable to repair the system.
After several attempts to achieve, by using the CD to restore windows, which turned the laptop properly, but after that, when you turn off and turn on your computer that does not boot properly, the message appeared again that the startup repair attempts to repair the system.
Not to make my laptop work properly
I hope can help
Thank you
Pilar



Ante todo, deseo decirles que uso un traductor ya que no escribo su idioma.
Tengo una laptop hp pavilion 9000, con windows ultimate 64 bit, y de unos dias para aca me esta dando problemas al iniciar la laptop. Al encender sale una pantalla donde el startup repair intenta reparar el sistema, luego sale una pantalla donde dice que no pudo reparar el sistema.
Luego de varios intentos logre, con ayuda del CD restore de windows, que la laptop encendiera correctamente, pero posterior a eso, al apagar y encender el equipo esta no arranco correctamente, nuevamente aparecio el mensaje de que el startup repair intenta reparar el sistema.
No se que hacer para que mi laptop funcione correctamente
Espero puedan ayudarme
Gracias
Pilar​

 

[Brink]

Hi Pily, and welcome to Vista Forums.

If Startup Repair was unable to to fix the problem, then it may be beyond repair and you will need to do a clean reinstall of Vista again.

Shawn

 

[Pily]

thanks Shawn,

Thank you for an answer, and not just resinste the windows unless you restore your computer as it was originally purchased with the help of cd restore.
Help me please. At this moment I am using the laptop that I speak, and I get off terror because I'm afraid that this does not turn properly​

 

[Brink]

Pily,

Backup anything that you do not want to lose, then boot from your recovery CD. This will format your hard drive and reinstall Vista back to factory default.

 

[blackhawk]

hello (again) shawn,

This morning i turned on my laptop (Asus M50SV) and everything was ok. i saw that there were new microsoft updates, so i checked all of the impotant files and download it. and then i restarted my laptop, then after the asus screen, Windows Boot Manager showed up and the image below was shown on the screen:

i dont want(again) to reinstall windows vista and i only have recovery dvd for my laptop. do you think this startup repair will manage my problem? what do you think is the cause of this mess? i even tried safe mode to try system restore but asus preload wizard will appear suddenly and it will use the recovery dvd to restore windows and delete my files.. hope u'll help me in this shawn..

tnx..

 

[Pily]

Shawn, yesterday i format my hard drive and reinstall Vista back to factory default. Today mi laptop working ok.

I hope that everything works fine, but I am worried about the updates that suggests the system concerning the windows, it is always necessary to install them? thanks and happy day

(sorry if the translator does not translate correctly and I do understand it is difficult)​

 

[Brink]

Hello Blackhawk,

You have a OEM recovery cd that is not capable of doing a Startup repair, only a clean install of Vista to factory defaults instead.

Howevery, this tutorial will show you how to create a Recovery Disc that you can use to do a Startup Repair with to hopefully fix your boot (BCD) file.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Brink]

thanks Shawn,

Thank you for an answer, and not just resinste the windows unless you restore your computer as it was originally purchased with the help of cd restore.

Help me please. At this moment I am using the laptop that I speak, and I get off terror because I'm afraid that this does not turn properly​

Pily,

It is always best to install the available Windows Updates to help keep Vista up to date with patches for bugs and keep it more secure. However, when you have a lot of updates, it may be best to only install a few at a time to help prevent them from conflicting with each other.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[mansrm81]

Hello Blackhawk,

You have a OEM recovery cd that is not capable of doing a Startup repair, only a clean install of Vista to factory defaults instead.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

You can do a startup repair by booting in to the recovery by hitting F11 for HP or whatever the key is to boot into the recovery partition and do a startup repair.