Vista wont startup

[nagrap2]

Hi,

My HP laptop hangs during bootup on the blue screen (this is shown after the Vista loading bar appears at the bottom). The hard drive light seems to flicker but nothing happens.

Please help !! I have not recently installed anything and there are no peripherals connected to the laptop.

I have tried safe mode but doesnt startup.

I have tried last known startup but doesn't work.

I don't have the recovery disks or Vista disks as laptop came pre-installed.

Thanks in advance...

 

[Lorien]

Do you know when this problem began? Try a System Restore to a point in time BEFORE the problem began. Here's the procedure: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html. Be sure to check the box to show more than 5 days of restore points. If the first attempt fails, then try an earlier point or two. NOTE: You will have to re-install any software and updates you installed and uninstall any software you removed between now and the restore point, but you can use Windows Update for the updates. Use the recovery disk if the system prompt doesn’t work. The recovery disk works a bit different from the above procedures but if you follow the prompts from the System Restore menu option with the above information you should be able to restore with no problems.

If the System Restore doesn't work, do a Startup Repair by booting to the genuine Windows Vista Installation Disk (or one you can borrow from ANYONE) or from a Recovery Disk. Here's the procedure: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/91467-startup-repair.html. To boot to the CD you may need to change the BIOS to make the CD-drive first in the boot sequence. To do that, wait for the screen that tells you the F key to push to access the boot menu or boot setup. Push it quickly. Make the changes, save your work, and exit. Put the CD in the drive and reboot. When prompted, push any key to boot from the CD.

If you don't have a disk, you can make a bootable Recovery Disk using http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/ along with burning software like: http://www.snapfiles.com/get/active-isoburner.html and, of course, a blank CD (perhaps with another computer if necessary as seems to be the case here).

If that doesn't work, then let's check some of your system files:

Go to Command Prompt on the disk.

If using the disk, cd to C:\Windows\System32. Type sfc /scannow and enter and let it run. It will scan and try to fix some of your system files. Hopefully it will complete with no corruption it could not repair (if there is such corruption post back here or try to analyze it to find the problem file(s) using http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928228. Try to post any corrupted files here so we can see if they can be repaired with good copies from the installation disk (unless there are too many). If you can attach the results file to your next reply (if there is any corruption fount), that would help.

While in Command Prompt, type chkdsk /f /r and enter and let it run. It will want to schedule itself to run at the next restart. Answer yes and then reboot to run the program. It will scan and try to fix any corruption or bad sectors on your hard drive and mostly remove that as a potential cause.

That's about all that can be done using the disk and since you can neither boot normally or into safe mode, please reply at this point with results of what you found and the reports of the scans. Then we'll see where to go next (assuming these steps don't resolve the issue).

I hope this helps at least identify the problem and resolve it as well.

Good luck!

 

[nagrap2]

Lorien,

I downloaded the Vista startup files and burned them to DVD. I then ensured my DVD ROM drive was selected as the first device to boot from.

When I tried booting up from the Vista startup disc the process starts. The loading screen appears, then eventually it stops an just hangs (this is at a similar point to where my laptop stops during normal startup).

I then tried inserting an XP installation disc and it gets to the point when it displays the message "windows is starting up" and then I get the blue screen of death !!

Please advise on next steps? Does this suggest there is a hardware fault?

Thanks in advance...

 

[Lorien]

Assuming you made the DVD correctly (bootable and not just a copy), if you can't access the system by CD/DVD, safe mode, or normal mode, there's nothing that can be done software-wise to test or make repairs. We can't even try the limited hardware tests we have available. We need to have some way to access the system to do anything. It does, as you surmised, suggest a hardware problem of some kind (though I'm not sure what device or how to test without access except by swapping out parts and I suspect you don't have very many spare parts lying about).

At this point, I recommend you take the system to a reputable computer repair shop for service. You may also consider returning it for service to the manufacturer. Compare costs, timing, parts availability, effort involved, quality, whether or not they will service that machine with that OS, and any other factors you consider important and make your best decision.

I'm sorry we can't do more to help, but without a means of access there is little we can do.

Good luck!