Windows Vista won't start

[gustoh]

I have a relative with an old HP tower with Windows Vista on it that won't start properly.


They said they were watching a video on Facebook when the the computer just reset (apparently
not the first time that had happened but it always restarted afterwards).


The computer will start in Safe Mode, but...


Trying to start it normally, or after a restore to a previous restore point (or just the
"last known good configuration" option on the boot menu) results in the same thing...a green
bar with the Windows copyright underneath it will appear, and then the screen goes black
and the computer just sits there, occasional hard drive activity but nothing to indicate
it's working to restart.


After a failed start, it does go to the restore/fix boot up procedure, but that doesn't
accomplish anything either.


Any advice? (other than the dreaded restore to factory default)

 

[ilikefree]

Did you try system restore while in safe mode?

 

[gustoh]

Did you try system restore while in safe mode?

Yes. Results were the same.

 

[Ztruker]

Run chkdsk or System File Checker (SFC) from the Recovery Console

• Boot your Vista installation DVD
• When you see "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD", press Enter.
• At the "Install Windows" screen, click on Repair your computer at lower left
• At the System Recovery Options screen, make note of the drive letter assigned to your boot drive (normally C: ) and click Next
• At the Chose a Recovery Tool window, click on Command Prompt. You will be sitting at X:\Sources directory.

Run chkdsk

• If you did not note the drive letter of your boot disk, you can enter bcdedit and look at the osdevice line to see what it is.
• For chkdsk, type chkdsk c: /r and press Enter (use the letter from above if not C: ).
• Let it run to completion undisturbed.

See if that resolves the problem.

Do you have a Vista install DVD you can use? If not, post post here:

Vista ISO download

and ask Peter (Ex_Brit) to send you the link to the versions of Vista you need, 32 or 64. Include your E-mail address mucked up, like abc at xyz DOT com then edit your post and remove it as soon as you receive the link.

The ISO Peter provides has both SP1 and SP2 applied.