My windows 7 pc will not boot. I suspect a virus destroyed the boot process. After the Dell logo I get a black screen and then I can't do anything. I changed all my peripherals and got the same symptoms. I ran the hardware diagnostics and found no errors. I used my NIS 2010 CD for recovery and was able to load some windows software and scanned the files. The scan checked about 140K files all on drive D and found no threats/risks. How can I restore the boot process?
Hi Doug321,
Have you tried booting to the Windows 'last known good configuration" i.e.., the last configuration that worked?
When you start up the computer, repeatedly press on the F8 key and eventually you should get a screen that gives you a list of Save Mode and other options. One of the available options is to boot to the last good configuration. Sometimes this will work when an ordinary Windows boot will not.
RichD
Recovery Manager or other such recovery options for fixing Windows by pressing F12 on startup, may reinstall Windows but in doing so Wipes the HD first of data.
Quads
Quads wrote:Recovery Manager or other such recovery options for fixing Windows by pressing F12 on startup, may reinstall Windows but in doing so Wipes the HD first of data.
Quads
While this is correct for the action you describe, the reason I encourage a user to check what is under that START menu entry (or, Heaven forbid, read the manual) is that some manufacturers (HP/Compaq to my knowledge on the computers I have encountered) offer a Windows Repair which is NOT destructive. It is similar/identical to what you can do with a genuine Windows Installation Disk and is reached through the START / All Programs Menu structure and not from the bootup options.
I'm not sure about Dell which is why I asked about the model.
But like any repair unless you know what you are doing and what it is going to do ... Don't do it!
Hugh
Thanks for your suggestions. However, Windows doesn't start so I can't get to the start menu to use that recovery option.
I like your idea of going to Dell. I have an Inspiron 560 with a service tag of 6823NL1.
Unfortunately, I didn't make a backup CD so I have to look at other options.
My windows 7 pc will not boot. I suspect a virus destroyed the boot process. After the Dell logo I get a black screen and then I can't do anything. I changed all my peripherals and got the same symptoms. I ran the hardware diagnostics and found no errors. I used my NIS 2010 CD for recovery and was able to load some windows software and scanned the files. The scan checked about 140K files all on drive D and found no threats/risks. How can I restore the boot process?
Quads
Thanks for your suggestions, I need all the help I can get.
The only options available during the boot process were F2 and F12 before the system went into a black screen. When I tried F12 I used one option to run hardware diagnostics and that found no errors. I could not find any way to correct the boot process.
I suspect the problem is in the boot process before windows is even loaded.
Any other suggestions?
doug321 wrote:Hugh
Thanks for your suggestions. However, Windows doesn't start so I can't get to the start menu to use that recovery option.
I like your idea of going to Dell. I have an Inspiron 560 with a service tag of 6823NL1.
Unfortunately, I didn't make a backup CD so I have to look at other options.
Doug,
I'm going to guess that you also don't have a set of installation disks with windows on one and all of your drivers on the other. If this is true I think that you can contact Dell and with your service tag get a set shipped. It will cost but you'll have to make the decision on that expense. Without those I'm not sure there is a resonable way to get through to the drive and begin recovery.
Let us know how it goes, we'll leave a light on
Added:
Do you by chance have another hard drive that you can swap into the system? Once you have the installation disks you would be able to create a new C: drive and then work at cleaning the other drive before attempting data recovery.
Just a thought I had after checking to see that you have a desktop
doug,
There are to Inspiron 560's -- MT and ST so I chose the first. Maybe the difference is whether you have XP or VISTA?
Did you install WIndows 7 yourself or buy it with WIndows 7 on it already? If you got it from Dell with WIndows 7 you should be able to buy a set of recovery media from Dell which will restore to factory condition.
Here's a link to getting the manual for the Inspiron 560MT which I suspect applies to the other.
It confirms the destructive nature of what's available from their Recovery methods.
Here is a link to a Dell article on troubleshooting Windows 7
and specifically on when it will not boot which picks up on the F12 KEY at bootup that Allen mentioned and gives full instructions on what to look for (inclkudes unplugging all external devices like printers etc).
If you installed Windows 7 do you not have a Microsoft Installation disk for Windows 7 that you used? You can use that -- if it's a standard one -- to do s Windows Repair Installation. If I remember correctly you boote up to it and at one point it asks what you want to do and one of the choices is press the R key for repair -- I don't remember where in the sequence of events this comes but you may have to select Configure from a menu ..... but one of us should remember or be able to find out.
If you have access to another Windows 7 system you can make a startup repair disk.
You need to use a 32bit system if you had Windows 7 32bit, or a 64bit system if you had Windows 7 64bit.
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/5409/create-a-system-repair-disc-in-windows-7/
Or you can use a retail installation DVD of Windows 7 to do the startup repair.
You can't however do a "repair installation" with Vista or Windows 7.
Dave
DaveH wrote:If you have access to another Windows 7 system you can make a startup repair disk.
You need to use a 32bit system if you had Windows 7 32bit, or a 64bit system if you had Windows 7 64bit.
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/5409/create-a-system-repair-disc-in-windows-7/
Or you can use a retail installation DVD of Windows 7 to do the startup repair.
You can't however do a "repair installation" with Vista or Windows 7.
Dave
My mistake about terminology --
<< In Windows 7 and Windows Vista, Startup Repair has replaced the Repair Installation option that was available in Windows XP. Startup Repair replaces only damaged or missing Windows startup files. In a Windows XP Repair Install, all Windows files are replaced no matter if they work or not. >>
That's what I had in mind to repair startup files and that does not destroy the rest of the installation. (But may mess up Norton?)
You might also be able to use Knoppix to get into the machine in an alternate Linux system to get your personal data and important files off the machine before a restore.
Black Screen with usually a white cursor at the top after the splash screen usually means the MBR (boot sector).
After getting your data off the Hard Drive by Live CD, there are downloadable CD's for Vista and Win7 called Windows Recovery disc, that allow you to fix the MBR and Fix boot etc.
Quads
Guys, your ideas were great. I did look at the on-line documents and got some useful info. I thought that Dave had a great idea and since I did have access to another 32 bit Windows 7 system I made a "Repair Disc". The system booted and loaded many files and then I could get to the PCs file structure. However when I tried to run the startup programs I got the message "Version of system recovery options is not compatible". I guess repair for my Dell Optiplex running Windows 7 Professional is incompatible with my Dell Inspiron 560 running Windows 7 Home Edition. I'll try to find a compatible version of Windows 7 repair.
Quads, please tell me more about where to get the downloadable versions of a Windows 7 recovery disc. I thnik that's my best chance of getting this PC going again.
Doug,
Check this out with others like Dave, but one problem with commercial computers like Dell etc is that the Windows installed is an OEM or System Builder version and there can be subtle changes between it and a retail disk -- or another PC even by the same maker since some are tied to the BIOS on the computer as a form of ID.
Another problem is getting a repair disk with the same level of Service Packs and updates as the system in the computer or it may be finding that you are telling it to install older versions of files than the ones on the PC needing repair.
Your best solution may be to check with DELL themselvles about a recovery disk for the specific computer.
I'm pretty sure your Dell 560 is running Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit.
You would need to use a startup repair disk that is 64bit, or make one on a 64bit system, or download it from somewhere.
(not sure where you would download one).
Dave
Doug,
I had a Windows 7 64bit system sitting in front of me today so I took the liberty to make a repair disk.
Like I said, I'm pretty sure that system is 64bits.
I'll send you a private message, click the icon above that looks like an envelope.
Dave
Dave
I didn't see any envelope icon so I wasn't able to contact you.
It looks like getting the proper repair disc is key to solving my problem. Where is the best place to get one? Can I get a repair disc from my local Office Depot?
Doug
Doug,
Right after you sign in check for an orange envelope in the upper right corner of your screen.