Hey, I've ran into a problem with my laptop and urgent help will be MUUUCH appreciated. I have a PowerPoint due Tuesday and I can't access it. My computer won't boot up to the logon screen. This has occured after i restarted my computer after doing the compacting thing in registry defragmenter. Every time I boot up It says "windows has occurred a problem and has failed to start up" or something like that.
Bless your soul in advance!
Can you give us a little more information about your system and what you were doing?
I recall a problem with Norton Utilities version 14 that was later fixed in an update.
I think it was compacting or optimizing the registry on windows 7 systems maybe?
Were you using a never updated version of Utilities 14?
Dave
I installed Norton Utilities and yes, I did not update it, idk why. But anyways I used registry defragmenter, not knowing what it does, hoping that it would improve my PC. I did not check the box that said make a restore point because I was st00pid (I sure did learn my lesson) but after it was done it told me to restart my computer, so I did. When it booted up again it says "windows has occurred a problem and has failed to start up" or something like that. It gives me two option, to launch windows repair (which doesnt work) and to start windows normally ( which brings me back to the current screen). I have access to system restore. Fortunately, three restore points were made the same day comp went awo but unfortunately, I can't use it because it says that I must enable system protection, which I can't do since my comp won't boot up. Is there any way to enable system protection through command prompt or ANY way to fix my problem?
Oh and btw, I tried to use the Win7 repair disc, Wont boot from the CD/DVD drive, it goes into windows loading (the one with the 4 color animated flag)? Then it shows me the screen with the "windows has occurred a problem and has failed to start up".
EDIT: I also have access to command prompt, is there anyway to fix my dilemna through it?
I'll look for the topic I was thinking of. If I recall, norton actually makes backups before doing anything and using the command prompt you could restore the registry hives.
It may take a while, the search function here is not very good for me.
But you were using Norton Utilites version 14?
And how are you getting to a command prompt if you can't boot your disk to the recovery console?
Dave
When I launch windows repair, it failes and gives me advanced options. which includes system restore and command prompt
Here is the topic I was thinking of, please read some of it to make sure it is the same problem your having.
The solution is given in post number 24 by a Symantec employee Erik
Something has gone bad with his post, some of the commands have run together. I'll repost it here and seperate the lines.
If anyone is still having this problem, use the Recovery Console to do the following:
ren C:\windows\system32\config\software C:\windows\system32\config\software.old
ren C:\windows\system32\config\software.rmbak C:\windows\system32\config\software
ren C:\windows\system32\config\default C:\windows\system32\config\default.old
ren C:\windows\system32\config\default.rmbak C:\windows\system32\config\default
ren C:\windows\system32\config\sam C:\windows\system32\config\sam.old
ren C:\windows\system32\config\sam.rmbak C:\windows\system32\config\sam
ren C:\windows\system32\config\security C:\windows\system32\config\security.old
ren C:\windows\system32\config\security.rmbak C:\windows\system32\config\security
ren C:\windows\system32\config\system C:\windows\system32\config\system.old
ren C:\windows\system32\config\system.rmbak C:\windows\system32\config\system
enter all that in order?
OK, my post above came out correct.
If your familiar with using the command line it would be a lot less typing to enter the "config" folder and rename the files as outlined rather than having to keep typing the full path.
whatever is easier, but if anywhere you get a message about replacing a file because it already exists. Select NO
If you type the command correctly you should not get any errors.
Best of luck and let me know what happens, I'll check back whenever I can tonight.
Dave
cholo wrote:enter all that in order?
yes, sorry about that, don't shoot the messenger.
But you need to be pretty certain thats the same problem you are having. Please read some of that other topic first.
Then yes, you need to type each line starting with "ren" and at the end of each line press the enter key
im sorry about this but what is "ren"
when I open command prompt through the recovery console the line automatically starts with X:\windows\system32 (X being my drive letter)
I cant type anything before that.
I asked you more than once to read part of that other topic to make sure the problem you are having is the same one.
I'm not even sure at this point if you really were running version 14.
If this is not the same problem, you don't want to continue.
Have you read some of that topic in this post here?
Dave
Yes, that seems exactly, if not exactly, almost my problem. Yes Im running v14.5 Norton Utilities
Oh and sorry about that, we posted that message at the same time :P
OK, then it shoud work.
Don't worry about where your command line starts. You just need to type each line just how it is shown and when you get to the end of a line press the enter key.
If you get any kind of error, try the line again and check to make sure you are typing exactly what it says.
Here are the lines again:
ren C:\windows\system32\config\software C:\windows\system32\config\software.old
ren C:\windows\system32\config\software.rmbak C:\windows\system32\config\software
ren C:\windows\system32\config\default C:\windows\system32\config\default.old
ren C:\windows\system32\config\default.rmbak C:\windows\system32\config\default
ren C:\windows\system32\config\sam C:\windows\system32\config\sam.old
ren C:\windows\system32\config\sam.rmbak C:\windows\system32\config\sam
ren C:\windows\system32\config\security C:\windows\system32\config\security.old
ren C:\windows\system32\config\security.rmbak C:\windows\system32\config\security
ren C:\windows\system32\config\system C:\windows\system32\config\system.old
ren C:\windows\system32\config\system.rmbak C:\windows\system32\config\system
Im 100% sure im typing it correct, it says "the syntax of the command is incorrect" or when I used the drive letter C it says "The system cannot find the path specified"
basically what the whole line im typing looks like
X:\windows\system32\ren X:\windows\system32\config\software X:\windows\system32\config\software.old
EDIT: It actually looks like
X:\windows\system32>ren X:\windows\system32\config\software X:\windows\system32\config\software.old
Where you are putting X, should really be C
If you have windows located on another drive letter then you better say something.
when your at the command propt, it should end in an arrow like this:
X:\windows\system32>
After you type the line it should look like this:
X:\windows\system32>ren X:\windows\system32\config\software X:\windows\system32\config\software.old
Those last 2 X's need to be the drive letter you have windows installed on.
Maybe the drive letters are not correct.
Try typing DIR C:\Windows\System32\config Does it give any listing?
Or does it give the message "The system cannot find the path specified."?
If you get that message, the drive letter is incorrectly assigned in the recovery environment. You can find the correct one using these commands...
DISKPART [ENTER]
LIST VOLUME [ENTER]
Look for the partition name that is your C: drive and note the drive letter. It should also say "system" under the "info" heading.
EDIT: If you have an SRP, it will be the system. The Windows drive will say "boot".
When done in DISKPART, just type EXIT [ENTER] and you will return to the command prompt.
My the partition that my windows is installed on is D: I changed it. Lol. But anyways it doesn't even say system under info.
EDIT: what's an SRP
cholo wrote:My the partition that my windows is installed on is D: I changed it. Lol. But anyways it doesn't even say system under info.
EDIT: what's an SRP
SRP = SYSTEM RESERVED PARTITION.
Whatever drive letter that has your WIndows folder is the letter you need to use in the commands dave gave you.