Author Topic: Windows Startup Repair Loop (Read 5945 times)

Andy k · « **on:** June 21, 2011, 03:03:53 PM »

Hi again,

My personal laptop, Dell Studio XPS 1645, is stuck in a loop where the windows repair can't seem to fix the problem. Here's a list of the things I have already tried:

Can't boot in Safe Mode, there's no option for F8
System Recovery in the advanced options from 3 different save points yields the same result
Booting from a Windows 7 disc in "Upgrade Mode" wont let me continue, you have to already be into the OS

Almost everything on the C:\ is replaceable, except for about 200 Vacation pictures from a recent trip to Alaska

Do you know any work-around for this, or do I need to pull my hard drive and slave it?

guestolo · « **Reply #1 on:** June 22, 2011, 09:48:09 PM »

Have you tried booting with a Linux CD and see if you can boot?

Andy k · « **Reply #2 on:** June 22, 2011, 10:32:55 PM »

[quote name='guestolo' timestamp='1308797289' post='479825']
Have you tried booting with a Linux CD and see if you can boot?
[/quote]

I have not. I've never actually given linux a try. Should I go with UBuntu?

guestolo · « **Reply #3 on:** June 22, 2011, 10:52:04 PM »

Try a smaller download
Go to the following link
http://puppylinux.org/main/Download%20Latest%20Release.htm

Click on one of the links pertaining to lupu-525.iso
Save this file to your desktop
Note: it's 130mb in size, so if you have a slow connection, it will take some time

After downloading, can you burn that Image file to a blank cdrw or cd
Ensure to burn as an IMAGE file

insert the CD into the Computer that won't boot
Restart the computer, follow the prompts, the computer should boot to Puppy linux desktop

If you have an External USB flashdrive you can backup important files/folders too
Plug it into your computer

Mostly everything you need to do will just involve single clicking
Open sdc1 by single clicking on it>>I assume that is your external USB drive, leave this window open

Hover over the bottom left drives, check to see which you have your files on
You can tell by the size of the disk when you hover over it
Your C: drive may be indicated by eg... sda1 or sda2
sda1 may be your recovery partition, look for your C: partition with all your files you want to backup

Let me know how that goes

Andy k · « **Reply #4 on:** June 23, 2011, 12:16:37 AM »

In one of my attempts to do a system restore I opted to back all my stuff up with Dell's data safe system tool. So now it all seems to have been removed from the drive, leaving behind a few empty folders. At least that's what I think is why I can't find any of my personal stuff. I don't believe the computer was connected to the internet at that point, so I really dont know where my stuff is now.

Andy k · « **Reply #5 on:** June 23, 2011, 12:49:56 PM »

I'm headed out of town until Sunday for a wedding. I'll check back when I get home.

guestolo · « **Reply #6 on:** June 25, 2011, 11:18:23 AM »

[quote name='Andy k' timestamp='1308806197' post='479830']
In one of my attempts to do a system restore I opted to back all my stuff up with Dell's data safe system tool. So now it all seems to have been removed from the drive, leaving behind a few empty folders. At least that's what I think is why I can't find any of my personal stuff. I don't believe the computer was connected to the internet at that point, so I really dont know where my stuff is now.
[/quote]

Are you looking thru those folders with Puppy Linux?
Are other files of yours there, as eg. Music files and such?

Andy k · « **Reply #7 on:** June 26, 2011, 02:06:34 PM »

Yes I am, I also did it with Ubuntu ( just to see if it was easier to navigate).

I found my pictures folder that use to have about 10 sub folders with pictures in all of them, only now there are only 3 of the sub folders left with nothing in them. The same with VIDEOS and MUSIC folders. When I ran the Dell Datasafe Local restore it took about 20 mins going through my whole C:\ for stuff to save, I just didn't know it was going to move/delete them.

I ran a system restore from a few days ago to see if it would return all my media and then went through puppy linux again to see if the files were back, but no dice.

I'll be reading up on Dell DataSafe local back-up to see where my stuff went.

guestolo · « **Reply #8 on:** June 26, 2011, 02:35:18 PM »

If you didn't backup to an external drive or CD/DVD's
Then you must of backed up to the local hard disk?

You may be able to repair and save the files using the following info
Or simply Restore specific files or folders from a System Backup
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kcs/document?c=us&l=en&s=gen&docid=DSN_62A668E1C3AA857AE040AE0AB8E12942&isLegacy=true

edit>>Why did this computer start an infinite loop?
Was it after a Windows update?

Andy k · « **Reply #9 on:** June 26, 2011, 03:00:08 PM »

yes it was a result of a windows update.

After I get the computer running with Windows again I guess I'll try restoring from the instructions

guestolo · « **Reply #10 on:** June 26, 2011, 03:08:14 PM »

The reason I asked about a Windows update
I've seen others do the following

navigate to the following folder C:\Windows\WinSxS
In that folder they delete a file pending.xml
It may be named something similiar

I wouldn't try necessarily deleting that file, instead move it or rename it
just in case

Instead of doing that thru the Recovery enviroment of Windows
You should be able to try it thru Puppy

Andy k · « **Reply #11 on:** June 26, 2011, 03:31:49 PM »

Moving the file to a new location did not change anything. The computer still goes into StartUp Repair and says that it's unable to repair the computer automatically.

guestolo · « **Reply #12 on:** June 26, 2011, 03:38:54 PM »

Quote

I ran a system restore from a few days ago to see if it would return all my media and then went through puppy linux again to see if the files were back, but no dice.

Can you go further back than that with System Restore?
At least before you starting having problems

Andy k · « **Reply #13 on:** June 26, 2011, 03:47:58 PM »

[quote name='guestolo' timestamp='1309120734' post='479853']
Can you go further back than that with System Restore?
At least before you starting having problems
[/quote]

Unfortunately, no. I've already run the earliest restore point. I think I may have misinformed you about the occurrence that led to the problem. I had a major system update back on the 16th and then a day or so later I had a Norton pop-up about an Adobe update ( sorry, just remembered this fact) after I gave Norton the clearance the computer immediately shut down and upon startup went into the Repair mode

guestolo · « **Reply #14 on:** June 26, 2011, 03:52:02 PM »

Are you running Vista or Windows 7?

Andy k · « **Reply #15 on:** June 26, 2011, 04:06:27 PM »

Windows 7

guestolo · « **Reply #16 on:** June 26, 2011, 04:14:53 PM »

Are you able to boot to a Command Prompt
From the prompt type the following commands

bootrec /fixmbr

bootrec /fixboot

Hit ENTER after each, you should get a operation completed successfully after each
Does that let you back in Windows?

Andy k · « **Reply #17 on:** June 26, 2011, 04:35:31 PM »

I don't have the option to Boot to CMD. I can get to it once the repair tool fails, will these work at that point?

guestolo · « **Reply #18 on:** June 26, 2011, 04:53:20 PM »

Should work, how were you accessing System Restore
Using a Startup Repair disk?

If not, try that
Here is a link you can download the Startup repair disk

http://cybernetnews.com/windows-7-recovery-disc/
Burn the Image file and try booting with it
Boot to the command prompt

Andy k · « **Reply #19 on:** June 26, 2011, 05:06:25 PM »

fix /mbr and fix /fixboot worked. I'm back in windows. Media's still gone, I'm trying to find the DataSafe restore 2.0 now

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Author Topic: Windows Startup Repair Loop (Read 5945 times)