Windows 7 Not Booting Past Logo

[Hyphen]

I'm running a 64-bit version of Windows 7 on my laptop.

Recently, I found a program called SlimDrivers on Lifehacker which basically automates the process of scanning for and downloading driver updates. Last night as I was running it, an error occured in a driver installation and required a reboot. I went through the reboot and my computer was just hanging at the shutdown screen for about 30 mins, so I decided to hard boot it by shutting it off by the power button.

Now, whenever I try to boot my computer, it sits at the "Starting Windows" screen with the Windows logo. I've left it there for up to 6 hours, absolutely nothing happens. I do not have the Windows 7 disc because this was an OEM install. How can I fix this?

[avair]

Try booting in safe mode by pressing f8 at boot up then do a system restore

[TimW]

Download your version of this> Vista and Win7 Recovery disc. You will need to do this from a different computer. Then you need to get into the bios of the dead machine and change the boot order to cd-rom as first boot device.

1. Put the Windows 7 Recovery disc in the disc drive, and then start the computer.
2. Press a key when you are prompted.
3. Select a language, a time, a currency, a keyboard or an input method, and then click Next.
4. Click Repair your computer.
5. Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
6. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt.
7. Type Bootrec.exe /fixmbr, and then press ENTER.

You may need to run fixboot which you will find the method at http://neosmart.net/wiki/display/EBC...r+from+the+DVD

[Hyphen]

Originally Posted by avair

Try booting in safe mode by pressing f8 at boot up then do a system restore

Where do I press F8? I've tried pressing F8 all the way up to that screen and nothing really happens, I think the "Starting Windows" screen is actually where safe mode is initialized?

[avair]

Press f8 just as you start up the PC keep pressing till you get a black screen with writing on

[Hyphen]

Okay, I've managed to boot a recovery disk via USB. I see tons of recovery points, yet when I try to restore I'm being told that "System Protection" must be enabled for the device? Why are recovery points being made if "System Protection" isn't enabled, how can I enable this through the command line or anything? I found what driver is broken by the way, is there some way I can roll that back? I can't boot into safe mode.

[Hyphen]

Basically, I know what driver is causing the inability to boot. Is there any way I can disable it or roll it back from the recovery command line?

[TimW]

What is the driver file?

[Hyphen]

Originally Posted by TimW

What is the driver file?

I can get the exact driver name after this memory scan, it's not a critical driver, it was a third-party USB port driver I think. Would you like me to get it for you?

[TimW]

Yes, we would need the file and where it is located to replace it. Do you have it on a usb stick?

[Hyphen]

Originally Posted by TimW

Yes, we would need the file and where it is located to replace it. Do you have it on a usb stick?

Yes I do.
The file is: \Windows\system32\DRIVERS\AtiPcie.sys

Googling that, I see lots of people with a similar issue.

[TimW]

So, yes you do have it saved to a usb stick?

Then in the recovery console you should be able to do this:

copy x\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\AtiPcie.sys c\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\AtiPcie.sys

replace x with the actual drive letter of your usb stick.

[Hyphen]

Originally Posted by TimW

So, yes you do have it saved to a usb stick?

Then in the recovery console you should be able to do this:

copy x\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\AtiPcie.sys c\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\AtiPcie.sys

replace x with the actual drive letter of your usb stick.

Yes. Are you saying my USB stick should already have that file on it? My USB doesn't have a Window install or anything, or do you mean I should hunt online for an older version of that driver and then replace it?

[TimW]

Yes, you will need to download that driver to your usb stick. Then tell me the file path. It will be something like:
x\AtiPcie.sys so you would use the RC to type:
copy x\AtiPcie.sys C\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\AtiPcie.sys

[Hyphen]

Originally Posted by TimW

Yes, you will need to download that driver to your usb stick. Then tell me the file path. It will be something like:
x\AtiPcie.sys so you would use the RC to type:
copy x\AtiPcie.sys C\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\AtiPcie.sys

Tim, doing some pretty crafty Google searching, I'm not seeing a direct download to the file anywhere. I know where to do for OCX files and etc., but this one isn't showing for me.

Would it be beneficial or worth a test to rename the driver to AtiPcie.sys.old and then try to boot, or is replacing the driver the only way? (If renaming would work, I have no idea what the command would be for that.)

[TimW]

I don't know if you can do that, but it would possibly be this ( I do not use Win7 so it is a shot in the dark for me ):

In the RC, type:
rename C\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\AtiPcie.sys C\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\AtiPcie.sys.old

Hit enter and try to reboot.

[Hyphen]

Originally Posted by TimW

I don't know if you can do that, but it would possibly be this ( I do not use Win7 so it is a shot in the dark for me ):

In the RC, type:
rename C\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\AtiPcie.sys C\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\AtiPcie.sys.old

Hit enter and try to reboot.

Just tried to rename and I'm getting "The system cannot find the file specified." - Also, the prompt shows "X:\Windows\system32" instead of "C:\Windows\system32" for whatever reason. I tried CHKDSK /R earlier and I was told that can't be completed because I don't have write access.

Am I just screwed here?

[TimW]

Using a different computer, download and create this disc> Vista and Win7 Recovery disc

Then boot to that disc. One of the options will be to repair windows. See if that will help.

[Hyphen]

Originally Posted by TimW

Using a different computer, download and create this disc> Vista and Win7 Recovery disc

Then boot to that disc. One of the options will be to repair windows. See if that will help.

Well, I have a RECOVERY drive on this computer and I can actually boot into a "Repair computer" mode from the F8 menu which goes through the startup repair, recovery management, memory diagnostics, etc. Is this the same thing?

[TimW]

Yes it is. I was just wondering about that.