Can't Access System Recovery Options

Greetings,
I have a Dell Inspiron M5010 running Windows 7 that freezes at the Windows logo screen when booting. I have tried the "Repair your computer" option both from the hard drive and from a Windows 7 installation disk. In both cases the computer freezes before it shows the "System Recovery Options" menu. I have also tried removing the RAM one at time and switching their slots. I'm not sure what's worth trying next short of a clean reinstallation of Windows. Any ideas?

 

Thanks for your reply. I had not tried F12 until you mentioned it, and I think that I have the answer to my question. The scan of the hard drive resulted in at least 25 messages such as "Error Code 00F0:1344, Msg: Disk-Block 30989762:Can't Read, replace disk". So I guess I'm replacing the hard drive. Below are all the other things I tried first.


1. I press the power button and see the screen that says, "Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause."

2. If I choose "Start windows Normally" it says "starting Windows and i see the Windows logo for a while, and then get sent to the "Windows failed to start" screen (#1)

3. If I choose "Launch Startup Repair" it says that it is loading the files and I then see the standard Windows wallpaper and can move the cursor (arrow shaped), but that's it, it just hangs there.

4. If I press F8 at start up I get the 'Advanced Options' page.

5. If I choose "Repair your computer" I get a repeat of #3 above.

6. If I choose any of the three "Safe Mode" options, I get a list of files being loaded with the message "please wait . . ." at the bottom. It hangs there for a while and then brings me back to the "Windows failed to start" screen again (#1)

7. If I choose "Last known good configuration" I get the "Starting Windows" screen with the Windows logo, but then I am taken back to the "Windows failed to start" screen (#1)

8. If I choose "Start Windows Normally" I get the same as #2.

9. F2 takes me to the BIOS settings. I used this to allow the computer to boot from the CD Rom drive.

10. If I try booting from an original Windows 7 installation disk, I get the screen asking for what language, etc., then the screen giving the option to install or repair. I choose "repair computer," it loads files and I get the same as #3 above (Windows wallpaper, and can move the cursor), but no list of system recovery options.

Thanks for your help.

 

It sounds like the HD is bad. I'm just curious about booting from CD. You get language options and then choose Repair your computer and it goes back to loading files? You don't get the little box like the fourth picture here: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/command-prompt-in-windows-recovery-environment/

 

To Sach2 - Yes, you're right, I do get prompted to boot from CD - forgot that screen.

 

Yes but you go from the screen where you choose to Repair rather than Install and then go back to Loading files? You never see this screen?
http://www.bleepstatic.com/tutorials/vista-repair-options/system-recovery-options.jpg

I'm curious what is going on with the CD and why you can't get to the options. I won't fix the HD. It is more to understand what sequence you are seeing. It seems to me that once you get past the Choose Language screen the CD has loaded all the necessary files and getting to the 5 options shouldn't be a problem.

 

Okay, here's the exact order of steps I took attempting to repair Windows from CD
1. Powered up with Windows 7 installation disk in the drive
2. Responded to the prompt to boot from CD/DVD by pressing enter
3. Saw message "Windows is loading files" with status bar
4. Saw "Starting Windows" screen with Windows logo
5. Responded to language, time, keyboard preferences screen
6. Came to the screen that gives the options "install now," "what to know before installing windows," and "repair your computer". I chose "repair your computer."
7.That brought me to the Windows wallpaper where it just hangs and goes no further - no system recovery options, just a pleasant looking background and a movable cursor.

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for the details. I can't seem to duplicate that behaviour. As soon as I click Repair your computer I get that screen I posted in #6 where it searches for a Windows installation. It is instantaneous.

I'll just chalk it up to a quirk I can't figure out since your errors indicate a HD in pretty bad shape and satisfying my curiosity won't help you.

Thanks again for the detailed response.

 

Have replaced the hd and the computer is up and running. Thanks again for the dialogue!