Can't Get Win 7 To Repair Startup

Howdy ... I have computer with win 7 ultimate 32 bit and something is wrong with the start up files. I tried using mini tool to repair the MBR but that didn't help.

If the install disk is not in the dvd player windows will go to the screen that states there is a problem due to new software or hardware which isn't the case and gives me the option of launching the repair option or starting windows normally ... if I try starting normally it gets as far as the logo, then reboots.

When I ask it to do a repair I get an error message stating "failed to save startup options" ... I have to put in the install disk and do the repair that way, then I can get into windows ... remove the install disk ... get the error screen when I reboot ... leave in the install disk ... it is able to get the startup files it needs and goes into windows.

The problem is getting those files to the hard drive and why isn't the install disk doing this during the repair?:confused

 

Sometimes you have to run startup repair three times for it to complete its job, but success isn't guaranteed even then.

 

First off, your problem may or may not be due to with startup files. You may have disk errors or memory problems as the cause of your difficulties.

After you run the startup repairs using the installation disk you should get a window that includes an item that reads "View diagnostic and repair details". Run the repairs again and then click on that item so you can determine exactly what Windows is and is not repairing during the procedure.

Then click on "View advanced options for system recovery" item to take you back to the repair options main window.
Click on "Windows Memory Diagnostics" to test your RAM.

When that finishes, go back to the repair options main window and click on "Command Prompt".
Type chkdsk /r at the command prompt and press Enter. This will check your boot disk for file errors and bad sectors and will attempt to correct any abnormalities it finds.

When chkdsk finishes, type bootrec /fixmbr at the prompt and press Enter. This command writes a Windows 7 compatible MBR to the system partition.

Take the installation disk out of the optical drive and reboot

 

Hi:wave I forgot to mention I did a test on all the hardware with three different programs ... they all checked out good ... Okay ... I'm in window7 and I went into the command prompt I thped in chkdsk /r and I got this message ... "Access Denied as you do not have sufficient privileges. You have to invoke this utility running in a elevated mode.":confused I am logged on as administrator ... When I did bootrec /fixmbr I got this message ..." 'bootrec' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."

 

Click on Start button then type cmd into the Search box. Check out the list that pops up and right click on "cmd.exe" > choose "Run as Administrator" from context menu. That will open up an elevated command prompt from which you can run chkdsk.

 

If for some reason you aren't able to call up an elevated command prompt window, you can schedule chkdsk to run by doing the following:

Open an Explorer window
Right click on your system drive (where Windows is installed)
Choose "Properties" from the context menu
Click on the Tools tab
Under "Error checking" heading, click the "Check Now" button.
Check both boxes entitled "Automatically fix file system errors" and "Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors"
Click the "Start" button in that window
You'll get an error message saying "Windows can't check the disk while it's in use" and will ask whether you want to run chkdsk during your next reboot
Click the "Schedule disk check" button to confirm
Reboot your computer and chkdsk should run during the boot up process

 

:waveI checked the hhd with two different software and both stated it was good ... I found that I was using the 7 64 bit install disk ... when I tried the 32 bit disk to do a start up repair I got a message that it could not detect any problems ... yet when I try to boot into windows without the install disk I get the windows error recovery screen:confused

 

Here is the results of the diagnosis test ...

Startup Repair diagnosis and repair log
_________________________________

Last successful boot time: 9/2/2014 9:20:25 PM (GMT)
Number or repair attempts: 2

Session details
_____________

System Disk = \Device\Harddisk0
Windows directory = D:\Windows
AutoChk Run = 0
Number of root causes = 1

Test Performed:
_________________
Name: Check for updates
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 0 ms

Test Performed:
_______________
Name: Disk metadata test
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 47 ms

Test Performed:
_______________
Name: Target OS test
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 109 ms

Test Performed:
_________
Name: Volume content check
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 187 ms


Test Performed:
_______________
Name: Boot manager diagnosis
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 110 ms

Test Performed:
_________
Name: System boot log diagnosis
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 0 ms

Test Performed:
_________
Name: Internal state check
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 47 ms

Test Performed:
_________
Name: Boot status test
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 0 ms

Root cause found:
_________
Boot status indicates that the OS booted successfully.

___________
__________
Session details
______________

System Disk = \Device\Harddisk0
Windows directory = D:\Windows
AutoChk Run = 0
Number of root causes = 1

Test Performed:
_________
Name: Check for updates
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 0 ms


Test Performed:
_________
Name: System disk test
Result: Completed successfully. = 0x0
Time taken = 0 ms


Test Performed:
_________
Name: Disk failure diagnosis
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 63 ms


Test Performed:
_______________
Name: Disk metadata test
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 31 ms


Test Performed:
_______________
Name: Target OS test
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 94 ms

Test Performed:
_______________
Name: Volume content check
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 202 ms


Test Performed:
_______________
Name: Boot manager diagnosis
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 94 ms


Test Performed:
_______________
Name: Event log diagnosis
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 187 ms


Test Performed:
_______________
Name: Internal state check
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 16 ms


Test Performed:
_________
Name: Boot status test
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 0 ms

Root cause found:
__________

Boot status indicates that the OS booted successfully.

 

You mentioned earlier that you used MiniTools Partition Wizard in an attempt to repair your MBR. Do you know if the program succeeded in writing a new MBR to your disk?

Have you tried a System Restore from either Windows or your installation disk?

 

Mini tool claim it was successful but it didn't help and I tried system restore as well but it didn't work either ...rolleyes I just remember this is a dual boot system with XP on the D drive and 7 on the C but I am not getting the boot option I should that will allow me to boot into XP ... :yum

 

If you are able to boot into Win 7 normally, download and install EasyBCD to the Win 7 drive. Run it and add the XP. When you reboot your computer, you'll be presented with a choice of either booting to Win 7 OR XP. I have the same type of setup on my laptop with Vista on the "C" drive and XP on the "D" drive and can boot into either using EasyBCD.

 

A couple of things I would try:

Boot into windows using the repair disk, then turn off automatic reboot at control panel / system / advanced. This should yield a blue screen at the next failure, and you can search out the code.

Or you can try booting up using the generic VGA driver. Many times failure at the logo is due to video issues.

 

I downloaded EasyBCD and was able to get XP back in the boot menu ... but the problem still remains ... without the win7 install disk in the DVD it will go to the windows error recovery screen ... if I leave the install disk in ... it will go to the dual boot menu ... don't understand that ... the program may not be able to fix the problem ... :confused

 

I think that when XP was installed on this computer whoever did it removed or overwrote the small system reserved partition that housed the Win 7 boot files and that's why it only boots with the DVD in the drive. We really need to see your disk and partition situation to resolve this, which you can do by typing diskmgmt.msc in the Start > Search box. Try to ensure that all available info is readable, take a screenshot and attach it to your next post.

 

XP was installed first with a clean install ... then win 7...

 

:waveOne other thing ... I can't get the screen saver to work in win7 even when I go into the display properties and tell it to go to screen saver after 10 mins. Any idea how to get that straighten out?:confused

 

diskpart may be a better solution on this problem.

From start, type cmd, right click, run as administrator.

type in: diskpart (press enter)
type in: list disk (press enter)
use snippy tool to screen shot that
type in: list volume (press enter)
screen shot that
type in: list partition (press enter)
screen shot that

then post those screen shots here.

This is only a suggestion, sometimes command line is better.

Otherwise, ignore this post.

 

Thanks for the pic. Everything looks completely normal for a MS-style dual boot. So it seems that the Win 7 boot files, which are on drive D in your screenshot, have either somehow got removed or damaged. In Win 7 can you first uncheck the option to hide protected operating system files and then look in drive D for a folder named Boot and a file called bootmgr. If they are present then one of them is damaged and startup repair ought to be able to fix it. Have you tried startup repair three times as I advised earlier? If either of the files is not present we have a substantial problem which at present I'm not too sure how to resolve.

 

EDIT - looking again at the earlier replies I see rusty asked you to run bootrec /fixmbr but didn't ask you to run bootrec /fixboot so can you try both commands again in an elevated command prompt. If that doesn't fix it you should work your way through this troubleshooting tutorial.

(The editing time limits here are too restrictive imo)

 

I agree. I can't tell you how many times I've had to submit a new post.

 

Nothing happens after 10 mins ... it stays on the active screen ... I did check and adjusted the power options ... still won't work. The display is set at 30 mins to shut off ... the sleep 2 hours ... :wave

 

Hey Spirittoo, you're effectively hijacking your own thread. Forget about the screen saver for now and let's all stay focused on the boot issues. Did you run through the tutorial that Earthling directed you to in his last post? It's full of things to try in your attempts at righting the boot problems. That particular troubleshooting guide references a bare bones description of how to rebuild your BCD stores (something you should definitely do). Here's a link to a more detailed description of that fix:

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/ht/rebuild-bcd-store-windows.htm

 

Sorry ... I thought it would be more efficient to ask here instead of doing another thread ... I am still trying stuff from the link you provided ... still no luck so far, but still working on it ... :wave

 

I'd like some specific answers to my posts 18 and 19. Otherwise I'm sure I can find a better use for my time.

 

Took me longer than 10 mins to edit my post .... I am still trying stuff from the link you provided ... I tried going into the install disk and doing the repair start up options several time rebooting each time, but nothing... I did the fixmbr and fixboot command but nothing ... I did the sfc command and the scannow command nothing ... it stated it didn't find any integrity violations ... still no luck so far, but still working on it ... :wave

Didn't see your post until after my edit ...

 

What about the boot files on D ?

 

I saw you last post and I answering your questions ... I went to the command prompt via the install disk. I was able to do the command d: to get to the d drive ... I tried to do a cd boot command and got "The system cannot find the paths specified". ... I tried the bootmgr command and got ..."'bootmgr' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file." As I stated before I tried the start up three times ....no luck but am going to try it again ... on to your next question.

 

I have tried all that ...still going through the troubleshooting guide ... :wave

 

I went into the command prompt via the install disk ... I changed to d drive and gave the following commands ...
bootrec.exe
bootrec /fixboot
The operation completed successfully

bootrec /fix Mbr
The operation completed successfully.

bootrec /RebuildBcd
Scanning all disks for Windows installations.
Please wait, since this may take a while ...
Successfully scanned Windows installations.
Total identified Windows installations: 0
The operation completed successfully.

bootrec /ScanOs
Scanning all disks for Windows installations.
Please wait, since this may take a while ...
Successfully scanned Window installations.
Total idenfitified Windows installations: 0
The operation completed successfully.

Don't understand why it doesn't see anything ... :confused

 

I can't be explaining properly what I need you to do. Start Win 7 > in Computer click on Organize > click Folder and Search Options > click View tab > uncheck Hide Protected Operating System Files and OK out. Click Computer > Click D drive and look for a folder named Boot and a fle named bootmgr. Do they exist?

It does look from your subsequent post one or both may be missing.

 

In post #10, spirittoo explains that Win 7 is on the "C" drive and XP is on the "D" drive. The XP "D" drive won't have the boot folder OR bootmgr. It only has boot.ini. When I ran EasyBCD with the same type of configuration (only it was Vista on the "C" drive and XP on the "D" drive), the XP drive had no additional folders or files added to it and boot.ini wasn't modified in any way.

At this point, with everything that's been tried unsuccessfully, it looks to me like spirittoo is facing a clean install of Win 7 on his "C" drive.

 

@mdonah - please look at the disk management picture in #15. On an XP system, when 7 is subsequently installed, the boot files are placed at the root of the first partition, the XP partition. The pic confirms that the first partition does contain the boot files - that's what the System flag means - and it is also the Active partition, meaning that is where the boot process is to look for the boot files. The second partition has the Boot flag which, the stupid way MS does this, means that this is the partition the OS is currently booted to. The drive letters look confusing because in a MS dual boot the Boot partition will always be assigned C. If the system were booted to XP then XP would be C and 7 would be D. It's a crazy system but that is how it works.

My main problem here, apart from getting the info I need, is understanding what effect you asking the OP to install EasyBCD may have had on the setup.

@spirittoo - please try and answer my question about the presence or otherwise of the boot files on D. Overnight I had another thought too - we have not yet run the system file checker, the routine that checks that all required system files are present and in their proper state. Please boot to Win 7 and remove the DVD from the drive. Then open an elevated command prompt and type sfc /scannow. If the routine asks you to reinsert your disk then do so.

Let me know the result.

EDIT - if all else fails we could always do a repair install, tutorial HERE. Be sure to use the correct version, 32 or 64 bit.

 

That would only apply if Vista was the first installed system and XP was added later. That would not create a dual boot and isn't relevant to the problem we have here.

 

Sorry, :-o my mistake. My OSes are on two separate drives (Vista — 120GB Toshiba, XP — 80GB WD) not one with multiple partitions.

 

I wasn't see exactly were to look so I booted up windows 7 and looked in the D drive which is XP ... in windows system32 ... there I found bootcfg ... bootok ... bootvid.dll ... and bootvrfy ... that's it ... I also looked in drive c under system32 and found bcdboot ... bcdedit ... boot.sdio ... bootcfg ... bootres.dll bootstr.dll bootvid.dll ... I didn't see any folders name boot or bootmgr ... the show hidden files option is turned on.:confused

 

Here is the results of the scan ...

 

Thanks for the scan results.

 

I didn't ask you about hidden files! Please be more careful as it is imperative you first uncheck the option that says Hide Protected Operating System Files. I gave you a click-by-click on how to do that. Once in drive D you only look at the root of the drive, not in Windows System 32 or in any other sub-folder or in drive C. If you can confirm that those two boot items, the Boot folder and bootmgr file are definitely not there then either something misfired when you installed Win 7 or they have somehow been deleted. Without bootmgr your Win 7 cannot boot unless you put the installer disc in the drive.

If you can confirm with 100% certainty that bootmgr is not there then you will either have to reinstall Win 7 or follow the link I gave you to refresh it.

 

Yes ... I did as you instructed ... the hide hidden files and folders was unchecked ... there was nothing what so ever in the d drive about a boot manager ... oh wait ... I went back into the folder options and unchecked hide extensions for known file types ... and unchecked hide protected operating system files ... NOW I can see the bootmgr ... and boot.ini ... Boot.BAK ... BOOTSECT.BAK ... in the D drive ... :-D ... The boot folder is there as well.

 

OK, thanks. Finally we have confirmed that your boot files are present but still don't know why they can't boot your system. I should have asked earlier but has this Win 7 ever booted without the disc in the drive? Or is this a recent problem?

 

Yes ... when I first installed XP and 7 as a clean install ... it was able to boot into windows without the disk ... I build this computer for a friend ... so I don't know what happen that would have cause the start up to be corrupt. He just told me it was running slow and was having problems getting on line ... finally he said he couldn't get into windows at all ... he was only getting the windows error screen as I described ... :confused

 

I've just been re-reading the early posts, before you revealed it was a dual boot we had to deal with. rusty asked you to run chkdsk /r which, as you were in 7 would only have checked drive C, the Win 7 partition. We also need to check the XP partition by running chkdsk d: /r from Win 7 as disk errors in that partition could be behind this failure to boot. Be sure to do this from 7 as the drive letters would change if you were in XP.

 

I used seatool HD checker and Hot CPU to check the hard drive it tested good, but I will try again with windows ... :wave

 

Did the disk check and there was no indication of errors ... I didn't see what happen only that after the scan it booted into windows. I checked both drives.:wave

 

Have to admit I'm running out of gas here. Been trying to avoid suggesting a reinstall or refresh but it's looking ever more likely. Is this all correct, have I missed or misunderstood anything?

- Win 7 will only boot with the DVD in the drive but otherwise, apart from a screensaver issue, is problem free

- The original boot menu that gave you a choice of Win 7 or Earlier Versions of Windows no longer appears. However this issue is complicated by having installed EasyBCD which presumably does give you a boot menu, and I'm assuming that XP does boot and run OK. You have not said anything about that though.

- We have run chkdsk on both C and D drives and no errors are reported. You have also run third party disk checking tools with no errors.

- We have run the system file checker sfc /scannow on Win 7 with no errors. We have not run it on XP but that should not affect your boot problem with 7.

- You have run bootrec /fixmbr and bootrec /fixboot without any change

- You have run startup repair multiple times without any change

- We have confirmed that the Win 7 boot files are present in the correct (first) hdd partition.

- Neither bootrec /RebuildBcd nor bootrec /ScanOs recognises any Windows installations, though EasyBCD does

- We have not scanned for infections as the issue does not appear to be malware related, however perhaps we should.

Unless anyone else here has more suggestions there really isn't much else I can suggest we can do I'm afraid.

 

@ Earthling,

I just went back to Post #15 and took another look at the screen shot of Disk Management. The color coding for the type of disk shows disk "C" (Win 7) as Logical instead of Primary. Would that make a difference?

 

Here's an article describing how to rebuild the BCD store in cases where no Windows installations are detected when running bootrec /rebuildbcd command. It's worked for one person who I directed there. When reading through it I always get hung up because the article assumes that the system's BCD store is located in c:\boot, and my system doesn't have such a directory. My BCD files are housed in cryptically named subdirectories of Windows (and yes, I have Explorer configured to show all hidden files and folders).

I also know of a decent rescue boot disk that addresses the BCD issue. It's called Lazesoft Recovery Suite. You'll need to download an executable downloader which, when run, will in turn download the necessary ISO file and burn it to a blank CD. Put it in your optical drive and reboot.

If neither of these tactics work, I'd recommend that you take Earthling's advice about doing a repair install... or even a clean install of Windows 7.

 

Hi mdonah - no, Win 7 is perfectly happy running in a logical partition as long as its boot files are in a primary.

 

It's worth finding out if there were errors that were corrected during the chkdsk run. You should find the report in Event Viewer > Applications under "wininit" around the time the run ended.