My computer refuses to start up.

I have this Cyberpower gaming PC that I haven't used in 5 months, because I gave up on it due to the same problem. I recently just purchased BF3 so now I'm determined to fix it.

Okay, when I turn it on, it goes straight to a black screen where my only option is to launch startup repair (which fails every time), and to launch Windows normally. Whenever I choose to launch it normally, it just restarts the computer.

I have no idea how to fix this, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Windows 64-bit.

This was a pre-built computer so I do not have any Windows install discs.

 

Have you attempted running startup repair? If so, what were the results?

 

Yes, it just attempts to repair for about 15 seconds before a pop-up says that it failed.

 

Does the startup repair provide any error messages?

During startup, just before the point where the windows logo pops up normally, press F8 repeatedly. This should present you with a list of options. Select "safe mode" from this list.

This should start windows in a completely cut down mode that should resolve most problems so we can hunt for a solution more easily.

 

A pop-up just tells me that it failed (Startup repair cannot repair this computer automatically), then there's this option to "View diagnostic and repair details", and it comes up with this:

Startup Repair diagnosis and repair log
------------------------------
Last successful boot time: 2/1/2012 4:08:23 AM (GMT)

Session details
------------------------------
System Disk = \Device\Harddick0
Windows directory = D:\Windows
AutoChk Run = 0
Number of Root Causes = 1


Not sure if that's important, and when I try to launch in Safe Mode, it just restarts again.

 

Thanks for the info. When you get the above error message, is there a section for "more information" or "advanced"? If so, what does it say in there? What I am looking for is where it describes what the 1 root cause is.

 

There is an "advanced" option (right under the "View diagnostic and repair details"), and it takes me to a pop-up to enter my account name and password, thing is, I've tried all the passwords I can think of, and none of them have been the right one. Not sure if it's because of the PC or because none of them are the correct password.

But if it would just attempt to login to Windows, I don't see it being much help considering everything else I've tried makes the computer restart.

 

Sorry, I meant the "view diagnostic and repair details" option. I wasn't sure what options there were as it has been a while since I have seen that screen.

 

Oh okay, there's nothing there but that information from what I can see.

 

I think you will need to make or download a recovery environment disc to get past that password problem and be able to get to the advanced options.

If you have another computer also running Win7 64it you can go to Start and type in Create and it will come up with "Create a repair disc" and walk you through the steps. Or you will need to download a copy and burn it to a blank CD or DVD using a program like Imgburn and its "Write IMAGE file to Disc" option.

Then boot the computer from the CD let it try the automatic repair and when it fails go to the advanced options and try Startup Repair from the list of 5 options. Then reboot and see if any change. If no change boot from the CD again and let it try the automatic repair. See if the fail details are the same.

If those steps don't work then we can manually try to fix the startup files as plodr suggested.

 

I'm a bit tight on resources at the moment, so getting the CD's to make a repair disc could take some time.

Is it essential that I get into my account?

 

I think you are going to need a boot disc to get things running since it won't let you into the advanced options menu. I'll think about other options. Do you have an empty USB flash drive? (You might be able to boot from that using linux to see which partition is set as active)

Have you tried F8 repeatedly at boot up to try to get to Safe Mode options? If you get the safe mode menu you could try Last Known Good Configuration. If that didn't work you could try Safe Mode with Command Prompt to see if it asks for your password or if i goes immediately to command prompt without logging in. Then you might have some options.

Edit: If you are unsure if you set a password, try leaving the password blank and see if it lets you in.

 

I do have an empty USB flash drive.

Also, I have tried pressing F8 repeatedly, when I launch Safe Mode it just restarts as usual.

 

Try Last Known Good Configuration from the F8 menu.

I'll think about what can be done with a USB flash drive. I don't think the repair disc will boot from USB and Linux will only change the active partition but won't change the boot files.

Linux may still be worth a shot. You can use unetbootin to download Puppy Linux and put it on the USB. See if your computer will boot from USB. You might have to hit F12 during the BIOS/Splash screen to get a boot menu where you can select to boot from USB.

I'll take a look later to see what options that would give you. I'll also see if there is a way to get the recovery ISO to boot from USB, I don't think Microsoft's tool works for the recovery disc, but there may be a workaround on the web.

 

Ok, I was messing with this earlier and figured out a couple of things.

First, Linux won't do you any good because this is not an active partition problem. My mistake for misreading the error.

It looks like you can get the recovery iso to work using a flash drive which should bypass the password problem.

You want to download and install PowerIso. The unregistered version will work since the ISO is less than 300mb. You can uninstall poweriso when done. Pay attention during the installation and choose Custom and untick all three boxes that want to install AVG products which you don't want.

Now, you want to prepare your USB drive. This is the guide I used: http://www.energizedtech.com/2010/01/winre-windows-recovery-environ-6.html
You want to pay very close attention when selecting the disk. Be sure you are selecting your small USB drive and not your larger HD or you will have major problems.

So you open cmd.exe with Administrative rights. In Win7 that is Start then type in cmd and when cmd.exe appears in the search results you right click it and select Run as Administrator. Then in the command window type:
diskpart
list disk Here is where you look for your small flash drive 2000-16000mb and double check your number before doing the select disk command below.
select disk #
clean
create partition primary
format fs=fat32 quick
active
assign

Now you want to use poweriso to extract the contents of the RE iso to the flash drive. You should be able to just right click the iso and then under the PowerISO menu choose extract to and browse to your USB flash. When it is done your USB should be bootable and you can try booting from it on the CyberPower machine. Have the USB inserted before starting the computer and F12 may give you a boot menu if hit during the BIOS/splash screen. See if you can then get to the advanced repair options and select Startup Repair, let it run and then reboot.

 

Okay, before I get into this other stuff, I just want to post that when I selected "Last Known Good Configuration" from the F8 menu, it was able to get all the way through the windows logo screen, before coming to a blue screen that was talking about how "A problem has been detected and that Windows has shut down in order to prevent damage" or something like that.

Does this clear up anything or should I get right into the USB thing?

 

I'm on list disk, and I'm confused as to what number I'm supposed to double check.

 

On the number you want to make sure you are selecting the small flash drive. In this case http://www.energizedtech.com/WindowsLiveWriter/WinREWindowsRecoveryEnvironmentYourLifeP_6C24/image_thumb.png
the flash drive is disk #2 at 7858mb for an 8gb flash drive. If your flash drive is 4gb it will be something like 3892mb. Most likely, your flash drive will be measured in MB rather than GB unless you have a 16gb or larger flash drive. You just want to be sure that you select the flash drive rather than your HD which will be something much larger in the 200-500gb range. (Note: You do not use the # sign when selecting the drive. That is just a place holder in my instruction, the command would be for example: select disk 7 or whichever number is your flash drive.)

I think getting the recovery environment working is still your best bet since it gives you options. I'm not sure what is causing the LKGConfig error. Is there more than one HD in that Cyberpower machine?

 

No, there's only one.

And I've gotten into an error when I tried to type in clean, it says:

DiskPart has encountered an error: Access is denied.
See the System Event Log for more information.

EDIT: I typed in clean again right after the error, and it said that it succeeded in cleaning the disk. Is that good or was I not supposed to try it again immediately afterwards?

 

You should be fine. If it doesn't give an error while formatting then I would think it was just a fluke.

 

You stated earlier in the thread that you had got past the windows screen to a blue screen.

Is there any way you can get back to that and post the information from that screen please? We are looking for the line of text right under the first line, which will look something like IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL or PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA or something short, in caps and underscored.

 

I would, but it only appears for about a second before the computer restarts.

 

Okay, now I'm at the part where I'm supposed to use PowerISO to extract the contents of the RE iso to the flash drive.

How do I go about doing this?

 

If you have installed poweriso it should have added an entry to the right click context menu. So you go in an Explorer window to the RE64 ISO you downloaded and right click the file. Yo will see Poweriso in the context menu. Scroll down to it and expand it to select "Extract to" and then in the window that opens browse to you USB flash then hit OK. It will put the files on the USB. Then you want to try to boot the Cyberpower pc from the USB.

 

http://i.imgur.com/GhYJt.png

I'm sorry, but I'm a bit confused, is there any way we can do a step-by-step?

 

Your basically opening Explorer and browsing to your folder with the iso file you downloaded and right clicking the file and selecting Extract to.

http://imgur.com/NcN4M

In this second pic where it says G: drive you would hit the three ... to Browse to your USB removable disc then hit OK in both the Browse window to select the destination then in the "G:" window to begin writing the files.

http://imgur.com/b3JJv

 

Oh okay how do I know where the ISO file is?

 

That really depends where your internet browser puts its downloads. You can try the downloads folder like on the left in my picture. Which browser do you use, we could try to figure out the default location.

 

Google Chrome.

 

Here is the list of default download locations.
If you can't find yours in the default location then hit the wrench then Settings then Show Advanced and you should be able to see the default download location.

 

Okay, I don't see any ISO files.

I see files named BOIE9_ENUS_BO0085_WIN764 and BOIE9_ENUS_BO0085_WIN764 (1).

Not sure if that's it.

Maybe I missed something?

 

Where was the part where an ISO file was supposed to be downloaded?

 

Maybe your download didn't complete? How large are those files?

Mine is 164mb or shows at 168,804kb. Does your size match?

Get this text file...

 

37,586 kb.

 

I edited my previous reply.

 

Okay, got it. Extracting now.

What next?

 

It depends on how your PC is setup as to how to boot from the USB. Usually it would be to have the USB plugged in and then when you boot the computer an F# key should bring up a one time boot menu where you would select to boot from the USB drive. Many computers use F12. It may say which key on the manufacturer's flash screen. Something like hit F12 or F8 for boot menu. You want to hit the key while it is still on the splash screen.

If you get it to boot then you want to let it do the automatic repair and see if it lists your Windows installation in the first window. If it lists the Windows installation with a drive letter in the window and the automatic repair says it couldn't repair then you want to hit the Next button or something for Advanced options. Select Startup Repair from that list and then reboot when done. See if it makes any difference.

 

Okay, I'm at the boot menu and I see 4 different USB options.

USB-FDD
USB-ZIP
USB-CDROM
USB-HDD

Which do I choose?

 

I'm not sure. Try USB-HDD
If no go you can try each one.

 

I guess it was the right one.

Now I'm at a pop-up titled System Recovery Options.

There are two choices, and the pop up box looks like this:

[X] Use recovery tools that can help fix problems starting Windows. Select an operating system to repair.

If your operating system isn't listed, click Load Drivers and then install drivers for your hard disks.

Operating System | Partition Size | Location
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Windows 7 | 476837 MB | (D Local Disk

[ ] Restore your computer using a system image that you created earlier.​

[LOAD DRIVERS] [NEXT]​

 

Good it found the installation.

Check the details of the repair it tried to make. Just give any line that describes a possible reason. Then

I would hit the Next http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winre/images/access8.gifbutton which will take you to a screen like thishttp://www.windowsreinstall.com/winre/images/access10.gif

where you select Startup Repair. Let it repair and then reboot without the USB. See if it makes any difference.

If no difference then start from the USB again and get back to the list and try System Restore and see if there are any restore points to try.

 

Clicked Startup Repair and it told me that Startup Repair could not detect a problem.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

 

It means that it doesn't look like it will be a simple fix. I have to go out for an hour or so.
If yeah means you have a restore point try one as close to February as you can find since that was the last it was working. If system restore doesn't work, I'll try to figure out where to go next. It may have something to do with Windows being on D: but I'm not really sure. Is there just one HD in that machine?

The other thing to try while I'm out is hitting F8 to get to the Safe Mode menu and selecting Disable Automatic Restart on Error. Then if it loads to a blue screen it should stay there so you can read any error codes and post it here.

 

As far as I can tell, yeah.

 

It worked!

I restored the system to the earliest restore point (which happened to be my birthday), and it worked!

Thanks to everyone who helped, especially you, sach.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my journey to look for a wireless network adapter somewhere in my house.

 

Just found the adapter after climbing on a mountain of boxes and moving several heavy ones all over the place, today is a great day.

Thanks again, guys.

 

Great! Glad it was "relatively" simple.

I don't anticipate any further problems but just wanted to let you know that I saw a 5pack of CD-R's at Walgreen's for $2. You can get small packs of CDs rather than large spindles at some drugstores and supermarkets. Even though you may pay more per disc total cost can be relatively small. You might want to burn that ISO file to a CD as an IMAGE file (to make it bootable) to have a disc handy in the future. I find I use mine a couple times a year.

Enjoy your new game!

Oh by the way, did you have to use a password at the Welcome screen? I'm just curious if one was set.

 

Nope, it just let me right in.

Is it necessary to put it on a CD or is it okay if I keep it on the USB?