Windows 7 System Repair Issues

My Toshiba Satellite Pro with Windows 7 started the other day, gave me a hardware configuration error, then gave me the option to either use the system repair or start windows normally. I have tried both. When i select start Windows normal, it comes back to the screen that I just mentioned. When I hit system repair, it just gives me a black screen and a cursor.

So, then I changed the system bios and inserted the disk that came with my computer. I never get the hit any key to boot from disk and all I get is the black screen.

I have tried to F8 and have tried all the options there. I cannot boot in safe mode, I cannot revert to the last known configuration,, etc etc

Then I read about the toshiba recovery console, so I held down the 0 key and restarted, but got nothing.

At this point, I would even settle for a clean install of windows, but since it isn't booting from the cd rom at all, ya know?

Any advice at this point is well received. Thanks

 

When its booting is there a way to get into the bios? It may be called setup on some. So you can change the boot order to let you boot to disc.

 

Did that...the CD Rom is set to boot first

 

Right, sorry I missed that.

When you get to the black screen with the cursor. Can you CTRL+ALT+DELETE to see the task manager?

 

yeah tried that too and nothing

 

So when F8 booting. You said you can't get into safe mode.

Is it that pressing F8 doesn't bring up that menu? Or that booting to safe mode does the exact same thing as normal mode?

 

No I can get into where I get all the different safe mode options, just nothing happens when I hit safe mode, I just get the black screen with a cursor. I have tried all of the different safe modes

 

What about Enable low-resolution video (640×480)?

 

Yep did that too!!

 

Could be:
· Spyware or backdoor worm infection.
· The explorer.exe process is missing or damaged.

I'd try plugging it into another computer and scanning it. Might want to start a new thread here.
Also READ THIS.

 

Do you have either a system restore DVD that shipped with the PC or a Microsoft OEM or Retail DVD copy of Windows 7 (not a "system restore" DVD from another brand/model of PC)?

If so (with the BIOS set to boot from the CD/DVD drive first), insert it and start the PC. What happens next should narrow the problem down.

• If it loads the Windows 7 setup screen, it should give you a "repair" option. Run the "repair" option - if it solves the problem it was likely either a corrupted MBR or other corrupted files (this has saved my a:*** more than once).
• If it gives you a disc error message, the hard drive is the most likely suspect. (If you are out-of-warranty and the drive is a SATA, spend a few extra bucks for a 7200RPM replacement - faster performance than a 5400RPM for about $10 more). Buy it from a retailer with a decent return policy if it doesn't solve the problem. Even without a specific disc error message, I've seen a few cases where a bad hard drive would cause this type of issue.
• If a new hard drive doesn't solve things, it could be a defective memory module or other hardware issue.

Hope this helps.

 

I do have the disks, and that's just the thing, I get no startup, I get no error, I get nothing but a black screen...

 

If you have a multimeter, check the voltage output at the power supply tip. It should be + 5% of the rated input wattage noted on the PC. If the PSU is defective (over or under voltage), it's a possible suspect.

Again, if you can borrow a spare hard drive, it's also at least worth testing to see if it solves the problem.

Also, try booting with just one of the two memory modules. If it boots with one but not with the other you have a defective stick of RAM.

Good luck.

 

Which type of cursor are you getting? A flashing line in the upper-left corner of the screen or a mouse cursor that you can move around?

 

The mouse kind

 

Hit the left shift key 5 times does a sticky key window come up? Does it have a link to the Ease of Access Center?

 

Ok now all of the sudden we are getting a PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable error....what in the hell?

 

Please try a different hard drive. The media test failure and check cable error are signs that point back to it.

I'm not trying to beat a dead horse - just trying to give you advice on what I've gone through before. :banghead

 

ok, so if I get a new hard drive, I will just have to put the disks in and restall a new os right? I know that's a dumb question, just making sure

 

Yup. Hypothetically. It is very odd that you can't boot to a disc though. Since that really has nothing to do with the hard drive.

 

yeah i know...

 

Have you tried different boot discs?

 

PXE is usually the last in the boot order. So it isn't booting off the CD then it goes to HD and no go and finally looks for a network and gives the PXE error.

So you should still be able to boot from CD whether or not the HD is bad. The fact that you have a moving cursor means some part of Windows is booting off the HD because BIOS does not have a moving cursor.

The question is what exactly is on the CD that came with your computer (what does the label say) and whether that disc is good or not. With the disc in the tray try F12 at reboot and see if you get a boot menu where you can select the boot device. You choose CD/DVD and see if it will boot from the CD. (This is different than boot order and is a one time thing that forces it to try the CD rather than go down the list)

 

I agree with this based on theory. My advice to try a different hard drive is based on my actual experience on at least two PCs. When I changed out the hard drives based on similar symptoms it fixed the problem.

Aside from using the SWAG (Scientific Wild A:*** Guess) method that something in the drive controller was messed up, I'm not sure why it worked. It just did. :confused

 

Hi gman863,
I'm thinking along those lines as well as a Toshiba laptops seem to have a problem with a faulty CDROM jamming up POST. Remove the CDROM and everything goes back to normal.

But in this case I think the moving cursor implies that Windows is starting but not running correctly. Why the OP can't boot from CD is a question. He/she could try removing the current HD to see if the laptop boots from CD but I would try a different bootable CD or F12 first since it is easier. I'm just thinking ahead about being able to reinstall after possibly replacing the HD.

Xam, if you post the model of the laptop we could look into the recovery options for that model. I've never seen "0" key being the one that takes you to recovery.

 

You guys are awesome, I am willing to try anything.

It's a toshiba satellite pro L-450.

And yes I have tried f12 to force the disk boot but nothing. And I have used these disks before on this computer. They are the recovery disks that came with it. I am willing to try another set of disks, but from where?

Cause now, and I dunno what the hell i did, but I am not getting the cursor anymore, I am just getting the pxe error.

As for your 0 question, I saw that Toshiba had something on some of their computers that brought you to a advanced recovery mode or something, I figured it was worth a shot in the dark. It did bring up something, but it was like what components made up the computer and nothing more.

So um...AHHHH

 

OK so his father ran something, and now he managed to get it to run. It enters the recovery or repair mode or whatever and his choices are start from a previous image (don't have) or repair the selected OS. If no OS is found, please locate the drivers, etc etc....you can get into the computer files.

I'll be real honest, I dunno where to go from here....I am smart, and I totally understand when you guys tell me to do something, but this is beyond my realm of knowledge.

So um, HELP! Thanks

 

Is there a listing for Windows 7 in that box?

I'm going by the screenshots in this link under Method 2 if you scroll down that page.

If you can get to the choices in Step 6 then I would try Startup Repair first.

 

ok so I managed to get into the system repair (thank you sach2!) but the startup recovery does nothing and the system restore does nothing because it says you have to specify an OS and there isn't one there, so I opened up the command prompt to run a chkdsk and got the "type of ntfs (something or other, I am trying to understand and type on the phone at the same time) windows cannot run disk check on this volume because it is write protected"

The thing is I would just install windows fresh, but it isn't even giving me that option

 

Again, I'm going from those screenshots. Isn't there an option to install on the second screen, in the center of the screen? Does it give an error if you try to install?