[sixx jpN]

This morning my computer was fine, nothing was wrong. I've had it for about a year and a half (CyberPower) and so far it's been OK. The PC froze up sometime this morning. I decided to do a manual/hard restart, whatever you want to call it. When it booted back up it would take me to the windows loading screen with the green bar like usual, but would take a large amount of time to load. It would then flash a blue screen extremely fast and then reboot. The blue screen is going fast enough to the point where I can't even read what it says.

Was a little weird, so I decided to try and boot in safe mode. When I did that it would load all of the drivers up to crcdisk.sys. Crcdisk is the last loaded "driver" before safe mode decides to stop and the computer decides to restart. I then tried the recovery disk that CyberPower gave. When I rebooted, it didn't even load the recovery disk. Then after forcing it to boot off of the disk, it would "load" something (indicated it was at least loading something off of the disk with a progress bar at the bottom of the screen). Then after that instead of seeing another menu, it went to the windows load screen with the green bars scrolling by. It then repeats the first process of loading the bar and then flashing a blue screen and then restarting.

This is a little confusing considering I haven't installed anything recently (other than a stick of ram a few days ago, but I have already tried removing it to see if it makes a difference when booting). I would prefer not to reformat my hard drive as I have a lot of valuable stuff on it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Here are my specs:

Core 2 Duo E6750 @ 2.66 GHZ
2GB DDR2-800 (after removing the third stick)
EVGA 8800GT (stock speeds)
500GB Western Digital
Windows Vista 32-bit Home Premium

Edited by sixx jpN, 12 April 2009 - 09:40 PM.

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It may indicate HD problem.

Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287

[Broni]

It may indicate HD problem.

Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287

[usasma]

One of the choices on the Safe Mode screen is to Disable Automatic Restart. Select that and try to boot into Windows. The system will stop at the Blue Screen so you can copy down the information there. Here's a link that describes the information needed: http://www.bleepingc...tml#entry409491

[sixx jpN]

One of the choices on the Safe Mode screen is to Disable Automatic Restart. Select that and try to boot into Windows. The system will stop at the Blue Screen so you can copy down the information there. Here's a link that describes the information needed: http://www.bleepingc...tml#entry409491

Could you explain this please? I understand there is a way to disable it but wouldn't that require actually having the computer work? As it stands right now I am unable to even get to my desktop (basically I can't get passed the load screen with the green bar). Also, I saw four options when booting. It would have, "Safe Mode," "Safe Mode with Command Prompt," "Safe Mode With Networking," "Revert to last successful boot," and "Start windows normally." I did not see an option to disable automatic restarts. To clear something up I am posting this from a laptop, not the actual computer with a problem.


After waiting 20 minutes, I was able to get a screen to pop up when I popped in my CyberPower "recovery disk," and forcing it to boot off the disk. Still waiting as to what will happen. It's stuck on a screen with a Windows background (with the Vista colors) and text at the bottom that says "Please Wait." I'm a little doubtful since it has taken 20 minutes just to get to a screen that says "please wait..."

Edit: Was able to get to a Windows Install. Looked for a "Repair" option but it just showed as if I was trying to reinstall Windows. I really would like to keep all of the stuff on the hard-drive so I exited out of the set up. I'm assuming if I can't get the stuff off the hard drive, this will be my only other option? (basically reformatting?)

Edited by sixx jpN, 13 April 2009 - 04:46 PM.

[usasma]

OK, there's a couple of issues here. Try this...
Just before the Windows splash screen shows up, rapidly tap the F8 key. This should get you to the Safe Mode screen with the additonal options on it. They'll be below the 4 options that you mentioned above. If it's not showing up there, then this'll be another problem.

The repair install is very similar to installing Windows (actually what you're doing is installing Windows over itself - without involving all the non-Windows stuff). In Vista it can only be done from within Windows - and you use the Upgrade function. Here's a couple of links with more info about it:
http://www.vistax64....tall-vista.html
http://vistasupport....air_options.htm

Edited by usasma, 13 April 2009 - 05:50 PM.

[sixx jpN]

OK, there's a couple of issues here. Try this...
Just before the Windows splash screen shows up, rapidly tap the F8 key. This should get you to the Safe Mode screen with the additonal options on it. They'll be below the 4 options that you mentioned above. If it's not showing up there, then this'll be another problem.

The repair install is very similar to installing Windows (actually what you're doing is installing Windows over itself - without involving all the non-Windows stuff). In Vista it can only be done from within Windows - and you use the Upgrade function. Here's a couple of links with more info about it:
http://www.vistax64....tall-vista.html
http://vistasupport....air_options.htm

I'll try and tackle this.

When I press F8 it brings up a boot menu. I have my one and only hard drive to choose from and then my two DVD Drives. It does NOT bring me to the screen you are describing. I have also tried one of the methods on the website by highlighting the hard drive and then pressing F8. This does not bring up additional options, instead it just does nothing. I am totally at a loss right now. I'm still trying to resolve this without wiping my hard drive.

[usasma]

Some systems are a bit touchy about this. Try pressing F8 a little bit later. Eventually you should hit the right point.
If you get into the Safe Mode screen without the additional selections, check to see if you can press F8 there to get the advanced options.

There are other methods for getting to the BSOD information - but they're more difficult (removing the hard drive and using another computer to retrieve the memory dump files from there).

Since this is likely due to a driver that boots early in the startup process (before the system decides between Safe Mode and normal mode), it's gonna be difficult to disable the driver also. There are commands that you can use from the Startup Repair...Command Prompt to disable the drivers - but that's going to require some additional research once I figure out what the driver is.

A repair install of Vista is out because you've got to be in Windows to perform it.

Also, have you tried Startup Repair? It's either on the Safe Mode screen (an entry above Safe Mode that says "Repair your computer" - or it's in those "advanced options". If you have a Vista installation DVD you can boot from that. The first screen (as I recall) asks for language and keyboard options, the second screen (the installation screen) should have a "Repair this computer" link in the lower left part of that window. Startup Repair may be able to fix this sort of error.

[sixx jpN]

Some systems are a bit touchy about this. Try pressing F8 a little bit later. Eventually you should hit the right point.
If you get into the Safe Mode screen without the additional selections, check to see if you can press F8 there to get the advanced options.

There are other methods for getting to the BSOD information - but they're more difficult (removing the hard drive and using another computer to retrieve the memory dump files from there).

Since this is likely due to a driver that boots early in the startup process (before the system decides between Safe Mode and normal mode), it's gonna be difficult to disable the driver also. There are commands that you can use from the Startup Repair...Command Prompt to disable the drivers - but that's going to require some additional research once I figure out what the driver is.

A repair install of Vista is out because you've got to be in Windows to perform it.

Also, have you tried Startup Repair? It's either on the Safe Mode screen (an entry above Safe Mode that says "Repair your computer" - or it's in those "advanced options". If you have a Vista installation DVD you can boot from that. The first screen (as I recall) asks for language and keyboard options, the second screen (the installation screen) should have a "Repair this computer" link in the lower left part of that window. Startup Repair may be able to fix this sort of error.

I have been trying to accomplish the "Repair Your Computer" option. It's under where the Safe Mode options are and everything when I boot up, but it just gives steps instead of an actual option. It says something like this:

"The failed restart may be the cause of a recent hardware or software change. Try the following.

1. Insert your Windows Installation disc.
2. Restart your computer.
3. When you boot click the option 'Repair Your Computer.'"

Obviously that isn't what it says word for word, but that's basically what it says. The other options it gives are the Safe Mode, Start Windows normally etc. The problem is when I do have my CD in from CyberPower and restart, nothing happens and it shoots me back to the screen where it has the Safe Mode options and the steps mentioned above. When I try and boot from the disc (using F8 in this case since it won't load the screen you are telling me it should load) it sends me to the Windows Vista install deal. After waiting for 20 minutes or so, I finally get to the Vista Install screen. Then it asks for language, etc. I have went through it and could not find a "Repair Your Computer," option. It gives me the option at a certain point to choose the hard drive that I want to install Windows to. Then the options below are "Load Driver," and etc. (Delete, Format, New... etc).

I'm getting confused, because what I see from websites about Vista and the process I'm trying to go through is not the same on my end (for instance the F8 deal).

I'm also getting frustrated because I have seen a number of issues that could cause the things I'm experiencing.

Thanks for the help so far.

Edit: Also, I do not have an installation disc. I have my disc that CyberPower has and a Windows "Anytime Upgrade" Disc from the laptop. Guess this shows I should build my next PC myself so I would actually have my installation disc in a case like this.

Edited by sixx jpN, 13 April 2009 - 08:13 PM.

[sixx jpN]

After looking around it looks like the only way to get the "Repair Your Computer," to work would be to have an actual installation DVD/CD. Since I only have the recovery disk from CyberPower is there any way to get a CD/DVD that does the same things that the installation CD/DVD would do?

[usasma]

The only place that I've found Startup Repair ISO's is through torrent downloads - and I just don't like the idea of sharing my computer with others permanently after I've downloaded what I needed. There's a couple of links to downloads in this post: http://usasma.vox.co...epair-isos.html

If you know someone with a Gateway or a Dell computer you can borrow their Operating System disk and use it to access the Repair Your Computer option.

The repair option is shown in Figure 3 on this page: http://www.bleepingc...utorial148.html

Edited by usasma, 14 April 2009 - 06:57 AM.

[sixx jpN]

I have got it onto a disc and was able to get to the "Repair Your Computer" screen. Once I clicked "Repair Your Computer," I was able to get to the next screen, "System Recovery Options." There is no OS to choose from. I clicked Load Drivers but I do not know which Driver/Drivers to select. I am stuck at this point at the moment.

I have no idea as to which drivers to select.

----

Edit: I ignored it and clicked next. It took me to the options screen. I did the System Repair (or whatever the first option is on the screen after "System Recovery Options.") and it said it has found disk errors and is repairing them or something along those lines and that it may take over an hour to complete. I guess my question now is, is this correct considering I basically completely skipped "System Recovery Options?"

Only reason I am concerned at this point is because there was nothing to select under the "System Recovery Options," but it is allowing me to repair the drive? Right now it is still repairing. Hoping for the best.

Edited by sixx jpN, 14 April 2009 - 08:07 PM.

[sixx jpN]

Finished "fixing" and asked me to restart. I was successfully able to boot!

Thank you so much for all the help!

I'll post back here if I experience any more problems with this, or the problem returns. Hopefully this is the last time I will have to post in this thread.

[usasma]

I'm glad to hear it! That screen (without the OS) said that Startup Repair couldn't find your Windows installation. This was probably due to a corruption of your Master Boot Record, your Boot Sector, or the BCDedit store that houses the information about your OS boot options.

Since this happened to you, I'd suggest performing a diagnostic on your hard drive to ensure it's not going to do this again. If it does it again, it may not be able to be fixed if the hard drive is dying. Here's a link on how to do that: http://usasma.vox.co...iagnostics.html

Edited by usasma, 16 April 2009 - 05:22 AM.