Windows died on me. I don’t recall changing any settings, installing or downloading any new software. All of a sudden my computer froze, restarted, and gave me a winload.exe is missing error. I researched online, did what I was supposed to do to fix it, then got a bootmgr is missing error. With windows install disks, tools won’t work, fdisk freezes, and the computer isn’t recognizing any drives except a: and d:, which are both the same cd drive.
Detailed version:
OK, this all started four days ago. I apologize ahead of time for the length of this explanation, but I'm at a loss, and I need to explain this dilemma in its entirety so everyone can grasp what I've done. I was using my computer and everything was normal. I went downstairs, came back, and the computer had restarted. However, when it tried to load windows, an error occurred. I could not get it to load, and I do not remember what the error was that time, but I was able to restore the computer from an earlier saved point.
The computer seemed fine... until the next day. The same thing happened with the restarting, and this time I got a different error code. this time it said that winload.exe was missing. So I got on the internet to search for solutions to this problem. It seems to be quite common and also a pretty squirrely problem with Vista. I followed instructions on how to fix this with a Vista installation disk.
When I was through with that, however, I got a "bootmgr is missing" error. Imagine my frustration. So once again, I searched the internet... eventually I ended up giving up on fixing it without a reinstallation of windows and tried to reinstall with the Vista disk I have. Something happened and now there's nothing here.... Now, I've tried every "solution" I could find and still have a paperweight in the shape of a laptop.
In fact, I have a Gateway desktop from 1998, a Dell desktop from 2003, and my mom has a Gateway notebook from the same time I bought my HP (one year ago). They run Win98, WinXP, and Vista (respectively). I have the install disks from those computers, but mine did not come with any. I have a recovery partition instead of system restoration disks. However, now my computer won't recognize anything but
With the Vista Install/Tools disk, any option I choose results in the "windows is loading drivers" bar, then the microsoft loading image, then a blank screen for eternity.
With the XP Disk, Setup loads files and takes me to a screen with options to 1) set up Windows XP
2) repair a WinXP installation using Recovery Console
3) quit setup.
1) freezes on a blue screen and the gray bar at the bottom says "Examining 114471 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi..."
2) once led me to the error "aic78xx.sys is corrupt." Now it is stuck in the same place as option 1.
3) Computer reboots
So, since all else failed, I figured I'd try the Win98 cd. The only thing I can do on here is go to the command prompt in DOS. I have tried Fdisk to see what drives were recognized. The only drives my computer is recognizing is A: and D:. They are both pointing to files in the CD. I've tried changing cds at this point and anything that I CAN get to even begin to do anything says something about drive A is no longer valid.
Oh, and now... any time I try to delete or create or even view what partitions are there... Fdsik freezes and I have no choice but to reboot.
I'm at my wit's end. I'm not a computer genius, but I'm not illiterate either. For ten years I've been able to fix any computer problem I have had by thorough research on people with the same problems and what has worked, and by following those directions. I'll admit, I may have done something totally wrong.... at the same time... I'm pretty sure most of these problems are common to Vista users... I just haven't found anyone who had quite the multiple failures I've had.
Besides blowing it up or paying some phenomenal technical support fees... any suggestions?