[tbookman]

Yesterday I turned on my laptop which came preloaded with Vista and it popped up the black screen that says, "Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause." Then it gives me the option to launch the startup repair or boot windows normally.

If I try to boot Windows normally, it just gives a microsecond view of a blue screen then it puts me right back where I started.

If I try the startup repair, it tries running for a minute, then it says, "Startup Repair cannot repair this computer automatically," and gives me the option to send or not send the info to Microsoft.

This system is used for my business and I'm pretty dependent on it.
Any suggestions for how to proceed on this would be VERY appreciated!!

-tb

p.s. regarding the computer's message about new hardware or software, I have not installed anything new on it for some time. Don't know if that's helpful info or not.

[otedawg]

Try restarting the computer, and press F8 (the function 8 key) after the BIOS boot screen (Manufacturer splash screen) this should give you the list of startup options (Start Windows Normally, Safe Mode, ETC.) There should be an option called Disable Automatic Restart on System Failure. Select this option, and continue booting. This will allow you to see the bluescreen for more than a "microsecond."

To perform an actual startup repair, put your Vista DVD in the computer's drive and boot from it (if your computer doesn't boot from it automatically, you'll have to access the boot menu for your laptop and select the CD/DVD drive option. Once you boot from the DVD and the windows - like screen comes up, click continue, then Repair my computer. (Bottom left of the second window.) You should be able to run startup repair from here, and it should recover your operating system to the default state.

-Otedawg

[Rollin' Rog]

Try the System Restore option from the Recovery/Repair envirornment.

If that, and all else fails, you might want to give this a shot >>


How to perform a Manual System Restore in Vista

1. Boot to the Windows Recovery Environment and select the Command Prompt

2. At the prompt enter the following commands:

cd windows\system32\config

3. At the prompt cd windows\system32\config> enter the following:

ren default default.old
ren sam sam.old
ren system system.old
ren security security.old
ren software software.old

cd regback

4. At the prompt C:\windows\system32\config\regback> enter the following:

copy default c:\windows\system32\config
copy sam c:\windows\system32\config
copy system c:\windows\system32\config
copy security c:\windows\system32\config
copy software c:\windows\system32\config

5. Close the command prompt window and reboot the computer

[tbookman]

Hi, all.
I have tried to get the boot menu using the F8 key, but it never will display it. All I continue to get is the "Launch Startup Repair" or "Start Windows Normally" screen. How do I get to the Windows recovery environment from here?

-Tracy

[Rollin' Rog]

There are 2 methods, depending on whether you have an installation disk, or the recovery environment is pre-installed. Both are discussed here. Do make sure you are pressing F8 immediately as the computer starts up.

http://vistasupport.mvps.org/windows...ir_options.htm

See also >> http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tuto...torial148.html

Do you also see this screen after the repair failure ? >>



If so, select the option to view the Advanced options menu.

[tbookman]

Thank you for the help! I just kept holding down the F8 key until it finally gave me the recovery environment.

To answer your question below,
Yes, I did see the screen you have pasted in the post. I did try the advanced options but it didn't help.

So, now I'm at the command prompt, and when I try to rename the listed files, I get this message:
"The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process."

Should I try the repair option from the recovery environment, now that I can access it?

Thank you again for all your help!!

-TB

[Rollin' Rog]

Yeah, I don't think you will get a different result, but give it a shot. Try "system restore" from those choices if you can, as well. That would really be my first choice.

To be honest I hadn't tried the "manual" procedure on Vista before, but there was a similar one for XP that worked from the "recovery console". Howevever you may need the Vista CD for this one. If you know someone who has one, you can borrow it.

What computer OS are you on now, do you have an XP SP1 or later install disk that can be used to create a bootable repair environment such as this >>

http://www.ubcd4win.com/

There are still other options, such as removing the drive and attaching it to another computer using a USB/IDE interface. This would allow you to make those changes using normal file renaming and copy procedures without actually being in any part of the Windows environment on the damaged computer.

[tbookman]

I found a Vista OS disk for this computer, and booted from it, but it could not repair the system either. It seems like my only option remaining is to take it to a tech and have him fix it.
Any thoughts?

-TB

[Rollin' Rog]

Can you use the Vista disk to access the repair environment, with the command line interface -- and see if you get the same error with the "manual registry restore"?

This should work from there, although the results may not solve the problem.

[shawn78]

Hey guys. I've encountered the same BSOD loop after installing Advanced System Optimizer 2.20 on my laptop's Windows Vista.

I believe the software must have messed up my registry on Vistas and would not recover it to what it was. But the software works without problem on my PC for XP.

I've tried System Recovery and Windows Restore but to no avail. I can't get into Windows not even Safe Mode.

I've finally got in to Windows Recovery Environment and removed the software manually with the Command Prompt but without any improvement.

I've tried your Manual System Restore but it kinda messed up and I was missing 0xc000000f Also, under System Recovery Options now, my OS is Unknown now... X(

Any other ideas or things I should go back and do? Or do I have to resort to Windows reinstall?

Thanks for any help.

Update: I tried system restore again and now was able to restored it to a previous point, restart and got a bit further now. I can actually get into safe mode.

[Rollin' Rog]

Shawn you need to start a separate thread and try to keep the description focussed on any current issue with a brief account of history and what you have tried to do to resolve it.