PC problems - help required please.

[johng]

Dear All, (especially IT experts).

My home laptop stopped working last night, with the following problems:

I was using it as normal then turned it off without a problem. When i tried to use it later in the evening the message came up:

'unable to start windows' and the system proceeded to check for problems and solutions. this went on for hours - literally. Eventually I cancelled the process and manged to find some sort of data log whihc informed me that the registry is corrupt.

I have little idea what this means or how to overcome it. I even tried the recovery disc which started to load and then this too failed to launch and execute properly.

Any ideas what I can do, or is there anyway tp recover information from the hard drive. We have photos on there which we really want to keep if possible etc.

It is a toshiba equium laptop running windows Vista.

Any help will be much appreciated.

thanks in advance.

john.

 

[Prubs]

try this....hope it helps
Press f8 and boot into safe mode, if it boots copy the files that you want to keep to a usb drive....once done try and do a restore.....if not try below

When Windows refuses to boot and you can not even get far enough to press F8 and access advanced boot options, you probably think you will have to do a Windows reinstall, don't you? Well let me get you in a better mood. There is a very good chance of fixing it if you just follow this article. The only thing you will need is a Windows Vista DVD. We will be booting off this DVD and accessing Vista's own repair tools.

1.Place Windows Vista DVD in your DVD-ROM drive. First off, we have to convince your PC to boot off this DVD instead of hard drive. This can be done in BIOS (tap "Del" key when your PC starts booting up) under "Advanced BIOS features". All you have to do here is set your CD-ROM (even if it is a DVD or DB drive it is usually marked as CD-ROM) as your primary boot device. Then you have to save and exit.

2.Your computer will restart and before booting into Windows, it will display a mesagge: "Press any key to boot from CD". Press any key on your keyboard and your pc is going too boot from DVD.
3.Let it have some time and you will end up at the beginning of Windows Vista installation wizard, but we will be using it to repair your PC instead.

4.Now please configure your language, time and currency and keyboard layout settings. Then press "Next".

5.At the next screen please click on "Repair your computer" instead of going for a new Windows install.

6.The program will now search for previous Windows installations. If you have only one, there is nothing to worry about, because it will find only one - select it and press "Next"

7.A window named "System recovery options" will show up and this is what we need. At first I recommend to everyone to just use "Startup repair". This is will automatically look for errors and try to resolve them. If it detects problems, it will fix them and it can take quite a while. It may also automatically reboot a few times. If you are offered "System restore", press "Cancel".
8.
If "Startup repair" does not find any problems, we will use command prompt to fix boot manually. Run "Command prompt" by clicking on it and typing in this (without ""):
"Bootrec.exe /fixMBR" and press ENTER
"Bootrec.exe /fixBoot" and press ENTER


9.Now simply close Command prompt and click on the "Restart" button.

10.Your computer will reboot (do not press any key, when it asks you, if you want to boot from CD) and Windows should boot normally. All you should do now is disable CD-ROM as your primary boot device the next time you restart your computer (it is not necessary, though - you are improving boot-time for a few seconds, if it is disabled).

 

[CrapHacker]

try this....hope it helps
Press f8 and boot into safe mode, if it boots copy the files that you want to keep to a usb drive....once done try and do a restore.....if not try below

When Windows refuses to boot and you can not even get far enough to press F8 and access advanced boot options, you probably think you will have to do a Windows reinstall, don't you? Well let me get you in a better mood. There is a very good chance of fixing it if you just follow this article. The only thing you will need is a Windows Vista DVD. We will be booting off this DVD and accessing Vista's own repair tools.

1.Place Windows Vista DVD in your DVD-ROM drive. First off, we have to convince your PC to boot off this DVD instead of hard drive. This can be done in BIOS (tap "Del" key when your PC starts booting up) under "Advanced BIOS features". All you have to do here is set your CD-ROM (even if it is a DVD or DB drive it is usually marked as CD-ROM) as your primary boot device. Then you have to save and exit.

2.Your computer will restart and before booting into Windows, it will display a mesagge: "Press any key to boot from CD". Press any key on your keyboard and your pc is going too boot from DVD.
3.Let it have some time and you will end up at the beginning of Windows Vista installation wizard, but we will be using it to repair your PC instead.

4.Now please configure your language, time and currency and keyboard layout settings. Then press "Next".

5.At the next screen please click on "Repair your computer" instead of going for a new Windows install.

6.The program will now search for previous Windows installations. If you have only one, there is nothing to worry about, because it will find only one - select it and press "Next"

7.A window named "System recovery options" will show up and this is what we need. At first I recommend to everyone to just use "Startup repair". This is will automatically look for errors and try to resolve them. If it detects problems, it will fix them and it can take quite a while. It may also automatically reboot a few times. If you are offered "System restore", press "Cancel".
8.
If "Startup repair" does not find any problems, we will use command prompt to fix boot manually. Run "Command prompt" by clicking on it and typing in this (without ""):
"Bootrec.exe /fixMBR" and press ENTER
"Bootrec.exe /fixBoot" and press ENTER


9.Now simply close Command prompt and click on the "Restart" button.

10.Your computer will reboot (do not press any key, when it asks you, if you want to boot from CD) and Windows should boot normally. All you should do now is disable CD-ROM as your primary boot device the next time you restart your computer (it is not necessary, though - you are improving boot-time for a few seconds, if it is disabled).

I was going to suggest bitch slapping it.....

But I suppose this is probably a better option

Bloody technophiles

 

[johng]

Wow - thanks Prubs will give that a go later tonight, after work and a quick 18' (priorities and all that).

Only slight issue is - what do you do if you don't have the Vista DVD? If i remember it came ready installed on the system, can't recollect seeing the Vista disc in the pack.

Is this a Bad thing?

Thanks again.
john.

 

[brendy]

Wow - thanks Prubs will give that a go later tonight, after work and a quick 18' (priorities and all that).

Only slight issue is - what do you do if you don't have the Vista DVD? If i remember it came ready installed on the system, can't recollect seeing the Vista disc in the pack.

Is this a Bad thing?

Thanks again.
john.

LOL that was such a random copy and paste Prubs.
John, if you are seriously stuck, pay someone a few quid to fix it, if you cant access the data from safe mode, there is a chance the hard drive is degrading. The more you run the drive the more damage you could be causing it. If the data is extremely important, dont mess with boot discs etc. Pull it out and get someone to connect it to their pc and copy the files off.

 

[DingleBerry]

good advice from craphacker but it sounds like u know hardly anything about Pcs!! And that will just confuse u!!
If u have not got a vista disc it means your hardrive has a partition on it where sits your OS[operating system] turn pc on a tap f8 or f11 and it should load recovery manager and then click advanced options choose system recovery if u wish to back up any data then choose backup files first then follow on screen instructions!!
F8 or F11 mite not be the key to press just look at screen when u turn pc on and it will tell u hope is helps if not get bak to me and i send u instructions simple 1s 2 be able to sort it with your model of Pc

 

[Prubs]

Hi I think it is f12 to access hidden os...

 

[DingleBerry]

soz prubs i thought that craphacker wrote that post!!

 

[RGDave]

Just a general observation;

I have the use of 5 computers on an almost daily basis and don't trust any of them because sooner or later something will mess up big time.
If you have a knackered machine, I concur with anyone that says take it to a pro and save the data on the HD before messing around with system repair disks, safe boots, windows images and all the like.

I have a Compaq (HP) laptop which came with a partition and recovery option which can be started for a few seconds as you turn the laptop on. I thought I was safe....but needless to say, my first disaster was a Hard Drive failure, so a partition recovery was as useful as a bicycle to a fish. Thankfully for me, all my work was copied to a portable drive so nothing was lost, except the money I spent having Vista re-installed because I didn't have the O.S. disk.

Thanks to brendy, I have some dvds with a full disk image and with a fresh install of Vista I was allowed to create a 2 dvd recovery (just the once). I also have copies of the entire computer(s) on an external HD. Copies of copies you might say, but better safe than sorry.

I short, I would never buy a laptop without the O.S. dvd ever again. Because the other computers I use have the windows disk, I just back up now and again and don't worry about the thought of rebuilding from scratch.....it's not so bad and the PCs tend to run better for it too!!!

Shame about the laptop.....

 

[johng]

Thanks to all of you for your help and advice.

I have tried the F8 option, allows me to access safe mode etc, but the end result is the same - nothing.

looks like i'll have to take it to a pro for a look. Somehow I'm sure this will end up costing me as much as a new machine, ho hum, there goes my new set of irons!!!.

thanks again.
John.

 

[CrapHacker]

soz prubs i thought that craphacker wrote that post!!

No

I am actually a genius on so many subjects :

Beds

and.......



er........


maybe the philosophy of outer Mongolian banana festivals.

But anything sane or useful is outside my remit, I'm afraid.

Very afraid......

( sorry wrong misquote )

 

[Prubs]

sorry to here john hope you get sorted soon( dingleberry np )

 

[ThatsMeInTheTrees]

if im not to late heres what I would do

1. pop down to maplins and buy your self a hard drive caddie (£20) the easiest way to make sure you get the right one is to take the laptop with you, also they will probley show you how to take the hard drive out (if they dont it should be easy enough just look on the bottom of your laptop for a part that will slid out if you remove the screw.

2. find someone else with a windows compter follow the instrions that came with your hard drive caddy and basicly it shoudl attach like a usb storage device which will allow you to access your hard drive via my computer and slecting the drive you just connected now copy across any files you need to save in to a folder on the desktop.

3. now disconnect the drive and put it back in yor laptop when you switch it on try ctrl + f11 i think this is what will bring up the recovery menu but if its differant for your computer then just restart again and work you way thru the f keys then ctrl + f keys untill you find it ( when you do this start tapping the key/keys continuosly as soon as you switch on your computer so you dont miss your window) in the recovery section there will normally be two options that you can use 1 rollback you computer to an earlyer saved date ( im guessing you didn't make a back up thou) or 2 reformating which will basicly reset your computer to how it was when you got it. follow the instructions when asked for the windows key it shold be somewhere on your laptop or with the paperwork that came with it after this you should have a clean operating system.

4. switch off and remove your hard drive and conect it backup to the other computer, copy across the files you saved ther back on to your laptops (onto the desktop is probley easiest) then disconect you hard drive put back in the laptop and your should now have a working laptop with all your saved information in a folder on the desktop.

 

[Andy]

If the Registry is corrupt your goosed. Forget trying to do anything. Format your HD and re-install Operating System once you get a Vista CD\DVD.

USB does not work in safe mode as all drivers are disabled to allow diagnosis of problems.

Cruel but let it be a lesson to reguarly backup data.

Andy

 

[johng]

Thanks to all for your support.

In the end I took it to a local specialist, it appears that the hard drive wasn't completely screwed, and a lot of my data was recovered. Cost me the same as buying a new hard drive. Plus they installed a lot of software to keep the system running safer and better. (along with a copy of what I need to keep in the future). phew.

Thanks again.
John.

 

[Prubs]

Glad to see that you have sorted your problem out!!!!!!!!!1