windows failed to start

[turtlegirl]

Re: windows failed to start

Well, crud. F8 is a no-go. I got all of my courage together, hooked up the external drive, tried 10 times, now I give up.

This is insane - My computer isn't even a year old!

Any other ideas? Anyone have a recommendation for a reliable computer repair shop? I'm totally at a loss for what to do now.

[turtlegirl]

Re: windows failed to start

I take that back! Sort of. In a final fit of despair, I tried again and again and I got F8 to work! Only problem is that it will not allow me to go into Safe Mode or into Last Known Good Configuration. Am I screwed? Is there hope? What else can I try?

[MyopicJoe]

Re: windows failed to start

Did your computer come with a Vista install CD? You can try booting up with your CD, to access some rescue tools.

Startup Repair is a Windows Vista recovery tool that can fix certain problems, such as missing or damaged system files, that might prevent Windows from starting correctly. When you run Startup Repair, it scans your computer for the problem and then tries to fix it so your computer can start correctly.
Startup Repair is located on the System Recovery Options menu, which is on the Windows Vista installation disc. If your computer manufacturer has preinstalled recovery options, Startup Repair might also be installed on your hard disk. If your computer does not include Startup Repair, your computer manufacturer might have customized or replaced the tool. Check the information that came with your computer or go to the manufacturer's website.

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...8b3551033.mspx

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...f3f351033.mspx

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/win...ef5a71033.mspx

[kani-lehua]

Re: windows failed to start

I take that back! Sort of. In a final fit of despair, I tried again and again and I got F8 to work! Only problem is that it will not allow me to go into Safe Mode or into Last Known Good Configuration. Am I screwed? Is there hope? What else can I try?

supergeeks if the other information provided doesn't work.

[turtlegirl]

Re: windows failed to start

Thank you so much everyone. I have tried all of the above recommendations now, repeatedly, and still I get the same dumb "Windows Failed To Start" message. This is soooooo horrible!!

Please, if anyone knows of a thorough and reliable pc repairperson here on Windward side, I think I need a professional. Or at least someone who knows a lot more about this stuff than I do. Also, its very important that I find somebody to repair it AND retrieve any info that could be lost. I have way too much important and irreplaceable stuff on my PC. Tax records from the whole year, for example.

Aaargh!! I'm going to my room to stick my head under my pillow and cry it off for a while.

[TuNnL]

Re: windows failed to start

its very important that I find somebody to repair it AND retrieve any info that could be lost. I have way too much important and irreplaceable stuff on my PC. Tax records from the whole year, for example.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if the problem is your hard drive (as in: it crashed), then you may be SOL. I would hesitate to say this is the case, since you are not reporting a “no boot device found” error. But it does seem odd that Myopicjoe’s solution did not address your problem. In any event, recovering data from a hard drive that has crashed is no small feat, and would require considerable effort by any professional.

[Amati]

Re: windows failed to start

Aaargh!! I'm going to my room to stick my head under my pillow and cry it off for a while.

Don't cry yet. I'm sure I know any more than you about computers, and probably less. But I recently had minor computer problems and went to buy an external hard drive to back up my files ("just in case" something really bad happened). I was in a state of confusion, and the salesperson said to not worry, because even if my computer failed, that any repair person could retrieve my files for about $50. In other words, even if you cannot start your computer, the info is still "in there", and it should be retrieveable.

Or, so the salesperson said.

[Amati]

Re: windows failed to start

In any event, recovering data from a hard drive that has crashed is no small feat, and would require considerable effort by any professional.

Our responses just overlapped. And, interestingly, they offer the exact opposite view. You say, "considerable effort", and my guy had said $50 bucks and no big deal.

[TuNnL]

Re: windows failed to start

I was in a state of confusion, and the salesperson said to not worry... Or, so the salesperson said.

Our responses just overlapped. And, interestingly, they offer the exact opposite view. You say, "considerable effort", and my guy had said $50 bucks and no big deal.

You would put your faith in a salesperson over a computer technician?

[lurkah]

Re: windows failed to start

One solution for rescuing your data files would be to plug a USB external hard drive into one of your computer's USB ports and then boot up your computer with a Bart PE CD-ROM disk (freeware) inserted in its CD/DVD drive. Assuming that your computer's BIOS settings are set to enable booting from your CD-ROM/DVD drive, your computer will then boot up into Bart PE's operating system which is totally independent from your Windows Vista operating system. You can then use its file manager utility and navigate your way to your computer's C:\Documents and Settings\turtlegirl\My Documents folder and then copy all of your data files and folders over to the USB external drive for safekeeping.

[turtlegirl]

Re: windows failed to start

Thanks, again everybody! You all have such good advice, and I sincerely appreciate all of it!

I pulled my head out from under my pillow, splashed some water on my face, packed up the pc and all its eqiupment, and drove it over to Supergeeks. In a few days I should hear back from them. They were very nice, and the guy suggested that it sounds like a software problem, possibly related to an automatic update, and that they were likely to be able to retrieve my files n' stuff, but no promises.

Hopefully Sven doesn't mind me hogging his computer all the time for the next week. No, wait! I will hog it like a maniac, and if he doesn't complain too much, I'll buy him a new battery for his laptop!

[helen]

Re: windows failed to start

And, interestingly, they offer the exact opposite view. You say, "considerable effort", and my guy had said $50 bucks and no big deal.

It would depend on how bad the hard drive is trashed. If it was due to conflicting software that caused Windows to fail to boot, then turtlegirl's data is still intact, it just needs another way to access it. It won't be simple to do but it can be done.

On the good side it wasn't like the hard drive was pushed off the side of a tall building, bounced off the sidewalk a couple of times and landed in the Ala Wai Canal were it was underwater for the last 2 weeks.

[Honoruru]

Re: windows failed to start

I pulled my head out from under my pillow, splashed some water on my face, packed up the pc and all its eqiupment, and drove it over to Supergeeks.D

I've had good success with Supergeeks (did you go to the one in McCully?). I know, I know ... the best way to resolve a computer mishap is to solve it yourself, or with the help of a knowledgeable friend (like here on HT, where they abound), for free. But sometimes you have to suck it up and go to a no-hassle commercial computer repair shop, like Supergeeks.

My current PC (a Dell) has had two problems in the last year and a half. First, my hard drive crashed in the Summer of 2007. Supergeeks diagnosed it, recovered all the files and installed a better, larger hard drive, at a reasonable price. Second time, in February 2008, my graphics card died. They diagnosed it, replaced it, and now I'm in business ... at least with my PC.

The end result: I bought a new Mac, a Macbook Pro (I already have an iMac, but it is so old (2001) I really can't do much with it, but it still work). Bottom line: I did not want to buy a new PC with Windows Vista, or buy a new PC and install XP with the knowledge that the next version of Windows is a couple of years away. I just want my current PC to last a few more years.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: windows failed to start

On the good side it wasn't like the hard drive was pushed off the side of a tall building, bounced off the sidewalk a couple of times and landed in the Ala Wai Canal were it was underwater for the last 2 weeks.

I hate when that happens...

[turtlegirl]

Re: windows failed to start

So, the diagnosis is that my memory is shot. And needs replacing, for around $200, plus the diagnostics fees, probably more once all is said and done.

This is retarded!! My computer isn't even one year old, and I thought I had been taking good care of it! What causes both memory thingys to die, anyway?!

Would anyone suggest that I replace the memory myself? I've done it at least 10 times on desktop computers , but never on a laptop. Is it relatively a similar procedure? Might I save any money by doing it myself?