Windows won't load.

[WillDLeeEsq]

Hello everyone,

I've searched the forum and found people had similar problems, but not the same as mine.

I was untangling some wires on the back of my computer. Foolishly, I did not shut it down beforehand. So while I was jiggling with a plug, it accidentally switched off. Since then, I've had problems getting Windows to load properly.

Sometimes it freezes on the Windows load screen, sometimes it gets stuck on a black screen with a blinking underscore in the upper left corner.

I kept having to restart the thing and when I finally got Windows to load it froze up on me.

Now, it will sometimes say:

"BOOTMSG is missing
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to reboot"

I have a Compaq Presario SR5152NX running Windows Vista Home Premium. 32 bit, I think, not sure. Windows came pre-installed with the computer.

[ale52]

Try booting to the recovery partition and run a restore.

Alan <>< 

[WillDLeeEsq]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for the advice. However, I don't know how to do that.

Can anybody give me instructions?

Thank you.

[Broni]

Can you start in Safe Mode?
Restart computer, and keep tapping F8 key.
If you're able to boot into Safe Mode, go Start>Run, and type in:
%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe
Click OK.
Restore computer to some earlier date.

[WillDLeeEsq]

I can't get into Safe Mode.

It just keeps saying, "BOOTMGR is missing"

[Broni]

I assume, you dont' have Vista DVD?

If so....

Create Vista Recovery Disc.

Option 1:
http://www.c4consulting.com.au/soluctions/vista/VISTA%20SOLUCTIONS.htm

Option 2:
Download Vista Recovery Disc iso image: http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/
Burn it to CD, or DVD: http://neosmart.net/wiki/display/G/Burning+ISO+Images+to+a+CD+or+DVD

Boot from created disk.
At first screen click on Repair your computer:

This will bring you to a new screen where the repair process will look for all Windows Vista installations on your computer. When done you will be presented with the System Recovery Options dialog box:

After this, it will present you with a list of options including startup repair, system restore and command prompt:

Try System Restore, first.
If that doesn't work, try Startup Repair.

[WillDLeeEsq]

When I get to System Recovery Options, Windows Vista isn't listed.

I tried Startup Repair, but it tried and failed. Said, 'Windows cannot repair this computer automatically.'

I'm really freaked out right now because I tried searching for the Windows files on my C: drive and it looks like it was wiped clean. It says 223 GB free of 224 GB.

My recovery drive looks like it still has 8Gigs of info still on it, but I just see a WINDOWS folder with sminst inside it. No files in there.

[MS Slayer]

First, your problem is that your running Microcrap's new crapware OS. I suggest you do what hundreds of thousand have done and revert back to XP, or even better, dump MS and go to a Linux OS.

Any-hewww, restart your computer in Dos Command prompt. My Win98 does this when I hold the control button down on restart. It might be different for Vista, so consult your Manuel. At the command prompt, type "Regscan" and hit return and then follow the instructions to roll your registry back.

Note: I'm not familiar with vista, so I don't if this is the way go.

[WillDLeeEsq]

To my knowledge, I'm not able to get to the DOS prompt with Vista that way. And, believe me, you don't have to convince me how much Vista sucks.

I tried startup repair with the Recovery Disc again and from the diagnostic log, I got this:

"Root cause found:

Boot Manager is missing or corrupt.

Repair action: File repair
Result failed. Error code = 0x15"

[Broni]

MS Slayer
Since:

I'm not familiar with vista, so I don't if this is the way go.

how come are you able to say:

your problem is that your running Microcrap's new crapware OS

It's like I was about to write full review of Mac OS, I have no clue about.
Please, think twice before hitting "Reply" button.

WillDLeeEsq
We have some serious issues here. Do you have important data on your drive?

[patio]

I'm really freaked out right now because I tried searching for the Windows files on my C: drive and it looks like it was wiped clean. It says 223 GB free of 224 GB.

This tells me you may in fact have wiped your C: drive doing something other than what you've stated here such as running a Recovery and not letting it finish.

My recovery drive looks like it still has 8Gigs of info still on it, but I just see a WINDOWS folder with sminst inside it. No files in there.

This tells me your Recovery partition is in fact probably still intact...the reason you cannot view files is it's normally a hidden partition set by the manuf.

Travel to your manuf. site and search for the instructions on creating a bootable Recovery CD/DVD.

Fortunately you will have a clean install of Vista...
Unfortunately if the above is in fact the case all your old data is gone.

[WillDLeeEsq]

Thanks for everybody's help.

I gave up and admitted defeat this morning. I'm currently re-installing Vista and preparing to scour the Earth for all the data I lost.

[Broni]

That was probably the best option, anyway.