Computer Hope
Microsoft => Microsoft Windows => Windows Vista and 7 => Topic started by: needhelpreallybad08 on March 16, 2009, 11:00:56 PM
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Laptop in question: HP Pavilion DV2000, running Windows Vista Home (I think 32-bit).
Today, I was using my laptop, running on battery power only. Unfortunately, the battery no longer locks. I moved the laptop and the battery fell out. Naturally, as was not plugged in to an external power source, my laptop shut off.
Upon re-inserting the battery (and plugging in the laptop to an external power source for good measure), I received the "Windows Error Recovery" screen, presenting me with:
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Start Windows Normally
I tried "Start Windows Normally", and after a loading screen (Microsoft Corporation at bottom), then the screen went black. I could see the mouse on screen, yet Vista would not boot up.
I manually shut down my computer and this time selected "Safe Mode": same thing, loading screen, then screen goes black with mouse.
I then hit "F7" to get to the "Advanced Boot Options":
Repair your computer
Safe mode
Safe mode with networking
Safe mode with command prompt
Enable boot logging
Enable low resolution video (640 × 480)
Last Known Good Configuration (advanced)
Directory services restore mode
Debugging mode
Disable automatic restart on system failure
Disable Driver Signature Enforcement
Start Windows normally
I tried the options in BOLD, and the same thing happened each time: loading screen, then screen goes black with mouse, Vista does not load.
I also tried the "Repair your computer" option, which got me to the "System Recovery Options" screen where I didn't know how to proceed...(so I simply restarted, never actually getting to the loading screen).
The only other possible thing was the fact that I had unchecked a few Nvidia options in "Startup" using "msconfig" (all of which were not necessary on startup). However, after doing this, I was able to restart the computer twice without any problems (before the battery fell out), so I'm pretty sure this isn't the problem.
I'm so lost!
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Does someone know anything about "Startup Repair" and how I would go about it?
Plus, does "Startup Repair" or "System Restore" leave me at risk for losing files? I ask simply because I have a lot of files which I have not backed up -- and I don't want "System Restore" to take my computer back too far (assuming before I downloaded my pictures, music, etc.)
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System Restore will only affect Windows files and nothing else....
Startup Repair will wipe all your Data and apps and take the machine back to Day One status...
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1) I was told that Vista creates restore points automatically at regular intervals (around every 24 hours of use) as well as whenever updates are installed. So I was surprised that when I went to System Restore, I HAD NO RESTORE POINTS...!? So I got stuck there.
2) I then tried to acess "Startup Repair" by inserting the DVD that came with my laptop. However, mine is a "Recovery DVD" and did not have the option for "Startup Repair", only to recover the entire system. So I got stuck there as well.
3) I even tried checking out the "Repair your computer" option in the "Advanced Boot Options" menu [F7 to get Windows Boot Manager, then F8 to get "Advanced Boot Options"]. "Repair your computer" then brought me to "System Recovery Options", where it gave me the options:
-"To access recovery options log on as a local user."
-"To access the command prompt as well, log on using an administrator account."
4) For the heck of it, I even did the diagnostic that checks the hard drive for error (found under "Windows Boot Manager"), and when I came back to see what had happened, it had completed and restarted the computer.
I really don't want to lose my files...
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If you can wait awhile Broni and a few others here have had experience with the Vista repair process...i have yet to try it out.