Lappy wont boot

PWR_USR

PWR_USR

PWR_USR

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Joined
14 Jan 2009
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108
Location
Chelmsford, GB
Hi guys, I have been given a laptop to fix for a friend, the problem is that it just wont boot into windows (vista basic) it complains when started up and asks if i want to boot it into a repair mode or boot normally into windows, if i choose to boot into windows normally it will show the loading bar then the screen will go blank and nothing, no matter how long I wait. If I choose to boot into the repair mode it will check for errors, and will never stop checking for errors.
I have tried using one of my vista install disks to repair it but still nothing.

Any ideas?
Thanks
 
PWR_USR said:
Hi guys, I have been given a laptop to fix for a friend, the problem is that it just wont boot into windows (vista basic) it complains when started up and asks if i want to boot it into a repair mode or boot normally into windows, if i choose to boot into windows normally it will show the loading bar then the screen will go blank and nothing, no matter how long I wait. If I choose to boot into the repair mode it will check for errors, and will never stop checking for errors.
I have tried using one of my vista install disks to repair it but still nothing.

Any ideas?
Thanks
Click to expand...

what make is it, sounds as though windows is corrupt as at least it is booting just not into windows, maybe there is a partition with the recovery software on, tried pressing function keys ???
 
i dont know if it has a recovery partition, any idea how i could access it? i tried Ctrl+F11 but nothing
 
Sometimes you get prompted when you first get the laptop to insert a DVD to burn a recovery disc. A lot of people just ignore it or subsiquently lose the DVD, some partition altering software such as G-Part can see hidden recovery partitions so you could use one to see if there is one on the disc but you will then have to try to find out what keyboard combiniation it is :(
 
I've had similar problems just recently... here's something to try :

Turn on the computer. When the Dell logo appears, press <F8> several times to access the Vista Advanced Boot Options window.

Select Repair Your Computer.

The System Recovery Options window appears.

Select a keyboard layout and click Next.

To access the recovery options, log on as a local user. To access the command prompt, type administrator in the User name field, then click OK.

Click Dell Factory Image Restore

That'd return it to factory settings i think :)



EDIT: I've just read somewhere that its ctrl+F11 for the dell restore partition.. So you could try that on POST too :)
 
Last edited:
yes it does.
But if the HDD is partitioned, you'd only lose the C: drive (or where windows is installed).

You can, if you have a partition, transfer the C: drive data to the D: drive, by using the CMD.. but I'm not entirely sure how. That'd save the data.

But it's inevitable now that you'll lose your data if you cant get into windows.

When you say it never stops checking for errors, how long did you leave it?
It may take over an hour sometimes.
 
i left it overnight checking for errors so plenty time.
i think i will just plug the hard drive into another computer and transfer over the data then reinstall Vista.
thanks for the help
 
Oh right yea, the error thing should've definitely worked in that time.
How are you retrieving the data then? Booting from a different OS on disc and transferring the data or something?
 
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