Help - Windows Vista will not boot!

[Guest]

Hello. I installed Windows Vista Ultimate less than a week ago, and I loved it.
Until today.
Today, I decided to scan my computer of spyware using the latest version of
Spy Sweeper. After the scan was finished it said "found potentially harmful
root kit" (or something similar). So I quarantined the root kit. Spy Sweeper
then said "Please restart your computer in order to remove rootkit" so I
clicked "yes" and my computer restarted.

Now here's the problem. My computer won't boot properly. It just loads a
black screen. I rebooted several times, and a message came up. It said
"Windows has recovered from an error" and it said to boot in safe mode. The
message also said to "repair your computer by inserting your installation
disc to repair your computer". After i tried booting in safe mode, nothing
happened. Its just the same black screen. Now I decided to insert the
installation disc to repair my computer. The Windows Vista installation menu
came up and clicked on "Repair my computer." Now it says "searching for
windows installations." After that it said "Windows found problems with your
Computer's startup options. Do you want to apply repairs?" And I said yes.
Then a message poped up and said "Failed to save startup options". Then
Windows said to "select an operating system to repair. If you don't see your
operating system listed click load drivers to load drivers for your hdd." No
operation system was listed. I then clicked on "load drivers." A message came
up and said "Insert the installtion media for device and locate the driver."
Then it brought up windows explorer and the only files you can open up are
"setup information" files. I have no idea what to do. So I turned off my
computer and tried to boot again. Now Windows gives me this error messgae
"File: \Boot\BCD
Status: 0xc000000f
Info: An error occured while attempting to read the boot configuration data."

Help!!

 

[Chad Harris]

Hi MikeM192--

Try Startup Repair or System Restore from the Vista Win RE environment, and
if those don't work use the F8 Win Adv Options menu as follows:

You can try the Recovery link that allows you to
use Win RE's Startup Repair or if no joy, System Restore from there which
sometimes works when F8's Safe Mode>System Restore options (all 4 should be
tried) won't.

You can run Startup Repair by putting your Vista DVD in after thelanguage
screen in setup. You can also run System Restore from the samelocation.

You run the startup repair tool this way (and system restore from here is
also sometimes effective):

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925810/en-us

How To Run Startup Repair In Vista Ultimate (Multiple Screenshots)
http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/index.htm

Note The computer must be configured to start from a CD or from a DVD. For
information about how to configure the computer to start from a CD or from a
DVD, see the information that came with the computer.
2. Restart the computer. To do this, click Start, click the arrow next to
the Lock button, and then click Restart.

This usually means that you enter bios setup by whatever key or keys
(sometimes there is more than one key that will do it for your model--go to
pc manufacturer site) and configure CD to be first in the boot order.

See for ref:
Access/Enter Motherboard BIOS
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

Note If you cannot restart the computer by using this method, use the power
button to turn off the computer. Then, turn the computer back on.

3. Set your language preference, and then click Next.

Note In most cases, the startup repair process starts automatically, and you
do not have the option to select it in the System Recovery Options menu.

4. Click Repair your computer.

5. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click the operating system
that you want to repair, and then click Next.

6. In the System Recovery Options menu, click Startup Repair to start the
repair process.

7. When the repair process is complete, click Finish.

Additional References for Startup Repair With Screenshots:

How to Use Startup Repair:

***Accessing Windows RE (Repair Environment):***

1) Insert Media into PC (the DVD you burned)

2) ***You will see on the Vista logo setup screen after lang. options in the
lower left corner, a link called "System Recovery Options."***

Screenshot: System Recovery Options (Lower Left Link)
http://blogs.itecn.net/photos/liuhui/images/2014/500x375.aspx

Screenshot: (Click first option "Startup Repair"
http://www.leedesmond.com/images/img_vista02ctp-installSysRecOpt2.bmp

How To Run Startup Repair In Vista Ultimate (Multiple Screenshots)
http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/index.htm

3) Select your OS for repair.

4) Its been my experience that you can see some causes of the crash from
theWin RE feature:

You'll have a choice there of using:

1) Startup Repair
2) System Restore
3) Complete PC Restore
___________________

You could also:

Try to F8 to the Windows Adv Options Menu>try 3 safe modes there (I don't
use WGA) and Last Known Good>then I go to Win RE in Vista. That gives you a
choice of Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking,and Safe Mode with Command
Prompt.

These methods are outlined in

A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP/and Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222/

You will need this reference:

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449/en-us

The command to use for system restore at the safe mode cmd prompt is:

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

The reason for doing this is one of these choices may work, when the other
doesn't. My experience is that people do not fully try F8 when they think
or have said they have. It is that they can almost always reach Windows
Advanced Options though.


Good luck,

CH





_______________

 

[Ted F]

Try this if you can.

Start System Restore from a command prompt.

Turn on your computer, hit F8.

Start your computer in safe mode with command prompt. If you are prompted
for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide
confirmation.

At the command prompt, type rstrui.exe, and then press ENTER. Follow the
step by step instructions.


Good Luck!

 

[Chad Harris]

Ted--

I already posted F8 instructions but in Vista, you probably have better odds
trying the Win RE environment first, including that Safe Mode>System Restore
has seemed to have better efficacy from the Win RE environment than from F8,
and a Startup Repair probably has better odds and should be tried first.

CH