BleepingComputer.com: Windows Vista will not boot at all. Please Help.

Ok. For the second time, I've had this happen to a Gateway laptop running Vista Home Premium. I have two, and the first one I had to replace the HDD and reinstall Vista. On that machine I was able to boot in safe mode, recover the files, then reinstall Vista from the supplied disc.

Now, the other Laptop, same model, same OS, same HDD and same age is having a similar problem. When I turn it on, I get a screen that says:

Windows Error Recovery

Windows Failed to Start. A recent Hardware or software might be the cause.

It has 2 options: 1. Launch startup repair (recommended)
2. Start Windows Normally

I selected the recovery option. It showed the loading bar, then went to a black screen and just sat there. Other times it just stays at the loading bar.

So I try to boot normally. Same thing, black screen.

So, I pop in the recovery CD that came with the computer. I turned on the laptop, hit F10. I got 3 options, boot from CD/DVD, Boot from Main HDD, or Boot to LAN. I hit Boot from CD/DVD. It shows a long loading bar, then the regular windows loading bar. After it supposedly loads, it goes to a black screen and stays there.

The thing is, I cant even get the option to boot in Safe mode, or any thing like that. If I could do that, then at least I could save the files and reinstall or replace the HDD like I had to do on the other computer.

I also get a screen that says something along the lines of:

2 partitions found

No boot options

This screen only shows up every so often so I've only seen it a few times. If I see it again, I'll post what it says.


Anyway, If someone could help I would love it. Can I get a boot CD? I'm so sick of Vista, this is the second computer that's crapped out, although I'm not the one who uses it, it's my brothers but guess who gets to fix it.

Thanks.

This post has been edited by S1L3N7_SWAT: 30 October 2008 - 08:39 PM

Ok, now I can get the Safe Mode options and what not.



EDIT:

Ok. If I boot in Safe Mode, it loads all the necessary files, then it just resets it's self. The computer actually shuts off then starts up again. I tried to boot in Safe Mode with Command Prompt, it loads then freezes on the same screen.


EDIT 2: Now safe mode just freezes and does not cause computer to restart. When I booted in Safe Mode with Command prompt, it restarted like it was doing with regular safe mode. It shows a blue screen just before it restarts but I cant catch what it says.

This post has been edited by S1L3N7_SWAT: 30 October 2008 - 09:19 PM

I had to record the laptop screen to catch the blue screen. It says:

"A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer."

VULNURABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

"If this is the first time you have seen this stop error screen then restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

Make sure new hardware or software is properly installed....."

That's all I can really make out, but the rest seems to be instructions about making sure software is properly installed and so on. I asked the person who uses the computer if he recently installed any new programs, he said he hadn't but he installed an update for windows yesterday, and now it's FUBAR.

I suggest running a bootable hard drive diagnostic from the manufacturer of your hard drive. Links to the most common one's are located here: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic28744.html

I did download the Lifegaurd Diagnostic Tool for it, since it has a WD hard drive. All it was is a .exe file. I put it on a cd and tried to boot from it but it didnt work. Maybe someone could explain how to do it. I cant install it or anything, because I cant get into Windows at all, not even safe mode.

Oh, I downloaded the wrong one. I see the bootable one, I'll try that.

God, Im so sick of this ****.


I downloaded InfraRecorder to burn the CD-RW. I downloaded the proper Data LifeGuard Diagnostic for DOS (CD) version. It's a .iso, I burned it to a CD. Booted the laptop from it, it worked, kind of.

It gives me a error message saying that:

Unable to Locate the license agreement file, DLGLICE.TXT!!!

Please make sure that the license agreement file is located in the same path as DLGDIAG.EXE


Cannot load the file A:\COMMAND.COM
Insert correct disk and strike any key_


I don't know what the hell this means, I didn't need any "License agreement" to download this **** thing. I contacted WD, but thats not going to be any help until tomorrow if I'm lucky but most likely it'll be Monday. I'm sick of fixing these **** Vista machines for people. If someone knows how to fix this, please for the love of **** tell me so I can get on with my life.

Thanks so much.

This post has been edited by usasma: 01 November 2008 - 05:49 AM
Reason for edit: See ****'s

Anybody know how to fix this?? Western Digital probably wont respond till Monday and I want this hunk of **** fixed as soon as possible. Is there another boot CD I can download other than the supplied disc. Can I make a boot CD on another Vista machine? It will load the WD Diagnostic CD, but it give a ** error message, I'm sure it would boot from a another windows boot CD.

Please, any help would be greatly appreciated.

This post has been edited by usasma: 02 November 2008 - 05:20 AM
Reason for edit: see ****'s

Ok. I tried another boot CD. This one here - http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vist...-disc-download/. So far it's been about 10 minutes since I booted it and I'm left staring at a black screen.............Again. I'm begining to think the HDD is completely fried.


But if anyone knows a way to fix it let me know. Maybe it's not fired, maybe something is seriously locked up. I don't know, I don't know much about Vista yet, other than the fact that it's crap.

Well it seems like no one here has a clue, or even any snippet of pertinent information other that usama(sp?). Oh well, thanks anyway but I'm just going to put a new HDD in it and reinstall Vista.

This post has been edited by S1L3N7_SWAT: 01 November 2008 - 09:37 PM

Most likely it's the hard drive that's causing the issues - but you won't be able to tell until you unhook the old drive.
Try running the CD without the hard drive hooked up (neither the data or power cables) - if it boots to the CD in a normal amount of time, then it's likely to be the hard drive.

Yeah, I did that yesterday. The recover CD booted right up with the HDD removed. Ordered a replacement one so it's all good. Thanks for the help.