BleepingComputer.com: start up repair does not work

I have Vista Home Premium, someone on Vista Forum suggested I download your windows repair tutorial. I tried inserting the Vista DVD that came with my computer (Dell E520) but instead of seeing the screen "press any key to boot from CD or DVD" I get a screen that offers me choices to start from safe mode, safe mode with networking, safe mode with command prompt or start normally. I have tried each of these options and end up with a black screen and a white arrow. How can I get this DVD to work? or is it the correct DVD? I have tried F12 on startup and get the boot device menu but don't know what to do with it. I offers: WDCWD250JS-75NCB3k, onboard or USB CD-rom drive, system setup, hard drive diagnositcs, boot to utility partition. I have done the hard drive dianostics and it results in "Pass".

I would appreciate any help or ideas. Thank you.

Normally there's a "Repair your computer" entry above the Safe Mode entry. If it's not there, then you'll have to boot from the DVD.
To boot from the DVD, select F12 as the system boots, then select the "Onboard or USB CD-ROM drive).

The first screen should offer to install Vista, the second screen should have "Repair your computer" listed in the lower left of the window.

John--
I was able to get through screen 4 of the repair tutorial--after I completed the startup repair option, the message was "startup could not detect a problem". I also tried system restore but it said I didn't have any restore points established but I know I had. I also clicked on memory diagnostic tool and it was 100%ok. So I clicked "restart" and the screen ultimately went to black again with a white arrow. I did see a reference to "load drivers" but I didn't know what to do with that. Can you possibly tell what I may have missed here? This is the first time out of numerous tries that I actually got startup repair to begin so it's hopeful. Thanks again for any additional ideas you or anyone has.

You can't get into any of the options on the Safe Mode screen?
Hard drive diagnostic is OK.
Memory diagnostic is OK.
Startup repair states no problems.

So, it's gotta be a Windows issue - most likely a driver problem, but it may also be impacted by a Windows Update. Most often these sort of errors seem to be related to video drivers - so I'd try the VGA mode in the Safe Mode screen if it's available.

Beyond that, I'd have to suggest a repair install of Vista: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-re...tall-vista.html
Please note that you MUST select the Upgrade option. If you select the Custom option you'll end up wiping your hard drive clean.

I hate to bother you again but I don't have a VGA mode under safe mode; there is an option with the repair tutorial from this site that suggests I load drivers but I don't know what they are. I do have a disk from Dell that includes drivers but on looking at it it's all a mistery to me--are there names for drivers I can look for? I'll check your repair install of Vista (upgrade) from the site you list. Thanks again

I tried the Vista Upgrade option as described in USASMA's message but when I came to choosing Upgrade, it was greyed out and the message said it was disabled and to use it I had to do the upgrade in Windows.

Is there a way to do this from the command prompt and if so, any idea what the prompt should look like? I feel I'm almost there but never quite there.

Most likely it's grayed out because you have SP1 installed - and your DVD doesn't have SP1. If that's the case, follow the instructions for slipstreaming SP1 into the DVD in the link for the repair install.

Hi, where do I find the instructions for slipstreaming SP1 into the DVD in the link for the repair install--I don't know what slipstreaming is--sounds interesting?

The author provides this link in the article that I referred to earlier: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/151606-v...lation-dvd.html

thanks for the reference again--i'll try it. meanwhile last night i checked the system diagnosis and it shows my c: drive is Recovery and my d: drive contains windows and everything I had in my c: drive.

is there a way to reassign contents of d: drive to c:drive or rename d: drive as c: drive?

I tried cmd /help at the command prompt but it stated it was the wrong syntax, etc.

thanks again.