Windows Vista will not start, System Repair unable to fix problems

Edited by court0844, 13 November 2015 - 06:59 PM.

I am no expert on Vista but it sounds like you could have hard drive problems, in which case your first priority is to recover any data you have on this drive.

I suggest that you create a self-booting copy of Linux, which will run off a CD, to determine if your HD can be accessed and data recovered to external storage. There is a very good and clear tutorial here on how to create a self booting copy of Puppy Linux -

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/561869/how-to-create-a-secure-multi-session-puppy-cd-with-updatable-firefox-browser/

This will not turn your computer into a Linux machine - running Puppy by itself makes no change to your computer at all as it runs entirely in RAM. When it has booted you will see icons for your hard drives and partitions. They will have names like sda1, sda 2 and so on. You need to click on these to 'mount' them (ie make them active) then you can use Puppy's file manager to look for your data and move it to somewhere safe - USB memory stick, external HD, wherever.

Once your data is safe further steps to repair this computer can be considered.

Chris Cosgrove

Thank you for your help with this.  It looks like I'll need to buy an external hard drive next week during Black Friday.  I have too many family photos saved on that computer for just my flash drive.  So, after I have that and use your info to back up all my info, I'll be ready to actually fix (hopefully) the computer.  I'll get back to you on this as soon as I'm ready for more help. Thanks!

boot from your vista install cd and do a system restore to an earlier point,

if you dont have a vista install cd you can make one with an iso file and a program like rufus

I know it's been a really long time since I last updated this, but I haven't had time to try to fix the computer.  I was able to use Puppy Linux to save all of the information that was important to me (photos, documents, etc) from the computer.  I would love to now see if it can be repaired without worrying about losing anything important.  If I need to replace the hard drive, that's okay too, but if it can be saved, that would be my first choice.

Yes, it has been a while !

In a sense, since you have copied all the important data off this computer there is nothing important left on it. However it would be worth your while to try the Segate hard drive tools (DOS) to check out the hard drive. Then you will know if the drive is worth keeping or if it has reached the point of no return. Hard drives do fail and they certainly wear out. since Win 7 was launched in 2009 your computer is probably at least seven years old and that is a reasonable age for a hard drive. You can get the Seagate ISO here -

http://www.seagate.com/gb/en/support/downloads/item/seatools-dos-master/

There are two main tests on it, if I remember rightly, a short and a long. Run the short one first, if it comes up 'Fail', that's it - you need a new drive. If it passes the short test, run the long one and see what it says. It gives a more detailed report.

You have to decide if it is worth your time and effort to put another drive in if this one fails. Installing it won't be much of a problem but if, as it probably is, it is an IDE drive you may find it harder to source one now. But you will have all your software to re-install, plus all the necessary drivers, plus ALL the updates from the date of whatever install  disc you use !

As I said, it is your decision, but I know which way I would go and it wouldn't be to repair this computer.

Chris Cosgrove

Chris -

I have run SeaTools for DOS both the short & long scans and both say my hard drive passed.

Do you have any suggestions as to what my next step should be?  Thanks so much for your help with this.

So your hard drive is OK, I will admit a little surprise at that !

Do you have a Vista install disc ?  If you have one your next step would be to try a 'Repair' install. This will repair Windows. Assuming it works the same way the Win 7 install disc works, start the computer, open the DVD drive, put the disc in and re-boot. It should then boot from the disc. At the screen after the one where you enter language, location and keyboard you come to one which says 'Install or repair ?'. Choose 'Repair' !  It will then attempt to repair the Vista install. This will not, or at least should  not, affect any of your applications and you have already backed up your data.

If you don't have an install disc, I understand that you can use any Vista installer for repair purposes. If you can't beg or borrow one you could try e-bay, choose a seller with a good reputation. There is, or was, a Vista repair disc, I have a copy sitting on my desk along with others. I am fairly sure I got it from BC but I can't find a listing for it now. It may be that I followed a BC tutorial on how to make one

If you have a recovery partition on this computer you can use this, but this will restore your computer to an 'ex-works' condition and you will still have to re-install all your software and do all the updates.

Chris Cosgrove

I was very surprised the hard drive passed as well, I fully expected it to fail.

I used my installation disc, chose boot from CD drive, then chose "Repair your computer."  I chose Windows Vista from the System Recovery Options, this then takes me to the same list I've done before where I can choose between Startup Repair, System Restore, Windows Complete PC Restore, Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool and Command Prompt.  The Startup Repair still says it can't fix the problem, I don't seem to have an earlier restore point for System Restore, and don't have a backup for PC restore.  I'm sure I've run the Memory Diagnostic Tool before and found no problems, but I didn't run it again this time.

I find it very strange that my computer keeps passing all of the tests I run on it but still can't start Windows.  What do you suggest next?  I want you to know how much I appreciate your help with all of this.

If you can access Safe Mode delete avast and see if the computer boots normally. 

If not then look at the dates of the backup Registry Hives in Windows/System32/config/Regback  If the dates are before your problem you can rename the Registry Hives in Windows/System32/config/ and copy the Hives from Regback. 

Edit: If you cannot delete Avast connect the drive to another computer using an enclosure or USB adapter. Run AutoRuns and use Offline mode as shown in this guide. Uncheck anything avast. Exit out of AutoRuns and reattach the drive to the problem computer.

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/analyze-offline-system-autoruns-feature/

Edit Edit: If you have recovered all your data you can do a factory reset but all programs and data after purchase would need to be reinstalled. This would only work if your Recovery Partition is intact.

http://www.dell.com/support/Article/us/en/19/DSN_28C0548D825EB65DE040A68F5B2865A8/EN

Edited by JohnC_21, 10 August 2016 - 02:14 PM.

When I try to boot into Safe Mode, it stalls on \windows\system32\drivers\aswRvrt.sys

That file is the one that is previous to the one that causes the problem. You could user Puppy to rename the file but you will probably have another avast file after your reboot. You would need to keep renaming them but the safest way is to use AutoRuns with the drive attached to another computer.

Edit: Mark down what files you have renamed. Are you willing to do a Factory Reset or is that the last option?

Edited by JohnC_21, 10 August 2016 - 04:04 PM.