Help... Please -- Windows 7 Error; Can't Boot

[muff528 3]

Cool if that's the case. I don't have anything new enough to have a solid state drive so I can't say.

[HIDGAF84 0]

Haven't been able to look into it any further, past "recovery". In the middle of some stuff, but as soon as I finish I will. Unless someone else chimes in in the affirmative of this being more than a boot drive.

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

HIDGAF84

My DVD drive Does work… it successfully read the Dell "drivers and utilities" disk. It does appear though that auto play, "plug-and-play" association does not function properly. I should easily be able to copy anything off the disc directly; but a quick look through it reinforces that it will not be helpful for this circumstance, as others alluded to above. Can't even easily determine what everything is.

Chrome is working just fine… Pretty sure I could download the image.

Was just hoping to have clarification on that, before I bought disks.

Can't really find a good answer, or a logical reason that burning a file to a disk and then booting with it wouldn't be possible... given what is working and what is not.

Yeah, it sounds like it's functional enough to do that. If the hard drive were completely inoperable, obviously it would be a lot more difficult. As long as you have something you can boot, you could potentially download a CD/DVD image to a thumb drive (or gopro memory card) and then burn the image from that location. If the hard drive is very unstable, that might be easier.

Sounds like you're getting it back together pretty well.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[HIDGAF84 0]

Coo, thanks.

I don't have any new USB or DVDs with me, but I've tested the DVD drive, so I'll probably just see if I can pick up one or two discs ASAP.

Just gotta head back up in the thread and figure out what to download. At least I know for sure what version I have now.

[HIDGAF84 0]

Well, Walmart did not have any single or small quantity DVDs.

Even so, I don't really have time because I have to do a whole slew of driving here shortly. Actually supposed to be on the road 2 days ago or so. One stop will be home where I have a large quantity of DVDs; + and - and DL.

One "development", question: i have not been able to download anything, whatsoever. Not even random pictures off of Facebook.

There's been no changes, no hard drive issues, and I can copy and paste files to other areas (notepad, pictures), without issue.

As I said, chrome works, but it does crash periodically when watching videos; YT, FB, News and so on.

Seems to me this is more a chrome issue, than HDD, yes?

So that my computer may be stable enough to function, I might not be able to download the image, though I wonder if a direct download as offered above would be possible instead?

[Coreeece 2]

HIDGAF84

Well, Walmart did not have any single or small quantity DVDs.

Even so, I don't really have time because I have to do a whole slew of driving here shortly. Actually supposed to be on the road 2 days ago or so. One stop will be home where I have a large quantity of DVDs; + and - and DL.

DVDs aren't necessary. I know you don't have a USB thumb drive either, but it would be a more convenient option IMO.

When you get the image ISO file for windows 7, you can then use the windows 7 USB download tool to create a bootable USB thumb drive and install the operating system through that rather than DVDs.

Here is some info on the Widows USB download tool:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool

Here is the download page:
http://wudt.codeplex.com/

Please note that you'll need to install netframework 2.0 if not already installed. It will tell you if it's needed when you try to install the USB tool.

Once installed, plug in a USB thumb drive and open the USB download tool. Click browse and select the ISO image file and then choose the USB thumbdrive as the destination and it will create a bootable drive.

When finished, restart your comp and hit F8 when the Dell logo screen pops up - you have to be quick about it. If F8 doesn't work, then try F12. This will take you to the boot menu. Select the Bootable USB drive and follow the prompts to reinstall the windows 7

Obviously none of this is useful until you can start downloading stuff again - so in the mean time - you could restart your computer and hit F8 or 12 like I described above. When you get to the boot menu, see if there is a Utility Partition or Recovery Drive. Sometimes Dells have a partition built in to recover your computer by reinstalling the OS and resetting it back to the original factory settings as if it's brand new.

However, IIRC new comps may not offer that option, but it may give you an option to make recovery DVDs - this way you won't have to download anything, but you'll still need the DVDs (or thumb drive if it gives you the option.)

Sorry if any of this is redundant - I haven't really kept up with this thread, but I don't think I saw anything about F8, the boot menu and bootable thumb drives.

Never was there an answer....not without listening, without seeing - Gilmour

[normiss 622]

Are you by chance related to Peaceful Jeffrey?

[Coreeece 2]

HIDGAF84

I remembered correctly: under disk defragmenter, along with "OS (C:)", below it that drive is listed as "recovery".

Any chance this is helpful to me?

Yes, it's very possible that that is the "recovery drive" in the "utility partition" that I was referring to in my previous post #81.

To access it, press F8 when the logo screen pops when you start your computer. If it has the recovery partition then it will allow you to either reset the computer automatically or create the necessary disks without having to download an ISO image. (like I said before - if F8 doesn't work, try F12)

Also, if this is a recovery drive, it will also include the necessary drivers and utilities so you wouldn't have to install them manually like you would if you installed from a windows 7 ISO image file.

Never was there an answer....not without listening, without seeing - Gilmour

[HIDGAF84 0]

Thank you, read over this quickly, yes F8 does work, and I'll look into all of this ASAP.

Whether DVD or USB, I'm still trying to find/get an answer on if a mac can be used to create these things. If it can't, I need to investigate if I can order a W7 disk from Dell. Since they only sent me the drivers and utilities disk.

One additional note… Upon start up, sometimes prior to the windows icon, it will show my memory and my drives. It just did that recently, and the SSD is labeled as "cache disk".

I haven't tried to access it in with F8 yet, but I did from the administrator command prompt, after finding a way to have my drives listed, and just using the drive lettering, like typing in "C:", and it said access denied. I don't know if that is only because I was in windows with in a command prompt versus F8.

Does that help (elaborate) at all?

[HIDGAF84 0]

Is this DZ related or culture?

Not finding a reference… Otherwise I might find it funny.

[jcd11235 0]

HIDGAF84

One additional note… Upon start up, sometimes prior to the windows icon, it will show my memory and my drives. It just did that recently, and the SSD is labeled as "cache disk".

Just a not-so-wild guess: Your machine might have a hybrid drive, a small solid state drive (SSD) combined with a larger hard disk drive (HDD) in a single component, a solid state hybrid drive (SSHD).

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[DanG 1]

F8 gets you to the motherboard boot menu. It is totally outside of Windows. It is hardware (firmware, really) not software.

And is you are creating an ISO you should be able to use a Mac. I don't think that would be platform specific. It's worth a try.

The easier option is to buy a cheap USB drive and proceed as Coreece has suggested.

- Dan G

[HIDGAF84 0]

metalslug

It does appear that you may have some file corruption issue. Not necessarily related to a virus, it may have resulted from a bad sector on your HDD or not shutting down correctly. For that kind of problem you will probably need to do a Windows 7 repair and for that you will need an installation disc.

My Google-fu found this link to a forum that suggests steps to take. It's further down the page at "Instructions for a Windows 7 Repair installation."

Update:

So currently, I not only have access to the Mac laptop previously discussed, but also an HP laptop, much older than mine, but functioning and with XP. The owner unfortunately is not using the administrator account, and has forgotten that password. I've done some reading on how to get around this, but not totally sure if that would prevent the making of the disk or USB drive I need. (Would be nice to get around it regardless for future reference.)

Though I'll probably make both, before being able to make either, I've checked out the link closer from above.

I'm seeing the same thing and not seeing how to proceed:

http://www.w7forums.com/threads/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-image-downloads.12325/

I need the second link. X64 - as eventually identified 100% above.

But I'm not seeing how to proceed with the page it provides you, nor does it look legitimate.

http://www.microsofthup.com/hupus/home.aspx

My work email and product code?

The product code on the dell drivers and utilities disk, I would assume is my Windows 7 operating system product code.

I don't see how I'm proceeding to download the file? Am I using that product code on the website itself? To get access to the image?

If you click on I don't know my product code, it just asks for your email address.

[HIDGAF84 0]

RMK

I have a clean copy of an ISO file for Windows Home Premium 64. If you need it; I can send it to you via a secure link.

You can also create a bootable flash drive and possibly start your computer in safe mode using Rufus https://rufus.akeo.ie/

Through what means would you provide the link? Dropbox?

[DanG 1]

HUP is a Microsoft promotion where employees of participating companies can get cheap or free copies of Microsoft products for use at home. If that's not you, you won't be able to use that link.

- Dan G

[HIDGAF84 0]

Well. I've got DVDs and a USB drive that are completely new. I just need something to download.

[jcd11235 0]

HIDGAF84

Well. I've got DVDs and a USB drive that are completely new. I just need something to download.

Once again, metalslug provided a link to exactly what you're looking for in post 17 of this thread. It's still on you to click on the link.

For your convenience, because I realize how difficult it is to navigate to the first page of the thread and scroll down, I'll quote metalslug's post below. You want the "free legal ISO image of Windows 7 SP1."

metalslug

I don't think a system restore is going to help you much. The Windows "system restore" is little more than a Windows registry backup; It refers to drivers, system files, settings and programs that were installed or referenced on your computer at a specific point in time (your restore point) and attempts to "re-link" the OS to those files if they still exist on your HDD. System restore cannot generally recover files that are either totally deleted or corrupted.

I am assuming that you noticed in my earlier post to this link that;
"If you do not have a Windows 7 installation disc you can download a free legal ISO image of Windows 7 SP1 at Windows 7 Forums"

For that you will of course need another computer to download and burn approx 3.5GB to DVD, but if you are able then I believe it's your best bet. The added bonus is that if the repair doesn't work then you can use the same disc to re-install the entire OS as a last resort.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[HIDGAF84 0]

jcd11235

***Well. I've got DVDs and a USB drive that are completely new. I just need something to download.

Once again, metalslug provided a link to exactly what you're looking for in post 17 of this thread. It's still on you to click on the link.

For your convenience, because I realize how difficult it is to navigate to the first page of the thread and scroll down, I'll quote metalslug's post below. You want the "free legal ISO image of Windows 7 SP1."

metalslug

I don't think a system restore is going to help you much. The Windows "system restore" is little more than a Windows registry backup; It refers to drivers, system files, settings and programs that were installed or referenced on your computer at a specific point in time (your restore point) and attempts to "re-link" the OS to those files if they still exist on your HDD. System restore cannot generally recover files that are either totally deleted or corrupted.

I am assuming that you noticed in my earlier post to this link that;
"If you do not have a Windows 7 installation disc you can download a free legal ISO image of Windows 7 SP1 at Windows 7 Forums"

For that you will of course need another computer to download and burn approx 3.5GB to DVD, but if you are able then I believe it's your best bet. The added bonus is that if the repair doesn't work then you can use the same disc to re-install the entire OS as a last resort.

Yes, those are the links that I am using; above.

[jcd11235 0]

HIDGAF84

******Well. I've got DVDs and a USB drive that are completely new. I just need something to download.

Once again, metalslug provided a link to exactly what you're looking for in post 17 of this thread. It's still on you to click on the link.

For your convenience, because I realize how difficult it is to navigate to the first page of the thread and scroll down, I'll quote metalslug's post below. You want the "free legal ISO image of Windows 7 SP1."

metalslug

I don't think a system restore is going to help you much. The Windows "system restore" is little more than a Windows registry backup; It refers to drivers, system files, settings and programs that were installed or referenced on your computer at a specific point in time (your restore point) and attempts to "re-link" the OS to those files if they still exist on your HDD. System restore cannot generally recover files that are either totally deleted or corrupted.

I am assuming that you noticed in my earlier post to this link that;
"If you do not have a Windows 7 installation disc you can download a free legal ISO image of Windows 7 SP1 at Windows 7 Forums"

For that you will of course need another computer to download and burn approx 3.5GB to DVD, but if you are able then I believe it's your best bet. The added bonus is that if the repair doesn't work then you can use the same disc to re-install the entire OS as a last resort.

Yes, those are the links that I am using; above.

Then you have something to download.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[HIDGAF84 0]

Read what I wrote about the download site.

Are you seeing the same thing?

At the moment I don't have something to download.

[normiss 622]

[Amazon 7]

I can't believe this has dragged on for this long... if a computer breaks... it is time to head down to Costco

Scroll to the bottom of the page...

OR http://www.costco.com/Acer-Aspire-One-14%22-Cloudbook-Bundle-%7c-Intel-Celeron-%7c-Acer-Wireless-Mouse-%7c-Office-365-Personal---1-year.product.100240635.html

[jcd11235 0]

HIDGAF84

Read what I wrote about the download site.

Are you seeing the same thing?

At the moment I don't have something to download.

Try here.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[HIDGAF84 0]

Yes, I did find that after not be able to figure out the download.

The problem however, now, is that what appeared to be the product code on the back of the Dell drivers and utilities CD, does not match up with the requested product code formatting on that page.

[Coreeece 2]

HIDGAF84

Yes, I did find that after not be able to figure out the download.

The problem however, now, is that what appeared to be the product code on the back of the Dell drivers and utilities CD, does not match up with the requested product code formatting on that page.

The product code should be on the little windows sticker on the bottom of your laptop if it didn't rub off yet, lol - Sometimes they'll also put it under the battery to prevent just that, so take out the battery and check there as well if you have to.

If you can't find it, how about trying that f8 method that we discussed last week? You said f8 worked but you never followed up. What does the screen say when you hit f8 upon startup? What options does it give you?

Never was there an answer....not without listening, without seeing - Gilmour