Computer won’t Start-How to Fix Startup Problems
Computer won’t start? If you’re lucky, it’s just a problem with corrupted system files. Or, maybe you added or removed a hard disk and you need to reconfigure startup settings. Regardless, your first step should be to run Startup Repair. Startup Repair is easy to use and it’ll fix most startup configuration problems. Of course, it can’t fix a busted hard disk… but it’s worth a shot.
To run Startup Repair, follow these steps:
1. Restart the computer from the Windows Vista DVD (the computer must be configured to start from CD/DVD), and start setup.
2. When prompted, click Repair your computer.
3. Startup Repair will automatically detect a problem. When prompted, click Repair and restart, and then restart your computer from the Windows Vista DVD. If Startup Repair does not automatically detect a problem, continue to the next step.
4. When prompted, click Repair Your Computer.
5. Click Startup Repair from the System Recovery Options.
Startup Repair will try to find any corrupted files or startup misconfigurations. When prompted, remove the Windows Vista DVD and restart your computer normally.
If Windows still won’t start, or if Startup Repair doesn’t find your hard disk, troubleshoot the problem as a hardware issue. This can be complicated, but here are some tips:
- Disconnect any USB devices from your computer.
- Remove any recently connected hard disks.
- Unplug the power and other cables from each of your hard disks, and then reconnect them.
If you still can’t start your computer and Windows Vista still fails to see your hard disk, you might have a failed hard disk. It happens, and when it does, it sucks. Hard disks have moving parts, though, so they have a limited lifetime. Hopefully, you’ve got a backup. After replacing your hard disk, follow these instructions to Restore a Complete PC Backup when your computer won’t start. Next time, be sure to backup your files and backup your whole computer.
For more information, read the Windows Vista Resource Kit (co-authored by your very own Tony Northrup). Got a question for Tony? Send an e-mail to qa@vistaclues.com.
Posted: January 15th, 2007 under Troubleshoot.
Comments: 13
Comments
Pingback from How to Edit the BCD Registry File - Windows Vista help
Time: January 15, 2007, 11:05 pm
[...] Same as Windows XP, right? But you’re probably not here because you couldn’t find that dialog box. You’re probably here because Windows Vista won’t start. In that case, you shouldn’t even worry about editing the BCD. Just run Startup Repair, and let the tool do what it’s supposed to. [...]
Pingback from Where is the Boot.ini file in Windows Vista? - Windows Vista help
Time: January 15, 2007, 11:42 pm
[...] Read this article if you want to change startup settings. If your computer won’t start, don’t sweat it. Follow these steps to run Startup Repair. For more information, read Chapter 30 (which I wrote!) of the Windows Vista Resource Kit. Also check out the BCD FAQ and read the Boot Configuration Data in Windows Vista Word document. [...]
Pingback from How to Install the Windows Recovery Environment (including Startup Repair) - Windows Vista help
Time: January 16, 2007, 12:48 am
[...] Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) includes lots of cool troubleshooting tools. You can load WinRE from the Windows Vista DVD by following these steps. [...]
Pingback from How to Manually Repair BCD when Windows Won’t Start - Windows Vista help
Time: January 16, 2007, 1:43 am
[...] You can automatically solve most startup problems with the Startup Repair tool. If you prefer a more manual approach, you can use the BootRec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery environment. [...]
Comment from DARE
Time: October 8, 2007, 2:19 pm
pls i need more informatin to be sent to me email emnauellala@yahoo.com
Comment from Holly
Time: October 19, 2007, 4:31 pm
Thanks !! You save me the pain of having to schlep my computer to the repair shop and pay for someone else to reboot my computer.
Comment from raj
Time: November 4, 2007, 8:41 am
i bought a brand new labtop yesterday. it was fine. with vista. i may hv opened a usb with some kinda macromedia flash virus. today, my pc cant start. it goes up to the open user page, and when i click that, it goes blank. the only thing i c is a mouse pointer. i can open task manager. when i opened that, it shows a flash and a macromedia thingy running in which i cant stop. if i stop the flash the computer shuts down. i bought compaq, and it dowsnt come wit the drivers. it asked us 2 burn it ourselves. and i haven burn the drivers yet. im scared help me
Comment from SpunkyFeller
Time: February 17, 2008, 1:51 am
Thanks for pointing me to startup repair - it did the trick! 
Comment from Randal
Time: February 27, 2008, 8:04 pm
Hi, windows vista won’t start for me, I already tried the start up recovery and it came up with no problems. Windows loads up and is stuck at the Please Wait o loading screen, when I have a disk in the cd-rom it appears as a black screen, I see nothing unless I press alt tab, at that point 2 things show up but I can’t get to them, one of the programs says Windows logon. I’m lost and don’t know what to do, I can only get to safe mode!!
One more thing every time I scan my computer for viruses AVG free edition says it changed ntoskrnl.exe and thats it.
HELP ME!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!
Comment from Brent
Time: March 21, 2008, 12:54 am
I had a startup repair before.
Comment from Ben in a pickle
Time: April 25, 2008, 10:27 am
Hi,
I think my noton picked up a .sys file as a virus so i deleted it - nxt time i started up vista it wouldn’t start. So i’m guessing its a system file that shouldnt have been touched!
Tried running system restore, it runs to the end, starts up windons so that the loading screen appears but then the screen goes blank with jst an enlarged curser showing on the screen..
how do i go abt fixing this? i dont even mind formatting the hdd if it means i get the drive back.
pls help!
Comment from Chris
Time: April 26, 2008, 5:55 am
If you know the .sys file that Norton deleted and if you have another hd with windows installed, you can run your defective drive as a slave, boot off your working drive, then copy the missing file over.
Comment from Vicki
Time: July 7, 2008, 3:59 am
My kids each have Compaq laptops with Vista. One kid installed the updates a couple of days ago now computer won’t boot. Says Windows loading then goes blank. Can’t bring up task manager or anything else. Pressed F8 when booting got the system recovery options, tried system restore says there isn’t a point to go back to. Computer is 6 months old so should be something there. My question–I have made the system recovery disks off the other kids computer. Can I use those to restore this computer? And if so, will all files be lost (pictures, music, etc)?
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