Windows Vista Startup Repair Guide with the Windows Vista DVD

How many times have you turned on the computer in the morning only to find out that it will not start up, but it displays a cryptic but terrifying error? OK, not that many, but I do see cases quite often like this. The first thing to try would be to “Repair your computer” in the advanced startup options screen, but that option is not always there due to OEM customizations. You could also try Last Known Good Configuration, and then Safe Mode. But what if those options don’t work? What do you do then? What if your computer didn’t come with a Windows Vista DVD as is often the case? Take it to a PC tech who will charge you $150, backup your files, and restore your computer to factory defaults? Yes, you can do that, however, there is another way as detailed below.

This guide consists of three main sections:

1. Running a start up repair.
2. What to do if the computer still does not start up.

Running a startup repair with the repair disc:

• Insert the Windows Vista into the CD/DVD drive of the affected computer, and start the computer up.
• Press any key when you see the message to press any key to boot off the CD or DVD (if you do not see that message then please open the following link to configure your computer to boot off the CD/DVD drive: How to configure your computer to boot from the CD/DVD drive ).

Press any “any” key!

• After the repair disc has finished loading, you will be brought to the first screen where you can configure language and keyboard options, click on the Next button as shown below.

The repair disc language input screen.

• After you click on the Next button as shown previously, you will then be brought to the Install Windows screen, click on the “Repair your computer” link on the bottom right.

The repair disc install screen

• After clicking on the “Repair your computer” link, the recovery disc will then search for Windows Vista installations. After it has found the installation, it will be listed in the window, and you can go ahead and click the Next button.

Vista installation has been found.

• Depending on the problem, startup repair will launch automatically, or you should be presented with the System Recovery Options window to choose a recovery tool as shown below. If you are presented with the recovery tool options, click the Startup Repair link. Startup repair can take some time to complete, and your computer may restart during the process.

Click the “Startup Repair” link in the System Recovery Options screen.

Startup Repair attempting repairs.

• You may see a window asking if you want to restore your computer using System Restore, click the Restore button.
• The system should then be restoring, this can take some time to complete.
• You should then be presented with a message to restart the computer to complete the repairs, click the Finish button.
• Your computer should now restart normally.

What to do if the computer is still not starting up.

• If the computer is still not starting, assuming Startup repair Starts automatically, and you do not see the System Recovery Options screen, then click the Cancel button to cancel the repair, then click Yes to the confirmation prompt. And then click on the “View advanced options for system recovery and support” link.

Click on the Vew advanced options link.

• You will then be presented with the System Recovery Options screen again as shown below.

Click System Restore on the System Recovery Options screen.

• Click on the System Restore link to open up the System Restore Window and click Next.
• Choose a restore point to before the problems started happening, and click Next.

Choosing a restore point and clicking Next.

• Confirm the discs that you want to restore, and then click the Next button.

Confirm the restore discs and click Next.

• The system restore will then be in progress, after it has finished it will prompt you to restart the computer.

Click the Restart button.

• Your Computer should then restart normally.
• If your computer is still not starting up after this, then It’s more serious I’m afraid. The only option is a clean reinstall of Windows Vista. At this point, youre pretty much out of options, It’s time to take the PC to a tech, maybe he can recover it to a working state but don’t count on it, most likely he will set it back to factory default, remember to tell him to back up your important files first.