[SOLVED] Windows 7 Booting Issues

[Chandler]

I have a computer a customer brought in with Windows 7 Pro installed. It does have a refurb COA tag also. Anyway when you start it the splash screen appears and then it goes to a black screen and wont boot. I don't have any recovery media and this is a business computer. I created a bootable disk from an Win 7 Pro ISO I had downloaded somewhere but when I press "Repair My Computer" It displays "This version of system recovery options is not compatible with the version of windows you are trying to repair" Try using a recovery disk that is compatible with this version of windows." I've never come across this issue Before. I heard it could be a UEFI Issue bus i'm not sure. Need help please. The laptop is an Lenovo ThinkPad X220 Tablet. It also has an SSD but I'm not sure if it factors into this issue

 

[glennd]

F8 menu?

A trick I learnt here was to pull the power plug during the splash screen. Do this a couple of times and the startup recovery menu may/should appear. This should give you access to it's recovery options.

 

[Chandler]

F8 menu?

A trick I learnt here was to pull the power plug during the splash screen. Do this a couple of times and the startup recovery menu may/should appear. This should give you access to it's recovery options.

There is no F8 menu I can get to. I will try the power plug thing.

 

[Markverhyden]

How do you know it has Pro installed? Is the refurb tag for Pro? Try what @glennd said. Have you imaged the drive to protect the data?

The error you have is typical when the installed version is not compatible with the image you are trying to use for recovery. Such as OEM vs retail, etc. If I had time I'd try calling Lenovo and ordering a recovery disk set if it was Pro. Since you are not reselling that would be legit.

 

[glricht]

^^ Try glennd's suggestion first.

(never mind the rest of my post, Mark beat me to it! )

 

[Chandler]

How do you know it has Pro installed? Is the refurb tag for Pro? Try what @glennd said. Have you imaged the drive to protect the data?

The error you have is typical when the installed version is not compatible with the image you are trying to use for recovery. Such as OEM vs retail, etc. If I had time I'd try calling Lenovo and ordering a recovery disk set if it was Pro. Since you are not reselling that would be legit.

The old COA tag is under the battery and has a tag across it that says DO NOT USE. The new tag is just on the bottom of the computer and says "Windows 7 Pro for Refurb PCs".

 

[Chandler]

F8 menu?

A trick I learnt here was to pull the power plug during the splash screen. Do this a couple of times and the startup recovery menu may/should appear. This should give you access to it's recovery options.

The recovery menu won't come up.

 

[CaltechComputers]

It might be the version of recovery disk you are using. I’ve come across it in the past when trying to run a recovery on a 32 bit operating system with a 64 bit recovery disk. It didn’t want to play ball. It needed a 32 bit recovery disk for 32 bit operating system and a 64 bit for a 64 bit operating system

 

[cypress]

It might be the version of recovery disk you are using. I’ve come across it in the past when trying to run a recovery on a 32 bit operating system with a 64 bit recovery disk. It didn’t want to play ball. It needed a 32 bit recovery disk for 32 bit operating system and a 64 bit for a 64 bit operating system

Bingo, this could also be an issue as well.

 

[Markverhyden]

The old COA tag is under the battery and has a tag across it that says DO NOT USE. The new tag is just on the bottom of the computer and says "Windows 7 Pro for Refurb PCs".

You could still use the Lenovo recovery disk set as it's an SLP setup.

 

[Chandler]

You could still use the Lenovo recovery disk set as it's an SLP setup.

I've already talked to microsoft and this is an OEM version even though its refurbished. The recovery media is $69.95 and thats gonna be my last option if nothing else is available.

 

[E Bell]

You mentioned creating a "bootable disk from a Win7 Pro ISO", but have you tried creating/using a system repair disk instead of the bootable disk created from the installation ISO/Installation media? (Ref: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html)

Also, you can't do a repair my computer from a system repair disk...but you can drop to a command line and enter one of the following to force a boot to safe mode:

With Command Prompt open, execute the correct bcdedit command as shown below based on which Safe Mode option you'd like to start:

Safe Mode:
bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal

Safe Mode with Networking:
bcdedit /set {default} safeboot network

Safe Mode with Command Prompt:
bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal
bcdedit /set {default} safebootalternateshell yes

 

[Chandler]

You mentioned creating a "bootable disk from a Win7 Pro ISO", but have you tried creating/using a system repair disk instead of the bootable disk created from the installation ISO/Installation media? (Ref: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html)

Also, you can't do a repair my computer from a system repair disk...but you can drop to a command line and enter one of the following to force a boot to safe mode:

​

I have not tried a system repair disk will try that next. Thanks for the safe mode command. Right now I'm ruling out viruses. I have Hiren's boot CD on a USB Booted and have mini XP running. I've run Malwarebytes and a couple of others but still nothing. I'm running Vipre Rescue Scanner right now. Since I'm in a Windows environment right now running from the flash are there any things I could do to fix the Issue of not booting correctly?

 

[discipulus]

It's not recommended to run MBAM outside of Windows because it could break some things.

What I would do:
Scan for a root kit with TDSS.
Use a Windows 7 install media to attempt a restore point.
Rebuild the MBR and BCD

 

[Chandler]

It's not recommended to run MBAM outside of Windows because it could break some things.

What I would do:
Scan for a root kit with TDSS.
Use a Windows 7 install media to attempt a restore point.
Rebuild the MBR and BCD

How do you rebuild the MBR and BCD

 

[E Bell]

Personally, I wouldn't do much until you got into Safe Mode...

Do a Google search for "black screen of death windows 7" - http://bfy.tw/2V0x

There are some suggestions on this page as well: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...oting-up/93a2c6e2-9418-4f45-b217-2a152fcce665 (which happens to be the third link from the Google search)

EDIT: Typos

 

[Chandler]

Personally, I wouldn't do much until you got into Safe Mode...

Do a Google search for "black screen of death windows 7" - http://bfy.tw/2V0x

There are some suggestions on this page as well: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...oting-up/93a2c6e2-9418-4f45-b217-2a152fcce665 (which happens to be the third link from the Google search)

EDIT: Typos

How do I make a repair disk When the system isn't running? The only system I have Running Win 7 is Win 7 Ultimate 32-Bit The laptop is running Win 7 Pro and I'm not sure what bit.

 

[discipulus]

How do you rebuild the MBR and BCD

Google it.

 

[Porthos]

this is a business computer.

Personally, I wouldn't do much until you got into Safe Mode...

I would of pulled the drive and imaged it or at least pull data with Fab,s first.

 

[Chandler]

I would of pulled the drive and imaged it or at least pull data with Fab,s first.

I'm going to do that tomorrow but I only didn't because she said the company just started using these a few weeks ago and there really isn't anything to lose. Computer repair really isn'y my main thing. I'm a full time phone and tablet repair technician I just take on odd jobs on computers when thing are slow.