Windows 7 freezing on startup - same on safe mode.

Unregistered.

HI all.

I've been dual booting Windows 7 Professional 64bit with Linux for over a year on my PC. Today, I cannot login to Windows. When I get to the login screen, it freezes. No mouse, no keyboard. When I boot into safe mode, the problem persists. I've ran start-up repair twice and it made no difference.

I would like to know two things:
1) What caused this.

2) How to fix it.

If it makes any difference, I install Service Pack 1 on Tuesday but IIRC it worked fine after that. Is there anything I can do that will give me back my system the way I had it? Any work-arounds? Will a repair disk be of any use? I have a new external HDD being delivered on Monday so I will copy everything on to that before I do anything.

I would not like to use system restore as my last restore point was, *sigh*, a year ago. If that's the only solution then I will do a full re-install.

JonathanAnon

Are you using wireless mouse and keyboard?
Have you had any issues with the Linux side of things?

Unregistered.

JonathanAnon wrote: »

Are you using wireless mouse and keyboard?

Yes.

JonathanAnon wrote: »

Have you had any issues with the Linux side of things?

No. Keyboard and mouse work fine in the bootloader and in startup repair

JonathanAnon

well the first thing I would try is to try plugging in a standard USB or PS/2 keyboard and see if you can log in.. The Windows driver for the wireless may be corrupted... You say that it works in startup repair mode, but I would try this anyway to rule it out...

Also, have you tried "Last Known Good Configuration" from the startup menu?

Unregistered.

JonathanAnon wrote: »

well the first thing I would try is to try plugging in a standard USB or PS/2 keyboard and see if you can log in.. The Windows driver for the wireless may be corrupted... You say that it works in startup repair mode, but I would try this anyway to rule it out...

Also, have you tried "Last Known Good Configuration" from the startup menu?

Didn't see it as an option!

JonathanAnon

Unregistered. wrote: »

Didn't see it as an option!

Your menu should look similar to the above..? .. I'm not saying it will work, but it does work sometimes.. I would try that next..

Unregistered.

JonathanAnon wrote: »

Your menu should look similar to the above..? .. I'm not saying it will work, but it does work sometimes.. I would try that next..

No how do you get that menu?
Striking F8 gives me all the Safe Mode options and sometimes a startup repair option after a few reboots

ricman

you could try r recover, option using windows cd,
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654

Overheal

Unregistered. wrote: »

No how do you get that menu?
Striking F8 gives me all the Safe Mode options and sometimes a startup repair option after a few reboots

I usually do it with a wrench, violent kick, banging - wait we're talking about an NES right?

When windows is loading (when you see that glowy flower power logo with the copyright BS) - Kill the power. Reboot. Menu should pop up.

ricman

set bios mode,boot 1st device =cd/dvd .drive 0.
see here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654#howtouserc
your booting from the windows cd,
at welcome to setup screen, press r,
when safe mode doesnt work,it usually means a bad virus has halted bootup, or multipler viruses.no need to mess round with power off ,thats not good 4 the pc .

Unregistered.

Overheal wrote: »

When windows is loading (when you see that glowy flower power logo with the copyright BS) - Kill the power. Reboot. Menu should pop up.

I am pretty sure how the startup repair menu came up, the screen above didn't.

ricman wrote: »

set bios mode,boot 1st device =cd/dvd .drive 0.
see here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654#howtouserc
your booting from the windows cd,
at welcome to setup screen, press r,
when safe mode doesnt work,it usually means a bad virus has halted bootup, or multipler viruses.no need to mess round with power off ,thats not good 4 the pc .

I don't think it's a virus. 99% sure it isn't. Was just waiting for a copy of Win 7 to d/l. Have it now so I'll look at that tomorrow..

ricman

you could copy files into the windows system 32 directory,if you can figure out what files are damaged , no safe mode,means the boot files are likely damaged,deleted.
try the r option when you have a cd to boot from.theres a way to restore the boot files from dos prompt mode,windows keeps backup duplicate boot files.of system.dat and user.dat in . bak files.
see http://web.mit.edu/ist/products/winxp/advanced/registry-corruption.html
i,d say the procedure is similar in windows 7.
there d be no harm ,in restoring user,system .dat from the .bak files,it may enable you to acess safe mode on the pc.

ricman

if the boot files are damaged its either a virus or a faulty drive, files dont delete themselves,no safe mode= damaged or missing boot files,or damaged registry files.

Unregistered.

I ran Startup Repair again and wrote down the repair details and diagnostics:

Number of Repair Attempts: 1

Session Details:

--------------------
System Disk = \Device\Harddisk0
Windows Directory = C:\Windows
AutoChkRun = 0
Number or root causes = 1


Test Performed:
----------------------
Name: Check for updates
Result: Completed Successfully. Error code 0x0
Time: 16ms


Test Performed:
----------------------
Name: System Disk test
Result: Completed Successfully. Error code 0x0.
Time: 0ms


Test Performed:
----------------------
Name: Disk Failure Diagnostics
Result: Completed Successfully. Error code 0x0.
Time: 327ms


Test Performed:
----------------------
Name: Disk metadata test
Result: Completed Successfully. Error code 0x0.
Time: 32ms


Test Performed:
----------------------
Name: Target OS Test
Result: Completed Successfully. Error code 0x0.
Time: 156ms


Test Performed:
----------------------
Name: Volume Content check
Result: Completed Successfully. Error code 0x0.
Time: 109ms


Root Cause Found:
----------------------
System Volume on disk is corrupt.

Repair action: Files system repair (chkdsk)
Result: Result: Completed Successfully. Error code 0x0.
Time: 84102ms
------------------
-----------------

Everything there looks ok to me, everything completing with error code 0. Is thee anything there that stands out for you guys? The problem still persists after this.

JonathanAnon

Are you sure that the thing is actually crashed?.. When you say "log in screen" do you mean the splash screen like



or the log in screen..



Have you tried what I suggested by using a non-wireless keyboard/mouse?

Unregistered.

JonathanAnon wrote: »

or the log in screen..



Have you tried what I suggested by using a non-wireless keyboard/mouse?

The log-in screen. No change with a USB mouse or keyboard!

Unregistered.

Resolved: it turns out the USB drivers were corrupt or missing, hence no activity from wirelss or USB mouse. Can only assume it was a direct result of upgrading to SP1.

JonathanAnon

Unregistered. wrote: »

Resolved: it turns out the USB drivers were corrupt or missing, hence no activity from wirelss or USB mouse. Can only assume it was a direct result of upgrading to SP1.

So I WAS right.. sort of...
glad you got it sorted.. Never seen an issue where the actual USB ports dont work in Windows.. The wifi mouse/keyboard causing issue would be more common.. How did you manage to the USB drivers reinstalled ?

Unregistered.

JonathanAnon wrote: »

So I WAS right.. sort of...
glad you got it sorted.. Never seen an issue where the actual USB ports dont work in Windows.. The wifi mouse/keyboard causing issue would be more common.. How did you manage to the USB drivers reinstalled ?

just clicked disable then enable. I've seen that happen before with vista, only with the volume control. This is kind of annoying, as Windows 7 has been solid up to now. The upgrade to SP1 has messed up aero as well and god knows what else. I think i will still do a system repair.

Capt'n Midnight

Unregistered. wrote: »

I ran Startup Repair again and wrote down the repair details and diagnostics:

[code]Root Cause Found:

---

System Volume on disk is corrupt.

Repair action: Files system repair (chkdsk)
Result: Result: Completed Successfully.

this could have been caused by powering down the machine, but whether it was the original problem or not is a different issue

Overheal

Unregistered. wrote: »

Resolved: it turns out the USB drivers were corrupt or missing, hence no activity from wirelss or USB mouse. Can only assume it was a direct result of upgrading to SP1.

Always handy to keep PS/2 backups around. even just the old PS/2 to USB adapters.