I didn't immediately find a solution here in the forums so am posting. So I came home today, turned on my PC...it got to the login screen. Typed my password...enter. Noticed the welcome was taking a long time which is unusual. It then proceeded to go to a black screen with a white cursor and just hanged there. My desktop will not load. It was fine earlier this morning.
Restarting didn't work. Same thing...then I proceeded to try some inbuilt Dell Diagnostics. Most tests I ran passed (some were long as hell, so I aborted). I then restarted, nothing.
Next thing...I tried starting up in Safe mode. It appeared to be loading the files from the command line...but it restarted and I was greeted with a sign saying windows failed to start and something about the /system folder. I attempted last known good configuration...nothing.
My next option. I loaded the Vista upgrade CD and went to the repair option. At first...I aborted the System Restore step...to let the Startup Fixer try to fix the issue on it's own. That failed and said something about the registry. I attempted System Restore and it was not able to find the file.
So now...am posting this from the Ubuntu Live CD. My files and all are still in tact...but something has gone wrong with the registry I gather or maybe something else all together?
What do I do now? I am about to attempt a Bootrec.exe from the command prompt as I found online but needed your feedback. Also here thinking...I need to get me some blank DVD-RWs and try and backup [and start fresh] from within Ubuntu (some reason the live CD not making me load my C: so I guess I may have to install Ubuntu proper?). And then again...how easy is it to burn DVD-RWs in Ubuntu? I had given up on meddling with it months ago.
EDIT: I hear there is a Windows Vista Recovery Disc? Is it any good?
I wonder if I can find a way to get this burned in Ubuntu...