HELP: Vista will not load past log in screen

[Technoboy]

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...

[Technoboy]

Hello? Anyone out there?

[Technoboy]

46 views and no one has an input? Hmm.

[bloodup]

look like u deh pon u own

[techdude]

umm I'll be the first toput my hand up..I'm one of the 46 and it seems to me that u have a weord prob on ur hands.. But did u try pay a visit the micrsoft pr vista website or searc up the prob?

Only wish u had done a lil waiting in those times to see what was taking place, cuz that could of helped u greately. But is not di whole a wi have di patience..

[Technoboy]

Waiting on what? I have been researching like crazy using my Linux Live CD...nothing full concrete. I have signed up to a pay site (7 day trial no charge) and posted my situation to the "experts". Now I wait.


EDIT: A comment has been posted...let me go see...

[bloodup]

me no av dem patience deh. me wuda reformat long time. am still in the xp world, dont know much about vista so a helping hand is wat i dont av this time

[Technoboy]

I can't just reformat just so. I need to backup my files and I decided I am gonna buy an external hard drive for this task.

For the time being...I might as well install Ubuntu on a new partition (praying I don't mess up the Vista one) and use it until I source the hard drive. *Sigh*

All the work me put in to personalize this crap lol. Oh well. Now I can rid my system (eventually) of any crap and just put the essentials and try to keep it that way.

[barrettrs]

Technoboy I am really sorry to hear about your predicament but that is Windows Vista for you man. Hmmm? Based on what I have read you have done everything I would have thought about and you're still at square one? Trust me though reformatting sounds inevitable but I have one suggestion to retrieve your files. What I would do is to use Linux Ubuntu to resize the hard drive and from there I would then proceed to install another copy of Windows Vista which means you would 2 copies running, the damaged and the new partition. From there you might have a chance to retrieve only your important files for recovery purposes as both systems would be on NTFS. So you would use the new to access your files on the damaged Vista and once you have recovered what you need then you could proceed with the full system reformat dual booting again with Vista and Ubuntu.

[Technoboy]

Technoboy I am really sorry to hear about your predicament but that is Windows Vista for you man. Hmmm? Based on what I have read you have done everything I would have thought about and you're still at square one? Trust me though reformatting sounds inevitable but I have one suggestion to retrieve your files. What I would do is to use Linux Ubuntu to resize the hard drive and from there I would then proceed to install another copy of Windows Vista which means you would 2 copies running, the damaged and the new partition. From there you might have a chance to retrieve only your important files for recovery purposes as both systems would be on NTFS. So you would use the new to access your files on the damaged Vista and once you have recovered what you need then you could proceed with the full system reformat dual booting again with Vista and Ubuntu.

Well I don't need to do all of that. From the Ubuntu Live CD...I can already gain access to all my files when I mount by hard drive. So, no need to do a second Vista installation. I am still researching and trying various techniques before I do a reformat. I am trying to get an external hard drive too cause buying CDs will be too painstaking. The USB hard drive would just be easier, plus I can use it in future.

So until then...I am working on it. If I didn't have the Ubuntu CD...sure I would've probably taken the Hard Drive to someone's house, copied and formatted but it gives me time cause at least I can browse the net and chat etc.