PC unable to boot

[Leo Ali]

Hello, and thank you in advance for any help offered.

I have a laptop that begins to boot, but cuts off and restarts upon loading windows (this is a Vista 32-bit OS). I tried running safe mode, in which the computer freezes upon trying to start crcdisk.sys, and then just restarts. I also tried running a recovery disc, chkdsk found no errors, as well as a hardware diagnostic. Upon trying the automated recovery, I received the following:

startup repairV2

Problem Signature 01: External Media

Problem Signature 02: 6.0.6000.16386.6.0.5001.18000

Problem Signature 03: 3

Problem Signature 04: 65537

Problem Signature 05: unknown

Problem Signature 06: NoRootCause

Problem Signature 07: 0

Problem Signature 08: 2

Problem Signature 09: WrpRepair

Problem Signature 10: 2

OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.256.1

Locale ID: 1033

[wildman424]

I have some questions for you to help with troubleshooting your issue.

* When trying to boot do you get a blue screen? If so, then try to get the error code number that comes up. That will give us more insight as to what could be causing your issue.

Use the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to run System Restore

1. Insert the Windows Vista installation disc into the disc drive, and then start the computer.

2. Press a key when the message indicating "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD

[Leo Ali]

Hello wildman424 and thank you so much for your help!

OK, I tried restoring the computer via recovery disc...no luck as the only restore point given is of today's date, not sure why or how that happened.

Next I ran CMD prompt, and renamed crcdisk.sys to .old, ran the chkdsk, restarted with the same problem. I tried running safe-mode and it now hung up on classpnp.sys instead of the crcdisk.sys...

I am now stuck and unable to run the last method you gave me because after the 'press any key to boot from cd/dvd' prompt it begins loading the disc, then goes into loading windows normally and gets stuck in its infinite loop of restarts. Not sure what to do from here as I can no longer boot from disc it seems.

thanks again

[wildman424]

ok

try to set the bios to boot from CD

Go into Setup/Settings (BIOS/CMOS) as you boot - usually F2 so watch screen and set the boot

order to CD/DVD 1st so you can boot to the Vista Disk. Be sure to set it back later.

then when you boot the computer only the disc should boot

then try option 3 from above

1. Put the Windows Vista installation disc in the disc drive, and then start the computer.

2. Press a key when the message indicating "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD

[Leo Ali]

**UPDATE**

I shut off the computer for a bit and tried again, this time it allowed me to run the disc. I tried the fixboot command, it completed successfully, yet no luck.

I have not had the blue screen come up through any of this (forgot to answer your question earlier); although a new screen did come up as I had left it in its restarting loop, it is a black screen telling me 'a recent hardware or sofware change might be the cause of windows failing to start'. This was on the bottom of the screen:

file: CI.dll

status: 0xc00000e9

Info: Windows failed to load because a required file is missing, or corrupt.

[wildman424]

acts like there is a missing or corrupt system files in there causing trouble

boot from once more from the disk and go back into the Recovery Environment

1. Put the Windows Vista installation disc in the disc drive, and then start the computer.

2. Press a key when the message indicating "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD

[Leo Ali]

I tried both sfc /scannow and /verifyonly. both ended with 'windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation'.

[wildman424]

have you tried to run chkdsk again after that?,is it still in a restarting loop, can you boot from the disc ok? which edition of Vista is this

Do you have any recent backups to run Windows Complete PC Restore if you do try this option from the disk recovery menu

How to Restore the Complete Computer from a Complete Backup and Restore Image in Vista

or

boot from the disk and try chkdsk /F C

To Run chkdsk in a Command Prompt at Boot

A.) Place the Vista installation DVD into the DVD drive and restart the computer.

B.) Boot from the DVD into the System Recovery Options screen.

C.) Select Command prompt.

4. In the command prompt, type chkdsk C: /f /r

NOTE: If you want check disk to scan a drive other than the C: drive, then substitute the drive letter C: after chkdsk to the drive letter that you want.

EX: chkdsk E:

5. Let it run its course do not disturb it

6. when it finishes Close the command prompt. Restart the computer &remove the disk

hopefully it will boot right up

if you still receiving Blue Screen Errors note any files & error codes it mentions,we can try to replace any corrupt files from your installation disk

let me know the results

an option we could try if all else fails is a Repair Install, it is a risky operation below are the details for you to review

• You will not be able to do a upgrade install in Safe Mode.
  
• You must have Retail Full or Upgrade Vista installation DVD to do this. Some people have had problems with a Full version letting them do a upgrade install though.
  
• A OEM (retail version) Vista installation DVD that you buy at a store and does not come with the computer are usually the same as a regular retail (full or upgrade) Vista installation DVD, but have a OEM license (product key number) instead of a retail license (product key number).
  
• If you have a OEM Recovery Vista installation DVD that came preinstalled with your OEM brand computer instead, then it will most likely only be a clone of the hard drive with Vista allowing you to only do a clean install with it instead. These OEM computers often have a Recovery D:\ partition that does the same thing as the OEM Recovery Vista installation DVD.
  
• If you have a Anytime Upgrade Vista installation DVD, then you will not be able to do this.
  
• The Vista installation DVD that you use to do the repair (upgrade) install must be the same or newer version of Vista with the Windows Updates and SP level than what you currently have installed. If the DVD is a older version, then you cannot do a repair (upgrade) install with it.
  
• IF YOU HAVE THE VISTA SP1 INSTALLED:
  
  • This will not work if you have SP1 installed unless your Vista installation DVD includes the SP1, or you create a Vista SP1 slipstream installation DVD (See below). When the SP1 is installed, it will give Vista a newer version number than what is on the original Vista installation DVD.
    
  • You can only do a Upgrade install if the currently installed Vista is the same or older version than what is on the Vista installation DVD.
    
  • To create a Vista SP1 slipstream installation DVD to use to do a Repair (upgrade) install, see: How to Create a Vista SP1 Slipstream Installation DVD. Note that this does not always work to use for a Repair install.
    
  • Another option is to uninstall the Vista SP1, then run the Repair install and install the SP1 again afterwards. To uninstall the SP1, see: Microsoft Help and Support: How to uninstall Windows Vista SP1 as a troubleshooting step

  [*] IF YOU HAVE THE VISTA SP2 INSTALLED:

  • This will not work if you have SP1 and SP2 installed unless your Vista installation DVD includes SP2.
    
  • To create a Vista SP2 slipstream installation DVD to use to do a Repair (upgrade) install, see: How to Slipstream Vista SP2. Note that this does not always work to use for a Repair install.
    

  [*] Be sure to backup any important data you have, just in case something goes wrong during installation. You may need to reinstall some of your drivers. You do not want to do this if you are dual booting with XP and Vista was not installed as the primary boot drive. It can cause XP to not startup anymore.

ITEMS THAT WILL BE RESET TO DEFAULT:

• Computer Sound Event Scheme
  
• Vista Services
  
• Visual Effects Options
  
• Windows Mail - To Save and Restore your messages and settings, see the section: How to Backup and Reset Windows Mail
  
• Device Drivers - Be sure to have these handy to reinstall. They do not always remain after the repair (upgrade) install.
  

[Leo Ali]

I ran the chkdsk C: /f /r and it came back with no errors.

I can boot from the disc, but it is in a restarting loop if I just leave the machine running. I'm not exactly sure which version of Vista this is or whether it was updated to SP2. This is a computer that has been sitting for a while after getting its screen repaired about 6 months ago at best buy. I have no backups for the complete PC restore, but I do have a windows disc that I think I can use for a clean install if only the computer would run the installation without restarting in the midst of loading the install disc.

I tried both:

C:\temp\Windows6.0-KB936330-X86.exe /x:C:\temp

and

C:\temp\Windows6.0-KB948465-x86.exe /x:C:\temp

neither one worked...

[wildman424]

Hello Leo,

please excuse my absence as I have been unavailable due to personal family matters, do you still need assistance.

If they isn't any important data that you must have recovered I think a clean install of the operating system is probably the best and easiest course of action, or you can try the repair install which will reinstall the Operating System while keeping your personal files and settings intact.

if you still need further assistance please let us know what you decide to do.

Thanks