Windows 7 Daughter's laptop having booting issues, looking for solutions.

[ejjames]

My 13 year-old has a fairly new laptop, (3 gigs ram, dual core) running Windows 7. I don't know if it's 32 or 64 bit. She is living with me after a divorce, so we both have little info.

What happens is, it begins to boot into win7. After it reaches the animated Microsoft logo, it simply reboots to the acer start-up screen and loops around.

I've tried booting into safe mode and also tried from a windows recovery cd, with no luck. Unless any of you have any further ideas, I'm ready to try a clean install.

This brings me to my next problem Although the windows key is on the bottom of the laptop, she doesn't have a windows DVD (of course) Is there an image I can burn and load, while using her key? Is there a way to determine 32 or 64 bit?

Is there a compelling reason for me to load the customer candidate of windows 8?

Thanks in advance,
ej

 

[Saltgrass]

If you can't boot into Safe Mode, I suppose you cannot access any other of the F8 recovery options? And do you think that is because it isn't allowing the key selection, or you may not be hitting it at the right time? If you are not already, the key (F8) needs to be tapped continuously during the boot to make sure you do not miss the exact time. There may also be other keys available for troubleshooting that are Acer specific.

If you can get into the F8 recovery, you might try using the 'Last known good" option.

Most laptops have a recovery partition and a process for setting the system back to a factory install condition. If hers does, did you try that process yet?

You can download a Windows 7 image and perhaps use it to reinstall, but you need to know the bit version of the software.

Link Removed - Not Found

If you go to the Acer site, it should give the instructions for recovering the system, and tell you what bit version of Windows 7 the computer was shipped with. You may have to use an ID code that should be on the bottom of the system to make sure you are looking at the exact computer.

 

[ejjames]

I've tried all the F8 options with no success. I can't remember if it has a partition with a disk image. If it does, how do I get access...command prompt? (I've never really used it.)

 

[boyans]

You can find out if it is a 32bit or 64bit version:

1. Boot any Windows Recovery CD/USB
2. Go to Recovery prompt
3. Windows 7 should be mapped to C:
So on command prompt just type C: and then <enter>

4. Type in: dir <enter>
See if you have \Program Files (x86) directory in the list produced by command,
if yes - version of Windows 7 is 64 bit
if no - version is 32 bit

Download from the link given the version of Windows 7 you need.
Burn to DVD or USB
Run StartUp Repair (with this DVD/USB) up to 3 times with rebooting after each run.

See if this has fixed boot problems.

 

[whs]

An easy way to see what is on the disk is with the bootable CD of Partition Wizard (last entry on the webpage). Download that and burn it to a CD. Then load from that CD and you will get a similar window like Disk Management.

Whilst you are there, you may try to repair the MBR. Also look whether the 100MB system partition is marked as 'active'.

 

[ejjames]

Well, I've decided to swap her unbootable 250g hard drive with a new 640 gig model. I found out she has windows 7 home 64bit. I found a disk image, and I'll do a clean install with her key. I'll then connect her old drive to my pc to determine if there are any files I can savage.

Quick question, I purchased this Toshiba drive from Newegg. When I install the drive and boot from optical disc for the install, does the hard drive need any formatting or preparation, or can I charge ahead?

Thanks for the help!
EJ

 

[Saltgrass]

The Windows install should be able to handle the drive without you doing anything.

Would you let us know if the new install is able to activate using the OEM key?

 

[ejjames]

I'll let you know.

Thanks!