Windows 7 Re: Win 7 doesn't start

terazbox

New Member
Good evening!
Sorry if I posted this under an incorrect topic area, but I'm at a loss and not sure where to start. So, I shall give you all a brief explanation as to what is up and, hopefully, you can direct me in the right direction?

My husband's cousin had been complaining about her laptop being slow and finally, after months of me suggesting she bring it over, she begged for us to take a look at it. She said it took a long time to start up and sometimes didn't start. She said that it has crashed multiple times, but I have no details to share as to the circumstances.

So, I sat down yesterday with it and it kept trying to start but would come up to a black screen with the option to either start Windows normally or in a repair mode. I tried normal, but it would keep going back to the same screen so then I tried the repair mode. After several hours, finally gave up and shut it down.

Came back to it and double checked her BIOS...hard drive was visible. Went through the same process of trying to start it again and the normal start would not go, so I left it in repair mode and after about 10 minutes, it began the normal Win 7 load.

After about 20 minutes, it actually completed the process and we were in.

When I questioned her, she said she had no idea where her backup set of recovery discs were or if she had even made any when she first bought the computer. Alas, she has no idea if she has any other discs to load any of the other software on it or if she purchased stuff from the internet and downloaded.

She says she uses for it college but, can I say this politely, she has some real-world lacking experience and just leave it at that. She's physically challenged, in a wheel-chair, and her biggest concern is 1 - needing the laptop for connecting to friends and for college and 2 - NOT losing any of her Itunes.

I can tell you that the laptop shows VERY visible signs of wear & tear and it isn't any older than the one my husband and I have. Sadly, hers seems to have been very neglected.

I don't know where to start with it. We would love to get it in good working order for her since she says she has no money to purchase a new one until Jan, 2014.

The 1st thing that I did was make a recovery disc. Now, her system is differnt than our Acer's - which made multiple discs. Hers made 1.

At the moment, I have it defragging but I can tell you that it did take over 10 minutes to load tonite and that it does seem to be running very slowly but at least it isn't crashing.

I'd love to just wipe the whole thing clean and just do a clean factory reinstall but...since I'm not sure what programs she has..yet... and where she got them... or even if the systems is really stable enough to keep, I'm looking for advice.

This is what I know, right now.
It is a Sony Vaio - VGN-NW250F. I know it is running Win 7, I believe Home Premium. 64 bit? not sure.
I am thinking that once the defrag is done, do the Belarc advisor thing and see what it pulls up and then go from there?

Anyone have other suggestions or ideas - would LOVE them!!!! Would APPRECIATE them - GREATLY!!!!!

I'll post more details as I go along and see what happens but in advance - I would thank anyone willing to take me up on this challenge - I'll even share migraine meds, LOL!!!!

Thanks again!!!!
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

A system like this one has so many possibilities of problems it is hard to know where to start. But as you seem to be doing, checking one thing at a time might lead to a solution.

In addition to the defrag, I would run a System File Check by opening an Administrative command prompt and typing

SFC /scannow


and see if it finds any unrepairable system files.

Then, run a virus check to see if it shows clean. You don't say what anti-virus she is using, but it might be part of the problem and running a second one just to check the system might be beneficial. Something like Malwarebytes might find something your current one has not.

Troubleshooting performance problems can be approached by using msconfig.exe to stop some utilities from starting. It can be used as a troubleshooter by allowing only Microsoft services to start, and other configurations of that type. Running in Safe Mode (if it runs normally or not) can tell you if the problem might be in some non-essential driver/utility.

There is a performance troubleshooter in the Control Panel Trouble shooter section.

If the system is slow, watching the CPU time being used in Task Manager might help, or Resource Monitor. If you can find what is consuming time, you might be closer to a solution.

Your findings during your research should help narrow down the possibilities.
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

Hi

I'd also download, install and run CCleaner.

Run both the cleaner and the registry checker.

Look at the Tools, Startup Tab and see what it's starting when it boots.

If it's starting 20 or 30 things look through the list and see what isn't necessary.

I start about 9 items, you can probably identify things that just don't need to load, and it's safe because you can always turn them back on.

I'd also run SuperAntiSpyware, I run both it and Malwarebytes.

If she is running something like McAfee Antivirus you can get a big boost in performance by getting rid of it and using the built in Windows Defender and Windows Firewall, along with regular scans with Malwarebytes, and SuperAntiSpyware.

Hope this helps.

Mike
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

OK,
so I'm off work now for the weekend and have sat down to start the SFC thing.
I have a message that says that I must be an administrator running a console session in order to use the sfc utility.
Can anyone tell me what to do next?
By the way, I did defrag her system, so that is done. I'm also going to toss out questions later this weekend in regards to backing stuff up for her system, but not tonite. Battling a cold/allergy thing and having closed last night at work and then turning around and opening up this morning, been a long few days.....I am running as slow as her computer :(

Thanks all!!!



Hi

I'd also download, install and run CCleaner.

Run both the cleaner and the registry checker.

Look at the Tools, Startup Tab and see what it's starting when it boots.

If it's starting 20 or 30 things look through the list and see what isn't necessary.

I start about 9 items, you can probably identify things that just don't need to load, and it's safe because you can always turn them back on.

I'd also run SuperAntiSpyware, I run both it and Malwarebytes.

If she is running something like McAfee Antivirus you can get a big boost in performance by getting rid of it and using the built in Windows Defender and Windows Firewall, along with regular scans with Malwarebytes, and SuperAntiSpyware.

Hope this helps.

Mike
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

Hi

To run SFC /scannow you need to right click on the icon for the Command Prompt, and select "Run as Administrator".

Mike
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

Duh! I feel so stupid. But I got the sFC thing to run and it did not find anything corrupted.
Now, I was trying to connect to the internet from her laptop so that I could download CC and stuff but alas, I can't get connected. I went in and connected hers to our wireless and the map shows that it is connected to our wireless. But, when I try to open up an internet connection from either google chrome or mozilla, which she has loaded, neither of them can complete connecting. And, I can't find internet explorer versions under control panel-programs. It is like vanished.

And, to make things more interesting, while I was sitting there, I thought I was hearing voices. After 5 minutes to get the volume turned up on it, realized that some commercial was playing. Now, was it pulling that from the internet or what? I have no idea!

I looked at her list of programs and I don't think she has any virus program either.

If I knew for sure that I could get all software CD's and or authenticator codes for everything program wise that she has installed, I'd wipe the darn thing back to factory condition and start all over. Except that I highly doubt this child has kept any of that info nor ever gave it a thought.

Told hubby that I was so frustrated, at least if something happened to our computer, I have several notebook pages for step by step details on how to do the factory reinstall and the what,how, and where to download every program and printer that needs to be reloaded. I have personal files backupped in multiples.

Never did learn how to do that whole system mirror image thingy but still, at least I'm confident that if our system died we could either revive her or load the stuff onto a new one without a major headache.

Oh, and did I mention that she asked if I could make several of her USB drives work? I hadn't even gotten that far, just 1 drive for her optical mouse in use so far.

Which way do I go next? And, where's the Tylenol?

And, I stil hear voices coming from it - it is on the desk in the bedroom currently and I'm in the dinning room on my trusty, faithful and now- very much loved and appreciated laptop :)
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

Hi

You really should back up your computer.

Check out Paragon Backup, it's a free utility that you can download...

Paragon Backup & Recovery Free - CNET Download.com

I just used it today to create a new image of my C:\ drive, that will restore it to working condition if it crashes.
I create a new image every few months so I keep reasonably up to date.

I boots from the CD and will create and restore the backup if Windows won't start.

I back up all my data to an external hard drive they are very inexpensive now, so it's really worth the investment.
Think of the things you couldn't replace it your computer really died!

As for the other computer, you can make a Ubuntu disk that will boot the computer and let you copy all of the stuff she needs to keep and then reinstall Windows on it, as long as you have the serial number for the Windows install she is running.

Meet Ubuntu | Ubuntu

You don't have to install it, just boot from the disk.

If you don't have a Windows disk, you can download that too.

Official Windows 7 SP1 ISO Image Downloads

You will need Imgburn to create the bootable install disk.

The Official ImgBurn Website

Mike
 
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Re: Win 7 doesn't start

Hi Mike!
Good info!
As for my laptop, I do have an external hard drive to back up my files on but LOL, I also have stuff backed up on CD/DVD & a few flash drives - depending on the type of document it is and if it travels anywhere with me. I've thought of doing the whole system backup for ours but hadn't had time. When I get to doing it for ours, what media can you use to do it? DVD? CD? Or do I want a whole backup external for it?

But anyhow, back to Tim's cousin's computer. I just talked to her on the phone and she does have the install disc for her Microsoft Office version - with activation key! I was very happy to hear that. I went over a list of the programs that she has on hers currently, 133 of them. Some were preinstalled and some she has added. After going over the list with her, I'm not as frustrated as I was.

It took her computer several minutes to load into control panel and while we were waiting, windows became unresponsive. Anyhow, after waiting thru that and going over everything, including 2 usb ports that don't work and a touch pad that only 1/2 works (found that out when I disconnected her mouse USB and tried to install my home printer).

She said she is good with the idea of doing a factory reinstall and seeing if any of the USB drives reconnect, if the system becomes faster and more stable and so on. She also told me that she was NOT updating Windows updates because she had had several attempts that froze on her and she gave up on doing any of the maintenance things (defrag, updates and so on) almost 2 years ago.

Her biggest fear is losing her Itunes music - this is her big thing in life and I can say that I'd be devestated if things didn't work out properly with that either.

I believe it is possible to reload your purchased ITunes music to your laptop? Anybody know for sure? I've never really looked at the Itunes thing, as we do Amazon MP3's once in a great while.

I managed to download the Belarc Advisor from my laptop onto hers and printed out the report. Quite handy to have. I now know that her system is pretty much the same build as my own laptop. 64 bit, dual processor and 320 gb HDD.

Given all of this, can I manage to make a system image of hers before we attempt to go back and do a factory reinstall - just in case?

And, of course, can I use a set of DVD's to accomplish that?

I don't want to connect my external backup to hers, just in case there is a virus or something running wild within her system.

She says that she has Norton, just purchased a renewal, but when I started the laptop up a bit ago, it came up with the box that asks if you want to activate now, be reminded later and whatever else it says.

Or, should I just wait until we have reinstalled everything and then do a nice, happy system image?

As always, advice, thoughts, and rambles are greatly appreciated.

By the way, I love your little sign that comes up with the sayings, so old, my 1st computer was an abacus. I needed a good chuckle tonite. 1st one I used was an Apple IIe. 1st one I owned was a hewlit packard that had windows 95. Wow, we are not that old, are we?
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

Hi

I may be wrong but I'm not sure that you can download your purchases from iTunes at a later time.

I've never been able to get it to show me what I purchased in the past if it's not on my computer at the time I'm looking at it, or let me download things more than once.

Maybe someone here knows otherwise but if you don't know for sure don't risk it.

So if it's possible at all copy all of the iTunes music files to someplace else before you do it.

They are probably stored in C:\Users\Username\My Music\iTunes

I always back mine up to another folder and use Soundtaxi to convert them all to .mp3 files so that I can play them anyplace, and put them on CDs. I have over a thousand pieces of Music and I back it up multiple times, and I'm thinking about doing it online now along with my photos, just to be More Safe!

If you have to you can do this using Ubuntu, just use it to copy them all to DVDs.

She should drop Norton and use the built in Windows Defender, Norton is one of the worlds biggest resource hogs.
Just run Malwarebytes and CCleaner along with it regularly.

Once you have the music files safe then go for it.

Mike
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

I'm not sure about the ITunes, but for tonite, I'm not going to worry about it. Just researching it while I let her computer finish backing up all of her photos.

I'd heard that Norton wasn't all that awesome and, since I'm not all that familiar with it, I told her that I'd probably wait until towards the end of reinstalling things to put it back on for her. I had told her that I'd not heard real great things about it and was hesitant to put it back on. She said if there was something better, to go for it.

Now back to backing up her photos. Taking longer than I thought because when I put in a new disc after the one is close to being filled up, it sometimes isn't recognizing a new disc in the drive, it is keeping the name of the previous one in there and the only that I have found to get rid of it is to shut the system down, restart and then pick up where I left off.

I thought once you closed the session of the disc and then it ejected that the system would be ready to move on to the next, but no...isn't working that way on hers.

And then, the long wait for the thing to start back up begins. Slow process but I know it will get there, thanks to the help from you here!





Hi Mike!
Good info!
As for my laptop, I do have an external hard drive to back up my files on but LOL, I also have stuff backed up on CD/DVD & a few flash drives - depending on the type of document it is and if it travels anywhere with me. I've thought of doing the whole system backup for ours but hadn't had time. When I get to doing it for ours, what media can you use to do it? DVD? CD? Or do I want a whole backup external for it?

But anyhow, back to Tim's cousin's computer. I just talked to her on the phone and she does have the install disc for her Microsoft Office version - with activation key! I was very happy to hear that. I went over a list of the programs that she has on hers currently, 133 of them. Some were preinstalled and some she has added. After going over the list with her, I'm not as frustrated as I was.

It took her computer several minutes to load into control panel and while we were waiting, windows became unresponsive. Anyhow, after waiting thru that and going over everything, including 2 usb ports that don't work and a touch pad that only 1/2 works (found that out when I disconnected her mouse USB and tried to install my home printer).

She said she is good with the idea of doing a factory reinstall and seeing if any of the USB drives reconnect, if the system becomes faster and more stable and so on. She also told me that she was NOT updating Windows updates because she had had several attempts that froze on her and she gave up on doing any of the maintenance things (defrag, updates and so on) almost 2 years ago.

Her biggest fear is losing her Itunes music - this is her big thing in life and I can say that I'd be devestated if things didn't work out properly with that either.

I believe it is possible to reload your purchased ITunes music to your laptop? Anybody know for sure? I've never really looked at the Itunes thing, as we do Amazon MP3's once in a great while.

I managed to download the Belarc Advisor from my laptop onto hers and printed out the report. Quite handy to have. I now know that her system is pretty much the same build as my own laptop. 64 bit, dual processor and 320 gb HDD.

Given all of this, can I manage to make a system image of hers before we attempt to go back and do a factory reinstall - just in case?

And, of course, can I use a set of DVD's to accomplish that?

I don't want to connect my external backup to hers, just in case there is a virus or something running wild within her system.

She says that she has Norton, just purchased a renewal, but when I started the laptop up a bit ago, it came up with the box that asks if you want to activate now, be reminded later and whatever else it says.

Or, should I just wait until we have reinstalled everything and then do a nice, happy system image?

As always, advice, thoughts, and rambles are greatly appreciated.

By the way, I love your little sign that comes up with the sayings, so old, my 1st computer was an abacus. I needed a good chuckle tonite. 1st one I used was an Apple IIe. 1st one I owned was a hewlit packard that had windows 95. Wow, we are not that old, are we?
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

Hi

I've had the disk change thing in many versions of Windows, sometimes I think that it stopped in the middle of things and can't move on to the new disk.

For now you can try logging out and back in instead of completely rebooting and see if that works.

Some times just closing File Manager and reopening it will do it.

Be really sure about the iTunes thing, I've never found a way to redownload things that I bought in the past.

Mike
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

I just completed backing up her video files. I found a set of ITune notes to back it up and I am going to try it first. Gonna see if I can actually then restore it to my laptop. The instructions say that it can back up not just the music but other settings and stuff as well. I think I will try to restore it over to my laptop and see if that works. If it does, at least I know we've got a good copy somewhere. If it doesn't work, I'll keep researching and go from there.
Wish me luck :)
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

Oh my gosh,
her Itunes thing has driven me to tears. I have all of her documents, photos, videos backed up beautifully. checked all those discs on my computer and they are fine.
But the Itunes thing has me so baffled. i found a set of instructions for backing up, went through the file menu to where the backup to disc is supposed to be. It is not dark text or a selectable option. It is that faded ink color.
Did more research and supposedly newer versions of Itunes did away with the backup to disc option.
I am so confused!
Her music is her life and if I screw that up, I'll be the evil one for eternity.
I found some online posts through some Itunes thread and they speak of using syn toy or something like that. But, if I'm understanding it correctly, you have to use an external drive. I can't get an external drive to connect to hers because then I lose the wireless mouse and her touch pad doesn't work correctly.
She only has 1 working Usb port.
Right now I am fuming! Why would anyone treat their laptop this way and have the casing so beat up,practically never have installed any updates for anything, never have backed up a darn thing and NEVER have maintained anything related to said laptop!!!!!!!!!!!


ugh, ugh, ugh!!!!!

I am not Mr. Scott, I can not create miracles and I'm at such at loss here.

Does anyone know anyone who knows anything about ITunes????? Help would be so greatly appreciated right now!!!!
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

Hi

ITunes music files are stored in .m4p format.
A weird format designed to make them hard to deal with so you will keep using them in iTunes.

I convert all of mine to .mp3 so I can play them anyplace.

Download "Agent Ransack" and install it, only takes a few minutes, (it's a search engine that works alot better than the one in Windows).

Then run a search on C:\

And search for .m4p

It will find all the music files and show you exactly where they are stored.

Just copy all the .m4p files to a DVD or DVDs and they are safe.

When you get Windows reinstalled and get iTunes setup again just copy the files back to the original location.

Mine are stored by default in...

C:\Users\Username\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Music\ (This is in Windows 8, it may be slightly different in Windows 7).

If I hadn't backed them up, I wouldn't have them today because when I got my new computer and installed iTunes it didn't show any of my music, even after logging into my account.

As far as I could find there was no way to retrieve my old music files, in fact the only files in my iTunes folder now are things that I purchased since I got my new computer.

All of the old iTunes music exists only in my backup folders.

Mike

This is the 32 bit version...

http://www.pcworld.com/article/231680/agent_ransack_32bit_version.html

Here is a visual of where the music files are...

Music Location. copy.jpg
 
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Re: Win 7 doesn't start

Okay, this sounds less confusing than anything else that I have read so far. And actually makes sense to me. All of this talk of cloud storage and what not that I was reading was driving me nuts. And I turned off her laptop and turned it back on and I still see the option for backup and restore but alas, it is still not selectable.
Gotta give up tonite and head for bed but tomorrow I shall follow your steps.
I've been reading things about folks losing their playlists and other info that is associated with Itunes. Is that really a big deal or once you load the music back on to the computer, does it pull up the album info and cover art? I'm used to dealing with windows media player and since we don't download too much music ourselves, except once in awhile from amazon, we don't worry too much about our music playlists and such. A lot of it comes from our own personal CD collections anyhow, so we've got those to reload, if need be.

Sorry to sound so dumb on ITunes thing......and if there's anything else you think I should know or look for on her computer as far as needing to back it up, sure would be appreciated.

For all I know Windows 7 or even her, have taken to hiding files in places that I wouldn't think of looking. though I think from talking to her earlier this evening, I've found everything that she's created - including her college course documents.

yeah, tis time to get a good night's sleep and hopefully, NOT dream about computer stuff.


Thanks and thanks and THANKS again!!!!!!!!
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

oh, and it seems like all of her music is actually stored in one location, from what she's been telling me as far as what albums to look for. I'll still do a search to make sure that I don't miss anything though. Thanks again!!
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

Hi

Once you find it you can copy the whole iTunes folder with all the information in it.
I'm pretty sure you can merge it back in when the new install is complete.

Mike
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

Hey Mike,
another question here. My niece's laptop has an OS not found error. Suspect her hard drive died. She has the Windows license # on the bottom of her laptop but no recovery discs. If we wanted to buy her a new hard drive, could we use that Win 7 link that you have posted to reinstall win 7 ISO image on hers and then work on downloading any special things from her computer manufacturer's site for her particular model?
She'd be happy getting anything up and running, she's not a picky child and has all of her personal photos and stuff already backed up, thanks to coming to visit a month or so ago and doing it over here.
Thanks much!
As for my troubled computer, I think I've triple checked to make sure that I've backed up everything. Used her F10 key and it does go into the recovery system and has the options to reinstall the system.

I was too chicken tonite, or should I say, this morning to actually hit start and get the process going though :(
Will probably attempt that on Sunday as won't be home tomorrow during the day. Thanks again for all of the great advice!!!!!
 
Re: Win 7 doesn't start

Hi

You should be able to install the same version of Windows 7 from the ISO file, and use the registration number that came with the original installation.

If there is any problem with registration you can call Microsoft and they will sort it out.
Since no one who doesn't buy a really high end computer, gets a Windows disk anymore, they get this alot.

Just make sure the ISO file is for the same version of Windows that was originally installed, i.e. 32 bit Home Premium, etc.

Remember you have to use a program like Imgburn to create a bootable install disk from the ISO file.

Then you should be able to put in the new hard drive, insert the disk, and install a clean copy of Windows 7.

I'd try to do the recovery but check it all out after it's done to see if the Hard Drive is functioning normally.

Maybe someone could suggest some software to run to diagnose it and see if there are problems.

Mike
 
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Re: Win 7 doesn't start

ok, since you're an expert here, is there anyone on the group who is an expert with Windows XP? Dad must have gotten some virus on his last night and used spybot and AVG. Thought he got the virus out but says that now the computer will not shut down using the normal shut down method. He said he had to pull the electrical cord out to shut it down.

Suggestions anyone????
 
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