Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Boot Problem

[jollyjohn]

G'day all.

I had to re install Windows 7 and most of the software. Now OS wont boot, unless I press F8 Key. It doesn't safe boot, instead a window (select booting device) comes on and I press enter to select the default booting drive. If I don't press F8 a black screen comes with a blinding prompt on and stays there, so, I have to do a Control alt delete to start again and press F8 and accept the already selected boot drive. Other than that all is fine.

Does anyone have seen this problem before? I have read something about "boot loader error" but don't know how to fix it.

I need help please


John

[redwudz]

Have you checked in BIOS to make sure the boot drive is the default boot device? For BIOS click the 'Delete' key at startup for most PCs. I just click it every second until it shows it going to setup. It sounds like the PC doesn't know what drive is boot.

I'm also assuming you did a 'clean install' and repartitioned and reformatted the boot drive. If you overwrote the old OS, that could be a problem.

[ranchhand]

I am not sure but I think that can be configured from the BIOS; pressing F8 to select boot device is pretty well standard for W7 and really useful if you always are switching drives (like me) rather than every time entering the BIOS and switching main boot drive. But it shouldn't be forcing you to do that for normal boot. Unfortunately I am at work right now (we use XP) so I can't check it until tonight. Maybe you can try resetting the BIOS back to default and see if that helps.

[redwudz]

One other thing comes to mind as I re-read this thread, make sure you don't have a USB thumb drive plugged in during boot. I've had a couple of MBs that would try to default to the USB drive for some reason and really mess up the boot. I was about to reinstall the OS when I remembered I had one plugged in to add some drivers.

If the BIOS is set correctly to the boot drive, try temporarily unplugging all the other drives and see if it boots properly. Maybe it's just confused.

[jollyjohn]

Have you checked in BIOS to make sure the boot drive is the default boot device? For BIOS click the 'Delete' key at startup for most PCs. I just click it every second until it shows it going to setup. It sounds like the PC doesn't know what drive is boot.

I'm also assuming you did a 'clean install' and repartitioned and reformatted the boot drive. If you overwrote the old OS, that could be a problem.

Redwudz, I have checked the BIOS and after the OS installation made the Boot HDD the default boot device. There is no USB plugged.

Th strangest thing is that I installed the OS in another HDD and then cloned the disk with Acronis 2011, that I fine very troublesome program, (but that is another story). The drive where I installed the OS boots OK, the cloned drive the boot issue, not fatal, i think, but, annoying.

Thanks for answering.

John

[jollyjohn]

G'day

I found this and want your opinion.

Would it work. I don't want to do another clean install if I can help it and I don't want to mess it up.

Just one other question, how do you access safe boot in W7 64? When I press F8 key takes me to: select boot device.

Thanks guys

John

[redwudz]

Give that a try. I have done similar to that before. Usually, though, when you do a clean install, the MBR should be OK. But you likely can't make the problem any worse and it may correct it.

For safe mode, depends on the MB. Try F6 or some of the other function keys. F12 may also be correct. I use F6, then it tells me to hit F8 and safe mode is there. If I use F8 by itself, it just goes to the boot drive selection. I think they did that so you could easily use other boot devices.

[jollyjohn]

redwudz, mate you're very helpful. The install DVD did the fix. It's pretty straight forward and easy. It found the error and asked me to restart. Done. No need to use the CMD.

Thanks for your help.

John

[ranchhand]

If all else fails, do a repair reinstall "over the top" that will straighten out any corrupted system files including the MBR, but will not affect your installed proggies or data. [EDIT] Jollyjohn you beat me to the post by two minutes... glad you got it straightened.

[redwudz]

Good you got it working. I haven't had a lot of luck with repair installs, but I haven't tried them with W7. Maybe they improved it.

[jollyjohn]

I have installed "windows7manager_x64", I'm impressed with the Control Panel format, more like XP. W7 Control Panel is a total mess. There are also a lot of goodies there, one of them fix and enable the System Restore for me.

Thanks all again and Kind Regards

John