Vista only boots up to "Startup Error" Diagnostic Tool after SP1

[BigFeat]

Vista only boots up to "Startup Error" Diagnostic Tool after SP1
I attempted to install SP1 from a standalone package (wave1) that
I downloaded from the MS website. The install was proceeding fine
then I shortly went to bed before it completed. Well, after
waking up the "Startup Repair" diagnostic tool was on the screen.
It read "Startup Repair cannot repair this computer
automatically". The problem details are listed below:

*****************************************
Problem Event Name: StartupRepairv2
Problem Signature 01: AutoFailover
Problem Signature 02: 6.0.6000.16386.6.0.6000.16386
Problem Signature 03: 6
Problem Signature 04: 1703962
Problem Signature 05: CorruptFile
Problem Signature 06: NoBootFailure
Problem Signature 07: 0
Problem Signature 08: 0
Problem Signature 09: unknown
Problem Signature 10: 1168
OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033
***********************************************

I have attempted the following tasks:
1.System Restore - Result: Cannot find a previous restore point

2.Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool - Result: No problems found,
system reboots, and automatically goes to "Startup Repair" - Gives
the same dialog of problem details listed above.

3.Command Prompt - Result: tried bootrec /fixboot & bootrec
/fixmbr, but after restart it automatically goes to "Startup
Repair" - Gives the same dialog of problem details listed above.

4.Chkdsk - Result: No bad files or errors found. After reboot it
automatically goes to "Startup Repair" - Gives the same dialog of
problem details listed above.

5.Also tried the above from a Vista Restore Disc - Result: Repair
options finds no problems. However, after reboot it automatically
goes to "Startup Repair" - Gives the same dialog of problem
details listed above.

6.Enter "Safe Mode" - it automatically goes to "Startup Repair" -
Gives the same dialog of problem details listed above.

7.Enter "Last Known Good Configuration" - it automatically goes to
"Startup Repair" - Gives the same dialog of problem details listed
above.

That being said, I am stuck. I can navigate my C: and partitioned
D: drive with no problems through Command Prompt. All my personal
files are still there and intact. However, I can not understand
why the computer keeps booting up to the "Startup Repair"
diagnostic tool everytime. Before that happens I see two black
command prompts flash very quickly then the diagnostic tool comes
up. I have not clue what that problem detail events mean. It
appears (my guess) that SP1 got stuck during the install process
and will not allow me to get into my system until it completes. I
called MS Vista support and they are suggesting I contact Compaq.
I have made no hardware changes since I got this laptop 2 months
ago. I would appreciate any help I can from you guys.

Laptop Configuration:
Compaq Presario V6000
Vista Home Premium 32bit
2 Gig Ram
160G Hard Drive

[Terry60]

Hi Bigfeat, welcome to NST.
Can't remember offhand what it's called, but there is an option at boot if you PF8, to proceed a step at a time, so you can see what's happening at the unreadable flashes you describe.

[BigFeat]

Originally Posted by Terry60

Hi Bigfeat, welcome to NST.
Can't remember offhand what it's called, but there is an option at boot if you PF8, to proceed a step at a time, so you can see what's happening at the unreadable flashes you describe.

Thanks for the reply. I believe you're referring to the step by step boot up for error login or debugging. At any rate, I tried to enter every single entry modes that appears in Advanced Options after pressing F8. The result is that the system automatically still goes straight to the "Startup Error" diagnosis tool. The only time it doesn't do that is if I boot from the Vista Recovery DVD.

Assuming that SP1 backed up my registry before installation, I was thinking of forcing a registry restore. Rename the new registry folders and copy the old ones from the registry backup folder. Hopefully it will allow me to get the previous state before the SP1 install. What do you guys think?

[Terry60]

Looks like you should boot the Vista DVD, system restore back to before SP1 and then try windows update again.

[BigFeat]

Originally Posted by Terry60

Looks like you should boot the Vista DVD, system restore back to before SP1 and then try windows update again.

That was part of step 1 noted in my initial post. It could not locate any previous restore points. I had system restore active and surely had restore dates. However, I'm not sure if this installation corrupted whatever file/folder to locate these restore points.

[Terry60]

Sorry, misunderstood. Thought you were saying that you got the same message all the time except if you booted the DVD.
If you can get to your personal files and back them up to an external device, a factory reset might be your only way out, if you can get to that by whatever method (PF11/12 ?) compaq provides. But wait around for some of the other guys, to see if they've seen symptoms like this anywhere, and can be of more help.
Do you have other HDDs attached ? It might be worth a try disconnecting them temporarily if so. SP1 definitely updates the boot process, and in a mixed SATA/IDE environment, weird problems of an inability to see or access Vista can result when the boot gets damaged, which become fixable immediately the IDE disks are no longer confusing things.

[BigFeat]

There are no usb peripherals attached to the laptop. I am trying to hold on to the complete restore as my last resort. However, i'm hoping someone can chime in on this issue sometime soon.

[raptorsss]

A coworker brought her computer in to me today. almost Exact same problems as those listed previously. I cannot find anything on the web about this except this post. Any help would be appreciated. Computer is an Acer Aspire Laptop.

I cannot find any way to get past this Startup repair. Tried all of the options available. always end up back at the same place.

Thanks

[kairozamorro]

Perhaps the bcd entry for Vista has been modified to start startup repair rather then Vista. When you said you tried startup repair, did you try it from the DVD or the built-in option? Perhaps we can better help you if you could provide a screenshot of your bcd store (can be obtained from the command prompt from the Vista dvd).

[raptorsss]

I am using the built in options at the moment. she didnt bring me any disks yet. Should have those tomorrow. I checked BCDedit. I cannot do a screen capture, but attached is a photo of the screen taken with my phone.

Of note.. maybe... when the system revovery option gives me access to the command prompt, it starts me in a drive called X:/Windows but the OS is on C:/Windows. I can browse both sets of directories. I am guessing this may be an ACER restore drive?

Thanks

[raptorsss]

Though my end results are the same as previous poster, the error codes are only slightly different as shown below.

Problem Event Name: StartupRepairv2
Problem Signature 01: AutoFailover
Problem Signature 02: 6.0.6000.16386.6.0.6000.16386
Problem Signature 03: 6
Problem Signature 04: 3407924
Problem Signature 05: CorruptFile
Problem Signature 06: CorruptFile
Problem Signature 07: 3221225624
Problem Signature 08: 3
Problem Signature 09: WRPREPAIR
Problem Signature 10: 10
OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033

Thanks

[kairozamorro]

You have a setting under the Vista entry (recoveryenabled: set to yes) that may be the cause of the problem. Disabling it may help, but may render the installed start-up repair on the hard drive useless. To disable it, use: bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled No.

Originally Posted by raptorsss

Of note.. maybe... when the system revovery option gives me access to the command prompt, it starts me in a drive called X:/Windows but the OS is on C:/Windows. I can browse both sets of directories. I am guessing this may be an ACER restore drive?

Thanks

The X: drive is typically associated as that of the Vista DVD when you boot from it. If you weren't using the disc, then it may be the recovery partition that you have booted from.

[robcolburn]

Has anyone found a solution to this problem? I have the exact same issue, with slightly the error codes matching almost identically to raptorsss.

Laptop Model: Acer Aspire 5100

[Computer Guru]

Have you tried the recovery CD?

[kairozamorro]

System file checker has an offline option you can use from the recovery disc to check the integrity of the system's files. Command usage: sfc /?