Vista repair disk will not start machine

C

CasualBloke

Member
Hi,

Computer is an HP desktop 'running' Vista Home Premium x64, currently afflicted with BSOD. Attempts to start in safe mode and last working config also result in BSOD. I have downloaded and tried the repair disk but also BSOD. The machine has had the BSOD off and on since new (it is about a year old), but never to the extent that I couldn't 'fix' it. Always figured the BSOD is a 'feature' of Vista and that the next service pack would sort it.

Before I start recovering data and reload a new OS, I would welcome suggestions for additional possible repairs.

Also, if a new OS is required, any recommendations? Go with W7, or back to XP? I am off Vista forever.

Much thanks.

Cheers,
Brian.
 
Hi Brian, welcome to NST.
Whats the error code on the BSOD ?
I'm using W7, Vista and XP, and they're all stable.
That's not a feature of Vista. There's probably an underlying problem with your PC which might not be fixed by a change of OS unless you locate it.
Try F8 at power-up and run in "no automatic restart" mode if the BSOD doesn't give you enough time to read the error message.
 
Terry60 said:
Hi Brian, welcome to NST.
Whats the error code on the BSOD ?
I'm using W7, Vista and XP, and they're all stable.
That's not a feature of Vista. There's probably an underlying problem with your PC which might not be fixed by a change of OS unless you locate it.
Try F8 at power-up and run in "no automatic restart" mode if the BSOD doesn't give you enough time to read the error message.
Click to expand...

Hi Terry

Thanks for your reply. Am now getting no video from the machine, so it is looking more like a hardware problem. The error was a STOP: 0x0000007E error, though, when it was occurring.

Cheers,
Brian.
 
Are you using bitlocker ? That can be responsible, or faulty RAM, or a driver clash (have you installed a new piece of kit ?)
If that "about a year" means it's still under warranty, get it back to the supplier post-haste and have it checked out.
(rescue your user data first like this before letting strangers loose on the PC. Their first act will probably be a format !)
If not, open it up, reseat all the cards and the RAM, disconnect and reconnect all cables, run memtest, look through the system / advanced / performance route at the event log and see if you can identify where the problem lies.
 
Last edited:
Much thanks Terry.

Not using bitlocker and haven't installed anything recently. It is over a year since I bought the machine, which was in the US, and I am now living in New Zealand, so no warranty.

My next step, as you suggest, was to reseat with all the hardware. Will definitely try to recover whatever I can, though am a bit concerned about the lack of video impeding that process.

The machine does have a separate video card and i wondered about bypassing that and running from mobo video, but not sure how i would do that if I cannot boot the machine. Would simply removing the video card do it?

Thanks again.

Cheers,
Brian.
 
If the mobo has onboard graphics, then you'll probably need to enable it in the BIOS as well as removing the other graphics card.
Have you tried safe mode, just running with the default MS VGA driver, in case your problem is related to the graphics card driver. (from personal experience if you've let WUD put on ATi graphics drivers and replace the ones you installed from the ATi site or installation CD, it can seriously mess with your system, though Vista does have "driver roll-back" like a mini-system-restore)
 
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