# Solved: Windows 7 - Cannot Boot Windows/Safe Mode/Recovery/Disk



## Lord Dan (Apr 10, 2009)

Evening all,

I'm having a weird issue concerning Windows 7 Home Premium, running SP-1, 64-Bit Edition. To fully explain what's happening, please note that I will state everything that happened leading up to the issue to better portray my problem.

This morning I woke up and the first thing I always do is switch on my PC to check email and to have a quick chat with my friend who lives In Australia before it get's late over there. My PC was on, running S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Call of Pripyat via steam at the time, whilst still talking to my friend in Australia. Whilst typing to him, my system locked up mid sentence.

I left it for 15 minutes, got Coffee to wake up, still froze.. I had no choice to manually switch it off via the Power Button on the Tower. When I switch the tower back on, I had no Display on the screen. Now, this isn't actually the problem, I've fixed this kind of issue on a friends PC before and knew straight away my Memory Modules had just died. I removed the RAM, switched on, waited for the long Beep to confirm my Mobo was still breathing.. Placed one Module back in, black screen, tried the other etc etc.. Simple fix, get my spare RAM that I saved from an older build, stuck them in, powered up.

At this point I had to fix a corrupt winload.exe (Or similar) likely due to me having to turn the power off manually.. I hit the Recovery Console, let Window's do it stuff, corrupt file repaired, hello desktop..Just to confirm it wasn't a one-off, I Shutdown the system and powered it back on, still successfully reaching Desktop with no issues.

Now this is where it gets weird.. I have a room I keep PC spares as well as my Anti-Static mats and junk. I took my PC to this room in order to change my RAM. After I got the PC working.. All I did was put the side panel back on, take my PC back to my desk in my Lounge where it always is and somehow, some way, in the time it took me to move the PC, despite having no power, Windows managed to Corrupt itself... Eh?

To clarify, I fixed my original issue by swapping out the dead RAM, Fixed a Corrupt File and then successfully booted to desktop. I had fixed the problem, but when I moved my PC back to where it lives, it no longer works. I get to "Windows is Starting" and it freezes.

(On a side note: The PC was not knocked on the journey from one room to the next and yes I did double check to see if a cable had came loose. I have not added any additional peripherals, the PC is set up in the exact same way it was when I performed the original RAM Swap)

In an attempt to fix this I have so far, from the (F8) Advanced Options.

Repair your Computer
All I get is the usual black screen with "Windows is loading files..." with the white progress bar. The Progress Bar reaches full, but then nothing happens. It stays on the same screen and never progresses. I gave the process 15 minutes and still nothing..

Launch Startup Repair (Recommended)
Exactly the same as above.

Safe Mode
Gets stuck at ../disk.sys

Safe Mode with Networking
Gets stuck at ../disk.sys

Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Gets stuck at ../disk.sys

Enable Bootlogging
Jumps to "Starting Windows" then stays there. (Sub Question: How can I access ntbtlog.txt that this function is supposed to create)

Enable Low-Resolution Video (640x480)
Stuck on Starting Windows again.

Last Known Good Configuration (Advanced)
The very first thing I tried. Stuck on Starting Windows.

Directory Service Retore Mode
Gets stuck at ../disk.sys

Debugging Mode
Stuck at Starting Windows.

Attempting to Boot from Win7 64bit Install Disc
Stuck at Windows is loading files...
Edit: Tried again, this time got past Windows is loading files.. screen and went straight into Starting Windows before getting stuck again.

The only things connected to my PC during all this is my PSU and Monitor. I've tried everything to my knowledge and don't know what else to try. Any suggestions? And thank you all in advance.

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Windows 7 Home Premium - 64Bit Edition
HD5750 GPU 1GB
Intel P4 Dual Core @2.00Ghz
120GB HDD (Stock Component)
4GB DDR5 RAM (These are the Modules that died, replaced with 1GB which came as stock with the PC)
CD DVD RW (Stock Component)
------------------------------------------------------------

_"The best way to learn is to surround yourself with people smarter than you."_


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## Lord Dan (Apr 10, 2009)

Hmmm, It seems I've just resolved my own issue.

I didn't realise but I seem to have replaced my 4GB (2x 2GB) with a mixed pair, although they both worked fine at first. I've removed one and replaced It with It's partner, now the PC seems to work fine. I'm typing this post from It, so, so far so good.

It was to my understanding Memory Modules worked fine in a mixed pair, the only downfall being they would be as fast as the slowest module?

Either way, issue resolved.


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