 So, your Windows-based PC doesn’t start up to Windows like it should. Even worse, it won’t start after you’ve gotten the dreaded “Blue Screen of Death” and you don’t know what to do next. Before you go too crazy, consider starting with a simple tool that you probably already have if your system is running Windows Vista or Windows 7—a little thing called Startup Repair. Just as you probably wouldn’t run to your local Emergency Room to remove a splinter, you may be able to use this “tweezer” to fix your system’s problem.
While buried in the middle of the frustration of a PC that won’t start, people sometimes forget that this tool exists and may dive into just reinstalling Windows—a task that can be time consuming. Unfortunately if you are running a system that uses the older Windows XP operating system, then you don’t have Startup Repair available as discussed in this article.
So just what is this Startup Repair thing? To put it simply, Startup Repair is a little utility tool that Microsoft created to fix certain common problems that prevent Windows from starting correctly. The common problems that Startup Repair addresses are situations that involve key missing or damaged files, called “system files.” These system files are critical to Windows’ ability to start running when you power-up your system. When Startup Repair runs it will look at your computer and check that these system files are intact and if they aren’t, it tries to fix these files to get you going again.
Now that you know what it is, it helps to know where it is. If you have a Windows Vista system, you will usually find Startup Repair on the System Recovery Options menu. The System Recovery Options menu is on the Windows installation disc. In some cases your system manufacturer will have installed the utility onto your hard drive, although if your system doesn’t start then that’s not very helpful is it? (As an aside, this is a good reason to either make sure you know where your Windows installation disc is, or to make a system recovery disk on your own!)
Finally, some system manufacturers will customize the Startup Repair tool or may provide a different tool entirely. If this is your case you will need to contact your system’s manufacturer, or check into the documentation that came with your system to see what similar tool was provided. If a Windows Vista installation disc was not provided with your system, you should also contact your manufacturer. If you have a Windows 7 system, the Startup Repair utility is installed to your hard disk along with Windows. However, if your problem is severe enough that Windows 7 won’t boot then you will need to use your Windows installation disc or a Windows System Repair disc that you created on your own. Full instructions for starting and using Startup Repair for either Windows Vista or Windows 7 can be found on Microsoft’s website.
Despite the best of intentions, it may not be possible for the Startup Repair tool to get your system up a running. If Startup Repair cannot get things going again, it will at least give you a summary of your problem. It is at this point that you know that you are dealing with a problem that is beyond what Startup Repair can fix. Your next steps at this point are to address the problem using other disaster recovery methods.
Be aware that as handy as Startup Repair can be, it has very significant limitations that you should keep in mind. Startup Repair was created only to address problems with those key Windows system files, and not for other problems. It is important to be aware of the fact that Startup Repair is NOT a prevention, detection, or removal tool for viruses. You should never rely on Startup Repair to prevent you from acquiring a computer virus—it simply was not designed to do that. Software to deal with viruses is a separate category all to itself. One thing that might be confusing is that certain viruses can manifest themselves as causing damage to those key system files. Should this be the case, using Startup Repair may get your system going again but you may see the problem recur when the virus again rears its ugly head. In this case, Startup Repair will have addressed the symptom (damaged system files) but not addressed the disease (the virus in your system).
Startup Repair is also not a tool that can help you with a failed piece of hardware—the physical electronic or mechanical components of your system such as a hard disk or a CD/DVD drive. If your system won’t start because the hard disk has failed mechanically, Startup Repair won’t be able to help you. If you have a hardware failure, you’ll need to take steps to address the malfunctioning component(s). Finally, Startup Repair is not a backup program. You cannot use Startup Repair to make a backup of either specific files or of your entire hard disk.
Windows 7 system, the Startup Repair utility is installed to your hard disk along with Windows. However, if your problem is severe enough that Windows 7 won’t boot then you’ll need to use your Windows installation disc or a Windows System Repair disc that you created on your own. Full instructions for starting and using Startup Repair for either Windows Vista or Windows 7 can be found on Microsoft’s website. |
