Windows 7 Diagnostic Start Up

[iloveglee]

I have done something very stupid to my laptop. In an attempt to stop unnecessary stuff loading on start up I put it into diagnostic start up from the system configuration utility. It then restarted and .... Nothing. I get the windows logo as if it's going to boot up but then a mouse arrow and a blank screen. Same if I try to start it in any of the safe modes. Have I killed it?

[The Builder]

I think you need to get into the system before the Windows screen loads. That's when the problem starts.

Re-boot, and keep rattling the f8 key before the Windows screen. Get into Safe Mode from there, and go for System restore (to an earlier date).

It's a bit of overkill, but should sort it out.

[iloveglee]

No joy. When i switch on the screen that comes up is the one where the system was not shut down properly. The choices of all the safe modes and normal start up bring nothing despite the f8 key. All of the safe modes bring the loading data scrolling down pressing f8 just causes it to beep. After this is done the screen is black with a white cursor arrow. Nothin i press makes any difference. Starting normally brings the windows logo then a black screen. Can't get any commands on the screen in any mode. So can go no further.

[Buenchico]

Have you got the original Windows disk? If so, put it in the disk drive and restart your computer. It will hopefully boot from the disk (although that will depend upon your BIOS settings),. allowing to run Windows Repair.

[iloveglee]

well as you can tell I'm no techie, tame or otherwise. in fact I'm quite wild at the moment. so - this is a longer version of what has happened. sorry, tried to be brief but not very explanatory to those who know what they are talking about. for ages the laptop has been running very slow, takes ages to load and shut down, web browser - no matter which one I use - keeps not responding. programmes take ages to open. no end of processes start up and use a a lot of memory but I have no clue as to which are necessary and which optional. so - checked out some forums, suggested to start up in diagnostic mode to see what is really needed. did this and from then on the problems started. when you cannot get a computer to shut down (this has also been a problem), you have to disconnect it from the power source. then when you switch it back on again, what comes up on the screen is that the computer was not shut down properly, and options to either start up in safe mode, or normal mode. this is what I was getting. I tried all modes and all that happened was, eventually a black screen with a mouse cursor showing, no command prompts, no ability to raise up task manager, no ability to do anything actually. I tried several suggestions such as start up and pressing f8, after trying that several times eventually I got a start up repair option. ran that. nothing. on starting up in safe mode, I did get the usual data scrolling down the screen, but this stopped and what came up was the black screen again. I have backup recovery discs which I created when the laptop was first set up, It didn't come with an original disc as the recovery is I a separate bit of the hard drive). It would not recognise these, i.e. nothing happened when I inserted them. I have had a suggestion that this may be a hardware rather than software problem. the laptop is coming up to 4 years old. I don't know any tame techies but no doubt I could find one. it was playing up a few months ago, although I knew that was a Trojan. I restored it back to factory settings and started again, I really don't want to do this again, as all the music in my iTunes disappears. and no it isn't there in my iTunes account, this is all stuff I have put in there from cd's. no doubt there is a way to avoid this happening but I don't know what.

[iloveglee]

well thank you for all the offers of help, its much appreciated, and apologies for the lack of required information. Bizarrely this laptop - which is an acer aspire, is just coming up to 4 years old and was purchased with windows 7 installed - is back with us. don't ask how. I thought I would give it one more go. so switched on, attempted normal start up, pressed f8 for at least a minute, same black screen. so switched off, and switched on again immediately. this time a repair start up option appeared, so set that to run. this ran for a while, then eventually a restore to previous point option came up, selected this. eventually a message appeared saying unable to repair start up, please restart??? then, by a miracle, windows opened. slowly granted, but I at least have a functioning, if slow system. now I have to work out which of all these memory hungry processes that are running are absolutely necessary. for the moment though, will live with it. have put I-tunes into a folder which I can save externally. just have to get an external hard drive so that I can get everything on there, then I plan to try another restore to factory setting. did this before, and for a while everything was fine. I have noticed that every time I get windows updates, it becomes just a little slower. restoring to a previous point in time helps, for a little while. I think it may be getting time to lay it to rest, nothing lasts for ever. plus, I really want an I-mac air and cannot persuade the other half that we really need one!! which, happens to be true just now - but who knows. I think he thought I'd sabotaged it deliberately.

[iloveglee]

It actually has 4gb memory. it runs like a dream after being taken back to factory settings!! I don't know if its co-incidence, but every time I get windows updates installed, it runs just a little slower until its almost impossible to do more than one thing at once. restoring to an earlier point helps for a while. there are endless processes running, about 90 of them but I really don't know which are essential and which optional. some of them I do know and have turned them off, but others mean nothing to me, not being even remotely a techie. I am prepared to experiment sometimes but this last episode has taught me that sometimes it goes wrong. a little knowledge etc. ........ I am always appreciative though of all the help I get on here.