04. Diagnosing Windows Start Up Problems

Obsolete wiki:

This wiki is updated to pdf format here Windows Reinstallation Guide and several other wikies are combined into this pdf. The links below are less up to date.

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For Windows Vista or Windows 7.

Sometimes Windows gets corrupt midway during Windows Updates especially if forced shut down and is unable to boot. The first step in such problems is to select Last Good Known Configuration, the second step is StartUp Repair.

• Last Known Good Configuration

• StartUp Repair

The third step is A Clean Install of Windows or Restoring to the Factory Settings.

If you haven't got your data backed up.

Start on Step 3 and insure that you don't follow Step 7.

In Step 8 when you get to this screen, select the C: partition (largest partition).

Note: if you have not backed up all your data onto an external hard drive. Do not select any of the drive options particularly format or delete. In this scenario all your files will be saved in a folder called windows.old.

Don't select the drive options and in particular don't select delete or format. Follow step 15 to copy your data back over.