Help! PC won't boot up. No recovery disks.

[Kipper is King]

Hoping CP can help out here. Our family PC, a Dell that's a few years old that originally ran Win. 7 and was recently upgraded to Windows 10, won't boot up anymore.

Making matters worse, I thought I had a recovery image on a portable hard drive, but it turns out I don't.

The error message that comes up seems to indicate that files are missing from the operating system.

Oddly, my dad was apparently able to boot up the computer normally once since the error started occurring. He thought everything was fine, turned off the computer and is now unable to boot it up again.D'oh.

Basically, the Dell logo comes up and we can access the BIOS. That seems to be about it.

Does anyone have any guidance in terms of preserving the data on the hard drive? I don't care about needing to reset Windows, but i am hoping to preserve photos and documents.

[Aegypticus]

First step I'd recommend is to post the exact error message(s) you're getting. Word for word.

[Aegypticus]

I'm a bit busy at the moment so I can't do much searching, but what I would do is type the error message into google and see what comes up. There's pretty much a 100% chance someone else has had the same problem.

If it turns out you do need to do a Windows repair with a boot disk of some sort, you can legally download an iso from Microsoft if I recall correctly.

[Frank MetaMusil]

Sounds like you need to fix the MBR. Do you have a windows 7 or any other install disc?

[Kipper is King]

Originally Posted by Aegypticus

First step I'd recommend is to post the exact error message(s) you're getting. Word for word.

OK, it's a BSOD

Recovery
Your PC/Device needs to be repaired
The Boot Configuration Data file is missing some required information.
File:\Boot\BCD
Error code: 0xc0000034
You'll need to use recovery tools. If you don't have any installation media (like a disc or USB device), contact your PC administrator or PC/Device manufacturer.

[Aegypticus]

Yeah, seems like you'll need to create an install disc. Like I said, the files for doing so can be downloaded directly from Microsoft. I believe you can burn a dvd or use a usb drive these days.

[Kipper is King]

My dad argues that using an install disc using the .iso available form Microsoft at https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/soft...d/windows10ISO will wipe all of our old data.

I thought there often was a way to simply repair missing/corrupted files without affecting other data. We're rather confused and nervous.

[sureLoss]

You can always use a linux from usb to copy your important files first.

Bascially you install put linux on a usb. Put the usb into computer. Get your BIOS to boot from the linux usb stick. Don't install the linux, just run it of the usb stick. From linux copy all your important files onto another drive. Then go repair windows.

Lots of guides on how to do it if you google it.

for example this guy uses an ubuntu cd to recover files:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvsJ6OtSgTY

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Kipper is King

My dad argues that using an install disc using the .iso available form Microsoft at https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/soft...d/windows10ISO will wipe all of our old data.

I thought there often was a way to simply repair missing/corrupted files without affecting other data. We're rather confused and nervous.

Could always pull the hard drive, put it in a usb enclosure and get everything off it with another PC.

Or do the same, get a new HDD and install it in the broken PC, do a fresh windows install on that and forget the recovery disk.

[Fuzz]

Create a recovery drive /disc:
http://www.howtogeek.com/131907/how-...-in-windows-8/

on a working PC. Then run this on your broken PC, Go to the advanced options where you can get a command prompt.
Then type c:
then:
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Then reboot.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Kipper is King

My dad argues that using an install disc using the .iso available form Microsoft at https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/soft...d/windows10ISO will wipe all of our old data.

I thought there often was a way to simply repair missing/corrupted files without affecting other data. We're rather confused and nervous.

Yes, you use the DVD/ISO whatever and choose "repair" then repair either OS files, MBR (I don't remember perfectly, but this might have been a command line fix. Easy to do if you follow youtube directions though) etc. EDIT: Fuzz sorta mentioned this above.

Just do not choose the reinstall, upgrade etc variations. It should even warn you that you'll lose your information, so if you see that, DO NOT continue.

Also, for the future. Buy an external hard drive and back all important files up as well as have a copy on the computer. They're less than $100 and could save you lots of panic. Windows even can back up automatically if it's plugged in full time.

[Fuzz]

DoubleF- sometimes with manufacturer provided discs they will just launch into a reinstall without any prompting or warning. Making it easy for the consumer!

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

DoubleF- sometimes with manufacturer provided discs they will just launch into a reinstall without any prompting or warning. Making it easy for the consumer!

True. I learned that the hard way with an older Dell. I never recovered everything, but I haven't avoided external hard drives and not lost a file since.

Though Kipper mentioned that he lost his recovery discs and would need to make a clean DVD via ISO anyways. So I think that part is ok...

[Kipper is King]

Thank you so much for all your help, guys.

Creating a bootable Linux USB (with Ubuntu) was easy, and it allowed us to back up our essential files, which was a huge relief.

In terms of downloading the Windows ISO from Microsoft on a USB, that went well, but it did not seem to give the option of repairing our current Windows install.

We eventually went ahead and did a clean install. It's all good!