Computer doesn't boot

[SlowEJ8]

Hey everyone, my computer has not been booting.
Can load to bios but wont boot to safe mode, or pass the windows loading.
Black screen with the "_'' blinking at the top of screen.
Does not boot to HD nor CD
Computer will not read disks either.

This happened when my friend installed a 'windows activation' onto my computer, and at the same time installed a new drivers for my radeon 6870.
Once i restarted I get the blank screen with a "_" blinking

I'm unsure which has caused the problem, but i just want to undo what my friend has done to my computer to get it running again...
Any thoughts? Please help...

 

[stargazr]

OS? Do you have the install disc? Windows discs usually have a repair option.

That sounds extreme even for a driver problem. Do you know if the activation was a legitimate Windows (or whatever) license?

 

[pete1229]

Just a wild guess but Windows Vista?

 

[VirtualLarry]

boot-time activation crack/BIOS emulator?

 

[SlowEJ8]

It's a non genuine copy of windows, even with a windows cd repair options don't come up. Im currently using windows 7 64.
I believe my friend was installing some cracking removing the 'non genuine' pop up...
Any ideas?

 

[giantjoebot]

I'm having a similar problems with 2 computers that I am working on for customers today, but the CD drives seem functional on both. One of them I ran a Linux boot CD, puppy, and I can still access the file system. So I will be trying recovery console next. Maybe repairing the boot sector.

Are you sure that the CD/DVD drive isnt working? Go into your BIOS and see if the drives are detected, and make sure that the CD drive is set as the first bootable drive.

Its really odd to have so many similar problems fall in my lap at the same time. I don't even work on peoples computers that often anymore. Just friends and family. I even had a problem with my new laptop that hasn't given me any issues until now. It was an easy fix, but its making me wonder whats going on. If this is really just by chance, or is there something going on that is affecting computers in my area. I know it sounds weird, but I was thinking solar flares, or electromagnetic radiation could be causing problems. It has been unseasonaly hot the past couple days. I live in the north bay. One computer I'm fixing is from Napa, and the other is from Davis. I live in between. Do you live in any of these areas by chance?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Well, if it's not a genuine copy of windows, then I'm not going to help any further. You need to buy a real copy of Windows 7, and reformat and re-install.

The Win7 Family Pack has been as low as $99 at Frys, and $105 at Amazon.com in the past. That's the cheapest way to acquire legit Win7 licenses, and if you're clever, you can install them on a fresh HD.

 

[DirkGently1]

Buy a genuine copy. People who don't deserve to have endless problems and, with any luck, numerous hardware failures too.

 

[SlowEJ8]

I do not live in those areas... And my
computer failed to boot due to the installation of one or two programs. I doubt our problems have a correlation.
I'm seriously considering a real copy of windows. Family pack offers 3 cs keys? Is that correct? Any difference between the regular single version?
And last.. Will this solution fix my problem? And can I save the HD?

 

[SlowEJ8]

still want to know if gettig a new HD will have my pc running again

 

[stargazr]

You probably just need to reload Windows. Make sure you format the drive and do a clean install.

I would first remove the CMOS battery for a few minutes, then reinstall to reset the BIOS.

 

[SlowEJ8]

Not sure how I can do any of that..

Anyway anyone know the difference with windows 7 home premium and the windows 7 home upgrade?? I'm looking at the one on amazon, and one is 99.99 and the other 114.99 what's the difference?...

I'm just lookin for the basic windows 7.

 

[rise]

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/compare