Question Windows won't boot to desktop need help

[jamesdsimone]

I have a Dell E6450 with Windows 7 pro. I need it for some old business software that won't run on anything newer. I booted up today to do some work and I couldn't get to a desktop. It booted to safe mode ok and I tried a system restore which did not work. It had previously done the same thing a couple days ago but system restore fixed the problem. Now I can't boot to safe mood. I can press F8 and get to system repair ok. I tried system repair that didn't work. I did system restore from the menu and it restarts and windows starts to load and then the computer just powers off. Any suggestions? I'm wondering if it's software or hardware. The laptop is old and things do fail. Problem with the hard drive maybe. The system repair tools load fine. I just replaced the battery.

 

[Tech Junky]

Put Linux on a USB drive to boot so you can grab your data.

Once your data is backed up wipe the drive and install Linux or a new version of Windows.

One you boot up grab virtualbox and setup a W7 VM. You can do the VM on any machine though and you can even copy it to a USB drive and run it from other machines.

Then you just need to copy your data to the VM or access it through your network or from the local HDD.

 

[jamesdsimone]

I need to get the laptop working if possible. Putting the everything back together would be major pain. If it's the hard drive I can get a new one for 25 dollars and hopefully clone the old one. If the laptop is dead then ok I'll go from there. Most of the data is already backed up.

 

[Tech Junky]

Well, W7 was a real pita when it was current let alone 10+ years later. If You Have Things backed up then reinstall windows and drag your data back over.

 

[jamesdsimone]

I bought the laptop used 5 years ago and it worked fine until recently so it might be a hardware issue. I'll try the Dell recovery option tomorrow. The recovery functions work fine so I'm thinking the hard drive must be ok. I can get a "new" Windsows 7 laptop for 250 so I can replace it if I have too.

 

[Tech Junky]

Why dump money into it when you can virtualize it for free?

I would verify the HDD and sell it if it takes a windows install. If not then I would replace the HDD and sell it.

 

[jamesdsimone]

Dell recovery was able to fix the problem. I'll see if it happens again.

 

[jamesdsimone]

It happened again. Dell recovery didn't work this time. When I tried to boot it would hang at the password screen and the sound would stutter and lock. So I booted to safe mood and disabled sound and it booted to desktop no problem. I don't really need sound but maybe sound drivers are corrupted? Would a bad sound card do that?

 

[Tech Junky]

Fixing and breaking repeatedly doesn't sound like anything is actually getting repaired. You shouldn't have to disable things to get windows to work. Instead of spending tons of time troubleshooting things repeatedly just virtualize it and spend your time on things you want to do rather than trying to fix windows.

 

[jamesdsimone]

It happened again. I just bought a replacement laptop for 250. I don't have the time or experise to be messing with virtual machines. I need an working Windows 7 machine. Once I get that up and configured I might install Linux to the old laptop and see if it works ok. My linux transcoding rig is down and I liketo use Handbrake on Linux. I'm still not sure if it is strictly a software problem.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Do a complete run of memtest86+ on that laptop.

 

[jamesdsimone]

Do a complete run of memtest86+ on that laptop.

Thanks I did not think that maybe it could be a memory issue. It boots to safe mode and into the repair function without a problem but hangs right before getting to the desktop.

 

[jamesdsimone]

Put Linux on a USB drive to boot so you can grab your data.

Once your data is backed up wipe the drive and install Linux or a new version of Windows.

One you boot up grab virtualbox and setup a W7 VM. You can do the VM on any machine though and you can even copy it to a USB drive and run it from other machines.

Then you just need to copy your data to the VM or access it through your network or from the local HDD.

I ended up installing Mint and the laptop is working fine. How my Windows install got corrupted who knows.