Windows 7 Suddenly Won't Boot

My Windows 7 PC won't boot. There have been no software or hardware changes (potentially a windows update was applied that I don't know about, shutdown one night, all OK and then couldn't boot up the next morning). I get the windows 7 logo, then a black screen with mouse cursor, but I can't move the cursor. There's no keyboard response either (I don't think this is the infamous black screen of death as this typically still responds to a CTRL+ALT+DEL?). Safe Mode is no different apart from seeing drivers load, it stops at CLASSPNP before pausing for a while and then the black screen.


Managed to run the startup recovery tool, although I only get this option sometimes when trying to boot. It scans but can't auto fix the problem but reports a corrupt registry (I don't believe this is the problem though).


I removed my boot drive (which is an OCZ SSD) and mounted as a secondary drive in another PC so I could browse files on that drive. So I managed to restore my registry files from the windows backup files (windows\system32\config\regback), then replaced my SSD in my PC, but still no boot (which is why I don't believe it's a reg problem). I swapped out the SSD to my other PC again, this time I ran a chkdsk on my SSD, it found some small problem, nothing major so I fixed it successfully and swaped back to my original PC again, but still no change, still not booting. I swapped it out again, this time I had a look at ntbtlog.txt, it shows lots of inf's not loading (CLASSPNP being the last one to load... as above)... so I assume this is the problem but I have no idea why these won't load. Any advice please... tearing my hair out here!!! Thanks.

Search the forums a lot but everything I find hasn't helped yet.

Have you tried the startup repair again? It may take several runs for it to complete the repairs..

Thanks for teh response. I've tried startup repair a few times, it runs quite quickly, only a couple of minutes before finishing and reporting that it cannot resolve the problems automatically. If you look at the log it shows it does a number of tests and at the end it states that the registry is corrupt. I managed to get to a command prompt from the list of startup tools you can get to, but it's like none of my drives are mounted. There's an X drive but it's like an empty installation, there were no regbackup files etc there, so I assume that's why it can't automatically recover. That's when I moved my drive to another PC where I was able to fully browse it, and I restored my reg files from regbackup, then moved it back to my original PC hoping it would boot. I didn't. From other things I've read I'm thinking it is just misreporting the registry as corrupt. As I mentioned, lots of drivers do not seem to load.

You could try the Bootrec.exe tool. I think the Startup Repair runs these but what the heck..

Try the /FixMbr and /FixBoot options.

How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows

Yeah, I think startup recover does this. But I did it manually anyway. Worth noting that the only way I get to startup recovery is to boot from my windows 7 disc and choose to repair install. So I did that again and this time it did a qucik scan and fixed a problem around having a system partition. Anyway, going to a command prompt after that I now can see my drives! Progress maybe?? But I still can't boot I've repeated the startup recovery and it does this same thing each time now... no mention of the registry anymore.

Am I looking at a reinstall here?

I would try to go back to a previous restore point via the installation disc. Sounds like one of the updates may have done some damage.

Then make sure those updates do not install automatically again. Better 'hide' them for a while.

Thanks for more ideas... unfortunately when I try to restore to a previous point, the restore tool tells me I need to select the OS installation from a list, which is empty and directs me to select hard disk drivers. I don't really know what to do from here. I can browse for a driver, but I don't know what to choose. I'm not sure why it can't recognise an installed OS to start with.

One thing I would suggest, if you have not done so, is shut the system completely down and give it some time. Go out for dinner or something. There have been cases where a system which appeared to be in your situation, repaired itself somehow, usually overnight.

But if you want to try other things before you do a reinstall, there are some commands you might be able to run from the command prompt. I always find it interesting to see what will actually start while there. You know the Task Manager will start. Using Task Manager, you can try typing explorer.exe to see what happens, or other things.

But if you want to check for updates to see if one was installed you can possibly use two commands, and you will probably have to be in the C: \Windows\system32 folder, not the X:

Try:
systeminfo

wmic qfe list

If you see a package installed and you want to remove it, the using PkgMgr may help, but we may need to give you a complete package name from the KB number. This is an involved process and I have not done it, so I won't be much help if you decide to go that way.

Hey spurs61!

It feels crazy to find your forum entry after searching the web for days for a solution.
I have the EXACT same issue, in all ways. Even have the OCZ SSD!!!

My PC is a Dell Latitude E6400.

I've done the same discoveries as you, with drivers loaded until CLASSPNP etc.

When attaching the SSD through an external case to another PC, I can access all files without problem.
As with you, I did not install anything prior to this.
I remember that I put my PC to sleep, and when it woke up there was a black screen, so I force booted it, it started up and hanged after a while, so I force booted it again, when I got into this issue.

I've noticed some notes about "display driver crashed, but recovered successfully" in the past, when closing the lid, and opening it again. Somehow I think this could be related to corrupted graphics drivers/registry keys.

But when the same happens in Safe Mode, it sounds strange.. as there it should not use the standard graphics drivers right?

I've decided not to make a re-install, simply because:
- I still have my old HDD with XP I can use.
- I think there just have to be a fix, as I have hard time believing that it is some major issue.
- I don't see the point in a re-install, if this could happen anytime again, without a known solution.

I've had Win7 installed on the SSD now for only about 1 month.

So any wild ideas are greatly appreciated, except re-install. I don't like that mentality, at all.

Is there really no way to log or find out what the root cause would be?

Did you find a solution, or did you go with a re-install?
If re-install, did you get this issue again? Since it's a while since your post.

Cheers,
Seb

Originally Posted by spurs61

My Windows 7 PC won't boot. There have been no software or hardware changes (potentially a windows update was applied that I don't know about, shutdown one night, all OK and then couldn't boot up the next morning). I get the windows 7 logo, then a black screen with mouse cursor, but I can't move the cursor. There's no keyboard response either (I don't think this is the infamous black screen of death as this typically still responds to a CTRL+ALT+DEL?). Safe Mode is no different apart from seeing drivers load, it stops at CLASSPNP before pausing for a while and then the black screen.


Managed to run the startup recovery tool, although I only get this option sometimes when trying to boot. It scans but can't auto fix the problem but reports a corrupt registry (I don't believe this is the problem though).


I removed my boot drive (which is an OCZ SSD) and mounted as a secondary drive in another PC so I could browse files on that drive. So I managed to restore my registry files from the windows backup files (windows\system32\config\regback), then replaced my SSD in my PC, but still no boot (which is why I don't believe it's a reg problem). I swapped out the SSD to my other PC again, this time I ran a chkdsk on my SSD, it found some small problem, nothing major so I fixed it successfully and swaped back to my original PC again, but still no change, still not booting. I swapped it out again, this time I had a look at ntbtlog.txt, it shows lots of inf's not loading (CLASSPNP being the last one to load... as above)... so I assume this is the problem but I have no idea why these won't load. Any advice please... tearing my hair out here!!! Thanks.

Search the forums a lot but everything I find hasn't helped yet.

You mentioned that you could access your files when you get to them as a secondary drive, i would back up manually what you would lose on a reinstall, if you haven't already. Of course, boot files don't just go away, some hardware or software change occured, if you cannot boot, cannot repair the boot, a clean format will fix it, unless you have a hardware issue, sounds like some malware zapped your startup, possibly.