HELP! Windows 7 won't start and I don't have install disks

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Tomahawk66

181 posts

Master Geek

#242915 20-Nov-2018 07:44

Hi all,

For the first time ever I've got a black screen, my Win 7 professional machine won't load. It's getting stuck on a black screen saying Windows Boot Manager. I can't do anything. I can't get it into safe mode (not that I would know what to do once in there anyway) and I don't have the installation disk.

The error code says Status: 0xc000000e Info: The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible.

It was working last night. The only thing I did last night I can think of was took some photos off my old XP machine, put them onto an old USB stick (the only one the XP would recognise) and transferred them to the Win 7 desktop I use all the time. But there did not seem to be any issues last night.

Help please...

Thanks

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6614 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#2129908 20-Nov-2018 07:47

Have you got any other external disks connected?
Failing that it will probably be the HDD on its way out.

Dratsab

3946 posts

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#2129913 20-Nov-2018 07:55

I had a similar problem once* with an HP laptop. Turned out one of the HDD's (the boot drive) had lost it's DMI information and was no longer recognised by the system. I managed to download some tools to fix it - can't remember where from but an internet search should help if this is what the problem is. Have a look in your BIOS to see if your hard drive/s are being seen.

*twice actually. Major pain the first time as it took a while to figure the problem out. Merely extremely annoying the second time.

Tomahawk66

181 posts

Master Geek

#2129917 20-Nov-2018 08:08

I've just remembered that last night I was also using my My Book external hardrive to look for lost photos (that I found on the XP). A couple of times the My Book wouldn't 'disconnect' properly and I just pulled it's USB cord out of the Win 7 machine....... ?? Maybe that is what has upset it ?

Tomahawk66

181 posts

Master Geek

#2129918 20-Nov-2018 08:10

Dratsab:

I had a similar problem once* with an HP laptop. Turned out one of the HDD's (the boot drive) had lost it's DMI information and was no longer recognised by the system. I managed to download some tools to fix it - can't remember where from but an internet search should help if this is what the problem is. Have a look in your BIOS to see if your hard drive/s are being seen.

*twice actually. Major pain the first time as it took a while to figure the problem out. Merely extremely annoying the second time.

I don't know what or where the BIOS is or how to access it. I can't seem to do anything on the 7 desktop.

Tomahawk66

181 posts

Master Geek

#2129919 20-Nov-2018 08:11

Coil:

Have you got any other external disks connected?
Failing that it will probably be the HDD on its way out.

No, not now but I did last night....

Rikkitic

Awrrr
18665 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#2129928 20-Nov-2018 08:33

If you don't know what the BIOS is then you shouldn't try to do anything. You will only make things worse if you fumble around. Your best bet is a computer repair shop or maybe a knowledgeable friend (or someone on Geekzone if they live nearby). You really need to know what you are doing to be able to make use of remote help. Is your computer a desktop or laptop?

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timmmay

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#2129929 20-Nov-2018 08:35

This might be a good time to put any hard drives with important data into another PC and run a backup, if you don't have a full backup already. Then I would suggest you upgrade to a modern operating system, Windows 10 most likely, and I think it's still free. W10 works well generally.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

Tomahawk66

181 posts

Master Geek

#2129940 20-Nov-2018 09:00

Rikkitic:

If you don't know what the BIOS is then you shouldn't try to do anything. You will only make things worse if you fumble around. Your best bet is a computer repair shop or maybe a knowledgeable friend (or someone on Geekzone if they live nearby). You really need to know what you are doing to be able to make use of remote help. Is your computer a desktop or laptop?

The computer that won't start is a desktop. I am writing this on an old laptop that I keep for precisely this reason. ...

Rikkitic

Awrrr
18665 posts

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#2129992 20-Nov-2018 09:24

Again, you should try to get help from someone knowledgeable. Other than that, it might be worth trying to replicate whatever you were doing last night. Plug the My Book back into the USB port and restart. It probably won't help but from what you say Windows may be looking for something on that drive. The problem is that Windows needs to be loaded to read the drive, but it still might be worth a try.

If your hard drive is okay, or even if it isn't, you ought to be able to retrieve most or all of the data on it. You would lose your programs and have to reinstall them but things like documents, photos and other data are usually retrievable. To do that, you would remove the drive and install it as a data drive on another computer. One way is to get a USB enclosure and just plug it in as a USB drive. You could do that with your laptop. You should then be able to copy any files you want.

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SpartanVXL

1320 posts

Uber Geek

#2129997 20-Nov-2018 09:29

The error is pretty self explanatory. Your machine can't boot because it can't find the disk your OS is on. Either the boot manager is borked or your disk is dead/dying. Maybe your bios has boot priority messed up? I would unplug any other storage from your machine except your boot drive to test but likely you will have to take it out and diagnose on another machine.

1101

3122 posts

Uber Geek

#2130040 20-Nov-2018 09:59

https://support.hp.com/hr-en/document/c03742786

its allmost never a bios issue
HD failing is likely cause.

You know need to decide "how important is the data on the drive" email, docs, photos
If the data is very important, turn it off & take it to a data recovery specialist (expensive) or PC repairer if you dont want to spend $$$
If the HD is dying , the more you play around with it, the harder data recovery could become

Win7 is end of life next year. Seriously consider this as a good time to replace the PC. Or install SSD & Win10
You can download Win10 media creator, make a install disk & use that
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO

Tomahawk66

181 posts

Master Geek

#2130059 20-Nov-2018 10:36

Thanks everyone for your replies. Due to finances I have to try to fix it myself. I plugged the My Book back into it and I have managed to get into what is I guess the Bios page? It's called HP Computer Set Up

It's got: File-Storage-Security-Power-Advanced running across the top and then different options underneath each of those headings.

Under File one of the options is Default Setup ? should I click this?

Under Storage it's got: Device configeration- Storage options- DPS Self Test- Boot Order or should I try one of these first.

Thanks

wellygary

8335 posts

Uber Geek

#2130068 20-Nov-2018 10:49

Tomahawk66:

Thanks everyone for your replies. Due to finances I have to try to fix it myself. I plugged the My Book back into it and I have managed to get into what is I guess the Bios page? It's called HP Computer Set Up

It's got: File-Storage-Security-Power-Advanced running across the top and then different options underneath each of those headings.

Under File one of the options is Default Setup ? should I click this?

Under Storage it's got: Device configeration- Storage options- DPS Self Test- Boot Order or should I try one of these first.

Thanks

Please don't take this the wrong way, but if you don't know what you doing, don't play with the options,,

and certainly don't ask for remote diagnostic advice from the Web, any person helping you needs to be looking over your shoulder,

The safest option is probably to use you laptop to download a "Linux live" distribution, and put that onto a USB stick, you should be able to boot from that,... you will hopefully be able to copy you data off your machine....

Tomahawk66

181 posts

Master Geek

#2130080 20-Nov-2018 11:17

Thanks Welly Gary, my reply seems to have disappeared. I don't understand about using Linux via USB

Rikkitic

Awrrr
18665 posts

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#2130122 20-Nov-2018 11:24

Which is why you need someone more knowledgeable to do this for you.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

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