14.6. Startup Repair You might play by all the rules. You might make regular backups , keep your antivirus software up to date, and floss twice a day. And then one day, you get your reward: the PC won't even start up. You can't use any of Vista's software troubleshooting tools, because you can't even get to Windows. In those most dire situations, Microsoft is pleased to introduce Startup Repair, known to techies as WinRE (Windows Recovery Environment). As shown in Figure 14-12, it's a special recovery mode that runs from the Windows DVD so that it can fix whatever's damaged or missing on the hard drive's copy of Windows.  | Figure 14-12. If your hard drive won't even let you in, insert your original Vista installation DVD. Top: At the main installation screen, click "Repair your computer." Specify which copy of Windows you want to repair (not shown). Bottom: The new Startup Repair suite, at your disposal. | |
Note: Depending on who sold you your PC, you might not have a traditional Windows DVD. Your PC company might even have replaced Startup Repair with a similar tool; check its Web site or manual.
To open Startup Repair, follow these steps: -
Start up from your Vista installation DVD . Insert the DVD. Then restart the PCbut as it's coming to life, press the F8 key. Your PC says something like, "Press a key to boot from CD or DVD." So do itpress a key. After a moment, the Vista installation screen appears (Figure 14-12, top). But you're not going to install Windowsnot yet. -
Click "Repair your computer." It's a link at the lower-left corner. Now you're asked which copy of Windows you want to repair. Chances are you've got only one. -
Click your copy of Windows . Now the Recovery Environment appears (Figure 14-12, bottom). At this point, you have some powerful tools available to help you out of your PC's mess. Because you're running off the DVD, you can perform surgeries on the hard drive that you wouldn't be able to if the hard drive itself were in control. That'd be like trying to paint the floor under your own feet. Your options are: -
 Startup Repair . If there is indeed a missing or damaged file in your copy of Windows, click this link to trigger an automatic repair job. You're running off the original installation DVD, for heaven's sake, so it's extremely easy for Startup Repair to reach into its bag of spare parts if necessary. -
System Restore . Remember System Restore, described earlier in this chapter? When better to rewind your Windows installation to a healthier, happier time than right now? Click this link to choose a restore point. With any luck, the rewinding job will include restoring the undamaged startup files that your PC needs right about now. -
Windows Complete PC Restore . If you, the proud owner of the Business, Enterprise, or Ultimate edition of Vista, have taken advantage of the Complete PC backup feature (which makes a snapshot of the entire hard drive, programs and all), then you're in luck. You have at your disposal a complete disk image of your hard drive, presumably made when the disk was working fine. It's like super System Restore. Click this link to copy the whole schmear back onto your hard drive. (Of course, you'll lose any documents or settings you've changed since the backup was made.) -
Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool . Click this link if you suspect that it's your RAM (memory), not the hard drive, that's causing your problems. The software does a quick check to make sure your memory hardware is actually working right. -
Command Prompt . If you're lucky enough to know what you're doing at the command prompt (a black window where you type out text commands), you're in luck. You can use it to issue commands and perform repair surgery. Thanks to these powerful tools, there's less reason than ever to pay $35 for the privilege of talking to some technician named "Mike" who's actually in India, following a tech-support script that instructs you to first erase your hard drive and reinstall Windows from scratch. |
