Windows won't boot? Practical advice on how to fix everything. Why won't Windows boot? Ways to fix the problem Win 7 won't turn on

Hello, dear readers, Trishkin Denis is in touch.

Working at a computer for a long time, many users encounter a situation where Windows 7 simply does not load. Moreover, each individual case has its own manifestations. To understand this topic in detail, I will try to consider the most common options. Despite the fact that there are many of them, there is still a certain classification.

There are many options due to which the operating system refuses to work as usual and a black screen appears:

hard drive problems;

the device boot queue is set incorrectly;

a flash drive is inserted into the USB port;

problems with RAM;

Incorrect installation of updates.

The system starts only in safe mode( )

Sometimes users may encounter a situation where Windows boots only in safe mode. First, you need to try to remember what could have caused the malfunction. Often the reason is the installation of a new application. In addition, the most popular reasons include clicking on advertising banners on the Internet, changing hardware settings, and connecting new devices.

To solve the problem, you need to try to return everything to the way it was before the malfunction occurred. If the problem appeared after installing the program, you need to remove the latter:

If problems arise as a result of connecting the device, we take other actions. I recommend using this method even when the blue screen of death appears just like that, without any hardware or software changes.

So, let's do the following:

You can learn more about the problems that cause the death screen to appear by going to.

Stuck on greeting( )

Often, users may experience a situation where Windows does not load beyond the greeting. That is, they see the inscription: “”, and that’s where it all ends. As with any other problem, there can be many reasons. We will highlight only a few of the most common ones.

If problems appear after clicking on an unverified link or as a result of installing dubious software, it is advisable to use antivirus software. To do this, you need to boot into "" using the "" button F8" And launch the appropriate solution. At this time, you can independently shut down suspicious programs in “ Task Manager».

Windows may freeze at the logo as a result of insufficient thermal regulation of the hardware. This may be preceded by non-working coolers, dried out thermal paste, and a huge amount of dust. To establish this reason, it is enough to use one of the utilities that shows the current temperature conditions. It is necessary to compare the readings with the data from the documentation. If they exceed those written in the passport, you need to urgently clean and, if necessary, replace individual components.

This element may also overheat. In addition, problems occur as a result of mechanical damage to the component. To determine the exact cause, some tests need to be performed. You can read more.
If the result turns out that the malfunctions are due to overheating, it is necessary to use appropriate heat sinks. With their help, users can significantly reduce the risk of running out of RAM.

In some cases, only replacement helps. The main problem is that manufacturing defects can appear even several months after active use.

Sometimes operating system problems are directly related to the operation of the hard drive. These can be logical, electronic, or mechanical errors. Often a harbinger of problems is unusual sounds emanating from the relevant equipment. How to check and other information can be read in.

Updates( )

In some cases, the operating system refuses to work after an update. The main thing is to remember whether the corresponding screen appeared the last time you rebooted or shut down the system. If yes, you need to try to restore Windows functionality by rolling back to previous versions. This can be done from a disk on which there are files for installing the operating system. You can also try to boot from a flash drive.

Sometimes the option “ Loads the configuration with the last working parameters", which can be selected by pressing " F8"during the start of the equipment.

If you are not sure that the problem can be solved solely by reinstalling Windows, you should use other options to restore functionality. You can find out more details from.

As you can see, there are many reasons why the Microsoft operating system may not want to boot. Moreover, each of them is solved with its own tools.

I hope you can find the right option for you. Subscribe and tell others about my blog.

In many cases, the inability to boot Windows 7 may simply be due to an incorrect boot order in the BIOS. This can happen if you have more than one hard drive installed in your computer. Typically, entering the BIOS occurs a few seconds after turning on the computer by pressing a button Delete or by pressing a special function key. Once you enter the BIOS, make sure your Windows 7 hard drive is in the correct place in the boot queue. If you don't know where to look, read the instructions for your motherboard.

Another possible reason for your computer not detecting Windows during boot is a hardware problem. If the BIOS cannot detect your system drive, then make sure that all cables are connected to it properly. If your hard drive makes strange noises, like clicking and tapping sounds, then it may be broken. Finally, it is possible that your hard drive is experiencing data corruption issues affecting important system data, such as the Master Boot Record (MBR).

If you suspect your drive has failed, it's a good idea to back up important data, scan it for errors from another computer, and even consider purchasing a replacement drive. Trying to fix a boot problem on a damaged drive may result in data loss, so back up your data before you do anything.

The MBR and other important boot data can also be corrupted by attempts to install earlier versions of Windows other than Windows 7 (like Windows XP) or by third-party programs such as viruses. In the case of a virus, even before any “corrective” actions, it is recommended to scan the disk using an anti-virus program. Otherwise, attempts to fix a disk with a virus may result in data loss.

Also, the appearance of messages about boot data corruption may be caused by incorrectly setting the active disk partition, which may come from an overly inquisitive Windows user with administrative rights.

Fixing MBR and other Windows 7 boot problems is most quickly accomplished by using a Windows 7 installation DVD. But if you don't have one, then an alternative is to use a Windows 7 system repair disc, which we'll show you how to create below.

If you don't have either an installation DVD or a recovery disc, then do yourself a big favor by creating a recovery disc now to avoid unnecessary headaches in the future.

Step one: Turn on your computer by booting from either the Windows 7 installation DVD or the Windows 7 system recovery disc. Be aware that you may have to change the boot order in the BIOS to boot from the DVD.

Step two: When booting from your installation disk or recovery disk, you may be asked to select a language. Select it and then continue downloading. If you are using the installation DVD, when prompted below (or similar in another language), select Repair your computer.

Step three: It will take the computer some time to search for installed Windows, after which you will be provided with a list of possible recoverable Windows. Select the appropriate installation and continue. If, by chance, a problem is discovered in one of your Windows installations at this early stage, the system may ask you if you want it to automatically fix it. Here you can decide for yourself - whether to allow the system to correct itself or not? If you do not want automatic correction, then simply select “no” (No).

Step four: Once you reach the System Recovery Options screen, as shown below, you will be faced with a list of choices that can help you recover your damaged Windows 7.

If you wish, you can first try the Startup Repair option, which often automatically solves many boot problems. However, in this article, we will use the Command Prompt option to solve our problems manually. Therefore, to continue, click on Command Prompt.

Step five: Once at the command prompt, type the following command and press Enter:

If it is completed successfully, you will see a corresponding welcome message, such as “The operation completed successfully.” This is what you need! Your MBR has been restored!

Even though the above command fixes the MBR (and sometimes that's enough), there may still be an error with the system partition's boot sector and Boot Configuration Data (BCD). This may happen if you tried to install another operating system in addition to Windows 7, such as Windows XP. To write a new boot sector, try the following command:

If your Windows 7 is still not detected when you boot your computer, or you want to include more than one operating system in the system boot list, try the following command to rebuild your BCD:

bootrec.exe /RebuildBcd

The above command will scan all your drives for other Windows 7 compatible operating systems and allow you to add them to the system's boot list. If this doesn't work, then you may need to backup your old BCD folder and create a new one using the commands below:

bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup
c:
cd boot
attrib bcd -s -h -r
ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old
bootrec /RebuildBcd

Some users simply delete the old boot folder and try the above steps to solve their boot problems. But it is not recommended to do this.

After deliberately changing the active partition on our system drive during system boot, we encountered a BOOTMGR is missing error, which prevented us from booting Windows. This is a common error that occurs when you start “playing” with partitions on the system disk. And solving it can cause a serious headache if you don’t prepare for it in advance.

To reverse the active partition, use your Windows 7 recovery disc or installation DVD and follow the steps below.

Step one: Follow the above steps (one through four). This should take you to the Windows recovery environment command prompt.

Step two: Type DiskPart and then press Enter.

Step three: Type List Disk and press Enter. This command will list all the drives connected to your computer and assign numbers to them.

Step four: Enter Select Disk x, where x is the number of the disk containing the partition you want to make active. Press Enter.

Step five: Type List Partition and press Enter. This will allow you to see a list of partitions on the selected drive. Determine which section you want to make active.

Step six: Enter Select Partition x, where x is the number of the partition you want to make active. Press Enter.

Step seven: Now just type Active and press Enter. This command will make the section you selected active.

How to create a Windows 7 system repair disc

Windows 7 makes it easy to create your own system recovery disk, if, of course, you already have the operating system installed and running.

Step one: Click on the Start button -> Programs -> Maintenance -> Create a system repair disk.

Step two: Insert a blank CD or DVD into your optical drive.

Step three: Click on the create disk button and let the program do its job.

Just what you need! The program only needs to write 140-160MB of data to disk (depending on the type of operating system), which should only take a few minutes. If you don't have a CD/DVD-R optical drive that you could use to create a recovery disc (and for subsequent use), then you can download an ISO image of a Windows 7 system recovery disc and then use it to create bootable USB flash drive.

Step one: Download the Windows 7 system recovery disk image (link).

To download you will need a torrent client such as µTorrent. Alternatively (if you have a DVD drive), you can use the Windows 7 installation disc or the Windows 7 system recovery disc. In this case, you should skip straight to step seven.

By the way, using the Windows 7 installation disk in the seventh step, you can not only restore the system, but also install Windows 7 from a USB drive, which can be very useful if you are a netbook user.

Step two: Open a command prompt with administrator rights. To do this, click on the Start button -> Programs -> Accessories -> right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

Step three: After confirming all UAC prompts, you should be at the command prompt. Make sure your USB flash drive is connected to your computer, then type DiskPart and press Enter.

Step four: Type List Disk and press Enter. Determine which number corresponds to your USB flash drive. In our case, the USB flash drive corresponds to Disk 1. We determined this by the capacity of the flash drive, which we have is 2GB.

Step five: Enter the following commands in order, changing the disk number to your own. Warning - Running the commands below will erase all data on your USB flash drive or drive of your choice.

Select Disk 1
Clean
Create Partition Primary
Select Partition 1
Active
Format FS=NTFS

Step six: Once DiskPart has successfully formatted your USB flash drive (which may take a few minutes), you need to enter the following commands:

Step seven: Now you need to copy the contents of the ISO image (or DVD) you downloaded to your USB flash drive. It's just a couple of folders and a file. To extract files from an ISO image, you will need a program like WinRAR.

Step eight: Now that the files have been copied, you need to make your USB flash drive bootable. To do this you need to download a small file bootsect.exe. This file can also be found in the boot directory of the Windows 7 installation disk. After downloading, place bootsect.exe in the root folder of your USB flash drive.

Step nine: Back at the command prompt, you need to change the current directory to the root directory of the USB flash drive. In our case, the flash drive corresponds to the letter E, so we will use the following commands:

e:
bootsect /nt60 e:

The bootsect command will add compatible boot code to the specified volume. If everything goes well, you will receive a bootable, recovery USB flash drive. However, when using it, do not forget that it must be indicated in the BIOS boot list.

Most of the capabilities that the average owner of desktop computers and laptops use are available to humans thanks to the use of special operating systems on the equipment. The most popular OS is a product from Microsoft. Therefore, if Windows 7 or one of the other OS variants does not boot, the user is in serious trouble.

There are many reasons why Windows 10 (7, 8, XP) does not load. Often in this case, an unpleasant situation is accompanied by a specific error message. But what to do if Windows 10 (7, 8, XP) does not boot on a laptop or regular PC without such messages? There are several universal treatment methods that can lead to a way out of this situation.

Selecting the download type

This is the simplest fix method if Windows 7 or another type of operating system from Microsoft does not load. What you need to do:

Start rebooting the computer.
Press the “F8” button.
In the proposed list, select the launch item with the most successful configuration.

In some cases, this action is quite sufficient when Windows 7 (8, 10, XP) does not load.

Windows Recovery

So Windows won't boot. You can try to return Windows to full functionality using the recovery menu. To do this, of course, you will need to have a boot disk with the desired OS option on hand. What actions should the user take in this case if Windows 7, 8, 10 and XP does not load:

Insert the source into the drive.
Change the priority in BIOS. That is, the operating system should not be launched from a hard drive, but from a DVD-ROM.
After starting the process, you will need to press the “R” button.
Select the option to restore.
Wait for the results. Restart the equipment one more time.
Windows XP (7, 8, 10) still won't load early? Next option.

Recovery within the OS itself

If previous operations have been carried out, but Windows 7 still does not boot, you can try to restore it directly using the tools of the operating system itself. It's quite simple:

Pressing the magic button “F8”.

Selecting further boot in security mode.

Obtaining limited access to the operating system.

Making the transition: “Start” – “Standard” – “Service” – “Recovery”.

An attempt to return the OS to an earlier state that was stable.

Naturally, at the end you will need to restart the computer to check whether Windows 10 (7.8, XP) does not boot or whether the problem has been successfully resolved?

Boot file disinfection

If Windows 7 does not boot after updating, then the possible cause of the problem lies in a damaged Boot.ini boot file. To fix the problem you will need to follow these steps:

Start the PC using the same external source.
In the recovery menu, go to the command line.
Enter the phrase “Bootcfg/add”.

Wait for the process to complete and initiate another reboot to check whether Windows 8 or its equivalent of a different version does not boot, or whether the treatment helped in this predicament?

Boot record defect

Another option for trouble with Windows. Windows won't load? The boot record may have become corrupted. In this situation, you will need to repeat almost the entire procedure described in the previous paragraph, but enter a completely different phrase into the command line. Namely: “Fixmbr\Device\HardDisk0”.

Perhaps this action will be quite enough when Windows 7 does not load and freezes on the logo.

Damage to the boot sector on the hard drive

This nuisance can lead to a situation where, for example, Windows 7 does not load beyond “Welcome”. Here the treatment is also quite simple - the steps are repeated by running the command line from the computer user, into which you should type “Fixboot” and then the letter that is responsible for the hard drive partition where the installed OS version is located.

Quick reinstall

Sometimes, if the computer does not boot beyond the Windows 7 splash screen, only reinstallation can help. But it is not at all necessary to launch a full-fledged procedure that lasts quite a long time. You can speed up this process. This is a very powerful treatment tool as it can deal with most of the troubles that arise.

What is required from a person:

Start again from the boot disk.
Press the “R” button, then the “Esc” key.
Select quick reinstallation of the operating system.

It is important to understand that this procedure can only work if identical versions of the OS are located on the disk and hard drives. That is, if, for example, Windows 10 does not boot after the update, you should not try to quickly reinstall it using a boot disk with Windows 7 or 8 for this purpose.

Conclusion

A special case of this situation may be a constant automatic reboot of the OS. Naturally, this option excludes the possibility of any therapeutic processes. To break this sequence, you will need to press the “F8” button the next time you start the system and go to the “Advanced parameters” menu. After this, disable the OS reboot procedure and if failures are detected. Well, then you can use one of the treatment options described above.

All described methods are universal. That is, they are recommended to be used only when it is not possible to accurately determine the root cause of the malfunction. Most often, the user can see a message on the monitor screen indicating a specific error code. And each of them has their own method of correcting an unpleasant situation. Most of them can be easily found on this Internet resource dedicated to answering questions related to OS damage from Microsoft.

Every computer user knows very well how frustrating it is when a program does not work. And how can one not remember that this is happening precisely at the moment when hopes are pinned on the program. For example, you need to show your colleagues the results of your work or urgently transfer funds, but the corresponding application refuses to work. And if suddenly 7, which for most is the main and only operating system, then this is the real end of the world, the same one that the Mayans spoke about.

With such problems, the main thing is not to panic, but to calmly analyze the operation of the system. Remember which programs were installed and which were uninstalled during the last session. Let's look at everything in order. Let's start with, perhaps, the most “scary” thing - Windows 7 will not start.

There are many reasons for this behavior of the operating system - from banal errors in application programs to hardware faults. And, of course, we should not forget that this system from Microsoft, although it is head and shoulders above all their previous creations, nevertheless, sometimes behaves unpredictably. If Windows 7 does not start, and after turning on the computer a white message appears on a black background saying Disc Boot Failure, then it is quite possible that the reason lies in a dead battery that supports the BIOS settings. Immediately after turning on the computer, we often press the Del button until we get to the BIOS screen. We are looking for the line First Boot Device (main boot device). The necessary must be indicated: if the system is on a hard drive, then the corresponding hard drive, etc. If the settings are lost without reason, it makes sense to replace the battery on the motherboard. However, more often a problem like “Windows 7 won’t start” lies in the loose contacts of the interface cable. Sometimes it is enough to move it a little so that the hard drive stops being “seen”. Solution: disconnect and reconnect the cable going to the boot device.

If the download continues and a list of actions appears, then you need to try using the “Load last known good configuration” menu item. You can also select "Safe Mode" as an alternative. If the system boots like this, then the cause of the problem is some program installed during the last session. We delete it in crash protection mode (if it is not in the menu, after the download starts, press the F5 button).

Sometimes Windows 7 loads to the screen. Moreover, there are no apparent reasons for this behavior. Often solved by a banal problem without any recovery.

Problems with system performance may be caused by a faulty RAM or hard drive. To determine them, you can use special programs that work from a pre-prepared LiveCD.

But, fortunately, such problems are less common than with applications. For example, users often ask why “Minecraft won’t start. Windows 7 works fine." Minecraft uses the power of the Java Virtual Machine and OpenGL. Therefore, we install the latest version of Java and the latest video card drivers. It is also worth noting that there may be difficulties with launching from a Russian folder (the name must be in English).

Similar messages like “Terraria won’t start” are also common. Windows 7 works like a charm." This game is the twin brother of the above Minecraft. The difference is that it does not use Java, but the Net Framework package. Solution: install this package (you can use a package that includes versions from 2 to 4), install DirectX and Microsoft Visual C++ 2005. Sometimes the Redist folder contains everything you need. When running on the new Win 8, problems may arise, since the system requires independent connection of the Net Framework (via “installing programs - enabling Windows components”).

Coming across an error like “Operating system not found” while booting your computer can be nerve wracking. But, if you have 7 installed, then you have nothing special to fear. After all, such loading errors can often be resolved with just a few simple steps.

Another possible reason for your computer not detecting Windows during boot is a hardware problem. If the BIOS cannot detect your system drive, then make sure that all cables are connected to it properly. If your hard drive is making strange noises, like clicking and tapping sounds, then it may be broken. Finally, it is possible that your hard drive is experiencing data corruption issues affecting important system data, such as the Master Boot Record (MBR).

The MBR and other important boot data can also be corrupted by attempts to install earlier versions of Windows other than Windows 7 (like Windows XP) or by third-party programs such as viruses. In the case of a virus, even before any “corrective” actions, it is recommended to scan the disk using an antivirus program. Otherwise, attempts to fix a disk with a virus may result in data loss.

If you don't have either an installation DVD or a recovery disc, then do yourself a big favor by creating a recovery disc now to avoid unnecessary headaches in the future.

Fix Master Boot Record (MBR)

Step three: It will take the computer some time to search for installed Windows, after which you will be provided with a list of possible recoverable Windows. Select the appropriate installation and continue. If by chance a problem is discovered in one of your Windows installations at this early stage, the system may ask you if you want it to automatically fix it. Here you can decide for yourself - whether to allow the system to correct itself or not? If you do not want automatic correction, then simply select “no” (No).

Step four: Once you reach the System Recovery Options screen shown below, you will be faced with a list of choices that can help you in recovering your damaged Windows 7

Step five: Once at the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter:

If it is completed successfully, you will see a corresponding welcome message, such as “The operation completed successfully.” This is what you need! Your MBR has been restored!

If your Windows 7 is still not detected when you boot your computer, or you want to include more than one operating system in the system boot list, try the following command to rebuild your BCD:

bootrec.exe /RebuildBcd

bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup
c:
cd boot
attrib bcd -s -h -r
ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old
bootrec /RebuildBcd

Some users simply delete the old boot folder and try the above steps to solve their boot problems. But it is not recommended to do this.

How to change active partitions

To reverse the active partition, use your Windows 7 recovery disc or installation DVD and follow the steps below.

Step one: Follow the above steps (one through four). This should take you to the Windows recovery environment command prompt.

Step two: Type DiskPart and then press Enter.

Step three: Type List Disk and press Enter. This command will list all the drives connected to your computer and assign numbers to them.

Step four: Enter Select Disk x, where x is the number of the disk containing the partition you want to make active. Press Enter.

Step five: Type List Partition and press Enter. This will allow you to see a list of partitions on the selected drive. Determine which section you want to make active.

Step six: Enter Select Partition x, where x is the number of the partition you want to make active. Press Enter.

Step seven: Now just type Active and press Enter. This command will make the section you selected active.

How to create a Windows 7 system repair disc

Windows 7 makes it easy to create your own system recovery disk, if, of course, you already have the operating system installed and running.

Step one: Click on the Start button -> Programs -> Maintenance -> Create a system repair disk.

Step two: Insert a blank CD or DVD into your optical drive.

Step three: Click on the create disk button and let the program do its job.

How to create a bootable USB flash drive with a Windows 7 system repair disc

Step one: Download the Windows 7 system recovery disk image ().

To download you will need a torrent client, like. Alternatively (if you have a DVD drive), you can use the Windows 7 installation disc or the Windows 7 system recovery disc. In this case, you should skip straight to step seven.

Step two: Open a command prompt with administrator rights. To do this, click on the Start button -> Programs -> Accessories -> right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

Step three: After confirming all UAC prompts, you should be at the command prompt. Make sure your USB flash drive is connected to your computer, then type DiskPart and press Enter.

Step five: Enter the following commands in order, changing the disk number to your own. Warning - executing the commands below will erase all data on your USB flash drive or drive of your choice.

Select Disk 1
Clean
Create Partition Primary
Select Partition 1
Active
Format FS=NTFS

Step six: Once DiskPart has successfully formatted your USB flash drive (which may take a few minutes), you need to enter the following commands:

Step eight: Now that the files have been copied, you need to make your USB flash drive bootable. To do this you need to download a small file. This file can also be found in the boot directory of the Windows 7 installation disk. After downloading, place bootsect.exe in the root folder of your USB flash drive.

e:
bootsect /nt60 e:

Many computer and laptop users have probably encountered problems loading Windows 7. The operating system simply refused to boot and gave an error. In such cases it is impossible to even enter Safe mode By F8.

The first thing that comes to mind in such situations is reinstalling Windows itself. The procedure is simple and well described in the manuals: Installing Windows 7 and many others.

Reinstallation will solve the problem with loading the system, but you don’t want to lose documents, programs, you don’t want to set everything up again, installing drivers and applications, as well as configuring them can take a lot of time.

Comment: This guide does not cover hardware problems such as problems turning on the laptop itself, problems with the image, and so on.

Fortunately, there is a simpler way to solve the system boot problem. Bootloader corruption is usually the cause of system boot problems. Windows, disruption MBR. To restore the system, you need to restore this same bootloader and MBR. How to do this will be described below.

Restoring Windows to Normal Boot

MBR and bootloader recovery process Windows 7 almost completely identical to that for Windows Vista. This means that the recommendations described below can be safely applied to recovery Windows Vista.

Let's begin. First of all, we need a boot disk or flash drive with the distribution kit Windows 7. How to prepare them is described in detail in the manuals: Installing Windows 7 from a USB flash drive on a laptop, netbook or regular PC

Now you should select the item System Restore at the bottom:

After this, a search will begin for installed copies of Windows on your hard drive:

As a result, the wizard should find the installed Windows 7. Select it and click Further:

The Windows recovery menu should appear:

Let's look at what each point is for:

Startup recovery- recovery of Windows bootloader and system files
System Restore- restoring the system from restore points. Restore points are created automatically when important system updates are installed, and can also be created manually by the user
Restoring a system image- restoring Windows from a disk image
Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool- checking RAM for errors. Quite a useful thing.
Command line- command line for manual recovery

The first two points, as well as the last one, are of interest to us. Let's first consider Startup recovery. This is the easiest way to restore normal system booting. Let's launch it. The diagnostics should run:

After some time the problem will (or will not) be fixed:

Let's now look at the second menu item - System Restore. Let's try to restore the system from restore points. To do this we launch System Restore:

Now select the last restore point and click Further:

Click on Ready We agree with the warnings:

Reboot your laptop or computer.

Disconnecting the PC from the power supply for 5-10 seconds: disconnect the power supply and pull out the network cable, also turn off the power to the uninterruptible power supply, if one is connected, and in the case of a laptop, remove the battery.

Disconnect external equipment: mouse, keyboard, printer, removable drives, wireless communication modules, etc. If the cause of the malfunction lies precisely in external devices, connecting each of them in turn will help identify the culprit.

P.S. It is not always possible to solve the problem using the methods described above; therefore, you will have to start analyzing the text of the error message that appears during PC startup and look for alternative options.

Windows 7 won't boot

A message with the text “BOOTMGR is missing” indicates that the Windows 7 operating system boot loader is damaged or missing. To solve this problem, you will need a Windows 7 installation disk or a disk with ERD Commander (32bit or 64bit, corresponding to your OS), which can be found in. In the “Boot device priority” section of the BIOS settings, assign the CD/DVD drive as the first boot device. Then boot from the Windows installation disc and select the "System Restore" menu item. From the list of installed operating systems (if you have several of them), select the one you need and click the “Next” button. In the “System Recovery Options” window that appears, there are two items - “System startup recovery” and “Command line”, you will need them. The first option will automatically fix the problem with starting the operating system, and if it fails, you will have to turn to the second. At the command prompt, type “bootrec /rebuildbcd”, press “Enter” and agree to make changes to the boot configuration data by alternately pressing the “Y” and “Enter” keys. After this, all that remains is to create a new boot sector using the console command “Bootrec / FixBoot” and reboot the computer.

Compressed Partitions

As a result of erroneous compression of the partition with Windows 7 boot files, the message “BOOTMGR is compressed” may appear. The ntfs.sys file system driver, which is responsible for working with compressed disk partitions, begins to operate much later than the Bootmgr.exe loader. In this case, you will again have to turn to the Windows 7 installation disk, on the command line of which you need to sequentially run a number of commands:

expand bootmgr temp
attrib bootmgr -s -g -h
del bootmgr
ren temp bootmgr
attrib bootmgr -a +s +r +h
bootrec/fixboot

Windows XP won't boot

The error “NTLDR is missing” indicates that the NTLDR file, which is the Windows XP loader, is damaged or missing. Unlike BOOTMGR in Windows 7, which is stored in a separate hidden partition, the NTLDR file is located on the same drive as the operating system. It happens that inexperienced users mistake system files with names unknown to them for malicious programs and without a doubt remove them. This fate often befalls the innocent NTLDR, as well as another critical file for successful loading of the OS - ntdetect.com. To solve the problem, you will need a Windows XP installation disk. At the very beginning of the download process, you must press the “F10” key to get into the recovery console. With its help, you need to go to the Windows installation disk using the command “X:”, where X is the letter of the corresponding optical drive. Then all that remains is to copy the two missing files to the hard drive partition with the OS by running the commands:

litter i386\ntldr C:
litter i386\ntdetectcom C:

This method is also effective in case of loss of any other system files, copies of which can be found on the Windows 7 and XP installation disks, respectively. The “NTLDR is compressed” error rarely appears because it only affects computers running Windows XP without SP2. It can occur in cases where there are too many files stored in the root of the C: drive. A similar problem with NTLDR boot loader compression is solved in the same way as if it is damaged or deleted - by copying the original file from the Windows XP installation disk.

Boot device not found

Error message appears “No bootable device” and its numerous variations (“Boot device not found”, “Invalid boot device”, “Non system disk or disk egor”, etc.) indicate that the computer has not even started to start the operating system, since does not see the boot sector or even the hard drive. To understand where the problem lies - at the software or hardware level, just go to the already familiar “Boot device priority” section of the BIOS settings. If the hard drive is not among the suggested options, then the problem is related to the hardware. The SATA or IDE cable or hard drive power cable may have come loose, or the HDD may have failed. If the computer normally recognizes the hard drive, the reason is software in nature and lies in the master boot record (MBR) - either damaged or missing. Unlike the fix options discussed above, this situation is relevant for both Windows 7 and XP. After booting from the installation disk, run the command in the recovery console: “bootges /fixmbr” (for Windows 7) or “fixmbr” (for Windows XP).

Driver error

Windows critical error messages, which are called “BLUE Screen of Death” because of the background color, are quite common problems in Windows XP, but in Windows 7 they tried to make the system more reliable in this regard. Reason BSoD There may be malfunctioning hardware, such as RAM. Most often, early boot stage BSOD messages appear after updating device drivers and contain the text “DRIYER_IRQL_NOT_ LESS_OR_EQUAL” along with a file name with the SYS extension. To remove the problematic driver through Device Manager, you can try starting Windows in safe mode, since it uses a minimal set of drivers. To do this, press the “F8” key while loading the OS and select “Safe Mode”. If the Blue Screen of Death still appears when booting into Safe Mode, you need to revert to a previous version of the driver that did not cause problems. This can be done using a restore point, if one was created previously. In Windows 7, to do this, press the “F8” key while the OS is loading and select “Troubleshoot computer problems” in the menu that appears. After this, you will be taken to the exact same “Recovery Options” menu as when using the Windows installation disk. Next is the “System Restore” item, where you can select one of the available rollback points.

Corrupt bootloader file

An error like “Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: Windows\System32\filename.dll” is specific only to the Windows XP operating system. It may be caused by a damaged or missing Boot.ini boot configuration file, which is not used in the new OS version. You can solve the problem using the “bootcfg /rebuild” command in the Windows XP recovery console, which will correct the existing or create a new Boot.ini file. The absence of other files in the system, primarily drivers with the SYS extension, occurs in both Windows 7 and XP. The most effective way to solve the problem is to return the file to its place by looking for a copy of it on the Windows installation disk, borrowing it from another computer with the same OS version, or looking for the file by typing its name in any Internet search engine. If you don’t have a second PC at hand, then to search, download and copy files you will need a LiveCD with an OS that does not require installation. One of the most convenient options is. The exception is the system registry files System, Software, SAM, Security and Default, which are stored in the C:\windows\system32\config folder. It will not be possible to replace them with copies from another computer, so the only option is to roll back to a restore point. In Windows XP, to do this, you first need to load the operating system with at least standard registry branches, and only after that start the OS regeneration process. To do this, go to the Windows XP recovery console, as described above, and run a number of commands (take the System registry file as an example):

md tmp
litter c:\windows\system32\config\system with:\
windows\tmp\system.bak
delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
litter c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\
system32\config\system

Diagnostic and repair utilities

Many Windows boot problems can be caused by bad hard drive sectors (badblocks). The MHDD program, which runs from the disk, will help you check your hard drive (the image can be downloaded from the link). In the program menu, you need to select the hard drive number from the list and start scanning sectors for errors and correcting them - “Remap | ON". Bad blocks (broken blocks), as a rule, are concentrated at the beginning of the hard drive, so it is worth moving the OS partition away from the problem area. A boot disk with the MiniTool Partition WIZard NOT partition editor is suitable for this. (in the program menu, select “Partition 1 Move/ Resize”). BSOD can also be related to RAM. A free application allows you to test RAM modules

There are at least three common errors that lead to problems loading Windows 7. When errors occur, the system displays a short message on the monitor screen indicating the problem. It is these small guidelines that we will be guided by when solving problems that arise.

Perhaps the most popular error is Disk boot failure, insert system disk and press Enter

It is characterized by the following situation: you turn on the computer, but instead of the usual loading of the Windows 7 operating system, this message is displayed to you. It means that the system has recognized the drive from which it starts as a non-system drive, that is, according to Windows 7, there are no system files necessary to run it on this drive. This can be caused by various reasons. Let's look at the most common ones.

Possible variant. A disc was inserted into the DVD-ROM or a flash drive was connected and your BIOS is configured so that by default it launches one of these media. As a result, the system cannot find the files it needs to run on a flash drive or DVD and reports an error.

Elimination. You should try disconnecting absolutely all external storage devices: phones, memory cards, flash drives and external drives. After this, you should turn on the computer again. Most likely, the system will start correctly this time.

It may be that the recommendations provided above will not help. In this case, you need, firstly, in the BIOS settings to set your system drive as the default startup device. And secondly, you should make sure whether the BIOS detects your system disk at all. It may be that it is out of order.

If the system correctly displays the system disk, it is within your power to take advantage. We will touch on this a little later, at the end of the article.

If the system does not display your main hard drive, you can try disconnecting it and connecting it back, or into the slot next door, if present.

Other problems can also lead to this error, for example, viruses, etc. In any case, it is best to first check the methods that we have mentioned. Most likely they will work. If not, then feel free to go to the end of the article, in which we indicated step-by-step troubleshooting for Windows 7 problems using the utility.

Error BOOTMGR is missing

Due to this error, you will also not be able to start Windows 7 correctly - a message on a black screen - BOOTMGR is missing. This problem can also be caused by various reasons, including all kinds of viruses. It can be caused by erroneous actions of an inexperienced user who accidentally changed the boot record of the hard drive. Also, physical problems of the HDD are often the cause of this error.

Elimination. Check whether the hard drive on which the system is installed is working properly. Seek help from the Windows 7 recovery environment, which is discussed below.

Error NTLDR is missing. Press Ctrl + Alt + Del to restart

This problem manifests itself in almost the same way as the previous one. You should also use the Troubleshooting Environment to resolve this issue.

When starting Windows 7, the user sees only a black screen and a mouse pointer

If, when the system starts, the usual desktop with the start menu does not load, and all we can see is the mouse pointer, then everything is not so difficult and in the vast majority of cases it is easy to fix. Very often this error occurs if you, using an antivirus program, got rid of some serious virus that had already caused trouble and these same troubles were not fully corrected by the antivirus program.

Elimination. Restart your computer and as soon as the mouse pointer appears, press Ctrl + Alt + Del. The Task Manager will immediately appear.

In it you need to select the “File” menu in which to create a new task (execute). A dialog box will appear, in which you should enter the regedit command and press Enter. This will launch the Windows 7 system registry editor.

We will need to look through the sections in the editor:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows NT/Current Version/Winlogon/
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows NT/Current Version/Winlogon/

Now you need to edit the value Shell.

With the first section, make sure that the Shell parameter is set to Explorer.exe, if this is not the case, then install it yourself. In the second case, you need to go to the section and look: if there is a Shell entry in it, then it needs to be removed from there. Now all that remains is to close the registry window and simply restart the computer. Everything should fall into place.

And so, everything that we could not eliminate on our own, we eliminate using standard system utilities

In most cases, if problems arise when starting the operating system, we can see the Windows 7 recovery screen. It is this screen that will help us in restoring the system startup. If the recovery screen does not appear on its own, then the next time the system reboots we can call it up by pressing a key F8. Select "Troubleshoot your computer" from the menu

You will see a message that will contain information that system files are being loaded, you will also be asked to select a language.