Vista Not Booting - Please Help

I am working on a Vista machine my buddy gave me to have a look at. It runs Home Premium. Recently, a windows update came down and, I'm assuming that he also installed a driver from the MS site.

Now, the laptop doesn't start, it stops during normal boot with a message saying: !! 0xc0000034 !! 298/84582 ($$_branding_1728f5d8b15e5263.cdf-ms)

When trying to boot in safemode, it runs through the scrolls of white text and stops at: - loaded \windows\system32\drivers\crcdisk.sys. I assume his menas it's the next item that it's falling over on?

I've tried all the boot options at the start up area, like last known good config, etc, but nothing works

Does anyone have any thoughts on what this might be - as I said, my suspcion is a driver but would be nice to have an expert advice.

As I can't actually get into safe mode i can't do a simple attempt at system restore. The machine came with a resote partition which will only do a facctory reinstall.

I'd really like to find a way of making a Vista boot up disk that would allow me (somehow) to do a system restore back to before the event. Can anyone please help me. I am quite good at working with XP, but Vista, I really don't know too well.

Thank you for any help

Edited by deleted (Wed 29-Jul-09 15:06:05)

http://www.vistape.net/ and similar allow you to make boot CDs. Running chkdsk /f from one often fixes things like this.

Thank you for the info, I'll make that disc and have a go. I've since had the HDD out the laptop and run chkdsk /r using my own computer. It made no difference unfortunately grrrr.

Thanks Yarwell.

Maybe someione has info about how to get to do a system restore using a third party disc or something?

try the torrent link for a partial vista cd that would allow you use the restore facilities of vista

http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery...

Thanks TARAS. That's a great link and I've downloaded it. I've created the bootable disc and that started the machine. Trouble I now have is, it boots to a 'start up repair' screen and has tried to repair - unsuccessfully. Is there a way of getting to do a system restore through this boot disc that you or anyone else might know of.

Many thanks again for your kind help

Sorry, finally I found it. It says - no restore points available. I can't believe it , the guy who owns this PC wouldn't even have known this existed to switch it off - if you know what I mean!

Next thing then is - how do I do a repair install of Vista HP. I'll get a hold of a disc somehow. Have done this many times in XP but never Vista so am a little worried about it. Again, any pointers much welcomed.

Many thanks

In reply to a post by smiffy12:

Next thing then is - how do I do a repair install of Vista HP. I'll get a hold of a disc somehow. Have done this many times in XP but never Vista so am a little worried about it. Again, any pointers much welcomed.

Many thanks

I personally at this stage would do a repair install - get his data off of the machine. Ask him if has paid for any software and get that backed up(get the drivers too) and do a new install

Anyways to do a new install .. put the vista dvd in and boot from it you will find it will give you an option to repair an existing install (something that the restore dvd link i gave couldn't do...)....

As a last resort before reinstalling, you could try deleting the file $$_branding_1728f5d8b15e5263.cdf-ms from the windows/winsxs/filemaps folder.

Assuming you can get to it through a command prompt?

Forgot to add it is worth checking the WinSxS\Temp\PendingRenames folder as well and delete it from there if present.

Edited by deleted (Thu 30-Jul-09 16:17:41)