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    Vista booting to black screen - how to access recovery mode

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by jb22, Apr 9, 2008.

  1. jb22

    jb22 Notebook Geek

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    So it looks like I screwed up my PC pretty bad. I was trying to solve an Office 2007 issue which led me to playing around with the registry. I must have done something wrong b/c now when Vista starts up I just get a black screen rather then the usual Windows log in. I can see my mouse cursor and move it around but the log in never shows up. I did safe mode, as well as pressing F8 and selecting Last Known Good configuration but everything results to a black screen.

    This is on my Asus G1S, so when I put in the recovery CD it only gives me the option to format and do a factory reinstall. Is there anyway to access Vista's recovery console?

    The only reason I don't want to format is b/c I have some photos I want to take off the drive first.

    If I can't get into recovery mode I'm just going to get a small hard drive and install Vista to that and put my current drive in an enclosure andbtry and get what I need off of there.

    I don't have access to another PC. I'm writing this from my iPod so hopefully someone can help. Thanks
     
    jb22, Apr 9, 2008
    #1
  2. Lithus

    Lithus NBR Janitor

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    Get a Vista disc and do a repair install.
     
    Lithus, Apr 9, 2008
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  3. jb22

    jb22 Notebook Geek

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    Sorry for the additional post in the Asus thread. Will a repair install fix issues with the registry? Also my files that I want to recover are in the Public Pictures folder? Will they be safe during a repair install?
     
    jb22, Apr 9, 2008
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  4. Lithus

    Lithus NBR Janitor

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    Yes. That's the point of a repair install.
     
    Lithus, Apr 9, 2008
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  5. jb22

    jb22 Notebook Geek

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    Thanks, too bad you can't do a repair install off of the Asus recovery CD.
     
    jb22, Apr 9, 2008
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  6. ttupa

    ttupa Tech Elitist NBR Reviewer

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    Can you get to a command prompt? If so, maybe you can run the system file checker, or use command lines to repair Windows.
     
    ttupa, Apr 9, 2008
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  7. jb22

    jb22 Notebook Geek

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    How would I get to command prompt and what would I type?
     
    jb22, Apr 9, 2008
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