Cannot Get Past Startup Repair Screen

Emachines W5233

 

I think that you computer has a recovery partition. This can be accessed by pressing the F11 key when starting your computer. This should give you two options.

One of the options will be non destructive. (Repair the Windows installation without deleting your personal files)

The other option will be whats called Destructive, and will return your computer to its factory state. (This option will erase all of your personal data)


I realise that the above would be a last resort for you. But non the less...it could be a way forward.

 

Tapped F11 repeatedly but nothing happened, just went to the startup repair like usual..

is there another key it could be?

 

Looks like you are getting help here as well, Pentheon.

Advice from multiple sites can often confuse you.

http://forums.techgu...tup-repair.html

 

To be clear, there is nothing wrong with asking a question on several forums but there comes a point where it becomes unfair to ALL the forums if the people who are trying to help you are unaware of other advice being given. At some point you need to choose a thread in a particular forum and go with it.

 

I was planning on staying with this site, I'll ask to have that thread closed

 

That is up to you. We are happy to have you here and to keep helping to get you sorted.

 

Done...thanks for the help so far I appreciate it guys

 

I am confident we will find a solution.

This Easter weekend some of our Techies are away.

 

The Emachines W5233 has a recovery Partition.

The only way to access it is with the F11 key as PseFrank posted.

You have 3 seconds to press the F11 Key before Windows starts.

I would keep trying by both holding the F11 Key down or Repeatedly tapping the F11 key.

It's a matter of keep trying, and then select a non distructive recovery.

Let us know how you fare.

 

ive tried holding it and tapping it right after turning the pc on. I hear a clicking sounding noise for 2 to 3 seconds when I either held or tapped the button. Nothing different is coming up though.

It shows F10 or F2 on the first screen that shows up are the options I have

 

That clicking sound bothers me. Have you ever run a chkdsk on that drive? (Sorry if that was mentioned before but I did not read back.)

 

can you explain a way for me to do this...i just wanna make sure I do everything right

 

This should help you out: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Check-your-hard-disk-for-errors

 

I can't get to the desktop to try that though

 

Of course not, that was a bit silly of me. Here is the thing. Before we go further will you explain what you mean by the clicking sound that you mentioned. Usually when you try different keys during boot up you will get "beeps" from your MOBO. These differ from motherboard to motherboard.

But if the clicking is a sort of mechanical sound that indicates a failed or failing hard drive. Can you describe the sound that you get and when?

 

Further to what BeeCeeBee has asked, from your first post you indicated you can get into safe mode.

Is that correct?

 

Im not sure exactly on the clicking sound...wasnt loud and wasnt a beeping like when you press certain keys and it didnt last long, I'll try again and see if I can hear it...that was the first time I heard it when I posted that.

and DSTM no i cannot get into safe mode, I tried safe mode, safe mode with networking and safe mode with command prompt I think it was and the next screen just loaded a few lines of code I believe it was not the full screen of lines like it usually does and then just went to startup repair

 

It almost seems that we have reached an impasse here. I say almost...but not quite.

Possible options:

If as has been suggested/hinted your Hard drive is at fault, then this can be checked by connecting it to a healthy computer. This begs the questions....

Are you happy to delve inside the tower?
If you are, do you know how to remove the HDD?

Do you own or have access to an external enclosure? (Sometimes called a Caddy). This is the means by which you can connect your HDD to a healthy computer and check the disk for errors. You will of course also need access to another computer.

Note: The above method would also give you the opportunity to back up your personal files.

Note: If your HDD is dead or dying, you will obviously need to replace it. You would also have to purchase a new operating system.

Any other options I feel would involve taking your computer to a repair shop. It would be cheaper to buy an external enclosure and run the checks yourself.
We can advise you how to do this.

 

i have 2 other towers that I have that work and are just sitting in the other room...both compaqs

Im not sure how to take out the hard drive and put it in the other one...would that even work? I mainly just want to save all of my files some how but I also dont have an external hdd.