System automatically boots into recovery console. Cant get to windows.

[RVStevenson]

I have a HP Pavillion that automatically boots into recovery console upon power up. Windows never starts to load, and there is no safe mode option menu, even when pressing F8 during startup. There is no media in any of the drives. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Ryan V. Stevenson
Specialty Services Director

National Support Network
East Lansing, MI - USA

Ryan@itpayz.com

http://www.itpayz.com

 

[ScottCr]

From the recovery console (as thats all you have) take a look at your boot.ini file. It's possible that its now configured to boot straight to the recovery console without waiting for an option to be chosen.

http://scottcross.blogspot.com

Windows and NT Admin.

 

[CGIMana]

The NTFS file system could have gotten screwed up. And it's booting into the recovery beacuse that's how HP designed it's Recovery Program..on a hidden partition on the HD..so you may very well just need to restore your system..there should be an option to not destroy any data that is already on it..just to make sure however, hook your HD to a working machine and pull off the data you need to save. (if you don't have a way to do this take apart any external drive and hoook the HD up to that, if the device inside the box is IDE...

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[RVStevenson]

ScottCR: Being unfamiliar with recovery console, can you tell me how I would use it to review the boot.ini and what I might look for?

CGImana: This sounds like the case to me, but I was tring to find a way around a system restore. Do you know what the differences are between a HP System Restore and a Repair Install of Windows? Also, do you know if I need a system restore cd when using the HP System Restore from the hidden partition?

Thanks,

Ryan V. Stevenson
Specialty Services Director

National Support Network
East Lansing, MI - USA

Ryan@itpayz.com

http://www.itpayz.com

 

[CGIMana]

HP was tired of noobs and old ladies misplacing their recovery CD's and other such stuff. So they added this feature. The option should be in the BIOS. But if you only want to try a repair..bborrow a friend OEM install XP cd..and use the key on the side of your system. Make sure it's an OEM Copy other wise you'll wast your install time..the repair featur will only delete your Windows folder, any programs that depend on system files in the wondows folder will also need to be reinstalled.

-Hoped I helped. Don't forget to donate to keep this site running like we like it. <a href="/supportus.cfm">Donate</a>

 

[ScottCr]

when you're in the recovery console type

edit boot.ini

then take a look at the value after 'timeout='

Though I think CGIMana is on the right track.

You can however try running a checkdisk from the recovery console. Just type

chkdsk

http://scottcross.blogspot.com

Windows and NT Admin.

 

[linney]

HP Pavilion Desktop PC - Creating Recovery CDs Using HP's Recovery CD Creator

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&docname=bph08097&dlc=en&lang=en

RECOVERY WITH HP DISKS

http://www.pctechbytes.com/hprecovery.htm