Windows Vista Can't Boot Vista

I've seen a few similar problems, but they all seem to be unresolved.

Basically, a few programs stopped responding the other day and I was eventually forced to just cut the power. When I switched it back on it attempted a 'Startup Repair'. It went on endlessly, making no apparent progress. I click cancel and it just freezes up on me. When I boot now, I get the option of running this 'Startup Repair' or starting windows normally. If I select 'Start Windows Normally' it ends up doing the stupid startup repair anyway..

I tried running in safe mode - no different.

I downloaded a Vista Recovery Disc and mounted it onto a CD, but that just results in a black screen.

I've installed Ubuntu and have used it to back-up the files on Vista, so I'm not worried about losing everything if your suggestion happens to involve that.


Thanks in advance.

 

As I said, it runs endlessly. Hours just doing the same thing (nothing).


@ Arie

I don't have a Vista DVD. Preinstalled as well as the Startup Repair thing.


There must be another way for me to get into command prompt though, right..?

 

You can run CheckDisk in Safe Mode Command Prompt too

 

It's a Toshiba Satellite L300.

Technology type: Intel Centrino processor technology featuring Intel Core2 Duo processor T6400, Intel GM45 Express chipset and Intel WiFi Link 5100
Clock speed: 2.00 GHz
Front Side Bus: 800 MHz
2nd level cache: 2 MB
Operating system: Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium Edition (pre-installed, Toshiba-HDD recovery)
System memory: 3 Gb
Maximum expandability: 8 Gb
Technology: DDR2 RAM (800 MHz)
Hard disk: 250 Gb 5400 rpm
Optical drive: DVD Super Multi drive (Double Layer) - CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-R(DL), DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+R(DL), DVD+RW, DVD-RAM
Maximum speed (Read): 24x CD-ROM, 8x DVD-ROM/
Maximum speed (Write): 24x CD-R, 4x CD-RW, 10x HS CD-RW, 24x US CD-RW, 8x DVD-R, 6x DVD-R (Double Layer), 6x DVD-RW, 8x DVD+R, 6x DVD+R (Double Layer), 8x DVD+RW, 5x DVD-RAM
Display: 15.4 inch Toshiba TruBrite WXGA TFT High Brightness display 1280 x 800


I'm starting to doubt that I'll be able to fix this, but I also can't see how I'm going to be able to just reinstall and start over.

A method to pretty much restore the factory settings would be appreciated.

Thanks for the feedback so far.

 

Sorry if I'm missing something really obvious here, but I can't actually log on to be able to create it? I'm running Ubuntu on this laptop (the dying one..) but do have access to a computer with Vista installed. Would a recovery disc made from that computer work on mine? It's Vista Business, whereas mine is Home Premium, if that makes any difference.

Thanks!

 

I figured I wouldn't be needing a recovery disc within a few weeks of getting it, so unfortunately I'd put off buying some blank CDs for a little while. Oh well.

Any other suggestions..? Anything I could download/buy that would just get me back with Vista, guaranteed, regardless of any data loss?

 

Download this System Recovery disc, and burn it to a new disc, then boot from it.