Cannot boot Normal Startup in windows 7

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Today, for no apparent reason, my computer would not boot correctly. (Windows 7 64x Professional.)
Msconfig will not accept Normal Startup or Diagnostic Startup but only Selective Startup with only grey arrows in the boxes.
As a result there are only a few services loaded and I cannot start any more. I have no Internet connection, no Sound, etc.

My system has 3 hard drives with a different OS on each: C: Windows 7, D: Windows XP and F: Windows Technical Preview (10). XP and 10 boot normally and all functions work correctly.

I have a clean image file backup which I installed using my rescue disk but the reinstallation of the image did not fix the problem

I cannot run Backup and Restore, sfc /scannow,
Device Manager shows everything normal.
I ran both TDDSKiller from cd and found no malware.
I have run out of ideas other than a complete wipe and reinstall so I am hoping that someone out there in cyber space has some useful suggestions

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If you are able to boot to the Advanced boot page by tapping F8 as you switch on, you can try Last Known Good Configuration.

You can also select Safe Mode with Command Prompt and see if the sfc /scannow will execute then.

Using the Safe Mode with Networking option to see if connectivity returns can determine if it’s your AV program or something that you’ve downloaded is causing the mayhem.

You should also have a Repair your Computer option.

You can use this to navigate to the Recovery Environment (RE) to select either Startup Repair and run that up to three times (although it never seems to be able to resolve anything), use the Restore Point option or select the Command Prompt where you can enter chkdsk c: /r to see what that reports.

As you have recently restored with a system image, check to see if you have any restore points first before trying that option.

As I assume you have an install disk for your Win 7 Pro you can also boot up with that and do something with the MBR http://www.7tutorials.com/command-prompt-fix-issues-your-boot-records

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Thanks for your excellent and quick response.
I have solved the problem but I don’t know what caused it. After thinking about all of the different issues at fault, I wondered if somehow the BIOS got screwed up. My Gigabyte MB has a CMOS reset switch so I used it, rebooted and the problems were gone!

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Thanks for your excellent and quick response.
I have solved the problem but I don’t know what caused it. After thinking about all of the different issues at fault, I wondered if somehow the BIOS got screwed up. My Gigabyte MB has a CMOS reset switch so I used it, rebooted and the problems were gone!

Thanks for posting your solution.

Here’s a tip for other dual (or triple) booters. If you suspect malware in an OS that won’t boot properly, you can run your AV/AM on that OS from the one that will boot as it should. The malware’s defenses are useless when the infected OS is not booted, and the malware is much more easily eradicated.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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Thanks for posting you solution.

Here’s a tip for other dual (or triple) booters. If you suspect malware in an OS that won’t boot properly, you can run your AV/AM on that OS from the one that will boot as it should. The malware’s defenses are useless when the infected OS is not booted, and the malware is much more easily eradicated.

While that procedure will fix some issues, I don’t believe the AM/AV software will scan the registry of the infected OS. I would try safe mode scanning first.

Jerry

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While that procedure will fix some issues, I don’t believe the AM/AV software will scan the registry of the infected OS. I would try safe mode scanning first.

Jerry

AV/AM software does not launch regedit to scan the registry. It scans the hive files in the Windows folder. Online, malware can put up defenses. Offline, nothing is active, no defenses are resident live anywhere, and the hive files are still the hive files.

Whenever I’ve dealt with client machines that were infected and their AV/AM was ineffective, I’ve done an offline scan (put the drive in a dock) using my AV/AM, and I’ve never had a problem with producing a clean machine using that method. I hardly ever use safe mode for anything.

Windows Defender Offline works in the same way. It boots into its own tiny version of Windows OS, goes online for definition updates, and then scans the suspect Windows installation while it’s offline. All the AV/AM defenses are dead, and it has nowhere to hide.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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I agree that an off line scan, either from another OS or a drive dock is the safest, but I’ve never run into a problem using On line or Safe Mode scanning with my AV/AM of choice. I was just never sure that the registry would be scanned off line, but what you say makes sense.

Jerry

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I agree that an off line scan, either from another OS or a drive dock is the safest, but I’ve never run into a problem using On line or Safe Mode scanning with my AV/AM of choice. I was just never sure that the registry would be scanned off line, but what you say makes sense.

Jerry

I’ve dealt with some non-booters and partial-booters where even boot options were unavailable. There are some tenacious bits of malware out there, particularly those where the user clicks on a link in an email while running as a member of the Administrators group—those get unfettered access to everything, killing any and all AV/AM programs so that they aren’t even accessible from any angle except from offline.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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Another way is to remove the HDD from the PC and connect it to another PC, then boot the other PC as normal. Once Windows is running you can run scans on the attached suspect HDD.

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Another way is to remove the HDD from the PC and connect it to another PC, then boot the other PC as normal. Once Windows is running you can run scans on the attached suspect HDD.

Whenever I’ve dealt with client machines that were infected and their AV/AM was ineffective, I’ve done an offline scan (put the drive in a dock) using my AV/AM, and I’ve never had a problem with producing a clean machine using that method.

An offline scan is an offline scan. Using a drive dock just eliminates the need to open up a PC in order to do it.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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It’s difficult to know what could have screwed up the BIOS but glad you got it sorted and thanks for the update.

You can use the Thread Tools dropdown to Mark Thread as Solved if you’re happy and want to close the thread.

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