Error loading operating system

I have a Gateway LT31 Netbook that is 14 months old. It has * Dual-core AMD Athlon™ 64 Windows Vista Home Basic with: * 2GB DDR2 memory * 250GB hard drive1 I did not do a recovery when the computer ask because I was in a hurry to get to work when I clicked no the computer went down and now all I can get is the Gateway logon screen and then it goes to a flashing cursor in the left corner and after a minute displays "Error loading operating system." I rebooted, used alt F10 and got to the Recovery Console located on the hard drive. I tried to recover saving data and it would not. So I tried to recover without saving data. It seem to try and then displayed the message that it could not recover. I went to the Gateway site and they said I had to buy an external cd rom drive as this netbook does not have a cd drive and also I had to order the Gateway Media Disk to reinstall the os. Sent those guys $20 for the disks and bought the external drive. When I tried to load the Systems Disk that I got from Gateway, the netbook showed it was loading files .. good. Then it went to a screen that says to "wait a moment" Well, the moment is about 20min, then takes me to the Recovery Console on the hard drive and never ask for the other 2 disks. The Recovery Console will now not let me do anything. Everything is greyed out. I have been on this for a week and have tried everything I know. Of course I changed the boot priorty in the Bios to the external that holds the systems disk but the external drive seems to go dead after the files load and I'm back to the Recovery Console that does nothing. Just looks at me with the greyed out choices, even the "exit" doesn't work although it doesn't look greyed out. When I tried loading another os that I had that had not been loaded on another computer ( an old Windows 2000 Professional) and the display sceen was "Unable to load operating system" after the initial copyright carp**. So I could see that it reconized the 2000 disk. But now when I tried to load the 2000 disk again so I could tell you exacally what was on the screen, it won't display anything. the external drive comes on for a second then it goes back to the black screen with the error message : Error loading operating system. Does anyone have any idea what I should do. I sure do not want to pay the Geek Squad. The computer cost me $400 14 months ago. Just out of warranty and I have never used their tech services. So if I can try something else I will. I cannot get a boot record by pushing F12. I have enabled and disabled everything I can think of in the bios. Please offer suggestions if you have any. Thanks, Virginia

Hi Virginia, As I read, it appears that you have used a sensible trouble-shooting and repair strategy, to no avail. Good efforts on your part. Sorry about the poor results. Will you consider purchasing a new Hard Drive for the machine. With a fresh HD, you should be able to install Vista from the Restore disks you have already purchased from Gateway. Once you have the machine functional, you may be able to salvage data, documents, media, etc from the present Hard Drive. Notice, I phrased the suggestion of a new hard drive as a question. You can answer no, if you choose. Other options I might investigate will include routines to repair the master boot record which poses a risk of destroying all existing system and information on the current disk.

Thank you so much for the prompt reply. I don't have a lot of data on the netbook that I can't live without so I am ready to try the boot repair routines because if I have to swap out the hard drive, I've lost it all anyway. I can see the boot folder on the Systems disk that I got from Gateway but I don't understand why it doesn't actually boot from that disk. Or any disk for that matter. And, you know, I really don't have to understand the reason why, just want to get the pc up and running again. thanks again for your prompt response and any instructions or links to help me try to repair the boot sector would be greatly appreciated followed, of coruse, followed by a donation to the cause. Sincerely, Virginia

Here you go Virginia,

"How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows".

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392

Cheers,
Lee

Lee, Thank you for your input regarding my problem. Here is my dilemma: To run the Bootrec.exe tool, you must start Windows RE. To do this, follow these steps: 1. Put the Windows Vista or Windows 7 installation disc in the disc drive, and then start the computer. I have the Systems disk that I bought from Gateway. The netbook did not come with a Vista installation disk. So I put that in the external cd drive to boot from ande thenit will start to load files. If I try to boot directly from the hard drive, it does nothing after the logo except the black screen and after a minute or so, the error message. 2. Press a key when you are prompted. The systems disk will start loading files then displays "wait a moment" Nothing happens after that for a while then the Recovery Console appears with everything greyed out. I am never directed to "press a key". If I try to exit, it does nothing. As if the computer is frozen with a little hand cursor that I can move around the screen but nothing else. I left it on all night at that point to see if it would eventually do something or make the choices clickable, to no avail. Therefore, the rest of the instructions are mute. About an hour ago I got a different screen. This one says: "the boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible". Press continue or exit. I could not press anything on that screen either. Those choices did not do anything. Again, a frozen screen except I could move around a useless cursor. Thanks again for your effort to help. Virginia

Hmmm, I see your point.

Take Doug's advice and buy a new Hard Drive as they are very cheap at the moment.

What I would try first though is a bit of personnel data salvage. There are various ways to do this, but my favorite is to use "Puppy Linux". A tiny Operating System that will load into and run from your memory (no need to instal to a HD) and can easily save data from your present HD to an External Drive, CD or DVD.

Download Puppy Linux ISO:
http://puppylinux.org/main/Download%20Latest%20Release.htm


Puppy Linux : Burning Linux ISO Basics
http://pupweb.org/wikka/BurningLinuxIsoBasics

Recover files from Windows Vista hard disk using Puppy Linux (print out the instuctions).
http://help.artaro.eu/index.php/windows-vi…disk-vista.html

Cheers,
Lee

Hello again octotroph,

Can you still reach RE "without having the Gateway Vista Disk"?

That is… without the external Optical Drive, can you attempt boot and immediately start tapping F8 to get into RE from the Hard Drive only.

If so, do you have the StartUp Repair option?

Note: "StartUp Repair" may only be available if you have "not" installed Vista Operating System from removable Disk media.

Thus, If your attempts with Windows 2000 install and/or with Gateway Vista Disk made any progress of installing operating system, you may have limited choices.
_____________________

Try StartUp Repair…. without the External Optical Drive.

If StartUp Repair failes (it will try (3) three successive times) do you then have a command prompt (blinking cursor)?

If so, at that point, consider runing CHECKDISK by typing "chkdsk /r" (without the quotes) at the blinking cursor.

Keep us posted.

Hey Guys! I didn't get email notification that you had responded so I didn't check yesterday. Sorry. Here is an update. I still have the same problem. However, I bought a new hard drive just like the one that came with it: Installed it and then tried to load the Windows 2000 Professional disk. Then I got a boot mgr error. So would not install on the new drive. I then tried to use the system disk from Gateway on the new drive (I'm desperate, trying everything). It loaded up the the request for the 1st repair disk. When I put the 1st repair disk in, it just kept asking for it. Like t didn't know it was there. Tried it again, to no avail. I didn't really think it would work since there was no system on the new disk to begin with. So I reinstalled the old disk and tried once more to use Gateways System Disk. Same thing. Do you think it could be something on the motherboard considering the new hard drive would not load with Windows 2000? Don't know how that could have happen but I know it does. I don't want to buy a new operating system to find out. Thats at least 200 bucks, half the cost of the computer new. And if it is the motherboard then I can't return it. Diagnostics at Staples cost 70. What do you guys think? Again, thanks for your time and patience. Even if we don't get it fixed, I will tell everyone I know how wonderful you guys have been in trying to help me. Thanks again, Virginia PS Lee, I didn't try the Linux thing because there isn''t any data on there that I can't live without. Thanks for the thought.

Is your Bios recognizing the Hard Drive and do you have CD set as first boot (look in "boot order")? At start-up, enter your Bios. To do that, your initial boot-up screen will say "press F7 or F11 (or something) to enter bios. Personally, I just start pressing the "delete" key to enter bios as various PC brands use different F keys. Cheers, Lee

Yes my Bios sees the hard drive. I put the external as the first boot order. I did that first thing when I got the external drive (push F2) with the hard drive to boot next. Then there is PCI Lan Realtek Boot Agent. Somewhere along the way I thought that Boot Agent might be corrupt so I temporarily disabled it. To no avail. I'm thinking of throwing this thing in the trash, but I hate to let it beat me. Thanks, Virginia

You need to have CD as first boot, not your HD. ( so you can install Windows 2000).

Lee, I said in an earlier post that I had bought an external cd drive and put it first in the priorty order in the Bios. So, the cd is first in order to boot. My netbook does not have a cd drive so I had to purchase one. sorry for the misunderstanding. I can certainly see how you might have missed that considering all the info I have tried to convey. Thanks, Virginia

Hello again, I edited the last post but I guess it didn't take. Considering everything that I have done and tried to do, do you think that it could be a problem in the motherboard? It doesn't make sense to me but I'm not an expert. However, another thing I tried when I installed the new hard drive was that I tried to install a windows nt workstation when the 2000 wouldn't work and I got the bsod with a lot of code and boot error. Now that sounds like a problem elsewhere. So I guess the question is: Could the motherboard have a processing problem that would show up as a boot error without the usual error beeps on startup? As you can see, I am now wandering aimlessly. Taking way too much time and effort. Thanks for your time and interest. Virginia

Hi Virginia,

No, you can't rule out a motherboard problem, but on a PC less than 2yrs. old it's quite probable that something else is causing the fault.

Maybe the CMOS needs re-setting, but the trouble with most laptops is you have to get to the motherboard to remove and then replace the battery (after about 10min.).
I did look up your laptop model and for re-setting the CMOS it says to take the PC to a service center, which means taking it apart to get to the motherboard battery.

You could try re-setting the Bios to fail-safe defaults as you said you messed around in there quite a bit and some vital settings might be incorrectly set.

Unless one of the more "sage" PC techs here has any recommendations as to what you might try to fix this problem, you might now be in the regrettable position of having to carefully weigh-up your future options regarding this laptop. Unless the problems is something simple and obvious, servicing and repair costs on a $400 laptop could easily be uneconomical.

What I wouldn't do is buy another $400 laptop as like all things, you tend to get what you pay for and it too might only last just past the warranty period.
Unless you really need a laptop (and in that case I wouldn't spend less than $700), a cheap desktop might be a better alternative. All components are easily owner upgraded, replaced or serviced, not so with a laptop (I've never owned one).

Cheers,
Lee

NT and/or Win 2000 do not have the necessary drivers for that system so I would expect it to BSOD.

Please try wiping the old hard drive using DBAN (Darick's Boot and Nuke). Download the iso file then use it to create a bootable CD. You can do this on any computer, doesn't have to be the Netbook.

Boot it and when prompted, type autonuke and press Enter.
Let it run for a few minutes, longer is not necessary. All you're trying to do is make the disk unformatted (raw).

Now try the Recovery CD from Gateway and see what happens.