""Logon Process Initialization Failure" error message

I'm completely unable to access any information on my Samsung laptop with Windows 7 as of a few days ago. I get this ""Logon Process Initialization Failure" error message. Unfortunately, we just moved and have misplaced any CDs that came with the laptop. I tried every option in Safe Mode, too, and nothing works. I don't want to have to reformat my hard drive just to get it to work. I did just burn a copy of the Repair Disk from a neighbor's Windows 7 computer. After having my laptop boot from it, it looked like it was using info off of it, but it put me into the same Safe Mode windows options after that, and the repair-computer option did nothing to solve my issue once the laptop rebooted. Thanks.

I have not found anyone who successfully fixed this without doing a reinstall. Since you can't find your Win 7 DVD, you can download a legal copy here: Download Windows 7 ISO (Official 32-bit and 64-bit Direct Download Links)

Make sure you get the same version you already have as the key will only work that one.

You won't be able to do a Repair Install since Microsoft, in it's infinite wisdom, decided that was only possible from a booted system, so you have two choices.

1. Do a parallel install, leaving the current install there and installing another Win 7 along side of it. The main benefit of doing this is it gives you access to all your data.
2. Do a Clean Install. This will wipe all your data so you need to back it up first. There are a couple ways to do it. The easiest is a to use Copy & Paste from the Recovery Console. See here: How to Copy & Paste in Recovery Console on Windows 7 or Vista. An alternative is to create a Live Puppy Linux CD, boot it then backup your data.

Use Puppy Linux to backup your data:
Download the bootable Puppy Linux iso image. Get the latest version available, currently pup-431.iso. If you don't have a burning program that will burn .iso files get burncdcc, a small FAST no frills iso burning program or ImgBurn, another small, fast and simple burner.

NOTE…do not put a blank cd in until burncdcc opens the tray for you.

1. Start BurnCDCC
2. Browse to the .iso file you want to burn on cd/dvd ……in this case its puppy linux
3. Select the .iso file
4. Suggestion…. Check the option "Fix close"
5. Click on "Start"

Make sure in the BIOS Setup, the CD/DVD drive is the first boot device. Put the Puppy Linux CD in the drive, then reboot your computer. Puppy will boot and run totally in ram. After you get it running and you're at the Puppy Desktop, take the CD out and then you can use the burner software to save all your data to CD/DVD. You can also use it to backup your data to a external USB harddrive or Flash drive, just have it hooked to the computer when you boot up with Puppy.

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Quick guide for saving data from Puppy Linux:

After you get to puppy desktop, click on the drives icon. It looks like a flash drive, top row. It will list all the drives connected your computer.

Click on the Red icon for the drive you want to mount, perhaps a flash drive. Puppy will mount the drive. The drive icon turns green when its mounted.

Minimize the drives mounter window. You will need it again in a few minutes. Drag the right edge of it sideways to shrink it to its narrowest size, then drag the window to the right edge of the screen.

Now click on the icon that looks like a filing cabinet (kind of yellow) on the main drive. It should already be green. You will see a list of all the folders on the main drive (Usually C:). Shrink that window to the narrowest you can. Drag that window to the left side of the screen. At this point you should have 2 windows open on your desktop, Flash drive on the right and C: on the left. Go back to the folders on the C: drive. Click on the Documents and Settings folder, then your user name or all users. Find the folders that has your data then drag and drop the folder with the data you want to make copies of to the flash drive window.

Your options are to move, copy, ect. Select COPY. If its to big you will have to open the folder and drag and drop individual files until the flash drive is full.

Click on the drives mounter you minimized earlier. Unmount the Flash drive by clicking on the green icon. You will once in awhile get error messages when unmounting the drive, ignore them. When the flash drive icon turns red again its safe to remove the flash drive.

Plug the Flash drive into the other computer then copy all the data files ( I drag and drop) to the other computer. Make sure the other computer can read them.

Now delete the data on the flash drive, then take it back to the other computer and repeat until all data is copied.

Above taken from here: Help with Windows XP (Won't Start) on GeeksToGo.

Question - the neighbor I got with yesterday who had the Windows 7 system may have a Windows 7 OS CD, also. Is it possible to borrow that and use it to try and fix my issue with, since I don't know where my CD is? Or is the disk specific to the OS on the computer (like the serial numbers have to match, etc)?

Just has to be the same version, Starter, Home Premium, Pro, Ultimate and correct 32 or 64 bit.

Edit: One other possibility I just thought of.

I think you can run System File Checker from the Recovery Console: sfc /scannow

That might fix the problem.

I got this message when I tried your command from the command prompt in Recovery Console - or at least, I think I'm in Recovery Console. I have no way of knowing if it's booting off that drive or not.

There is a system repair pending which requires reboot to complete. Restart Windows and run sfc again.

Run the Startup Repair from the install DVD 3 times in succession. From what I have read, it only seems to fix one major problem at a time and often running it up to 3 times does the trick. If not I think you are at the point where you need to backup your data and reinstall, Parallel or Clean.