Jack0fDiam0ndz

Join Date 02/2008

Vista won't boot up! Please read!

HELP!

Ok i recently downloaded bootskins on vista on 2/18/08. i download some bootskins and decided to try it out so i restarted my computer. when booting it says Windows error recovery blah blah which mode do you want to boot in there is like "safe mode" "safe mode with command prompt" "normal" and others. i tried all of the options and every single time i do it it comes up with an error talking about the file C:\windows\system32\drivers\vidstub.sys is corrept and to put in my boot cd and stuff. i tried everything. after reading some of your posts i figured out that ultimatly i need to delete vidstub.sys BUT since i can't boot whatsoever i need a way or a program to be able to access my files so i can delete it. every mode is disabled including safe mode BTW. I have a HP Notebook Pavilion bought about 1 year ago with XP preinstalled then bought Vista Home Premium if that helps I apprieciate all the help you can give me! anything Thanks abunch, J@ck

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ZubaZ

Join Date 11/2001

+917

Wow. Bootskins is so not compatible with Vista at this time.

Find yourself a *nix LiveCD, boot to that, and then browse the Vista file system to delete the file (I think). I know it'd work in XP. have to hope it does the same in Vista.

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i can't say this but i need a bootskin matching the leo windowblinds skin! (

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CarGuy1

Join Date 03/2007

+548

I am writing this from memory so the choices may be a little off.
Put your Vista DVD in and boot to it. Go to restore a back up and let it search. I will come back and tell you it could not find a backup and ask you to find it manually. At that point you will have an explorer window that you can use to browse to the file you want to delete. Find your file, highlight it and hit the delete key on your keyboard, deleting the file. Reboot.

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ZubaZ

Join Date 11/2001

+917

Put your Vista DVD in and boot to it. Go to restore a back up and let it search. I will come back and tell you it could not find a backup and ask you to find it manually. At that point you will have an explorer window that you can use to browse to the file you want to delete. Find your file, highlight it and hit the delete key on your keyboard, deleting the file. Reboot.

Nice fix CarGuy!

ZubaZ wishes luck

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Thanks for the help carguy but unfortunatly it failed to work

when i clicked on "system restore" a window comes up and says

"No restore points have been created on your computer's system disk. To create a restore point open System Protection."

so i click on the system protection link and another mini window comes up that says

"Your computer is running in a limeted diagnostic state. If you use System Restor in this limeted state, you cannot undo the restore operation.

Help topics are not available in this state."

so i go back and click on "Windows complete PC Restore" and a mini window comes up saying

"No valid backup locations could be found.

Windows cannot find a backup on the hard disks or DVDs on this computer. Attach the correct hard disk or insert the last backup DVD and then start the restore process again"

so i put in my flash drive to see if i could trick it to letting me browse but it just did the same thing.

Zubaz i am looking for the *nix LiveCD thing. i am not sure what that is so if you could help me on that i would apprieciate it.

thanks,
jack

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Here is some info about LiveCD/LiveDistros

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ZubaZ

Join Date 11/2001

+917

Ubuntu or knoppix
It's an OS that can run off a bootable CD

http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download

So, on a PC that works, download this. Burn it to a cd. Put it in your "broken" PC and reboot.
Browse to your Vista file system (http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/mounting-windows-partition-onto-ubuntu-linux/)
Delete the file

I didn't say it would be easy. (

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ZubaZ

Join Date 11/2001

+917

An "easier" method using knoppix (no need to manually mount the drive): http://lifehacker.com/software/disk-recovery/geek-to-live--rescue-files-with-a-boot-cd-192982.php

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Ok. it is hard to find a link that will actually work to download knoppix and i don't neccisaryly trust those other sites with credit card info. if ANYONE knows ANY OTHER WAY how to fix this please help! now what if i formated my whole hard drive and reinstalled vista? the only thing im worried about is that my vista CD is an upgrade...and my computer started out with XP. if i formatted the drive would it let me install from the vista upgrade CD? or would it whipe out all of everything and not have any OS and not allowing me to install the vista CD?

allllll help is appreciated!

thanks!

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ok this maybe a stupid question but, can you boot into safe mode or will it continue to give you the boot error? IF it does allow you to boot into safe mode (fit F8 before it shows the windows boot screen..if you get it to late then just hit your reset button this will interupt the boot strap and it should ask you a few options,one will say safe mode)after getting into safe mode (hopefully you can) go to your control panel and choose "programs and features" and try to uninstall the boot program or if you can open the boot program and choose the restore boot screen option..hopefully this works for you.

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CarGuy1

Join Date 03/2007

+548

You can do a fresh install of vista from an upgrade dvd. Do a search on google for "Get Vista upgrade" and look for a article by Brian Livingston. It is supposed to be legal to do it but I don't think WinCustomize would approve of me posting the directions here.

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it does not let me enter safe mode but thanks anyway. i will try tht carguy thanks!

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BigDogBigFeet

Join Date 12/2005

+461

And, when you get done with this problem, you should also check your BIOS to see if your PC can be set to allow booting from CD and then make a bootable CD. I have one. In the event my hard disk crashed or system froze, there's a fair chance depending on the problem cause (hardware or software) of booting from it.

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Bebi Bulma

Join Date 04/2004

+209

check your BIOS to see if your PC can be set to allow booting from CD and then make a bootable CD

They *all* should, doesn't matter what the BIOS is. That's how I always installed Windows, boot from the disc.

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This may be dumb but..

I'm having this problem, with the vidstub.sys
My Windows Vista SP1 DVD was able to auto-correct the issue just by me hitting repair system.. But now I have no bootskins.

Is there any way to get bootskins to work with vista sp1?

I'm running: Windows Vista Ultimate SP1, fully updated

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Fuzzy Logic

Join Date 05/2002

+493

BootSkin does not run on Vista. Please do not try to use it...

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Nice that there was some warning of that..
I mean if it simply didn't work, and that was that, then fine.. just put req: windows xp..

But when it completely makes your system unbootable?

Yeah I think there needs to be a little warning like, for example:
WARNING DO NOT RUN THIS ON WINDOWS VISTA WE ARE TOO LAZY TO CODE A CHECK INTO IT SO THAT IT WILL NOT INSTALL IN VISTA BUT IF YOU INSTALL IT IN VISTA YOUR SYSTEM WILL BE AS USEFUL AS A BRICK UNTIL YOU FIND YOUR INSTALL MEDIA. ENJOY YOUR STAY AT STARDOCK.

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Fuzzy Logic

Join Date 05/2002

+493

From the download page:-

BootSkin

Price: Free

Stardock BootSkin is a program that allows users to change their Windows XP boot screens.

Unlike other programs that can change the Windows XP boot screens, BootSkin does so in a safe manner. It doesn't patch the Windows XP kernel. Nor does it require the user to download replacement Windows XP kernels to do so.

What is it about the phrase 'Windows XP' that is not clear?

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What is it about the phrase 'Windows XP' that is not clear?

The part where:
A) It does not explicitly say Windows Vista will not work.

It says it's SAFE, when it's clearly NOT SAFE FOR VISTA
C) It does not say Windows XP is a REQUIREMENT but rather says "can change Windows XP boot screens". Well, it _CAN_ change 2K as well, can't it? So one might assume that's just an example not a SYSTEM REQUIREMENT.

Like I said, if it simply didn't work and all there was to it was "oops it doesn't work, oh well" then fine, whatever, who cares.. BUT IT HOSES YOUR ENTIRE SYSTEM!!
I think something THAT SEVERE should warrant a SLIGHT warning about installing it in vista.

You seriously don't agree?

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Fuzzy Logic

Join Date 05/2002

+493

The key phrase is "Stardock BootSkin is a program that allows users to change their Windows XP boot screens". Read it again "Windows XP boot screens".

Sorry, but if people are unable to comprehend a simple statement like that then I have no sympathy.

Maybe I should try it on a Mac? Because it doesn't say you can't, then that should be ok, right?

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Nimbin

Join Date 01/2006

+118

and while we are at it, how about a warning that sqaure pegs wont fit into round holes

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PurrBall

Join Date 02/2003

+23

I have a BartPE disc that I made and that allows me to delete those things if I make a boo-boo.

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Fuzzy Logic

Join Date 05/2002

+493

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C) It does not say Windows XP is a REQUIREMENT but rather says "can change Windows XP boot screens".

3rd box down: https://www.stardock.com/products/bootskin/

System Requirements:

* Windows XP
* 10MB free drive space
* 256MB RAM

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