Vista Blue Screen of DOOM !... BUT Linux still works !

[#1]

I'l look on the web
how you can   if all else fails and as a last resort
reinstall windows over the top of  your existing windows so as to keep all your program files and folders etc
and just install the windows bit
forget that idea, its considered like installing windows  twice using just  one product key  

[#2]

now one has 3 choices
1)fix your registry using Last Known Good Configuration.
2)restore your system using - the most   recent  workable  restore point saved on your pc
using the system restore tool from the boot able windows dvd placed in your dvd drive

3)manual registry fix-for advanced users only
or
format , clean windowsinstall after backing up all your data
in that order

[#3]

Ok. Giro, looks like the first two have defintely been tried and tested, and did not work, so option 3a (manually fixing)  is on the cards...!    if that doesn`t work, I think I will be buying a new HDD first and installing it as a fresh install on that.... and then using my caddy, transfer my files and folders...
Thanks for your help so far.... will attempt the manual stuff tomorrow, (after printing off the instructions on your linky`s.. !)

[#4]

If you boot into Linux, you will be able to access your Windows files and copy them to DVD or USB or another disk or whatever...

[#5]

Yes, I am running on Linux Mint 9 now.... so can access the windows files/folders direct..... when I get the new HDD I will "caddy" this one and do a drag and drop from the old to the new...
Thanks

[#6]

I know Giro is trying to help but there is absolutely no point in doing a "manual system restore"  if the standard System Restore you ran from the Vista Repair Console ran successfully to completion but did not cure the BSOD.  Those instructions pertain to Windows XP, which does not have a Repair Console facility that allows you to run System Restore without starting Windows.
About the only thing left to try is to go back to the Repair Console and run chkdsk from a command prompt, as I suggested earlier.
If that fails either you have a very obscure form of error which cannot be undone by System Restore or you have a hardware fault to which your Linux installation is insensitive.

[#7]

Quote from: ReedRichards

... you have a hardware fault to which your Linux installation is insensitive.

Or you have a Windows 7 bug.

[#8]

some do say to run chkdsk
as it maybe a hardware fault
others say they tried  fixMBR fixBOOT etc to get windows to boot
but no one appears to show  anything that corrects this problem other than fixConfig
not sure what that is as we are in complicated territory  now

if that doesn`t work,(dont bother) I think I will be buying a new HDD first and installing it as a fresh install on that.... and then using my caddy, transfer my files and folders... - on this occasion this fix sounds about right

[#9]

Quote from: A

Or you have a Windows 7 bug.

Vista, Jeremy, this is Vista.  Do pay attention.

[#10]

Quote from: giro

some do say to run chkdsk

Yes, me, I said it twice!  It cannot do any harm.

Quote from: giro

it maybe a hardware fault

I know Linux still works but it's probably less pernickety than Windows.

Quote from: giro

others say they tried  fixMBR fixBOOT etc to get windows to boot

If you want to go down that road, you could first try running bcdedit from the command window. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc709667(WS.10).aspx

Quote from: giro

but no one appears to show  anything that corrects this problem other than fixConfig not sure what that is as we are in complicated territory  now

I think it's a figment of somebody's imagination.

[#11]

Quote from: ReedRichards

Quote from: giro it maybe a hardware fault I know Linux still works but it's probably less pernickety than Windows.

Got to LOVE that quote 

[#12]

Just been away to google Windows Vista Boot repair, and came up with a page that suggests getting through the first stages of repair, then getting into the command and enter
Bootrec.exe
then this gives several /FixBoot  /FixMbr  etc, with what they actually do.... so I tried
Bootrec /FixBoot  after a few seconds it said it had completed sucessfully, went back to re-start/re-boot, but still no go...    will try  Bootrec /FixMbr in a mo, but have a local computer firm (Novatech) that sells 250gb SATA 2.5 inch Laptop Drive by Western Digital for £31.95 inc vat.... so will be off to see them 9 am monday morning ! ! !..
Thanks for all your advice tips and "funny notes" (re Linux!).... Keeps me off the streets, and stops me mugging old ladies/vandalising phone boxes etc.... ! 

[#13]

Ooops!.... Should not have done the /FixMbr    been and gone and lost my boot for Linux Mint ! ... 
am running on a live dvd at the moment..... anyone help with restoring my boot for Linux Mint please! ? ? ?
(If I click on Install, I will get a second copy on my partition..... so don`t want to do that, just to get the boot choice page up again if I can have my old one back !)

[#14]

omg
Presumably you can get into the BIOS -- check that the drive is being recognized and that any settings are correct for that type of drive.
perhaps you can make  the linux partition your first boot drive until a  fix comes to mind
as you were going to lose your boot sequences and that with a new hard disk anyway
or boot from the windows dvd and goto the linux partition
just found this http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749177%28WS.10%29.aspx

found this
Boot.ini is one of the very first files that come into play when a Windows XP system is started up. It is a plain text file that is kept in the system root, so it is usually C:\boot.ini. Because it is an essential system file, the attributes are set to hidden, system, read-only to protect it. That means that it will not appear in the file lists in My Computer or Windows Explorer unless the default Windows settings are changed to show hidden files.
Boot.ini contains the location of the Windows XP operating system on the computer. If there is a multi-boot system, the locations of of any other operating systems are also contained. During the startup process, functions from the Windows XP file named "Ntldr" are in charge of getting the proper operating system loaded and Ntldr looks at boot.ini to find out where the operating systems are located and whether a menu should be displayed. Boot.ini can also include entries giving boot options such as Safe Mode or the Recovery Console.

[#15]

Yes, I think I can get into the Bios,  but how do I make the Linux partition the first boot ?