Boot problems Recenty I was creating a new recovery point using Symantec's Save & REstore saving the backup to an external hard drive. The power went out during the process and I am unable to boot the computer. No I just get an error message sayin "load error! Press a key to reboot" Any thoughts?

Backup important files and data

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel window, click System and Maintenance, and then click Back Up and Restore Center.
3. Under Back up files or your entire computer, click Back up files.If the User Account Control window appears, and you are prompted for an administrator password or a confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.
4. On the Where do you want to save your backup? page, choose the location in which to save the backup. To do this, click either On a hard disk, CD, or DVD or On a network, and then specify the location. If you select a hard disk, be sure to save the backup to an external drive such as a USB key or USB hard drive.
   
5. Click Next.
6. On the Which file types do you want to backup? page, click to select the check boxes next to the types of files that you want to back up, and then click Next.
7. On the How often do you want to create a backup? page, leave the defaults as they are and click Save settings and start backup, to back up the files to the specified location. Backup will save the files in the background and may take several minutes to complete. If you specified a removable drive, Backup may prompt you to enter an additional blank disc if more than one is necessary to hold all your files. Be sure to label your discs thoroughly (such as "My Files Disc 1" etc.) so you can quickly restore them later.
   Once the Backup Complete message appears, you are ready to proceed with the next step.
   

Remove non-essential peripherals

Except for the monitor, keyboard, and mouse, remove all external peripherals including:
An external peripheral is a device that connects to a port on the front, side or back of the computer, like a printer or memory key.

• Scanner
• Printer
• Modem or Network cables
• Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
• USB flash drive or other external Hard Drive
• Any other external devices (e.g., USB-attached devices)
• Remove the computer from the docking station, if you are using one.

Restore the computer's software to original condition.

An external peripheral is a device that connects to a port on the front, side or back of the computer, like a printer or memory key.

1. Turn on the computer.
2. As the computer starts, press < F8 > on the keyboard until the Advanced Boot Options menu appears on the screen. You must press before the Windows logo appears on the screen. If you press after the Windows logo appears on the screen, the Advanced Boot Options menu will not appear on the screen. If you do not see the Advanced Boot Options menu, restart the computer, and then repeat this step until you see the menu on the screen.
   
3. Press the < Down Arrow > on the keyboard to select Repair Your Computer on the Advanced Boot Options menu, and then press < Enter >.
4. Specify the language settings that you want, and then click Next.
5. Log in as a user who has administrative credentials, and then click OK.
6. Click Dell Factory Image Restore.
7. In the Dell Factory Image Restore window, click Next.
8. Click to select the Yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition check box.
9. Click Next. The computer is restored to the default factory configuration.
   
10. When the restore operation is completed, click Finish to restart the computer. The software is now installed as it was when the computer was first received.
    

Restore your personal files and data from backups

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel window, click System and Maintenance, and then click Back Up and Restore Center .
3. Under Restore files or your entire computer, click Advanced Restore.
4. On the What do you want to restore? page, click Files from a backup made on a different computer and click Next.
5. Locate the backup you created earlier by browsing to it now. If you saved the backup to CD(s) or DVD, insert that disc now. Once the backup is located and selected, click Next.
6. On the Select the files and folders to restore page, click Restore everything in this backup then click Next. Backup will restore the files to your computer. If you are restoring from a removable drive and used more than one blank disc, Backup will prompt you to enter the next disc in the set as necessary. Depending on the number of files and their sizes, this process may take several minutes.
   

Do not rename the backup folder created by Samsung Recovery Solution or change the directory structure in the backup. If the name or structure has changed SRS will not see your recovery point when you attempt to perform a restore.

This restores the PC to the condition it was in when the Complete Backup was made. If a Complete Backup was never made, this can still be used to restore the PC to its initial status. (Out of the Box condition)

Warning: A Complete restore erases all current files, settings, programs and other data and replaces them with the files, settings, programs and other data contained in the Complete Backup. In other words, it restores your computer to the way it was when you made the Complete Backup. Also, note that any programs installed after the Complete Backup will still need to be reinstalled.

Important:

• If you have data that you need to save, create a Data Backup before performing a Complete Restore. With Data Backup you can save your files to an external device and then use Data Restore to load those files back onto the PC.
• If the computer powers on, but Windows does not load, press the F4 Key at the Samsung logo when you first power on the computer; and then go to step 2.
• If the Samsung Recovery partition has been removed from your PC, your notebook will need to be sent to the service center for reimaging.

To perform a Complete Restore, follow these steps:

1. Open Samsung Recovery Solution 5.

1. Once Samsung Recovery Solution 5 loads, click Restore. The Restore dialog appears.
2. Click Complete Restore. The Restore > Complete Restore dialog appears.

1. On the Restore > Complete Restore dialog, there is list of backups created using Complete Backup and the expected time needed to perform a restore with each backup. If no backups have been created then the Computer Initial Status backup is the only item listed. Click the backup you would like to use for this restore, and then click Next.

Important: Make sure you have power connected to the PC. If power is lost during a restore, you need to start the process again from the beginning.

1. Samsung Recovery Solution 5 prompts you to restart the computer to continue. Click OK to restart the computer.

Warning: If you have data on drive C that you do not want to lose, stop now and perform a Data Backup.

1. The computer restarts and Samsung Recovery Solution 5 prompts you to click Yes to Delete all data on drive C. Click yes to proceed.
2. A progress bar appears showing the current transfer speed, the amount of data copied, elapsed time and estimated total time to completion.
3. After the Complete Restore is complete, Samsung Recovery Solution 5 prompts you to restart your computer. Click OK to restart.
4. After you restart your computer, the restore process is complete.

Note: You will need to perform an additional restart for Windows to apply its changes.

Knowledge Base

Restoring Your Computer´s Software to the Factory Settings for Windows Vista

Table of Contents:

1. Backup important files & data.
2. Remove non-essential peripherals.
3. Restore the computer's software to original condition.
4. Restore your personal files and data from backups.
5. Download and install driver updates

This article provides information on restoring your computer´s software to the factory settings.
Dell has designed two new backup and restore programs.
Dell Inspiron, Studio, and XPS computers use DataSafe Local Backup 2.0 as the PC Restore/Factory Image Restore option as of April 22, 2009.
Dell OptiPlex, Latitude, Vostro, and Precision computers use Dell Backup and Recovery Manager as the PC Restore/Factory Image Restore option as of May 26, 2009.

Backup important files and data

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel window, click System and Maintenance, and then click Back Up and Restore Center.
3. Under Back up files or your entire computer, click Back up files.
   If the User Account Control window appears, and you are prompted for an administrator password or a confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.
4. On the Where do you want to save your backup? page, choose the location in which to save the backup. To do this, click either On a hard disk, CD, or DVD or On a network, and then specify the location. If you select a hard disk, be sure to save the backup to an external drive such as a USB key or USB hard drive.
   
5. Click Next.
6. On the Which file types do you want to backup? page, click to select the check boxes next to the types of files that you want to back up, and then click Next.
7. On the How often do you want to create a backup? page, leave the defaults as they are and click Save settings and start backup, to back up the files to the specified location. Backup will save the files in the background and may take several minutes to complete. If you specified a removable drive, Backup may prompt you to enter an additional blank disc if more than one is necessary to hold all your files. Be sure to label your discs thoroughly (such as "My Files Disc 1" etc.) so you can quickly restore them later.
   Once the Backup Complete message appears, you are ready to proceed with the next step.
   For additional resources to help resolve issues not covered under Dell's limited hardware warranty, refer to Dell Knowledge Base article, Search for Additional Solutions .
   

Back to Top

Remove non-essential peripherals

Except for the monitor, keyboard, and mouse, remove all external peripherals including:
An external peripheral is a device that connects to a port on the front, side or back of the computer, like a printer or memory key.

• Scanner
• Printer
• Modem or Network cables
• Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
• USB flash drive or other external Hard Drive
• Any other external devices (e.g., USB-attached devices)
• Remove the computer from the docking station, if you are using one.

Back to Top

Restore the computer's software to original condition.

An external peripheral is a device that connects to a port on the front, side or back of the computer, like a printer or memory key.

1. Turn on the computer.
2. As the computer starts, press < F8 > on the keyboard until the Advanced Boot Options menu appears on the screen. You must press before the Windows logo appears on the screen. If you press after the Windows logo appears on the screen, the Advanced Boot Options menu will not appear on the screen. If you do not see the Advanced Boot Options menu, restart the computer, and then repeat this step until you see the menu on the screen.
3. Press the < Down Arrow > on the keyboard to select Repair Your Computer on the Advanced Boot Options menu, and then press < Enter >.
4. Specify the language settings that you want, and then click Next.
5. Log in as a user who has administrative credentials, and then click OK.
6. Click Dell Factory Image Restore.
7. In the Dell Factory Image Restore window, click Next.
8. Click to select the Yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition check box.
9. Click Next. The computer is restored to the default factory configuration.
   
10. When the restore operation is completed, click Finish to restart the computer. The software is now installed as it was when the computer was first received.
    

Back to Top

Restore your personal files and data from backups

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel window, click System and Maintenance, and then click Back Up and Restore Center .
3. Under Restore files or your entire computer, click Advanced Restore.
4. On the What do you want to restore? page, click Files from a backup made on a different computer and click Next.
5. Locate the backup you created earlier by browsing to it now. If you saved the backup to CD(s) or DVD, insert that disc now. Once the backup is located and selected, click Next.
6. On the Select the files and folders to restore page, click Restore everything in this backup then click Next. Backup will restore the files to your computer. If you are restoring from a removable drive and used more than one blank disc, Backup will prompt you to enter the next disc in the set as necessary. Depending on the number of files and their sizes, this process may take several minutes.

Back to Top

Download and install driver updates

Once your operating system has been restored, visit the Dell Support website to download and install the latest drivers and firmware for your computer.

If you have a problem with operating system, there are many solutions;
1. Repair operating system with Windows Boot able CD, or flash drive boot able windows.
2. Reinstall operating system with Windows Boot able CD, or flash drive boot able windows.
3. Using system restore. Restore to date when system in normal condition. How; press START - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - System Restore - Choose a different restore point - Next - select date when a computer in normal condition - Next - Finish. Wait until the process is complete - Restart.



4. Using image backup. You've been backing up the system, and save Them as image files. By using the backup image, system damage can be fixed. How: click START - Control Panels - System and Security (Back up your computer) - Restore - select image file you've ever created, and you save on your hard drive - Next - Wait until the process is complete - Restart.

From above solution, solution no.3 and 4, is the most easy and fast

I hope this information useful

try disconnecting the drive and reseating it first.

If you enter the bios (f10 on startup) does the computer even detect the drive? If not - try reseating it - don't forget to power off first

Failing that try the hp recovery partition
1
Press the power button to start the HP. Press and hold the F11 key to launch the HP Recovery Manager from the recovery partition.
2
Backup any files you want to save. Follow the HP Recovery Manager instructions to save any important files before continuing with the recovery process.
3
Continue the recovery process. After backing up files to an external device or CD/DVDs, select the option to perform a system recovery.
4
Obtain and install updates for the HP. After your system reboots, use HP update manager as well as Windows update to restore all critical updates to your HP computer.
5
Make a set of recovery disks. Use HP Recovery Manager and select "Advanced Options" to create a set of recovery disks that can be used in the event that your HP cannot access the hard drive.

Since you have Win 7 Home Premium, start with making a System Repair disc. You just need a blank CD-R or DVD+/-R (DL is OK, but not an R/W disc). Click Start > Maintenance > Create a System Repair Disc. (This will save you from needing a OS install disc in the future)

Next you can use the Toshiba Recovery Media Creator to create a set of backup discs for the initial configuration of the computer. (Use DVDs for this to avoid needing lots of discs.) This lets you make one copy of the Media - no chance to update for new drivers or any other information.

You can save your files with the Backup and Restore (in the same Maintenance files as the System Repair disc). With Home Premium this only works with an locally attached external hard drive.

If you need a complete backup after this, you will need third party software. Some external drives come with the software. Norton Ghost, Paragon Backup and Recovery, and Acronis True Image will all do a full backup to CD, DVD or external drive; there are others.Most of these will make incremental updates as well. There are a few free packages but those don't have the features of the above (like recovering just one file if needed).

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

Turn your computer on.

Insert the Disk and choose to enter BIOS, should be F2 but watch the screen to see the right function key.

Change the boot device order to: CD-ROM, HDD in that order.

Save changes and restart the computer.

The Recovery Disk would boot up and a wizard will guide you through the recovery process.

Follow the instructions to recover your computer.

Roxio BackOn Track is a suite of backup and recovery tools which includes the following: · Disaster Recovery? · File Backup? · Instant Restore? Accessing Roxio BackOn Track There are two ways to access Roxio BackOn Track?through the boot menu or through the Windows Start menu. Use the boot menu option if you cannot access Windows. You can use the boot menu to restore your computer to a previous working state or to return the computer to the state it was in before the last time it was restored. You must be able to access Windows to use the other options, such as Disaster Recovery. To access Roxio BackOn Track using the boot menu, follow the steps below. 1. Press the power button to turn on the HP Mini. 2. Press and hold down the f6 key to open the Windows Boot Manager, use the down arrow key to select Roxio BackOnTrack , and then press the enter key to open Roxio BackOn Track.To access Roxio BackOn Track using the Windows Start menu, click Start , All Programs , Roxio , BackOnTrack , and then BackOnTrack Home to open Roxio BackOn Track.Backing up your hard drive using Disaster Recovery 1. In the left pane, click Disaster Recovery to expand the options, and then in the right pane, click Backup Drive . 2. Select the hard disk drive from the drop-down list in step 1, click inside the text box in step 2 and add any comments that you want to add, select a destination drive from the drop-down list under Destination Selection , and then click the large circle button at the bottom-right of the screen to continue. 3. Wait while Backup Drive creates an image of your hard drive. Restoring your hard drive Prior to restoring your hard drive, you must have created a disaster recovery set. To restore your hard drive using Disaster Recovery, follow the steps below. 1. Shut down and power off your HP Mini if it is not already powered off. 2. Connect an external USB optical drive to the HP Mini. 3. Connect the flash drive or external USB drive that you used to create your Disaster Recovery disc. 4. Power on your HP Mini, insert your Disaster Recovery disc into the external USB optical drive, and then restart your computer. 5. Follow the on-screen instructions to select a Disaster Recovery Set and the drive or drive partition you want to restore.For more information, please see the Help within the Roxio BackOn Track software.

Hello,

I found these instructions for you on the Sony support site.



Solution
IMPORTANT:

• Before performing a recovery, go to the Sony® eSupport Web site at http://esupport.sony.com and check your model-specific support page. Look for software and driver updates or check for knowledge base solutions that may help you solve your computer's issue.
• This model does not require Recovery CDs. Recovery data is included on a special partition of the hard drive.
• Do not interrupt the power during the recovery process.
• Before performing a recovery, disconnect any external devices not supplied with the computer such as printers, network cables, cameras, or external storage devices, like hard drives or flash drives.
• Customers who purchased the Symantec® Norton Internet Security® 2007 software from the Sony Style® store with their computer must create a Norton Account to save their product key prior to a system recovery or the software cannot be reinstalled.

NOTES:

• If the operating system will not start and no other troubleshooting can be performed, a recovery of the (C:) drive can be performed by starting the computer and pressing the F8 key .
• A recovery can also be performed using Recovery Discs .

1. Click the Start button, then click Help and Support . NOTE: If the Help and Support link is not available on the Start menu, re-enable the link in the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties window.
   
2. In the Windows Help and Support window, click Backup & Recovery .
3. Under Backup & Recovery , under VAIO Recovery Center , click Launch VAIO Recovery Center .
4. In the VAIO Recovery Center window, under Choose a program , click to select the desired option:
   
   • Windows Backup and Restore
   • VAIO Hardware Diagnostics
   • Reinstall Programs or Drivers
   • Restore C: Drive
   • Restore Complete System
   • Create Recovery Discs
   • Wipe and Erase Data
   
   NOTES:
   
   • It is strongly recommended that recovery discs be created to help restore files if the operating system will not start. Recovery discs are bootable and can be used to perform a recovery on a properly functioning hard drive.
   • The Windows Backup and Restore option opens the Backup and Restore Center provided with the Microsoft® Windows Vista™ operating system. This provides the ability to save information from the hard drive, such as personal data files, and restore previously backed up data.
   • Computer problems related to hardware can be diagnosed using the VAIO Hardware Diagnostics option.
   • One or more drivers or factory-installed applications may be reinstalled with the Reinstall Programs or Drivers option.
   • The entire (C:) drive can be restored to its original, factory-installed condition by selecting Restore C: Drive .
   • Choosing Restore Complete System will restore the entire (C:) drive, while removing or restoring the Recovery Drive partition. Modifying the size of the hard drive partitions is also an option with this type of recovery. This option requires you to insert Recovery DVDs created using the Create Recovery Discs option.
   • To remove all data from the hard drive, including the operating system, all programs and personal data, choose the Wipe and Erase Data option. This option is provided for the convenience of advanced users who want to install a different operating system, and who want to ensure all data has been removed from the hard drive first. All other users are strongly urged to avoid selecting this option.

Please update me on the same.
Regards
Sammy