E4310 boot failure after Win7 SP1 installation

Hi

0xc000000e Error is related to the corrupted Windows bootloaded (winload.exe)

What procedure do you follow to update to SP1 ?

Telson, thanks for the response, Just the bog standard Windows Update from the web download. Same thing that's always worked for every other update I've done on that and other Win7 systems I have. This is a E4310 with i5-540M, 8gb DDR3, integrated Intel HD graphics, A05 bios, and the only thing that I changed about the configuration that differs from 'as delivered' was the installation of a Crucial C300 256gb SSD. The original HD was imaged over to the SSD before the system was booted the first time, and subsequently I had to run a partition alignment tool to correct the starting offset (as you normally have to do with SSDs that have been migrated from a legacy spinning drive). That was many months ago and the system has worked flawlessly up until the SP1 update attempts. The system does have the hidden Dell Recovery partition still intact, and I believe that's where the "\boot\BCD" file is located. The system is running the latest HD graphics driver for the E4310 (in downloads section) as well as the latest Intel RST drivers and management console app. Would this problem go away if the Dell Recovery partition was deleted and the system was set to boot the BCD file from the OS partition? Is that the problem? I really can't see any reason for keeping the recovery partition around if I've got system images created by Windows Backup that seem to work well. Thanks again, WA

Wonderingaloud

We can definitely delete the Recovery partition if you have a system image save. However this can be fixed by following these steps.

1. Boot from the Win7 OS disk
2. Click on 'Repair your computer'
3. Windows will automatically find previous installation and will ask you to fix it, go ahead and click on OK (I believe this where you reached previously)
4. Now restart the system and boot into the OS disk again.
5. Click on 'Repair your computer'
6. Now your OS will be displayed there, click on 'Open Repair tools' (Not sure what exactly it states)
7. Click on 'Startup Repair'. It will automatically fix any errors and ask for a restart.
8. Restart the system and let it load normally.

 

Let me know if this has fixed it.

Wonderingaloud We can definitely delete the Recovery partition if you have a system image save. However this can be fixed by following these steps. Boot from the Win7 OS disk Click on 'Repair your computer' Windows will automatically find previous installation and will ask you to fix it, go ahead and click on OK (I believe this where you reached previously) Now restart the system and boot into the OS disk again. Click on 'Repair your computer' Now your OS will be displayed there, click on 'Open Repair tools' (Not sure what exactly it states) Click on 'Startup Repair'. It will automatically fix any errors and ask for a restart. Restart the system and let it load normally.   Let me know if this has fixed it.

Telson;

Again, thanks for the quick response.

I have booted from the Win7 OS Disk (PRO version) and done the "Repair Your Computer" option after the process recognized my OS. I suppose it's some consolation that the recovery process always finds that I do in fact have a previous installation to try and recover ;-}.  So the system can read the hard drive, it just won't boot for some other reason.

I have done steps 1-8 repeatedly over the last 5 days, and always ended up having to restore from a backed up image to get the system working again. I've re-imaged now three times. 

The very last time I tried it yesterday before finally re-imaging (during one of the repeated attempts to get the system to boot using everything including Safe Mode)  I got a notification that SP1 configuration had stopped at 9% and was now rolling back the changes. That was the one and only time I got that message. And then when supposedly it had 'rolled back' everything it still failed to boot and told me that a device was inaccessible (as usual).

And again, the machine works flawlessly until the required reboot after the SP1 installation process, that's when it all goes sideways. I have even run the SFC utility (before attempting the SP1 update) and it found nothing wrong. FWIW I am using AVG Internet Security 2011(paid)  as my AV package. 

The machine is working fine right now, and I will continue to experiment with the update to SP1 as I have time. I was going to take this system with me on my deployment, but I will likely just take my E6410 and leave the E4310 to deal with when I return if I can't get it fixed in the next week.

I have read on the MS Answers site of others who are having similar, possibly related, symptoms, so I'm willing to listen to any and all suggestions.

Thanks again,

WA

Once the Disk recognises your OS, you can go into Startup repair and get that fixed. Its strange that it doesnt, all such failures are fixed by the startup repair option in windows 7 OS disk.

Have you tried the 'Startup repair' option ? Not the default message windows 7 disk would give you stating the OS needs to be repaired.