"Startup repair cannot repair this computer automatically"

Go to this site

follow the instruction until you get to picture Figure 6. Command Prompt in the Windows Recovery Environment 

now type C: and hit Enter

after that type /fixboot and hit Enter, if you prompt for yes/no always choose yes

and type this too /fixmbr

now restart your computer and see the result

Good Luck

I'm excited by this - thank you! however, i cant seem to even get to the first figure as i stick the cd in but it doesnt make any differnce at all to the start up - all i get is a quick shot of Dell and then straight on to the Startup Repair where it tells me it cant fix the darn thing.

I've tried F12 at the Dell screen but thats not working...

I tried F8 but all those just send me straight to the Startup Repair screen

I wish I could see that BIOS screen to have half a chance to fix this.

ooooh oooh! managed to get into suystem recovery options but when i typed  /fixboot it says '/fixboot' is not a recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

Grrrrrrr - any suggestions???

Ok

the best solution for you is to do system restore

Go there.

and restore your computer to a restore points that are available to restore

And I think you should see the point when you updated to sp1

Good Luck

When i try to do a system restore it says that "no restore points have been created on your computers system disk..."

And dell want me to submit my credit card before i can talk to someone! for the love of god!

I don't have the command prompt selection.  Instead I have Dell Factory Image Restore which would turn it to its original state as it came out of the factory.  I have not backed my computer up because I am not the adminstrator and do not have the power to do so.  I have so many precious memories on it and I'm afraid to lose them.  My mom made some come out a different computer's harddrive that also had memories on it.  I don't want to lose the memories again.  PLEASE HELP!!!

I am having the exact same problem only I have 2 Dell Inspiron 1525's the one affected is toast so I am using the other to find help. I would realy like to find a solution before the good one gets the same problem. If you find a solution please let me know.  Thanks

My warranty was still good so I called Dell support. The only advice they could give me was to do a full factory restore, which of course I lost everything. They insist that the down load from microsoft was not bad and that I must have just powered off or lost power during a update. Any way It worked fine before my last up date and not after. I turned the updates off to give Microsoft a chance to fix the problem they dont think they have or will not admit to having.  Good luck