Help with restoring vista

I own a HP Desktop M8175a running Windows Vista (not sure of exact version). Over the last couple of days I have been having issues with start up and the computer is now not starting up at all. Whats interesting is that there have been no upgrades or changes made to the desktop so I do not know what is the exact cause.

I do not have any installation discs as it came pre build, I have tried restoring by going through the F10 screen and also tried to restore using HP's advise through command prompt.

Start up repair gives me the following info but must admit am lost as to whether I can fix or whether I will have to bow down and purchase the recovery discs

Problem Event Name: StartupRepairV2
Problem Signature 01: AutoFailover
Problem Signature 02: 6.0.6.6000.16386.6.0.6000.16386
Problem Signature 03: 6
Problem Signature 04: 786443
Problem Signature 05: BadDriver
Problem Signature 06: BadDriver
Problem Signature 07: 0
Problem Signature 08: 1
Problem Signature 09: System Restore
Problem Signature 10 0
OS Version 6.0.6000.2.0.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033

The recovery manager is also giving me the following message:
"The instruction at Ox773c258f referenced memory at Oxfafafafa. Could not be read"

I am only getting the BSOD and am unable to boot the system at all even in safe mode, the only thing I can get into is the system recovery options.
Any help anyone can provide would be great

Thanks

Hello Dingo, welcome to Vista forums!

The HP recovery center is very reliable in recovering to factory settings; I have done so at least eight times to great success. Have a look at the instructions below.


HP Recovery Center

Be advised that this will take the machine back to the point when you first took it of the box.
The "HP Recovery Center" will give you the option to send to backup anything you
don't want to lose, so have backup media available to use if you choose this option.

With the machine off press the power button, as soon as you do that start tapping the F11 key.
It may take several attempts to do this, if the first attempt fails, try again.
That should take you to the HP Recovery Center. When there just follow the prompts.
It is pretty much self explanatory. From the time you boot into F11 (not counting
any backups you choose to make) you should be back on a working desktop in about
30 minutes. After it restarts just follow the prompts again to finish the process.

If your first option is system restore select no, which should take you to system recovery.
You want to try system recovery not system restore, unless you have good restore points!

Keep us informed!


Later Ted

Hiya,

Thanks so much for your reply, I have tried this approx 10 times and am not getting any further. When I boot I get a screen filled with O's and then the language is all distorted. It will say it is loading files and then either one of two things happen

1. It will just go to a blank screen and nothing else happens or
2. Will go to start up repair, tell me that it doesnt have a cause and would I like to send a report which gives me the same details..

I will keep trying but not sure if there is anything else I can try.

Thanks again

Jo

Dingo. It looks like a bad harddrive. If your under warranty HP should either supply you with a replacement. Or direct you to the nearest authorised service center.

If you have access to the internet(which it seems) you can download Hirens boot disk and run PC doctor and Drive fitness test(DFT). These test can tell if you have a hardware problem or not.