How To Perform a Startup Repair in Windows 7

By Tim Fisher, About.com Guide

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• windows 7 startup repair
• windows 7 system recovery options

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Boot From the Windows 7 DVD

Windows 7 Startup Repair - Step 1

The Startup Repair tool in Windows 7 replaces important operating system files that might be damaged or missing. Startup Repair is an easy diagnostic and repair tool to use when Windows 7 fails to start properly.
To begin the Windows 7 Startup Repair process, you will need to boot from the Windows 7 DVD.

1. Watch for a Press any key to boot from CD or DVD... message similar to the one shown in the screenshot above.
   
2. Press a key to force the computer to boot from the Windows 7 DVD. If you do not press a key, your PC will try to boot to the operating system that's currently installed on your hard drive. If this happens, just restart your computer and try to boot to the Windows 7 DVD again.

Note: Not using Windows 7? Every modern Windows operating system has a similar operating system file repair process.