Windows 7

system recovery options in Windows 7


The System Recovery Options menu contains several tools, such as Startup Repair, that can help you recover Windows from a serious error. This set of tools is on your computer's hard disk and on the Windows installation disc.

To open the System Recovery Options menu on your computer
Remove all floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs from your computer, and then restart your computer using the computer's power button.
Do one of the following:
If your computer has a single operating system installed, press and hold the F8 key as your computer restarts. You need to press F8 before the Windows logo appears. If the Windows logo appears, you need to try again by waiting until the Windows logon prompt appears, and then shutting down and restarting your computer.
If your computer has more than one operating system, use the arrow keys to highlight the operating system you want to repair, and then press and hold F8.
On the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight Repair your computer, and then press Enter. (If Repair your computer isn't listed as an option, then your computer doesn't include preinstalled recovery options, or your network administrator has turned them off.)
Select a keyboard layout, and then click Next.
On the System Recovery Options menu, click a tool to open it.

 To open the System Recovery Options menu using a system repair disc or a Windows 7 installation disc

If your computer's system is severely damaged and you cannot access the System Recovery Options menu on your computer, you can access it using the Windows 7 installation disc or a system repair disc you created earlier.

To use this method, you need to restart (boot) your computer using the disc.
Insert the disc.
Restart your computer using the computer's power button.
If prompted, press any key to start Windows from the installation disc.
If your computer isn't configured to start from a CD or DVD, check the information that came with your computer. You may need to change your computer's BIOS settings. For more information.
Choose your language settings, and then click Next.
If you are using the Windows installation disc, click Repair your computer.
Select the Windows installation you want to repair, and then click Next.
On the System Recovery Options menu, click a tool to open it.

You can also create a system repair disc that contains the System Recovery Options menu. For more information, see Create a system repair disc.

The System Recovery Options menu


System recovery option

Description

Startup Repair

Fixes certain problems, such as missing or damaged system files, that might prevent Windows from starting correctly. For more information.

System Restore

Restores your computer's system files to an earlier point in time without affecting your files, such as e‑mail, documents, or photos.

If you use System Restore from the System Recovery Options menu, you cannot undo the restore operation. However, you can run System Restore again and choose a different restore point, if one exists. For more information.

System Image Recovery

You need to have created a system image beforehand to use this option. A system image is a personalized backup of the partition that contains Windows, and includes programs and user data, like documents, pictures, and music.

Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool

Scans your computer's memory for errors. For more information.

Command Prompt

Advanced users can use Command Prompt to perform recovery-related operations and also run other command line tools for diagnosing and troubleshooting problems.

Note
Some computer manufacturers might customize the menu by adding or removing recovery tools, or including their own tools.

How to Start Windows 7  from a CD or DVD

Start Windows from a CD or DVD

You might need to start Windows from the installation CD or DVD if:
You want to install or reinstall Windows.
You want to recover Windows from a serious error.

To start Windows from a CD or DVD
Turn on your computer, insert the Windows installation CD or DVD, and then restart your computer.
Press any key when prompted to do so, and then follow any instructions that appear.
When the Install Windows page appears, click Install now to begin the installation process or click Repair your computer to access system recovery options.
Follow the instructions.

Change the boot order in BIOS so the CD, DVD, or BD drive is listed first. Some computers are already configured this way but many are not.

If the optical drive is not first in the boot order, your PC will start "normally" (i.e. boot from your hard drive) without even looking at what might be in your disc drive.

Note: After setting your optical drive as the first boot device in BIOS, your computer will check that drive for a bootable disc each time your computer starts. Leaving your PC configured this way shouldn't cause problems unless you plan on leaving a disc in the drive all the time.

Insert your bootable CD, DVD, or BD in your disc drive.

How do you know if a disc is bootable? The easiest way to find out if a disc is bootable is to insert it in your drive and follow the remainder of these instructions. Most operating system setup CDs and DVDs are bootable, as are many advanced diagnostic tools like the ones I discussed above.

Note: Programs downloadable from the Internet that are intended to be bootable discs are usually made available in ISO format. See How To Burn an ISO File for more information.

Restart your computer.

Watch for a Press any key to boot from CD or DVD... message.

When booting to a Windows setup disc, and some other bootable discs as well, you may be prompted with a message to press a key to boot to the disc. To boot from the disc, you'll need to press any key on your keyboard (like the space bar) within the few seconds that the message is on the screen.
If you do nothing, your computer will check for boot information on the next boot device in the list in BIOS (see Step 1) which will probably be your hard drive.

Some bootable discs do not prompt for a key press and will start immediately.

Your computer should now boot from the CD, DVD, or BD disc.

Note: What happens now depends on what the bootable disc was for. If you're booting to a Windows 7 DVD, the Windows 7 setup program will begin. If you're booting to aSlackware Live CD, the version of the Slackware Linux operating system you've included on the CD will run. You get the idea.

If you tried the above steps but your computer did not boot from the disc properly, check out some of the tips below.

If the Install Windows page does not appear

If the Install Windows page does not appear and you aren't asked to press a key to start (or "boot") from CD or DVD, you might have to specify that your computer use its CD or DVD drive as the first startup device. To do this, you need to change settings in the computer's basic input/output system (BIOS).

Warning
Be careful when changing BIOS settings. The BIOS interface is designed for advanced users, and it's possible to change a setting that could prevent your computer from starting correctly.
Turn on your computer, insert the Windows installation disc, and then restart your computer.
Newer computers often display a startup (or boot) menu. On the startup menu, select "BIOS setup," or "BIOS settings," or something similar.

Procedures vary depending on the BIOS manufacturer. Usually, you must press a key (such as F2, F12, Delete, Esc) or a key combination immediately after you turn on your computer but before Windows starts. For more information, check the information that came with your computer or go to the computer manufacturer's website.
The BIOS setup screen appears. On the BIOS setup screen, select the option called "Boot order," or something similar.
Select your CD or DVD drive as the first startup device, save the setting changes, and then exit the BIOS.

Restart your computer, and then start Windows from the installation CD or DVD as previously described.

How to Create a desktop background slide show in windows 7

In windows 7 can use your Own pictures slideshow that Windows provides as part of a theme .You can have a slide show (a rotating series of pictures) as your desktop background. You can use .

 To use your own pictures
Find the pictures that you want to include in your slide show. All of the pictures must be located in the same folder.

If the pictures that you want to use aren't in the list of desktop background pictures, click the Picture location list to view other categories, or click Browse to search your computer for the folder where the pictures are located.

Look for pictures in other locations on your computer
Select the check box for each picture that you want to include in your slide show.

By default, all of the pictures in a folder are selected and will be part of the slide show. If you don't want all of the pictures in the folder to be included, do one of the following:
Clear the check box for each picture that you want to remove from the slide show.

Clear the check box to remove a picture from the slide show.
Press the Ctrl key, and then click each picture that you want to remove. Only the selected pictures will appear in the slide show.

To create a slide show of pictures on the desktop, you must select more than one picture. If only one picture is selected, the slide show ends and the selected picture becomes the desktop background.

If all of the pictures in the folder are selected, any new pictures that you add to the folder will be added to the slide show automatically.
Do one or more of the following:
Click an item in the Picture position list to crop the pictures to fill the screen, fit the pictures to the screen, stretch the pictures to fit the screen, tile the pictures, or center the pictures on the screen.
Click an item in the Change picture every list to choose how quickly the slide show changes pictures.
Select the Shuffle check box to have the pictures appear in a random order.
Click Save changes.

 To use pictures that Windows provides as part of a theme
Under Aero Themes, click a theme to apply it to the desktop. With the exception of the Windows 7 theme, all of the Aero themes include a desktop background slide show.
To change the theme's default slide show pictures or settings, click Desktop Background.
Select the check box for each picture that you want to include in your slide show.

By default, all of the pictures associated with a theme are selected and will be part of the slide show. To add pictures from other themes to your slide show, do one of the following:
Point to each picture that you want to add to the slide show, and then select its check box.

Point to a picture, and then select its check box to add it to the slide show.
Press and hold the CTRL key, and then click each of the pictures that you want to add. Only the selected pictures will appear in the slide show.

To create a slide show of pictures on the desktop, you must select more than one picture. If only one picture is selected, the slide show ends and the selected picture becomes the desktop background.
To change the slide show's settings, do one or more of the following:
Click an item in the Picture position list to crop the pictures to fill the screen, fit the pictures to the screen, stretch the pictures to fit the screen, tile the pictures, or center the pictures on the screen.
Click an item in the Change picture every list to choose how quickly the slide show changes pictures.
Select the Shuffle check box to have the pictures appear in a random order.
Click Save changes.

Your slide show will be part of the unsaved theme that appears under My Themes.