Factory Restore Error - wimapplyimage fail. error: 0x45d

[andypat]

Acer Aspire 5738Z
Windows Vista

It locked completely after starting up so eventually decided to factory restore it, got there by alt/f10 on start up but after it started the time stopped at 15 secs and then this fault came up -
wimapplyimage fail. error: 0x45d - tried a few times with same fault.

Help!!

Andypat

[AnnMarie]

Hi andypat. Error: 0x45d translates to "the request could not be performed because of an I/O device error".

This is very likely a hardware issue. Is your laptop still under warranty? If so, my best suggestion is that you contact Acer or the Retailer who sold it to you.

[andypat]

No, no warranty I'm afraid, its a friends laptop I am trying to fix, heres the full story I didnt get chance to put in first post.

It started up no problem but after about 20 secs it just stopped working and froze, on an F8 start up it didnt go into any of the 3 Safe Modes or the other available start ups, last good config etc, tried System Restore before it froze but it didnt work so eventually used an alt/F10 start up and got the 2 options of Restore, tried to restore operating system and save the user files option but after 2 hours nothing happened so reluctantly I turned it off.
Got back to the Factory Settings Restore page and did a full Factory Settings Restore and thats when the fault occurs.
When it starts up now it goes to a Windows Boot Manager page asking for the installation disk and choosing to Repair your Computer and the following:
File: \Boot\BCD
Status: 0xc000000f
Info: An error occured while attempting to read the Boot Configeration data.

The laptop came with no disks so I downloaded a Vista Recovery Disk from Neosmart and used this to get the bit where you can select what to do ie Repair Your Computer. It didnt find Vista and then got the System Recovery Options, I ran Start Up repair about 8 times which made no differance, System Restore found nothing and using the following Neosmart instructions tried to fix the Bootloader using the Command Prompt (http://neosmart.net/wiki/display/EBC...r+from+the+DVD) with no success.
In the Bios the Hard Drive is there, it appears that the partitions are still there as I have found them in Command Prompt with going dirA, dirB , and C etc to find the drives.
Its going a bit deep for me now so any help at all would be fantastic


Andypat

[AnnMarie]

Did you try "Step Three: Manually Repairing the Vista Bootloader" using bootsect.exe?

[andypat]

Yes I did - the first line "bootrec.exe /fixmbr" was succesfully completed but the next line "x:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 all /force it says the system cannot find the path specified.
The command prompt starts with x:\sources> then I put the lines in, I believe the cd/dvd drive is labeled x as its states in the instructions regarding the drive letter.

[AnnMarie]

And you downloaded bootsect.exe? It's not on the Recovery Disk, it's posted as an attachment in this link (with the instructions).

[andypat]

Just got the cd/dvd drive wrong - its D not X so it now says its not recognised as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file which ties in I presume with what you've just posted - will try that.
Just tried to download off the page and it wont let me from that link because Ive not recieved activation of my Neosmart account yet, joined yesterday - its a bit slow. Can I get it any where else?


Cheers

Andypat

[AnnMarie]

Try downloading and burning the Windows 7 recovery disk and use that instead of the Vista disk. It's got bootsect.exe on it.

[andypat]

I've downloaded the Windows 7 recovery Disk and its not on there either, I get the same answer with both - system cannot find the path specified - checked the disks in this computer and bootsect.exe isnt on either.
This is whats on them:
Its the same for both
Boot Folder - bcd - boot.sdi and bootfix.bin
Sources Folder - boot.wim
Bootmanager

[AnnMarie]

Well my only other suggestion aside from borrowing a copy of a Vista Installation DVD is to download and install EasyBCD on your own machine and copy the file across. According to the link I posted, you will find it in c:\program files\neosmart technologies\easybcd\bin

[andypat]

I'm been validated now so downloaded bootsect.exe and the instructions on that page differs slightly from the main instructions which are
"x:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 all /force and on the page you found its:
dvddriveletter:\bootsect.exe /nt60 all /mbr.
Which one shall I use and then whats the best way to go?

Cheers

Andypat

[AnnMarie]

Follow the instructions on the Neosmart site Andypat.

[andypat]

Sorry about the delay in carrying on, work gets in the way.
I've followed the instructions - diskpart found this:

Volume Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info

Volume0 C Acer NTFS Partition 288Gb Healthy
Volume1 D Apr15th UDF DVD Rom 728Kb Healthy
Volume2 E PQService Fat32 Partition 10Gb Healthy Hidden

I then exit Diskpart and put in
dvddriveletter:\bootsect.exe /nt60 all /mbr with the drive letter being D.

After that it says Target Volumes will be updated with BOOTMGR compatable bootcode.

Then C:<\\?\ Volume (Lots of numbers and letters!!)
Succesfully updated NTFS file system bootcode

Then E:\ As above for C drive -
Succesfully updated Fat 32 file system bootcode

Bootcode was succesfully updated on all targetted volumes.

What should happen now??

Cheers

Andypat

[AnnMarie]

Can you boot into Windows now?

[andypat]

When it starts up nowit still goes to the Windows Boot Manager page asking for the installation disk and choosing to Repair your Computer and the following:
File: \Boot\BCD
Status: 0xc000000f
Info: An error occured while attempting to read the Boot Configeration data.