Strange computer question.
 

Hi,
I'm doing some searches to find out if I have any other options, but wanted to post here in case someone might have a good idea for me.

My niece's laptop is acting funky (I think her mom messed it up). It has Windows 7 on it and when you turn it on before windows even loads it takes you to a screen saying that it is trying to repair the system. Eventually it tells you it can't repair the system and gives you the option of system restore or system recovery. I tried doing the option of restoring it back to an early date and that fails to. The only other option I have listed is to restore it to the factory settings.

Anyone have any ideas what might have caused this before I just wipe it clean and reinstall?

Can you boot in save mode ?

Did you insert the Windows 7 cd/dvd while trying the system restore ?

I can't seem to get to safe mode. The computer didn't come with an actual Windows 7 CD it came with one of those lame system recovery discs. I tried booting off it and had no luck. Both ways take me back to system recovery screen

maybe a rootkit or boot virus

I'd boot from a cd and do some scanning

often the easiest is just to save the important user data and format and reinstall windows, but you could spend time cleaning if you want to try to save it, but that always seems to take many hours of dicking around, I've done it both ways

oh, just came across something. It looks like it is a corrupt file that is likely caused by a hard shutdown. My brother's wife is as dumb as three rocks in a mud puddle when it comes to computers and she just pulls the cord out of the wall and kills the power to the computer when she is done with it. I have told her that is bad and according to what I am reading that is what caused this.

I think that is what I am going to do. it will likely be easier than tracking down the file(s) that are messed up and fixing them.

get yourself a linux boot cd or minixp and hook up an external drive or usb stick and pull off the user folders, then format and reinstall windows, quickest and easiest approach

It sounds like you either have a virus or something is corrupted. in either case reset it back to factory settings.