Windows 7 RC hangs at "Starting Windows"

Anonymous

I have been using Windows 7 RC for about 2 months with no problems. Now when I start it up it hangs at the "Starting Windows" screen. I tried safe mode and booting from the DVD and the same thing happens. It gets stuck at classpnp.sys.

Can anyone help? Thanks.

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Anonymous

I am with the other gentleman, this problem can't be solved by the rote answer of doing a system restore or start up repair . We can't even get to those options! My retail Windows 7 Ultimate install hangs on the logo/"Starting Windows" screen but no amount of waiting (even over night) gets it to move any further. When trying to access the system through safe mode I get a stop at "classpnp.sys". If I boot from the disc, try to do a system restore, startup repair, or even try just to completely reinstall the OS, it says it is "loading files" above a growing white progress bar and then just goes to a blank screen. I have spent 3 days and nights searching forums, trying to time button presses just right to access different menus, experimented with countless combinations of BIOS settings, and still have had no luck. Every tech support forum has someone who has had the same problem and the system restore/startup repair is the first and only suggestion offered followed by a whole host of people saying that it's not even possible.

I know there are a large number of people out there with the same problem, does no one have the answer? Microsoft? Please? If we can't even get the system to where I can reinstall the OS over the original to access my files have I really just lost thousands of dollars of work and pictures of my new daughter? I realize there is a lesson in backing things up in all this, but I hope there isn't a lesson about the new Windows either. I was really impressed with Win 7 so far but perhaps I should have invested in Home Server instead or even another option.

If you do create some sort of solution besides a copy/paste of the "system restore/startup repair" instructions, there seem to be more than a few people out there who would really appreciate it.

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Anonymous

Hi,

Link to URL: http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7performance/thread/12b2cc64-bdaf-4183-9a0d-22a73b72f6d6?prof=required&wa=wsignin1.0

My response:

Hello Tom

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Forums.

Classpnp.sys is the driver for SCSI devices.****Due to this Classpnp.sys your computer hangs at the "Starting Windows" screen.

This problem may occur in many scenarios. These scenarios include the following:

<br>•	The registry is corrupted.
<br>•	A System file is missing or damaged.
<br>•	A device driver file is missing or damaged.<br><br><br><br><br> <br><br><br><br>You need to do a <br>Startup repair and system restore from DVD<br>to fix this issue. <br><br><br><br>Please follow these steps<br><br><br><br><br>Startup repair:

To resolve this problem, use the Startup Repair tool. The Startup Repair tool can fix some problems that prevent the operating system from starting correctly.

You can run the Startup Repair tool by using the Windows 7 installation disc or by using the computer's preinstalled recovery options.

To run the Startup Repair tool by using the Windows 7 installation disc

If you have the Windows 7 installation disc, follow these steps to use the Startup Repair tool:

1.	Insert the installation disc.<br> <br><br> <br><br>Note The computer must be configured to start from a CD or from a DVD. For information about how to configure the computer to start from a CD or from a DVD, see the information that came with the computer.
2.	Restart the computer. To do this, click<br>Start, click the arrow next to the Lock button, and then click<br>Restart. <br><br> <br><br>Note If you cannot restart the computer by using this method, use the power button to turn off the computer. Then, turn the computer back on.
3.	Set your language preference, and then click<br>Next. <br><br> <br><br>Note In most cases, the startup repair process starts automatically, and you do not have the option to select it in the System Recovery Options menu.
4.	Click<br>Repair your computer.
5.	In the<br>System Recovery Options dialog box, click the operating system that you want to<br>repair, and then click Next.
6.	In the<br>System Recovery Options menu, click Startup Repair <br>to start the repair process.
7.	When the<br>repair process is complete, click Finish.

To run the Startup Repair tool if the computer has preinstalled recovery options

If the computer has preinstalled recovery options, follow these steps to use the Startup Repair tool.

Note In most cases, the startup repair process starts automatically. Follow these steps only if Startup Repair does not start automatically.

1.	Remove all floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs from the computer, and then restart the computer.
2.	Follow one of these steps:<br><br><br><br><br>	<br>•	If the computer has a single operating system installed, press and hold the F8 key as the computer restarts. You must press the F8 key before<br> the Windows logo appears. If the Windows logo appears, you must restart and try again.	<br>	---	---	<br>	<br>•	If the computer has more than one operating system, use the arrow keys to select the operating system that you want to<br>repair. Then, press and hold F8.
3.	In<br>Advanced Boot Options, use the arrow keys to select Repair the computer, and then press ENTER.
4.	Click a keyboard layout in the list, and then click<br>Next.
5.	Click a user name in the list, enter the password, and then click<br>OK.
6.	In the<br>System Recovery Options menu, click Startup Repair.
7.	When the<br>repair process is complete, click Finish.

NoteThe problem may not be resolved after the Startup Repair tool runs one time. If the problem is not resolved when the computer restarts, follow the steps again.

Reference link: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925810

Systems restore:

Please follow these steps to do system restore

1.	Insert the Windows Vista or Windows 7<br>DVD, and then restart the computer.
2.	When you receive the following message, press any key:<br><br><br><br>Press any key to boot<br>from CD or DVD.
3.	Set the following preferences, and then click<br>Next : <br><br><br><br>	<br>•	Language to install	<br>	---	---	<br>	<br>•	Time and currency format	<br>	<br>•	Keyboard or input method
4.	Click<br>Repair your computer, select the operating system that you want to repair, and then click<br>Next.
5.	Click<br>System Restore, and then click Next.
6.	Click the<br>restore point that you want to use, and then click Next. <br><br> <br><br>Note Click a restore point that will return the computer to a state where the logon is successful. After you use the<br>System Restore feature, reinstall any programs or updates that may be removed. You will not lose any personal documents. However, you may have to reinstall programs. You may also have to reset some personal settings.
7.	Confirm the disks that you want to<br>restore, and then click Next.
8.	Click<br>Finish, and then click Yes when you are prompted.
9.	When the<br>System Restore process is complete, click Restart to restart the computer.
10.	After the computer restarts, click<br>Close to confirm that the System Restore process has finished successfully.

Reference link: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940765

Once you boot to the desktop, you need to update all the drivers to the latest versions available.

Hope it helps.

Thanks and Regards,

Dinesh

Microsoft Support

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109 additional answers

Anonymous

2010-08-17T09:04:17+00:00

I am in the exact same situation. NOTHING WORKS AT ALL!!! i have spent weeks on this, people keep telling me its my hardware even though it worked for about a day until that system update came along (which i guess is how classpnp.sys became corrupted) if i ever find a fix to this i'll post it wide and far.
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Anonymous

2010-08-21T16:58:30+00:00
Stumbled across this issue while fixing my brothers computer literally just now.

He's had so many issues with his pc in the last couple of months and no word of a lie he must have formatted close to 50times with different disks, XP and Win7.

Sounded like a HDD error so a friend lent me one of his and he formatted, still the same problem and then I thought it was a GFX card issue, so I put in a spare I had.. seemed to fix it for a while and then the same problems again.

Then I clicked that he had a really old, hard to find drivers for sound card in there (SB2070 or smth).. took that out and everything is perfect again, replaced it with luckily another spare I had lying about and things seemed to work fine until today.

Read this thread and overlooked something simple as a ram slot not working.. so I started the process of elimination when I found myself staring into the case while it was booting with just one stick in and thought.. well that sound card looks odd.. wait.. its not in correctly, so I popped it back in and everything booted up absolutely fine. Put back in all the ram and all is working fine.

My brothers symptoms prior to this issue:

Games crashing on certain sounds in Alien Swarm / Starcraft 2 / Left 4 Dead 2. Perhaps the card was in just far enough to boot and play sounds but because the card wasnt secured in correctly with a screw (like I asked him to do after I took it all apart, I like to help him learn ;-)) we think in a fit of rage he probably kicked it or pulled the headphones causing the card to dislodge more.

I was lucky it was a simple thing but for you others it maybe more fiddly and heres my suggestions:
1. Boot up with only the necessaries.. use onboard gfx if you can, no sound, minimal ram
2. Unplug everything asociated to a piece of hard ware (power/transfer cables ect).. compressed air inside them to clean them out and replace.. then try and boot up see what happens.. if it hangs still, move on to the next one.
3. Take all of your ram out and try boot it up with just one piece in each slot and perhaps try all pieces in each slot (individually)
4. Spares.. try a different sound card, graphics card, cpu, motherboard ect ect.. if you dont have spares.. buy one and if it doesnt solve the issue.. take it back to the shop for a refund ;)
5. Fresh format with a fresh copy of your desired OS (to eliminate corrupted files being copied due to scratching ect) - (use a different hdd so you can save your hd with all your important files on which can easily be recovered by using said HDD as a spare in another pc or when you finally fix your pc if its that hd causing the problem.. you should be able to read it on another pc)
Often a format will fix your problem but generally you're looking for a solution to save the heartache of losing all your stuff to a format.

If none of this solves the issue you're going to be left with trying each of your components in another motherboard or taking it to someone who can test all your equipment but if you do everything above then you're more than likely going to find the culprit.

Make sure to try different OS aswell and do some research on your hardware to see if its compatible with the OS you're using.

Personally I wouldn't replace your PSU unless the pc isn't actually switching on and you'll eliminate it being a power issue by booting your pc up with the minimal amount of components in your pc.

My solution: Pushed sound card in as it was loose
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Anonymous

2010-08-24T07:13:09+00:00

I had the same problem. PC wouldnt boot and safe mode got stuck at classpnp.sys

during the boot i noticed that the SATA ports took a long time to load. Also port 3 showed Hard Disk, while its in fact a DVD Drive. since i rebooted multiple times i also noticed that sometimes it showed port 3: no device.

so i unplugged the DVD Drive and the pc booted like normal.

So as reading many comments above its mosly hardware related.

hope this helps anyone.
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