A System Restore might be easiest if you can get it to work:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Start-System-Restore-from-a-command-prompt

The Flash drive boot should work, so I'd try that one more time. All the
files you need should be on the flash drive. Try the Ubunbtu distro:
http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download 
Your files can be copied  to a flash drive  via command prompt, but if
you're not familiar with it I'd get a USB enclosure or adapter and
remove the drive to copy the files.


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [PCBUILD] Win 7 crash help needed
From: [log in to unmask]
Date: Fri, December 17, 2010 3:08 pm
To: [log in to unmask]

Hi, 

I can't boot up my Win 7 computer and I would really appreciate some 
help. When I do the automatic repair, it tells me that it can't be 
automatically repaired. I've tried using the upgrade DVD, but it does 
the same thing. I've removed all the USB peripherals, but no change. I 
don't have access to a DVD burner (it was on the system not working), 
so I've tried many different boot installations (like UNetbootin) on my 
USB flash drive, but none has worked. They usually say there are files 
missing. (The USB flash is a few years old.) 

The upgrade disk, of course, offers me the ability to install again, 
but (even though I've backed up a lot) there are still files I can't 
afford to lose. Is there a way to do this without destroying any files? 

Through the repair facility, I can get a command prompt, but I'm not 
sure where my data files are or how I could copy them off to another HD 
drive. Would I just connect a USB HD? 

If anyone can help me get my system running again and not lose any 
files, I'd really appreciate it. 

Steve 

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