Windows 7 boots only in Safe mode

no new drivers installed. in fact there was no trigger event at all. it certainly is telling that ubuntu suddenly stops working as well. might even be a hardware issue... is there a switch of mode (memory or sth) during regular boot which does not occur in safe mode? can hardware fail so that this switch can not be performed anymore? just brainstorming...

it's a laptop.
to clarify, do you suggest to install drivers in safe mode until it freezes?
or is it easier to do the process in ubuntu somehow? ultimately i need windows to work, of course. just wondering coz ubuntu doesn't even start from the live disk...

thx a lot!

i guess i wasn't very clear. i'm perfectly aware of the relationship between ubuntu and windows, but as both are not booting at this stage, i'm looking for a solution to get at least one of them to boot - whichever one is easier. i've done a chkdsk from a custom-made windows xp boot stick with no result. also done a system file check to no avail. the computer was working fine and no drivers have been updated recently to account for sudden boot issues. also, we should consider that BOTH operating systems failed to boot at the same time and even the ubuntu live cd does not boot which makes a driver failure unlikely as a cause.
who knows details about how safe mode functions differently from normal boot? safe mode works fine, and if it's not a windows driver what else is different in safe mode? memory/drive access? one major difference i see is the video output. safe mode uses generic low resolution while regular windows and ubuntu (from hd & stick) are trying to use regular video drivers. could it be a hardware issue with the video chip? how can i check for that? i tried installing video drivers in safe mode, it worked, but wants to restart to take effect after which they're disabled again...

grateful for any hints...

how can i uninstall the video driver in safe mode? it doesn't appear in device manager nor in the start menu. are there any alternate methods?

also, is there a hardware diagnostics tool that you can recommend? the web seems to offer a lot of rip-off software along those lines...

and in case it helps, i ran a logged regular boot twice and it finishes with one of these two lines (not the same every time):

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\usb8023x.sys

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\USBSTOR.SYS

cheers!

the laptop is an acer travelmate 6292, according to c-net the graphics adapter is Intel GMA X3100, there are different versions of the 6292 tho, so it's not certain. the rest of c-net's specs to match tho.
i ran chkdsk and sfc, the harddrive works fine in safe mode and blinks along happily until the system freezes half-way through the booting. it's actually a 1tb drive that i put in just six months ago, i think we can exclude it.
as for the memory i extended it to the maximum (4gb) a couple years ago and now ran the memory diagnostic tool that windows 7 offers in the F8 menu - no errors. yet i'm wondering if there are different access modes and safe mode uses a slow one which works. anything to that?
ubuntu live stick freezes and if we exclude the hd and memory, can it be anything else than the graphics chip? does safe mode actually use different hardware than the graphics chip or does it just use a generic driver instead of the proprietary one, but it's still the graphics chip that produces the output? the windows 7 disk does not boot either, so i can't install a clean windows even if i had a spare hd. maybe i should get an xp disk and see if that works?

cheers!

the windows 7 dvd does indeed get stuck b4 the first screen, i'm just asked to press any key to boot from cd/dvd, then after some activity the laptop freezes and the screen remains black.
i also tried an XP cd which gets further. after loading all its drivers i'm being asked which drive to install to. i haven't gone further than this as i'd like to explore other options b4 formatting the system drive and ending up with XP (if it works which seems doubtful).
as for the wireless card, i understand it is supposed to work in safe mode, but it doesn't. i can get online via cable, but wifi finds no networks. you are suggesting to remove this card, so it actually is removable instead of integrated on the board? what does it look like?

thx again!

i ran the windows memory diagnostic which lasted for a long time and reported no errors. this is why i haven't pulled out the sticks yet. i've heard xp manages ram differently and cannot access more than 2gb 'fully', whatever that means. maybe it's an indication that i have indeed a memory issue that win 7 simply does not detect. i'll pull out the sticks individually tmrw.
i did some research on wifi and ppl say wifi works in safe mode since vista, but not in xp. as i have 7, i expected it to work. the wifi adapter appears in device manager and network settings, yet no networks are detected. i will see if i can pull out the card tmrw.

so i've tried all combinations of ram chips and slots. with the wifi card in and out. no change. found an option in the bios to run the HDD controller in IDE mode which prompted safe mode to install new drivers, other than that no change. done another logged boot with yet another file at the end of it. i'll just include the last page of it here, maybe it tells you sth helpful:

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\ndiswan.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\raspppoe.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\raspptp.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\rassstp.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\taphss6.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\rdpbus.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\termdd.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\swenum.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\umbus.sys
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd0%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd1%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\usbhub.sys
Did not load driver @hdaudio.inf,%hdaudiofunctiondriver.generic.devicedesc%;High Definition Audio Device
Did not load driver @sdbus.inf,%pci\cc_080501.devicedesc%;SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller
Did not load driver @oem63.inf,%*nsc6001.devicedesc%;IrDA Fast Infrared Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0501.devicedesc%;Communications Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0401.devicedesc%;ECP Printer Port
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\acpi0003.devicedesc%;Microsoft AC Adapter
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\pnp0c0a.devicedesc%;Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%*compbatt.devicedesc%;Microsoft Composite Battery
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\NDProxy.SYS
Did not load driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\NDProxy.SYS
Did not load driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\NDProxy.SYS
Did not load driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\NDProxy.SYS
Did not load driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\NDProxy.SYS
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd0%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd1%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @hdaudio.inf,%hdaudiofunctiondriver.generic.devicedesc%;High Definition Audio Device
Did not load driver @sdbus.inf,%pci\cc_080501.devicedesc%;SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller
Did not load driver @oem63.inf,%*nsc6001.devicedesc%;IrDA Fast Infrared Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0501.devicedesc%;Communications Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0401.devicedesc%;ECP Printer Port
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\acpi0003.devicedesc%;Microsoft AC Adapter
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\pnp0c0a.devicedesc%;Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%*compbatt.devicedesc%;Microsoft Composite Battery
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd0%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd1%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @hdaudio.inf,%hdaudiofunctiondriver.generic.devicedesc%;High Definition Audio Device
Did not load driver @sdbus.inf,%pci\cc_080501.devicedesc%;SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller
Did not load driver @oem63.inf,%*nsc6001.devicedesc%;IrDA Fast Infrared Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0501.devicedesc%;Communications Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0401.devicedesc%;ECP Printer Port
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\acpi0003.devicedesc%;Microsoft AC Adapter
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\pnp0c0a.devicedesc%;Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%*compbatt.devicedesc%;Microsoft Composite Battery
Did not load driver @hdaudio.inf,%hdaudiofunctiondriver.generic.devicedesc%;High Definition Audio Device
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd0%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd1%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @hdaudio.inf,%hdaudiofunctiondriver.generic.devicedesc%;High Definition Audio Device
Did not load driver @sdbus.inf,%pci\cc_080501.devicedesc%;SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller
Did not load driver @oem63.inf,%*nsc6001.devicedesc%;IrDA Fast Infrared Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0501.devicedesc%;Communications Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0401.devicedesc%;ECP Printer Port
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\acpi0003.devicedesc%;Microsoft AC Adapter
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\pnp0c0a.devicedesc%;Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%*compbatt.devicedesc%;Microsoft Composite Battery
Did not load driver @oem64.inf,%sensor_devicedesc%;TouchStrip Fingerprint Sensor (WBF advanced mode)
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\usbccgp.sys
Did not load driver @usbvideo.inf,%usbvideo.devicedesc%;USB Video Device
Did not load driver @usbvideo.inf,%usbvideo.devicedesc%;USB Video Device
Did not load driver @usbvideo.inf,%usbvideo.devicedesc%;USB Video Device
Did not load driver Generic Bluetooth Adapter
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\nwifi.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\ndisuio.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\bowser.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\drivers\mpsdrv.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\mrxsmb.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\mrxsmb10.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\mrxsmb20.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\NETwLv64.sys
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd0%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd1%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem64.inf,%sensor_devicedesc%;TouchStrip Fingerprint Sensor (WBF advanced mode)
Did not load driver @usbvideo.inf,%usbvideo.devicedesc%;USB Video Device
Did not load driver @hdaudio.inf,%hdaudiofunctiondriver.generic.devicedesc%;High Definition Audio Device
Did not load driver Generic Bluetooth Adapter
Did not load driver @sdbus.inf,%pci\cc_080501.devicedesc%;SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller
Did not load driver @oem63.inf,%*nsc6001.devicedesc%;IrDA Fast Infrared Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0501.devicedesc%;Communications Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0401.devicedesc%;ECP Printer Port
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\acpi0003.devicedesc%;Microsoft AC Adapter
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\pnp0c0a.devicedesc%;Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%*compbatt.devicedesc%;Microsoft Composite Battery
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\USBSTOR.SYS
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\ssudbus.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\usb8023x.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\USBSTOR.SYS
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd0%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd1%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem64.inf,%sensor_devicedesc%;TouchStrip Fingerprint Sensor (WBF advanced mode)
Did not load driver @usbvideo.inf,%usbvideo.devicedesc%;USB Video Device
Did not load driver @hdaudio.inf,%hdaudiofunctiondriver.generic.devicedesc%;High Definition Audio Device
Did not load driver Generic Bluetooth Adapter
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\ssudbus.sys
Did not load driver @sdbus.inf,%pci\cc_080501.devicedesc%;SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller
Did not load driver @oem63.inf,%*nsc6001.devicedesc%;IrDA Fast Infrared Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0501.devicedesc%;Communications Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0401.devicedesc%;ECP Printer Port
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\acpi0003.devicedesc%;Microsoft AC Adapter
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\pnp0c0a.devicedesc%;Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%*compbatt.devicedesc%;Microsoft Composite Battery
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd0%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd1%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem64.inf,%sensor_devicedesc%;TouchStrip Fingerprint Sensor (WBF advanced mode)
Did not load driver @usbvideo.inf,%usbvideo.devicedesc%;USB Video Device
Did not load driver @hdaudio.inf,%hdaudiofunctiondriver.generic.devicedesc%;High Definition Audio Device
Did not load driver Generic Bluetooth Adapter
Did not load driver @sdbus.inf,%pci\cc_080501.devicedesc%;SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller
Did not load driver @oem63.inf,%*nsc6001.devicedesc%;IrDA Fast Infrared Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0501.devicedesc%;Communications Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0401.devicedesc%;ECP Printer Port
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\acpi0003.devicedesc%;Microsoft AC Adapter
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\pnp0c0a.devicedesc%;Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%*compbatt.devicedesc%;Microsoft Composite Battery
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd0%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd1%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem64.inf,%sensor_devicedesc%;TouchStrip Fingerprint Sensor (WBF advanced mode)
Did not load driver @usbvideo.inf,%usbvideo.devicedesc%;USB Video Device
Did not load driver @hdaudio.inf,%hdaudiofunctiondriver.generic.devicedesc%;High Definition Audio Device
Did not load driver Generic Bluetooth Adapter
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\usb8023x.sys
Did not load driver @sdbus.inf,%pci\cc_080501.devicedesc%;SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller
Did not load driver @oem63.inf,%*nsc6001.devicedesc%;IrDA Fast Infrared Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0501.devicedesc%;Communications Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0401.devicedesc%;ECP Printer Port
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\acpi0003.devicedesc%;Microsoft AC Adapter
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\pnp0c0a.devicedesc%;Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%*compbatt.devicedesc%;Microsoft Composite Battery
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd0%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd1%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem64.inf,%sensor_devicedesc%;TouchStrip Fingerprint Sensor (WBF advanced mode)
Did not load driver @usbvideo.inf,%usbvideo.devicedesc%;USB Video Device
Did not load driver @hdaudio.inf,%hdaudiofunctiondriver.generic.devicedesc%;High Definition Audio Device
Did not load driver Generic Bluetooth Adapter
Did not load driver @sdbus.inf,%pci\cc_080501.devicedesc%;SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller
Did not load driver @oem63.inf,%*nsc6001.devicedesc%;IrDA Fast Infrared Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0501.devicedesc%;Communications Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0401.devicedesc%;ECP Printer Port
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\acpi0003.devicedesc%;Microsoft AC Adapter
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\pnp0c0a.devicedesc%;Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%*compbatt.devicedesc%;Microsoft Composite Battery
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @cpu.inf,%intelppm.devicedesc%;Intel Processor
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd0%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem81.inf,%icrgd1%;Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Did not load driver @oem64.inf,%sensor_devicedesc%;TouchStrip Fingerprint Sensor (WBF advanced mode)
Did not load driver @usbvideo.inf,%usbvideo.devicedesc%;USB Video Device
Did not load driver @hdaudio.inf,%hdaudiofunctiondriver.generic.devicedesc%;High Definition Audio Device
Did not load driver Generic Bluetooth Adapter
Did not load driver @sdbus.inf,%pci\cc_080501.devicedesc%;SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller
Did not load driver @oem63.inf,%*nsc6001.devicedesc%;IrDA Fast Infrared Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0501.devicedesc%;Communications Port
Did not load driver @msports.inf,%*pnp0401.devicedesc%;ECP Printer Port
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\acpi0003.devicedesc%;Microsoft AC Adapter
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%acpi\pnp0c0a.devicedesc%;Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
Did not load driver @battery.inf,%*compbatt.devicedesc%;Microsoft Composite Battery
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\USBSTOR.SYS
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\USBSTOR.SYS
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\ssudbus.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\usb8023x.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\USBSTOR.SYS
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\USBSTOR.SYS
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\USBSTOR.SYS
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\ssudbus.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\usb8023x.sys

thx!