It's interesting. You didn't have any problems running Vista restoration, using recovery DVDs, correct?
What was the original reason for running recovery process?From what I have been told it simply, and suddenly, started doing this thing with going through the above mentioned cycle of booting through the screens and ending on the Start up Repair. I've got the various "Signature" numbers generated by the Start up Repair as follows;

Sig. 3 6.0.6000.16386.6.0.6000.16386

and I've been combing MS website following different threads that have had the same problem (And they are VERY numerous! ;-)) As I mentioned above "this seems to be a common problem." Now if I can just find the person that has figured it out! LOL I have a tendency to lean toward thinking that it is a software problem. Possibly a corrupted, or missing file in the startup sequence. Corrupted boot sector file or? I also think the the "Format" done by the "Restore" DISC is probably a very low level format. Therefore the 0 sector is not being wiped and rewritten. That is the one thing I haven't done yet. Trying to avoid it for obvious reasons. (i.e. the rigorous and mind bending installation of the above mentioned files after the Format and Fdisk commands. Getting my HANDS on a "Valid" command.com Autoexec.bat and Config.sys for Vista!) I'm way passed the point of worrying about saving any user made files. They were long gone after the first format from the restore disc. Just want to get the system installed to the point that I can go and start installing the SPs 1&2. Which I HEAR are giving their OWN share of problems after install. Anyway.....those are just my thoughts base on my own inexperience. ;-) That is why I'm on this site talking people like you. In hopes that someone (with more experience than me) could help shed some LIGHT on this issue. Thanks Broni Chuck <><Quote from: chucwar on November 13, 2009, 11:59:17 AM

I also think the the "Format" done by the "Restore" disc is probably a very low level format.