windows 7 Win 7 Bsod on startup

[Megas]

So windows was updating when it crashed. It has done this one other time. The first time all I had to do was run windows repair and it was fine after that. Now this time it's worse. It appears to have lost what it needs to boot in to windows. Every time I try to boot in it starts normally. I get the all's clear bios beep. Then it begins to start windows. The splash screen appears. It shows it's loading and then BSOD with this error (0x0000007E).

 

Now I have tried to run the repair from both a disc and from the main install. Neither have yielded anything worth while. I have had the repair utility look for a system image and a recovery point both of which are gone. One other thing I noticed is the drive letter has changed from C to E. I have tried a lot of guides to get a system image or something to take with the repairs. Am I at the point where I have to reinstall or do I even bother and just go with Win10? Let me know if I missed anything that might help.

 

Here's the hardware installed. 

 

CPU: i5-4690k @ 4.5Ghz appox. 1.82v

Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo

GPU: GTX 970 Asus stirx edtion

Mobo: Asus Z87 Sabertooth ( I bought this board used and did not get a driver disc with it. It may not be relevant but I don't know.)

PS I have no way of getting crash logs or dump files as I cant even windows to boot up

[TheBean]

do you have another drive? try installing windows on that. then boot from the new drive and get all the data/programs/everything off that drive. finally, format the old drive and install windows again. 

[Megas]

Well I do have my storage drive but I really dont want to wipe that drive but why not just do a clean install on the OS drive in the first place? I think I'm missing something in your suggestion. Most of what's on the OS drive is windows related or game saves. Which I'm not too fussed in losing. Could do all that with Linux on a usb stick too.

[TheBean]

Just now, Megas said:

Could do all that with Linux on a usb stick too.

1

didnt think about that idea. boot from usb, then I would backup anything you want from that drive it. then reinstall windows. copy everything back. voila

[Megas]

Takes care of one thing for sure. My only problem with reinstalling is somewhere during my recent move I lost my product key and disc with it. That's where the "Do i even bother with reinstalling win7?" comes in. Assuming I have to buy another copy of windows should I move to win10 or just stick with win7?