Microsoft has informed users of an issue that prevents Windows 7 from starting after the computer the OS is installed on has been forced shut down. According to the Redmond company, this issue affects the 32-bit flavors of all Windows 7 editions. In order to replicate the scenario, end users need only to force the machine Windows 7 is installed on to shut down. A common action in this regard would be to hold the power button of the computer pressed down for a few seconds. After the PC shuts down, users will discover that it will no longer boot again. Microsoft indicated that the startup process would stop at a black screen and Windows 7 will not boot.

The software giant informed that “This problem occurs if the following conditions are true: Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is disabled either in the BIOS or in the operating system. The system is configured to enter hibernation or to enter hybrid sleep mode when the power button is pressed. The language version of the operating system that you are running is a double-byte character set (DBCS) language. For example, you are running a Chinese, Korean, or Japanese version of Windows 7 on the computer.”

There is a simple workaround designed to let users reclaim full Windows 7 functionality, and get the platform to start up under normal parameters. All that users need to do is to boot the computer via the Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) disc for Windows 7. Starting the machine in normal mode will not be a problem. In the eventuality that a Windows PE disc is not on hand, a Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows Server 2008 installation DVD can also be used. In addition, the Redmond company is providing a hotfix in order to help Windows 7 users prevent this scenario from happening in the future.

“This problem may also occur in a rare scenario where the power goes off when the computer is entering hibernation. By default, hybrid sleep is enabled on desktop computers. Therefore, if a desktop computer is configured to enter sleep mode when the power button is pressed, it actually enters hybrid sleep mode,” Microsoft added.