Attempt to update drivers caused possibly fatal system crash

Whisperss · 13 Nov 2014

I was updating the drivers on my ASUS ROG G75 using Iobit's Driver Booster 2. It said I had several drivers out of date so I selected all of them and left the machine to run while I ran some cleaning and maintenance programs in the background (Iobit Advanced System Care 7 and Privazer). I didn't think this was an issue because the laptop has more than enough power to run all those at the same time but the driver update got to 70% and hung there for 15 minutes. I figured something was screwy and that the computer would simply not install the fully updated drivers and so I closed all programs and rebooted the laptop to complete installation of the successfully downloaded drivers and now, now I have nothing.

By nothing, I mean just exactly that. I hit the power button, I see the cursor and hear the DVD drive spin up and that is it. No error codes, no choices for booting into Safe Mode, nothing. I'm not even sure it booted far enough for me to get into the BIOS! I've been poking around the net trying to find a program that will allow me to boot into a rescue disc and perhaps attempt to repair the MBR/ntloader but I am either not using the right keywords or I'm screwed because I can't find what I'm looking for. I found Paragon's Rescue Kit 14 but either I didn't follow the instructions correctly or my laptop isn't even searching for bootable media because it is too far gone.

I do have such a program as I am looking for but I recently moved and have absolutely no idea where that CD is. I only remember that it too is a Paragon product but not the one I've been trying to use. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and please let me know if there is any other information you need that would be useful, thanks.

P.S.
I just tried to start it up and get into the BIOS and got nowhere. This is getting to be very NOT COOL

NimoTony · 13 Nov 2014

F9 on bootup to access the Restore Wizard

maxie · 13 Nov 2014

Hi ... Looks like you will have to do a Clean Install .. As Advanced System Care has messed up your OS ...

Read the Tutorial below it contain every thing you need to get the perfect Install including the ISO ...

F2 Should get you into the BIOS ....

Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

Golden · 13 Nov 2014

IoBit......worse than the dog turd you cant quite scrape off the bottom of your shoe. The best advice is that offered by Maxie - reinstall.

Layback Bear · 13 Nov 2014

I know I'm repeating but it worth repeating.

IObit products including A.S.C is one of the best way I know to destroy Windows 7 or any other operating system.

I do agree with the others. your best option.

Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

Whisperss · 13 Nov 2014

Well tar and feather me and invite me over to be Thanksgiving dinner! I was looking for advice all over the net when I ran across this thread here Won't boot and access BIOS after crashed Windows 7 Update - TechSpot Forums. The gist of the important part was that the suggestion was made to pull the battery on the off chance it would then allow me access to the BIOS which might then facilitate a repair or re-installation. The duration was only supposed to be for 5-10 minutes but it was already nearing midnight and so I left the battery out overnight.

I found a link on the sevenforums site to do a repair install and downloaded the .iso and then put the battery back in to initiate a clean install (my situation didn't fit the criteria given for a repair job), hit the power button and started hitting the Escape key as per instructions on the link above and I'll darned if the stupid machine didn't fire right up and ask me if I wanted to use the Windows Boot Manager or one of the ones from the Paragon Rescue Kit disc I'd left in the drive overnight. I chose Windows Boot Manager, pulled out the rescue disc, and turned it loose out of curiosity.

Wouldn't you know the stupid machine fired right up like there was no problems whatsoever! It was a little slower than normal but that didn't surprise me as one of the drivers to be updated was a graphics driver and those have always loaded slower on the initial reboot for me.

I have no idea whatsoever as to why pulling the battery for the night had anything to do with anything but would love to hear from anyone who might know what the !#@ just happened but I'm going to get on my laptop, dump all my Iobit software, and promptly make a full backup before I do anything else, lol. I'd been slacking in that department and it dang near cost me dearly. Thank you all for your advice and I am supremely grateful I didn't need to follow through on it. I will revisit in a couple of days to read anyone's thoughts on this and then mark the problem solved. Have a great day!