Laptop Won't Boot, can't get past Initial Windows Screen

[gregrocker]

The HD could be irreparable. It still needs to be tested with the maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan.

 

[Tae Song]

If Windows gets stuck at the Windows logo screen then it might suggest there is a problem with the hard drive... bad sectors.

You can try reinstalling Windows, the bad sectors probably be detected and locked out, but you might have more problems with the drive later on.

 

[Jim15]

The HD could be irreparable. It still needs to be tested with the maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan.

The chkdsk completed and claimed to fix some errors, but no changes when I try a normal boot except one thing: I get the windows boot manager again telling me I need to put an install disk in.

It's telling me that the system registry file is missing or corrupt.

I'm going to attempt a startup repair. If I get the over one hour warning, I'll skip that, and go straight to taking pictures of my BIOS. Hopefully you or someone else can point out which is the HD.

Man, I really hope the HD isn't irreparable. I mean, I just got this lap top 8 months ago.

If Windows gets stuck at the Windows logo screen then it might suggest there is a problem with the hard drive... bad sectors.

You can try reinstalling Windows, the bad sectors probably be detected and locked out, but you might have more problems with the drive later on.

Bad sectors were mentioned during my most recent disk check... is that the sign of a failing hard drive?

Can bad sectors be fixed in any way?

Will update back soon.

 

[Jim15]

UPDATE #1

Well, I can safely say chkdsk fixed something. I no longer get a message telling me to do the disk check when I enter the recovery environment while windows is searching for installations.

Another good sign is what I'm seeing from startup repair. Something different. Normally it goes to startup repair, says it's searching for problems, then a second or two later, almost immediately it says it's attempting fixes and that it may take over an hour.

The difference for me now is that it's still searching for problems. It's been running for two minutes or so now and is still searching. Maybe not much better than before, but maybe this means there's less problems. Will update again when something different happens. However, if the search end up taking too long, I'll probably shutdown and skip to the next step.

UPDATE #2:

Good news!

It would seem chkdsk has fixed something! It's now telling me to restart the computer so I can complete repairs!

Of course, as you advised Greg, I will run startup repair two more times just to be careful. After doing this, I will attempt to boot normally and update on how that goes.

Upon looking at the details of the diagnosis, it says that the root cause was found:

"Registry is corrupt.

Repair action: Registry rollback.
Result: Completed successfully.
Time taken: 6927 ms"

UPDATE #3:

I'm noticing a much healthier computer. Startup repair didn't come up automatically this time in the recovery environment, and this time when windows searched for installations, it was lightning quick. Normally it took at least 5 minutes.

However, upon trying my second startup repair, it scans for a short time, then tells me that:

"Startup repair cannot repair this computer automatically"

It then asks me to send information to microsoft.

When looking at the problem details, I'm shown a list of seven problem signatures. It says the Problem event name is StartupRepairOffline. I also don't recognize a majority of the problem signatures, but two of them do stand out: External media and CorruptRegistry.

If anyone needs me to list them all, let me know and I will.

From here I attempted Startup Repair for the third time. Same result. I made sure to send the report to Microsoft both times.

I'm going to attempt to boot normally now to see what happens. What I'm hoping is that these errors are present because there's nothing left to fix... though that may be wishful thinking.

Will update as usual after seeing the results.

UPDATE #4:

My computer... It lives!

At first, when I booted up normally, my hopes sank because it opened to a black screen and didn't even reach the Windows screen. But I just had to try again, unable to accept that it had gotten worse. On my second try, a successful boot! Everything came up like normal. Windows screen loaded nice and fast, and then I came to the log on screen. I typed in my password, and my desktop appeared normally/ All startup programs appeared normally as well.

... wow. I guess you don't appreciate a computer this much until you think you've lost it. It's all thanks to you gregrocker. Thank you so much!

I guess it's too early to celebrate though. I'll check back tomorrow afternoon to see your input Greg. Until then, time for some sleep...

 

[SIW2]

Great - though you were going to need more remedial action - seems to be ok.

Well done for persevering.

 

[gregrocker]

Good work, Jim!

Download, install, update and run a full scan with Malwarebytes to see if infection could have been an issue with any of this. Repeat monthly. Use a recommended lightweight free AV like Microsoft Security Essentials or Avast 6 instead of bloatware, with Windows Firewall kept Updated (including Optional Updates for drivers).

I would still run the maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan to give your HD a clean bill of health and possibly fix any problems. Look in Device Manager to google your HD serial for model.

I'd also run Disk Check regularly. A good way to run Disk Check is using Puran Defrag Free Edition Boot-Tme scan which you can schedule with full Disk Check after reboot. I do this after running CCleaner Disk and registry tabs monthly.

I'd also watch the logs for repeat errors and monitor System Resources for problems to resolve as given in these useful troubleshooting steps.

Once you check these off then you can mark this thread Solved at top, open another if any problems arise in the future.

 

[Jim15]

Great - though you were going to need more remedial action - seems to be ok.

Well done for persevering.

Thanks! And yeah, I'm definitely going to follow up on this, hopefully to prevent this from happening again.

Good work, Jim!

Thanks, and your advice was very good too!

Download, install, update and run a full scan with Malwarebytes to see if infection could have been an issue with any of this. Repeat monthly. Use a recommended lightweight free AV like Microsoft Security Essentials or Avast 6 instead of bloatware, with Windows Firewall kept Updated (including Optional Updates for drivers).

Will do. I'll download it after this post.

Also, would you say AVG is considered bloatware? The reason I've used it in the past is because it works well with Cisco NAC Agent. NAC Agent doesn't work well with Avast, and if NAC Agent won't work, my school blocks access to the internet. I'll see if Security Essentials works.

I would still run the maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan to give your HD a clean bill of health and possibly fix any problems. Look in Device Manager to google your HD serial for model.

I certainly will if you recommend it.

Also, I noticed that the load up was very slow today. I'm not so sure my computer's out of trouble yet.

I'd also run Disk Check regularly. A good way to run Disk Check is using Puran Defrag Free Edition Boot-Tme scan which you can schedule with full Disk Check after reboot. I do this after running CCleaner Disk and registry tabs monthly.

I'll download it. Also, the disk cleaner sounds pretty good too. Is it free?

I'd also watch the logs for repeat errors and monitor System Resources for problems to resolve as given in these useful troubleshooting steps.

Once you check these off then you can mark this thread Solved at top, open another if any problems arise in the future.

Right, I'll get on it now. Thanks again for all of your help Greg!

 

[gregrocker]

Yes AVG is bloatware and recommended by no one here. MSE would be the choice for best protection/performance.

I'd see if the slow loading is helped by running a clean boot. In msconfig>Startup uncheck everything except MSE and gadgets if you use them. Startup Programs - Change Then after reboots do the same in msconfig>Services after Hiding All MS Services. Check back periodically to make sure nothing writes itself back in, else turn it off in its Program Preferences or Uninstall. You now have a clean boot, with nothing running besides the OS which you don't start yourself.

I would certainly run HD DIagnostics then DIsk Check again paired with Puran Defragger run in Boot Mode, after running CCleaner just beforehand.

All of the recommended softwares are free.

 

[Jim15]

I can tell my computer hasn't quite gotten better yet. Upon booting it up today from hibernation, I was told that chrome.exe was corrupt. Could this have been the cause of my problems? Well I followed some directions to delete a chrome folder, and then restart. After restarting my computer has had a lot of trouble starting up again. It took a while, but I just got into the log on screen. It's taking a while to get back on, but I think it'll work.

Also, Safe Mode still doesn't work for me, another bad sign. It still doesn't load any files.

Greg, what would you say is the most urgent thing to do here? The HD diagnostic? I fear the computer won't boot the next time I restart.

So I found my HD make, and it turns out in the HD diagnostic guide you posted for me Greg, the guys says he always has trouble with their CD. Just my luck. lol

I will give it a shot anyway, but also burn the seagate one that was recommended.

 

[Jim15]

Okay, so I found it finally:

WD Support / Downloads / WD Scorpio & AV-25 / WD Scorpio Blue

Not sure if I've got the right thing though. Should I do the Data lifeguard diagnostic for Windows? Or perhaps the advanced format software?

I will download these just in case, but I'll wait for you Greg before burning them. Edit: Just realized these weren't ISOs....

In the mean time, I'll get to using Malwarebytes, change to security essentials, and downloading CCleaner.

 

[gregrocker]

Data Lifeguard Diagnostics for DOS (CD) - remember that this is a CD scan from boot?

Burn the ISO to CD using Windows Image Burner. Boot, run Extended Scan.

Run SFC -SCANNOW Command
from an Elevated Command Prompt.

 

[Jim15]

Data Lifeguard Diagnostics for DOS (CD) - remember that this is a CD scan from boot?

Burn the ISO to CD using Windows Image Burner. Boot, run Extended Scan.

Run SFC -SCANNOW Command
from an Elevated Command Prompt.

I noticed that one, but when I look at the info, it gives a list of supported OS. Windows 7 isn't listed. Is it still okay to use in that case?

During the downtime, I've downloaded Security Essentials and CCleaner. I've already used CCleaner to clean up some files left behind by uninstalled programs.

Reboots are still really slow for my computer. Takes about 20-30 minutes total each time. After updating Security essentials, I'm going to try out what you suggested about startup programs.

I will also download the diagnosis in the meantime.

 

[Jim15]

Things have gotten worse.

My desktop is completely frozen and without a mouse cursor. Last time this happened was just before I made this thread. I'm going to power down and try the Data Lifeguard.

Edit:

The CD doesn't seem to be doing anything. Just says, "Starting caldera DR-DOS" and then I get a black screen. I'll wait for a bit, but my HD light turns off after that text goes away.

 

[gregrocker]

Try the other DOS ISO.

YOu can also try booting into Win7 DVD Repair console to see if it offers more repairs, or finds more needed with Startup Repair. SFC, HD scan, Check DIsk are going to need to be run again.

What was the result of Malwarebytes scan?

If you want to break off at any time and try the clean reinstall, go for it.

 

[Jim15]

Try the other DOS ISO.

YOu can also try booting into Win7 DVD Repair console to see if it offers more repairs, or finds more needed with Startup Repair. SFC, HD scan, Check DIsk are going to need to be run again.

What was the result of Malwarebytes scan?

If you want to break off at any time and try the clean reinstall, go for it.

The other one is apparently for a floppy disk.

Before checking back here I ended up running the non-CD lifeguard. Will it make a difference? Let me know if I should shut it down. Just to be clear, it's running on my desktop now.

After this test completes (Or if you tell me to stop it), I'll get to doing the SFC. I should mention that before making my thread, I tried everything to get SFC to work, but in some way or another it just refused to ever scan. This was from Recovery environment and before I had the install disk, so it may work for me now.

I haven't been able to download Malwarebytes yet. I may have to download it on my other computer since on my Acer refused to download it, probably because it's been struggling to download anything at all.

I still need to update Security Essentials and get rid of AVG as well. I now realize how hard it is to prioritize when your computer is barely working.

We've come this far. I want to try everything to save my computer as it currently is. If all of your advice doesn't work, I'll do the reinstall.

 

[gregrocker]

What do you do with your computers that mess them up like this? :shock:

I would consider getting a perfect reinstall and then following the regimen included for keeping it secure, clean and maintained.

Running the Windows HD scan is better than nothing, but likely can't repair bad sectors since the HD can't be dismounted while running an OS.

Malwarebytes is a tiny download and install which takes 30 seconds normally. Update and run a full scan.

 

[Jim15]

What do you do with your computers that mess them up like this? :shock:

I would consider getting a perfect reinstall and then following the regimen included for keeping it secure, clean and maintained.

Running the Windows HD scan is better than nothing, but likely can't repair bad sectors since the HD can't be dismounted while running an OS.

Malwarebytes is a tiny download and install which takes 30 seconds normally. Update and run a full scan.

Honestly? I have no idea what made this so bad. I bet it partly has to do with me using Internet Explorer 8, while I usually used to use Chrome. However, after getting that corrupt file error relating to chrome, I decided to uninstall it.

I'll attempt to download after HD scan. I guess I just have to hope for a miracle if it normally doesn't repair bad sectors. Otherwise I'll have to reinstall.

 

[gregrocker]

Reinstalling is not a last resort but a fresh start which is better than getting a new computer, when you consider how today's new computers are larded with bloatware that throttles the first lightweight, instantaneous OS.

It's an opportunity to get it perfect and then maintain it smart so that you never have to reinstall again - just reimage if it ever becomes necessary.

It removes the OS as a possible cause of mystifying problems so that if they persist you can then zero in on hardware.

Just as trying to clean up a serious infection is wasted time, so it trying to save such a crippled OS. If you don't get some traction on the repairs soon, Clean Reinstall is not only the best solution but the only realistic one.

 

[Jim15]

Reinstalling is not a last resort but a fresh start which is better than getting a new computer, when you consider how today's new computers are larded with bloatware that throttles the first lightweight, instantaneous OS.

It's an opportunity to get it perfect and then maintain it smart so that you never have to reinstall again - just reimage if it ever becomes necessary.

It removes the OS as a possible cause of mystifying problems so that if they persist you can then zero in on hardware.

Just as trying to clean up a serious infection is wasted time, so it trying to save such a crippled OS. If you don't get some traction on the repairs soon, Clean Reinstall is not only the best solution but the only realistic one.

Yes, if anything this dreadful experience has at least showed me that bloatware is not helping anything. Either way, I'm going to avoid several things from now on, AVG in particular. I suppose this also means I'll have to watch out for my computer more often.

And agreed. If this HD scan and Malwarebytes turn up nothing, I'll just have to accept the loss of my installed programs and reinstall.

The worst case scenario here is that my hard drive is causing all of this. I really don't want to deal with that.

Anyway, I can't thank you enough for your help Greg. As soon as something comes up, I'll update, and if it happens to be something decisive, we can finally put this thread to rest and mark it as solved.

(Note that this will at least be several hours later)

 

[gregrocker]

OK, we'll be here.