Solved computer will not load login screen after failed Windows Update Instal

[fedaru]

Hi Guys at SevenForums Im back again(i know you guys are tired of me, lol)! O.K., here goes:

first, I got an alert from the action center saying I have a virus( although i know it would be helpful, i do not remeber the virus' name, sorry), it showed the name, and suggested i remove it. So i downloaded mbam, installed it, updated it, and ran it. it discovered 1 moderate, 3 low risk infections so I removed them all. I ran a quick scan afterwards to confirm the system was clean...and system was clean. ( I also ran a quick scan with VIPRE Internet Security 2013 and found 0 infections)

second, I received a windows update alert saying there were updates available. I figured that would be a good idea right about now to fully update my system with any vulnerability releases, so i let them download, but i always choose when to install them. They completed download and were "ready" for install. so I shutdown the computer so it can install the updates. So far, all textbook stuff right?

Here's where it got tricky...

O.K. so third, it gets to the windows screen, but the login screen never appears just the mouse cursor. I chalk it up to the updates now being configured,...so I wait...and wait...and wait. So now its been 15 min and things are not looking textbook at this point. the display is still showing a black screen and I notice the HDD light is not flashing, so its not crunching. Since no data was being crunched I figured it safe to power down and retry, but the power button wasnt working, so i had to press and hold it. I know that could cause issues if overused but my system was completely unresponsive otherwise(except for the mouse cursor).

fourth, I cut the machine back on waited for windows to load, hoping a reset would clear the cobwebs, but when it got to the login/on screen it still wouldn't load up!:shock::shock::shock: OMFG!icnic:

fifth, I created a windows 7 usb, ran system restore and got a "can't do" error for every restore point. i ran startup repair it said if found "no startup issues", and the system cant login from safe mode either. I'M SCREWED!

I really hate to reinstall Microsoft Doors, haha, my drivers are so hard to locate them all online for my system.

• Is this a malware or Windows update issue?
• Is there a way I can recopy or replace the system files that are present with ones from a install or repair disc?
• Is this a MBR issue?
• Any solutions you 7 Guru's can conjure wil be immensely appreciated...

Thanks again from the long-winded,
Fedaru


and thanx agn.

 

[ThrashZone]

Have you tried safe mode or Safe mode with networking ?
Totally shut down the machine/ Unplug and Hold the power button down for 30/ 45 seconds, (power drain)
Plug back in and Power up and Tap the F8 key continuously until you see a black page with white text,
Use the down arrow key to toggle to safe mode with networking/ hit the enter key.
Login as usual,

 

[starchase]

first, I got an alert from the action center saying I have a virus( although i know it would be helpful, i do not remeber the virus' name, sorry), it showed the name, and suggested i remove it. So i downloaded mbam, installed it, updated it, and ran it. it discovered 1 moderate, 3 low risk infections so I removed them all.

I've noticed something that I'll share that is too late for you but might help someone else. When a virus alert suddenly appears on your screen that really looks official and wants you to fix it by downloading something, take a look at the hyperlink, the URL, because that will tell you if it is bogus or not. My wife gets dialog boxes just by visiting very legitimate web sites that can fool even me, a pop-up that look like a Windows Defender alert that say it found a trojan and says "click to remove," and when you hover over the click box you can see in the status bar a URL that says something like http://www.beerguzzle./nfpweo9kk2. I almost clicked on it until I noticed the URL and realized I almost wasted her PC.

Be careful of the sophisticated scams these days. I'll bet you fell for one.

John

 

[fedaru]

ThrashZone: i have tried to boot into safe mode w/ networking and no dice, though i have not tried draining the power as you suggested. Ill try and post back with the results.

starchase: That's an oldie but goodie, interesting. The message I received wasnt from Defender, or any AV. It wasnt advertising AV either, as most "virus alert" scareware is. I simply saw the alert,hovered over it so it would stay up so I could read it, installed mbam (oh, and I think its pertinent to mention here that I already had an official mbam exe file, on another computer...this one actually,) so I didnt have to download anything. anyhow as you've said , it probably wouldnt help me, but it may help others, thx for the comment.

 

[gregrocker]

When you say you rebooted because Windows Update was ready to install Updates, were you prompted to restart? Updates are first installed from the desktop and not ready for reboot until it prompts you and then you can do this at your leisure or next reboot.

If Updates fail during install causing Win7 to become unbootable the solution is always to run System Restore from System Recovery Options preferably from the booted Win7 installer or System Repair Disk.

If for some reason System Restore won't run from boot then you'll likely have to rescue your files to reinstall although there are other steps you can try in Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start leading up to those last resorts.

 

[fedaru]

gregrocker: now that youve mentioned it, i dont believe that it prompted me to restart, i think I assumed it because there were about 22 updates, i figured 1 was probably important. That being said, would a regular powerdown cause this after updating. Im guessing if the system needed to prepare or configure, or reconfigure, or pause and resume installation,or update, or roll back to a safe period, etc., wouldnt it do it before it completely shuts down? like at that blue page that says "dont power off your machine" and "configuring" this and that?

ThrashZone: At first it worked. My PC got to the logon, past the logon, and onto the desktop. but, when the desktop finished loading, a prompt from System Restore says that my machine has been successfully restored to an earlier period! I figure Im set! so I update my mbam definitions, quick scanned( to make sure I didnt revert to an infected period), turns out I did. so the items were removed, mbam suggested restarting...RESTART! reluctantly I did hoping I was in the clear but upon restart the PC hung at the same spot again, the black screen with the mouse cursor. Even in safe mode, no dice.

 

[gregrocker]

In either case this is why the first thing Windows Updates does is set a System Restore point, so use that now from the Recovery options. There are more than a dozen steps to try in the links I gave you.

 

[fedaru]

I tried the bootrec.exe tutorial, but i got stuck after i typed "Bootrec.exe\RebuildBcd" because when i went to add it to the boot list it said "the requested system device could not be found", and my path says X:/SOURCES> instead of X:/windows\system32>. Is that normal?,and should i still attempt FixMbr or is there another step I should take from this point?( I also switched from X:/ to C:/ and tried command, but it didnt work either...)

also... Is it true that you cant run Boot options in the command line of Recovery Options, because the command will scan the mbr on the flashdrive and not the HDD for repair?

 

[gregrocker]

What about System Restore run from Disk? This is the first thing to try.

You should try all of the preceding fixes I gave you and in the tutorial first before skipping down the list to the old-school Manual bootrec commands. But all commands can be run from installer CMD.

 

[fedaru]

I just tried Recovery from HDD( i think thats what you meant by"disk", otherwise I dont have an installation CD to Recover from, if thats what you meant) but when it tried to boot I got a Windows Boot Manager screen saying it could not boot Windows, and to use Recovery methods to try and resolve.

This reflects the info given on the page:

File: Boot\BCD

Error: 0xc000000f

Status: "an error occured while attempting to read the boot configuration data"



any thoughts...


also, I only tried steps 1-3 as instructed of the tutorial. Ill try them from top to bottom but, it mostly seemed like steps for Linux users, though(dual-boot issues).

 

[gregrocker]

I guess you didn't see the solution I posted earlier which is the first thing to try when Updates fail. The blue links are tutorials showing how to perform each step.

If Updates fail during install causing Win7 to become unbootable the solution is always to run System Restore from System Recovery Options preferably from the booted Win7 installer or System Repair Disk.

If for some reason System Restore won't run from boot then you'll likely have to rescue your files to reinstall although there are other steps you can try in Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start leading up to those last resorts.

Try accessing System Recovery Options from F8 menu as shown in Option 1, then if necessary use the Win Disk which is provided in the Troubleshooting tutorial.

If you didn't understand these steps in the first place you should have asked back as I was waiting to help you, not just going off randomly trying other things as though you ignored them.

 

[fedaru]

good surfing in Boston?

 

[gregrocker]

Web surfing only. I mostly surf overseas nowadays anyway.

 

[fedaru]

ok first thanks for your help and your attention to this issue. second I tried the tutorial you referred me to, but it didnt work. Your instructions "steps 1-3" I followed but I got stuck at the point I mentioned in an previous post. Third, I didnt go off and try stuff, I inquired about other things that could be the cause, or inquired about the effectiveness of the usb approach given, the whole MBR thing. If your refering to something specific you think I may have tried in error, please let me know. Im just trying to repair my system dude. Hope I didnt upset you and thanks for waiting around for replies.

 

[fedaru]

I just tried f8 at startup and I got the Windows Boot Manager screen again.

and I previously tried steps 1-6 of the "troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Boot" Guide prior to asking for help. The HDD was removed and fully scanned with updated mbam and found no infections. But exhibited the same issue during startup.

The "1-3" I was referring to was the hypertext link in step 7 of the Guide you linked.

 

[gregrocker]

Not upset at all. You'll need the Win7 DVD provided in Troubleshooting step #6 to do the repairs. You should have a System Repair Disk at all times if you don't have the Win7 installer DVD or stick.

 

[VistaKing]

fedaru

Run this tool

   Warning

You will need a USB FLASH DRIVE

   Tip

Download the Tool from a non infected PC

Download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

Choose one that goes with your OS bit version . Save the file to the Flash drive

64-Bit Version OS :ar: Farbar Recovery Scan Tool x64


Plug the flash drive into the infected PC.

Enter System Recovery Options.

:ar: To enter System Recovery Options from the Advanced Boot Options:
Restart the computer.
As soon as the BIOS is loaded begin tapping the F8 key until Advanced Boot Options appears.
Use the arrow keys to select the Repair your computer menu item.
Select US as the keyboard language settings, and then click Next.
Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.
Select your user account an click Next.

:ar: To enter System Recovery Options by using Windows installation disc:
Insert the installation disc.
Restart your computer.
If prompted, press any key to start Windows from the installation disc. If your computer is not configured to start from a CD or DVD, check your BIOS settings.
Click Repair your computer.
Select US as the keyboard language settings, and then click Next.
Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.
Select your user account and click Next.

:ar: On the System Recovery Options menu you will get the following options:
Startup Repair

System Restore

Windows Complete PC Restore

Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool

Command Prompt

Select Command Prompt

In the command window type X:\FRST64.exe and press Enter

   Note

Replace letter X with the drive letter of your flash drive.

   Tip

Type the commands below to see what your letter is for the USB drive and press ENTER after each command

Diskpart
List volume

The tool will start to run.
When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
Press Scan button.
FRST will let you know when the scan is complete and has written the FRST.txt to file
Please copy and paste both logs in your reply.(FRST.txt and Addition.txt)

 

[fedaru]

I have an Windows 7 OEM iso that I used Universal USB Installer with, to make bootable to usb. This is what I have been using to try and perform the repairs. Can the DVD program be used with usb?

 

[fedaru]

VistaKing: just saw your previous post. will post back with results as they occur.

 

[gregrocker]

Yes, it should work. Access System Recovery Options as shown in Option 2.