Solved Spent a year travelling while my desktop at home, crashes upon booting

[Moodus]

If you copied your files out be sure to keep them quarantined on stick or disk media until you can scan them with Malwarebytes and your AV before reimporting them

Then unplug all other drives, wipe the HD with Diskpart Clean Command and then Clean Install Windows 7.

Look over these same steps for doing a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which compiles everything that works best with Win7 to assure you get and keep a perfect install.

Let us know how it goes. There's still the possibility that there is a hardware problem which if indicated can be tested from the steps in the preface of Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start

I was able to wipe my drive using the disk clean tutorial and did a clean install of windows 7 using the first clean install tutorial you suggested. I was successful and was able to set up windows 7. However; when I followed the last part of the tut to refresh my Windows Experience Index (WEI), I ran into some problems. I ran it the first time and my PC crashed, leading me to a BSOD. I again booted windows 7 and ran the WEI refresh, only to get an error message about half way through (about 10 minutes into running the Direct3D 10 ALU Assessment) stating that it was taking too long to check
*edit* I ran WEI a third time and after about 10 min the PC stayed powered on but the screen turned black.... Leading me to believe it is indeed my hardware...in that case, I would follow your suggestion of testing from the steps in the preface of Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start.

Thank you again

 

[gregrocker]

Sounds like it might also be your video card. Make sure you have the latest driver, consider reinstalling the card itself.

If you didn't get to go through the steps in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 did you at least enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) and then run all rounds of Important and Optional WIndows Updates until there are no more? There are many other best practices in there that work best for Win7, based on tens of thousands of installs we've helped with here.

Since you have a bootable install go over your install thoroughly using Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7 which start with the hardware tests and also go over the OS to access all of the troubleshooting resources.

 

[Moodus]

Sounds like it might also be your video card. Make sure you have the latest driver, consider reinstalling the card itself.

If you didn't get to go through the steps in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 did you at least enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) and then run all rounds of Important and Optional WIndows Updates until there are no more? There are many other best practices in there that work best for Win7, based on tens of thousands of installs we've helped with here.

Since you have a bootable install go over your install thoroughly using Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7 which start with the hardware tests and also go over the OS to access all of the troubleshooting resources.

ALoha

After logging on I followed your suggestion and checked to see if step #3 had been taken care of in that tut. I found that indeed Windows Updates "Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update" was selected. I then proceeded todownload and install Windows Updates (147 of them, whoa!) They downloaded just fine but at about 40% installation my PC crashed and I got a BSOD.

Upon booting I noticed that some updates managed to get installed since I was prompted with a "windows is configuiring updates" loading % upon after booting. I'll keep downloading and updating them until I have all of them.

Since I am not too tech savvy, I am a bit unsure as how to remove hardware and reinstall it if need be. I'd love to learn though I have already learned so much in the past few days from all your advice and tuts, which has been extremely helpful. Thank you again!

 

[gregrocker]

Don't forget Optional Updates which is where most drivers are queued.

Resolve repeat errors and look for crash clues in logs, check System Resources for Solutions, establish and keep a Clean Boot, check for overheating, test all hardware, use the recommended AV and other Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7

 

[Moodus]

Thanks again! I installed all the updates and my PC is running smooth now. Running malwarebytes now. Windows is running but I will continue to troubleshoot any hardware. As of now, I believe everything is near par. Thank you tremendously again for the help! Could not have done it without your advice and guidance.

 

[gregrocker]

Glad to hear it. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Moodus]

Glad to hear it. Let us know how it goes.

Perhaps I spoke too soon... at least now I am almost positive it is my HD giving me trouble. I had ran some test in windows 7 and was notified that it had crashed due to a hard drive problem. I was given a message in windows notification center along the lines of (pardon my paraphrasing here) , "Your computer crashed due to hard drive failure. This doesn't necessarily mean your HD is dead but it could be showing that your hard drive is on it's way out".

I am currently running Drive Fitness Test again in hopes that it will work this time. I figured maybe it will run since I was able to boot to windows 7 after clearing my hard drive and clean installing, but I'm not crossing my fingers.

Would it be safe to assume that it is indeed my hard drive barely grasping onto life? If so, are there any specific hard drives you would recommend?

Thanks!

 

[gregrocker]

Run the confirmation tests I gave you:

Did you run the Hitachi Drive Fitness Test? It seems pretty definitive. I think I would have wiped the whole drive to see if it could repair after rescuiing any data if necessary using the step for that in Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start. But when a failure code is given we're told not to ever trust it again. So the only question is if it is accurate. You can confirm that with Seagate Seatools or Partition Wizard Partition surface test .

Now is a good time to consider getting the best possible HD upgrade now with SSD prices going down to $50-60 for 120gb and $100 for 240 gb. The speeds are amazing, well worth the investment even for a larger one if you don't have another HD to store your data on or to do a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which steps are the same for retail and will assure a perfect install.

 

[Moodus]

Run the confirmation tests I gave you:

Did you run the Hitachi Drive Fitness Test? It seems pretty definitive. I think I would have wiped the whole drive to see if it could repair after rescuiing any data if necessary using the step for that in Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start. But when a failure code is given we're told not to ever trust it again. So the only question is if it is accurate. You can confirm that with Seagate Seatools or Partition Wizard Partition surface test .

Now is a good time to consider getting the best possible HD upgrade now with SSD prices going down to $50-60 for 120gb and $100 for 240 gb. The speeds are amazing, well worth the investment even for a larger one if you don't have another HD to store your data on or to do a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which steps are the same for retail and will assure a perfect install.

I tried running SeaTools but when I boot it from a burned CD, it goes straight to Startup Repair. I used an imitation burn, burned the files on the lowest speed, and also did a scan review. All was good.

I also followed the Trouble Shooting tut you gave me, however; I'm not able to finish step 1.
Everytime I test the hard drive using maker's diagnostics/repair full CD scan, my machine crashes during the scan. I tried running these tests from the tuts provided, as well as from my OS reinstallation CD of Windows 7. Every time; crash. This is the same for Disk Check, as well as the Memtest86+ to test my RAM.

I can get the tests running, but eventually and inevitably, they crash every time. This is my first machine and I built it about 4 years ago and haven't had any problems with it up until now, so I am a bit stumped here. Never dealt with malfunctioning hardware before. Apologies for my ignorance, and an extremely many thanks for all the help you've given me.

 

[Layback Bear]

@ Greg and Moodus.

It's nice to see how you two work so well together.
Greg can tell you that I lurk in the background and watch many of the threads he is helping in and this one is going well.

Moods I never assume their is just one problem.
This is my unofficial rep. Greg.

 

[gregrocker]

Can you try installing to a different Hard drive, with the present one unplugged?

 

[Moodus]

Can you try installing to a different Hard drive, with the present one unplugged?

Unfortunately I only have one hard drive in my possession and that is the hard drive hooked up to my machine.

 

[gregrocker]

Did you install CrystalDiskInfo - Software to see what it says about your hard drive?

Can you move your hard drive to another PC to test it with HDFT, Seatools or Partition Wizard Partition surface test? There's enough pointing to the hard drive now that it needs to be confirmed it is bad or just go ahead and replace it - preferably with an SSD for the best possible upgrade. You can always take back the part if it isn't needed.

Another way to test if the HD is the problem is to boot a Linux CD to see if it will run stably. Peppermint3 - Create Live CD/DVD/USB To Use For Emergency Backup - Windows 7 Forums

You can also unplug the hard drive to boot Memtest86 CD to see if it will test your RAM sticks. Unplug each stick to test it and slot individually as shown in RAM - Test with Memtest86+.

If you unplug the HD and it runs stably to test RAM which proves good or run a Linux live disk, then I would go ahead and replace the HD.

 

[Moodus]

Did you install CrystalDiskInfo - Software to see what it says about your hard drive?

Can you move your hard drive to another PC to test it with HDFT, Seatools or Partition Wizard Partition surface test? There's enough pointing to the hard drive now that it needs to be confirmed it is bad or just go ahead and replace it - preferably with an SSD for the best possible upgrade. You can always take back the part if it isn't needed.

Another way to test if the HD is the problem is to boot a Linux CD to see if it will run stably. Peppermint3 - Create Live CD/DVD/USB To Use For Emergency Backup - Windows 7 Forums

You can also unplug the hard drive to boot Memtest86 CD to see if it will test your RAM sticks. Unplug each stick to test it and slot individually as shown in RAM - Test with Memtest86+.

If you unplug the HD and it runs stably to test RAM which proves good or run a Linux live disk, then I would go ahead and replace the HD.

*Update*

I let my pc rest overnight and was able to boot it today into safemode with networking. I ran sfc/scannow successfully and was relieved to find that windows resource protection did not find any integrity violations. I then shut off my computer using windows shut down and rebooted into normal windows 7. I then opened chrome and downloaded SeaTools, however; I was prompted that I needed to install Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile before I could install SeaTools. I was able to install Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile

I was then able to DL and install SeaTools. My question now is, which test should I run in SeaTools? It recognized my HD and my options from basic Tests are:

- Fix All (drop down menu = "Long")
- Short Drive Self Test
- Drive Information
- Short Generic
- Long Generic
- Advanced Tests

Thanks again

 

[gregrocker]

I would test from CD since Having OS running will not allow testing full HD.

You can however run test from win7 to see if it is faulty even from OS.

 

[Moodus]

I'll run from a CD and let you know my results

 

[Moodus]

I would test from CD since Having OS running will not allow testing full HD.

You can however run test from win7 to see if it is faulty even from OS.

*Update*

Running SeaTools for DOS on Long Test at the moment. I will let you know results. Should I also run an Acoustic Test, as well as a Short Scan?

Thanks again

 

[Britton30]

the acoustic test just lets you hear the drive stop/start so you know what it sounds like. The short test isn't needed since the long test encompasses it, but won't harm anything.

 

[Moodus]

Thanks

I ran the long test and it began running. Got to 29% and then stopped. When it stopped, a message with tiny green text on a black background came up. The text is a bit unreadable (tiny 8 bit looking text).

What I can make out is the last few sentences:

"To view the user guide file at the C: prompt just type ReadMe"
"To copy all log files to a floppy diskette type COPY m.LUC U:"
"Please remove your CD of floppy diskette and press CTRL+ALT+DEL to reboot."
"(Seagate boot) C:\>"

Unsure as what my next step would be here, any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

* EDIT*

Ran SeaTools long scan again. It ran until around 63%. A box flashed with a lot of text and then my pc immediately shut down. I was only able to make out "Please save this scan..." or something along those lines.

Perhaps I will give it another shot

 

[Britton30]

Sea Tools is a bit wonky at times, yup, try again.