Solved Installed Acronis 2016, tried to boot to USB, now BSOD after BSOD

[carter23]

I've just installed Acronis True Image 2016 to make a system backup so I can try a Windows 10 upgrade. I made a bootable ISO of the imaging tool it comes with because I was using a tutorial that said to do so (and then boot to that drive, use the backup utility, etc). I boot to the USB drive, but it turns out my mouse isn't detected, so I decide to just use the in-Windows backup utility. I go to reboot into Windows, and now I'm getting BSOD after BSOD... it's only up for about 2 seconds, so I can't get a great read, but I've managed to catch what the system seems to be failing on: pcw.sys ...not sure if this helps, but this is what seems to be causing it??

I try to boot into safe mode by pressing f8 on boot, but it doesn't bring up the option and just runs into the regular startup, BSOD, restart loop. Very frustrating. Any idea on how to fix this?

 

[townsbg]

From the F8 menu you should have the option to disable automatic reboot. After selecting that you should be able to view the blue screen and tell us what it says. Also you may not be able to boot into safe mode but we need to know the last listed file. So try to disable automatic reboot and boot normally. Record the error code and then try safe mode. Tell us the last listed file before it stops bootup.

 

[carter23]

As I said in my original post, I can't bring up the f8 menu. It doesn't load.

 

[townsbg]

You are probably hitting it at the wrong time. Try hitting it very quickly and keep on hitting it until you get the menu.

 

[carter23]

Trust me I've done it many times at many different points during boot, it's not loading...I've had to use safe mode on many different t systems over the years and this one's just not loading it...

 

[carter23]

Did pcw.sys not mean anything to you? or is that not the last listed file...it's all I've managed to see in the BSOD

 

[carter23]

UPDATE: My Ubuntu partition (Linux Mint) will boot, but I still can't get into Windows 7 or Windows 7 Safe Mode.

 

[axe0]

Pcw.sys = Performance Counters for Windows Driver, a Windows driver of which you can assume that it isn't the root cause.

Make a movie of when you boot your system, upload it and post a share link. If you upload it to youtube we'll see what the BSOD error code is so we may get an idea of what the problem is.

 

[townsbg]

When you hit f8 you don't get anything at all? You have to hit it very early in the boot cycle. Even if you don't get it a failed boot should automatically trigger a boot into safe mode. Perhaps you are getting that and you just don't know it. Perhaps as axe0 suggested a movie would help. However we need to know the entire message of the bsod to determine the root cause. There are different causes for the bsod so knowing the file isn't enough.

 

[carter23]

Here's a clip of the BSOD, hopefully it helps: https://youtu.be/ycdcYLYgdUQ

 

[carter23]

When you hit f8 you don't get anything at all? You have to hit it very early in the boot cycle. Even if you don't get it a failed boot should automatically trigger a boot into safe mode. Perhaps you are getting that and you just don't know it. Perhaps as axe0 suggested a movie would help. However we need to know the entire message of the bsod to determine the root cause. There are different causes for the bsod so knowing the file isn't enough.

I have multiple OS installed, would that affect f8 not working? I've tried everything from one second intervals as soon as the PC is on to holding it down to just outright spamming the f8 key and nothing's come up :/

 

[axe0]

Most probable cause: faulty system service
Do you have any recovery media where you can boot from?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

 

[carter23]

I'll have to use a friend's laptop to create one, but thank you for the tutorial. Once I make it, which option should I select, and what should I be looking for in terms of services and such?

 

[axe0]

If there is a system restore point prior the use of Acronis then choose system restore, else we could try command prompt to get msconfig up to boot into a clean boot or safe mode.

 

[carter23]

Alright. I'm going to a friend's house so I'll make it there and let you know. I'll try a system restore first.

 

[carter23]

System restore seems to have done it, guess I'm not booting to Acronis, lol. Thanks for all the help!