Lost all data on Asus, tried to recover and won't boot

[mick13]

I am using an Asus laptop using Windows 7. It suddenly crashed the other day. It had run out of batter, so when I charged the battery and ran the laptop again, suddenly I was taken to a screen where I had to restore the laptop to its original factory settings and then lost all my data. I then installed and ran TestDisk to try to recover my data. After using it to search for the partitions, I restarted the laptop.



Now, I am always taken to a Windows Boot Manager screen. It asks me to insert the Windows installation disc. However, this laptop never came with one. In fact, it doesn't even have a CD drive, as I would have to buy a seperate external CD drive. It also says "If you do not have this disc, contact your system administrator or computer manufacturer for assistance. Status: 0xc00002225 Info: The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible"



Is there any way I can get out of this menu and retrieve my lost data? Or should I just contact Asus for assistance?

 

[maxie]

Hi Welcome to Seven Forums ... You could try a Repair Install ... The Tutorial below will guide you step by step ...

Check first that you have the Product Key before proceeding ...



http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

 

[mick13]

For that link, the first step is "Start Windows 7, and log on to an administrator account." However, I can't even do that because whenever I start up the laptop, I'm taken to the Windows Boot Manager screen, which I can't get out of

 

[mick13]

I first tried several times to download Puppylinux and burn it to a CD, but whenever I restarted the computer, I was taken to the Windows desktop screen and never to the Puppylinux screen

I then tried to boot the machine with a System Repair flash disk created via the backup menu on a Windows 8 machine onto an external USB disk. I then tried to run that USB drive on the Asus laptop running Windows 7. However, when I go to Advanced Options and then Startup Repair, I get a message saying Startup Repair couldn't repair your PC. I'm not sure what to do now?

 

[maxie]

A Clean Install might be the way to go .. Follow the steps in the Tutorial below .. It contains every thing you need to get the perfect Install including the Link for the ISO ...


http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

 

[gregrocker]

Since you have factory installed Win7 the link you'd want is Clean Reinstall Windows 7.
Everything is provided to get and keep a perfect reinstall, as long as you stick closely with the steps, tools and methods.

It's too bad you jumped into Factory Recovery before asking because as you'll read in the tutorial there is a step to rescue your data and you could have also tried Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start. But now if you ran Recovery it formatted over your data so that it is not recoverable. Be sure to heed the steps about backing up for your new install.

 

[mick13]

I was able to download Windows 7 onto a USB successfully and boot it from my Asus machine. However, when I am at step 7 of the link below, I see 4 options to install Windows, and each one says at the bottom "Windows cannot be installed to [name of partition, for example, this disk or Disk 0 Partition 1]":

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

Should I just delete all of these?

 

[gregrocker]

I wonder if it's possible that your data survived somewhere on C. Do you remember what exactly you chose for Recovery? It should warn you that your data is being wiped out if you don't choose to save it, providing that choice is given. So maybe if you first browse into C using the Win7 disk you'll get lucky and see it so you can Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console. Try that first.

If you can't see your files anywhere on C then close the browser window, click Install Now.
Look at the partitions to see if one is a UEFI System partition, because if you have a UEFI BIOS then you'll need to format the stick using UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows.

Then delete all partitions during the booted install to get it cleanest.

If it won't allow you to create and format the install partition to begin install, then Troubleshoot Windows 7 Installation Failures - Windows 7 Help Forums

Be sure to also read over Clean Reinstall Windows 7 which covers everything that works best for reinstalling factory Win7 and will assure you get and keep a perfect install.

 

[whs]

I had to restore the laptop to its original factory settings and then lost all my data

Just be aware that all your settings are lost and if your data was on the C partition (very bad practice) then the data is lost too - and for good. Sorry for the bad news.

 

[mick13]

I wonder if it's possible that your data survived somewhere on C. Do you remember what exactly you chose for Recovery? It should warn you that your data is being wiped out if you don't choose to save it, providing that choice is given. So maybe if you first browse into C using the Win7 disk you'll get lucky and see it so you can Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console. Try that first.

Appreciate your help, however I'm still having problems

How do I browse into C using the Win7 disk? By following the steps in that Windows Recovery Console link In steps 2-3 of that Windows Recovery Console link, after I click on "Repair your computer", instead of being able to click on "load drivers" I get the message "This version of System Recovery Options is not compatible with the version of Windows you are trying to repair. Try using a recovery disc that is compatible with this version of Windows". Why am I getting this message when my USB drive clearly contains Win 7 and my Asus runs Win 7?

 

[gregrocker]

Which Win7 Download did you choose from Windows 7 Direct Download Links?

If it is factory installed then it is most likely Win7 Home Premium x64 SP1 English Official ISO download unless you know for sure it is 32 bit which is unusual.

Did you write it to flash stick using Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool? If so it should work providing you chose the correct ISO, unless you have a UEFI BIOS in which case the stick needs to be formatted using Option One of UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows.

Do you know if you have a UEFI BIOS, which would have a EFI System Partition in Disk Mgmt instead of System Reserved partition? If not please what is your PC full model number so we can look up its specs for you?

 

[mick13]

Which Win7 Download did you choose from Windows 7 Direct Download Links?

If it is factory installed then it is most likely Win7 Home Premium x64 SP1 English Official ISO download unless you know for sure it is 32 bit which is unusual.

Did you write it to flash stick using Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool? If so it should work providing you chose the correct ISO, unless you have a UEFI BIOS in which case the stick needs to be formatted using Option One of UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows.

Do you know if you have a UEFI BIOS, which would have a EFI System Partition in Disk Mgmt instead of System Reserved partition? If not please what is your PC full model number so we can look up its specs for you?

I chose Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1 U

Yes, I used that Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool

I don't know if I have a UEFI BIOS. When I press f2 at startup, I do see that "Launch PXE OpROM" which says "Controls the execution of UEFI and Legacy PXE OpROM"

I am using an Asus X401A

 

[gregrocker]

That would indicate you have UEFI BIOS, so reformat the flash stick using Option One of UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows in order to boot the stick as a UEFI device in Boot Menu.

Then delete all partitions to create and format New during the booted install to UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with - Windows 7 Help Forums .

Be sure to also look over these steps for achieving and keeping a perfect Clean Reinstall Windows 7.
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html

 

[mick13]

Thanks for your help again. I finally got Windows 7 to work on my Asus, but now I am having problems connecting to the internet. I get a message saying 'Windows could not find a driver for your network adapter'. When I go to Device Manager, I see an "!" icon next to Network Controller and when I go to its properties and values, I see:

PCI\ven_1814&DEV_5390&SUBSYS_E054105B&REV_00
PCI\ven_1814&DEV_5390&SUBSYS_E054105B
PCI\ven_1814&DEV_5390&CC_028000
PCI\ven_1814&DEV_5390&CC_0280

I went to the link below and downloaded the Atheros Wireless Lan Driver and Application. As I was running the setup for it, I got the message "The Device may not be preset or could have been ejected/unplugged from the system. Insert or Reinsert now". After it finished, I still cannot connect to the internet because the network adapter is missing

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- Drivers and Download X401A

 

[gregrocker]

Did you follow the steps for drivers in Clean Reinstall Windows 7 and install with ethernet cable plugged in, to maximize the chance it would start up connected so you can get your other drivers via Windows Updates? Those steps are important enough they are printed in red so that people don't try following XPired methods.

Is the Wireless switch turned on?

Type Troubleshoot in Start Search box to run the Wireless Network troubleshooter which should narrow it down.

I'd also try the other Wireless and ethernet LAN downloads at that link.

 

[mick13]

Did you follow the steps for drivers in Clean Reinstall Windows 7 and install with ethernet cable plugged in, to maximize the chance it would start up connected so you can get your other drivers via Windows Updates? Those steps are important enough they are printed in red so that people don't try following XPired methods.

Is the Wireless switch turned on?

Type Troubleshoot in Start Search box to run the Wireless Network troubleshooter which should narrow it down.

I'd also try the other Wireless and ethernet LAN downloads at that link.

I installed the ethernet driver and tried to contact through the Broadband Connection. However, I am getting an Error 651 message. I am using the ethernet cable of my wifi router, and there definitely are no problems with the router since my other devices are able to access the internet

To resolve the Error 651, I have tried the following below but all of them failed:
-netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt
-Uncheck the box which says Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6).
-Disconnect all the Ethernet cables and reconnecting
-Internet Connection troubleshooter by searching for Troubleshoot in Start Search, but it said "Troubleshooting couldn't identify the problem"

 

[mick13]

so what else can I do?

 

[gregrocker]

Is the Ethernet driver installed in Device Manager under Network Adapters, and shows it's working properly?

If so try plugging it directly into your modem.

 

[mick13]

in Device Manager under Network Adapters, I see "Realtek PCIe GBE family controller", which I assume is the Ethernet driver. I already have plugged it directly into the modem.

 

[gregrocker]

Please click on the driver to see if it says its working properly. When you miss a step I just clearly gave you like that it makes me wonder how you are trying to install these drivers. Please recount every step you've taken to install the wireless driver, and whether you tried all other Wireless drivers on the Downloads page since you didn't reply to that step either.