Windows hangs on "starting windows" screen after software install

[superskid]

Windows hangs on "starting windows" screen after software install

I upgraded my Intel Rapid Storage software, reset the computer and now it won't get passed the windows starting screen. The windows logo comes up then it freezes, I have tried leaving it for over an hour to see if it sorted itself out, and powered it off completely. Numerous re-boot attempts all the same result.

If I choose to boot windows with last known working configuration it will start up, and in the bottom right corner give me the error that Intel Rapid Storage is not running. If I then go into control panel and uninstall it the computer will boot just fine. At first I thought it maybe was a bad install of the software, but any re-install of the software does the same.

Strange since until I went to install the new version it worked perfectly fine, it has even saved me some data notifying me of S.M.A.R.T. failures in time for me to copy the data off the drive. I am running flexraid in snapshot mode and have it update nightly just in case, but I wouldn't mind getting the new version of the software to work unless the experts here think it is not necessary.

Thanks,

 

[Arc]

Welcome aboard.

First you try http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/139810-sfc-scannow-run-command-prompt-boot.html.

If it fails, boot into http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/668-system-recovery-options.html and do a http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html to an earlier point of time.

Intel Rapid Storage Technology is not anything really needed to run the computer. I have not even installed that thing in my system. If you totally uninstall it, it will not be a problem at all.

 

[superskid]

OK, I will do that tonight, unfortunately I can't right now as I am at work. If I do go without intel rapid storage is there anything that could give me a live report of another hard drive potentially failing.

Like I said, I do use flexraid, but I would hate to have to rely on it.

 

[superskid]

Oh, to add to that, I have restored to an earlier point in time, worked fine. I tried to install Inter Rapid Storage again and same thing. I guess I could always just wait until a new version comes out and see if that fixes it.

 

[Arc]

No need at all, just keep it aside.

Intel Rapid Storage does not do any good at all, but brings a lot of problems. It's just a bloatware bundled with intel motherboard drivers pack. Every off and on we see crashes caused by iaStor.sys, that is the rapid Storage.

 

[superskid]

Sounds good. So what should I use to monitor the health of my hard drives? Just the quick check that the bios does upon bootup?

 

[gregrocker]

I agree with Archie that hardware software is unnecessary bloatware which I never reinstall in a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

To read your SMART data use CrystalDiskInfo - Software.

Many BIOS' will also monitor SMART data.