Windows 10: Dell Vostro 3559 won't boot to Windows 10 or USB PE

Thanks fireberd.

I have already posted in the Dell forums, no replies as yet.

Do you know roughly how much a new motherboard will be, or is it best to cut and run and get a new laptop?

 

Considering its a Vostro model, If it is the motherboard I would consider a new PC.

 

Yes, that is what I thought. Saw a motherboard available for 250€, seems expensive.

 

If you are able to load Hirens were you able to test the computer hardware?
For example are you able to test the HD using HD Tune?
HD Tune website
If so please post the results of the tests on these tabs:
a) Health (SMART)
b) Benchmark
c) Full error scan

Using Hiren's BootCD are you able to modify the BIOS to:
a) switch from UEFI to Legacy or Legacy to UEFI?
b) Turn on and off fast boot?
c) Turn on and off ultra-fast boot?
d) Modify CSM?
e) Use both USB 3 and USB 2?
f) Use software to test RAM / DIMM /motherboard using Memtest86+ version 5.01

See if you can boot using Memtest86+ version 5.01 on its own:
Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool
This would include the above BIOS modifications if necessary.

Boot from USB Drive on Windows 10 PC Windows 10 Tutorials
Enable or Disable Fast Boot in UEFI Firmware Settings for Windows Windows 10 Tutorials

In addition to the tests above also run the Dell diagnostics using Hiren's and post the results into the thead:
Resolve Hardware Issues With Built-in and Online Diagnostics (ePSA or PSA Error Codes) | Dell US

To post images into the thread:
1) use a camera or smart phone camera to take pictures and post images using one drive or drop box share links.
2) How to Upload and Post Screenshots and Files at Ten Forums Windows 10 Tutorials

 

Thank you for your suggestions.

The Hard Disk (SSD) is fine having swapped it into another PC.
I have been able to manipulate the BIOS OK, tried all your suggestions previously with no luck!

When using DOS programs in Hiren's Boot CD (actually using USB key) getting the following error messages:
Warning: the high memory area (HMA) is not available.
Additional low memory (below 640k) will be used instead.
Creating 64Mb Ram Drive as R:
Then after some time:
Bad command or file, repeated 10 times,
Then Syntax error
Bad command or file name
Label not found.

I can load and boot from USB drives, however when it tries to go to any kind of Windows environment (e.g; Win PE or Windows Boot Disk), I get the error: Page Fault Error in non-paged area.

Memory is fine, tested earlier with memtest86 and also swopped to another PC. However, running it again with updated version as you suggested. Will report back with results.

It does seem like the motherboard has a problem.

 

For Memtest86+ version 5.01 please make sure that there are at least 8 passes and the more passes the better. When it has completed the testing please take a picture with a camera or smart phone camera and post an image of the results into the thread.

Please indicate the number of RAM modules and the number of DIMM.
Do the RAM modules have the same SKU or different SKU?
Open the Dell website > enter the product or serial number > select the operating system > view drivers and BIOS > post a URL or hyperlink into the thread.

Run memtest86+ version 5.01 for at least 8 passes.
Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool
This may take hours so plan to run it overnight.
a) Please make sure you use the Memtest86+ version 5.01 with the link below.
Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool
The testing is done not by time but by passes.
The more passes the better.
There are a significant number of false negatives if fewer than 8 passes are made.
A false negative is a test pass when there is malfunctioning RAM.
Memtest86+ version 5.01 testing takes approximately 1 - 2 hours /GB RAM
Just 1 error is a fail and you can abort testing.
Then test 1 RAM module at a time in the same DIMM each for 8 or more passes.
b) When Memtest86+ version 5.01 has completed 8 or more passes use a camera or smart phone camera to take a picture and post an image into the thread.
Memory problems. - Microsoft Community
MemTest86+ - Test RAM Windows 10 Tutorials

 

I don't think its a physical memory problem as the user reported its been swapped with a working PC.

 

To me it sounds like the BIOS update reset some BIOS settings.

Make sure that Boot option is set to UEFI, legacy boot option to disabled, secure boot to enabled

Settings for W8 and 10. You could also try to load default in Bios

 

Very often when a drive is moved from one computer to another the computer cannot boot as the operating system is married to the motherboard.

Please clarify the swaps that were done:
Was the SSD able to be the boot drive an launch Windows in the other computer?
Was a SSD from another computer able to be the boot drive and launch Windows in the problematic computer?

Also in the thread you commented that you have an image.

Consider installing Windows on the SSD and test the computer as a clean install. Then if the hardware and operating system after clean install passes you can recover the image.

 

Make sure that Boot option is set to UEFI, legacy boot option to disabled, secure boot to enabled

I thought of that, but the BIOS, although showing the SSD no boot options are available.
I have made a UEFI WinPE USB boot disk, and can boot into it OK now.

So there does seem to be a problem with the BIOS and booting.

If I change to UEFI mode I keep getting the message 'No File System Found'.
Could that mean the SSD will only boot in legacy mode?

 

The swops worked fine. It was a different make (Lenovo) but it booted into Windows 10 after it updated some drivers. So the disk is fine!

 

I think (certain) the SSD was setup using Legacy/BIOS mode, I cannot see anywhere it has a UEFI mode.

Unfortunately the disk will not boot using the BIOS legacy mode! It returns the errors in my first post.

So even if I could start afresh with Windows 10, and then reinstalled the image would I be back to square one?

 

In the post you had indicated that you can boot the SSD in other computers. When in other computers you can view disk management. In addition you can download and install Minitool partition wizard. If you can post both of these in the thread we can confirm what is on the drive.
Also on the working computer with the drive you can run the beta log collector and post a zip into the thread for troubleshooting.

Disk Management - How to Post a Screenshot of Windows 10 Tutorials
MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition - Free download and software reviews - CNET Download.com

And if you run administrative command prompt on the drive in the working computer run these commands:
1) sfc /scannow
2) dism /online /cleanup-image /scanealth
3) dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
4) chkdsk /scan
5) diskpart
7) list disk
8) list volume
9) select disk 0
10) list partition
11) exit
12) When these have completed > right click on the top bar or title bar of the administrative command prompt box > left click on edit then select all > right click on the top bar again > left click on edit then copy > paste into the thread

 

The Dell was upgraded from Windows 7 to 10, so pretty certain it is legacy.

The SSD is in a different laptop, Lenovo, also legacy. Working fine. This is a friend's spare, and I can keep it for a while, so will leave the SSD in there for now until I can find a solution!







Here is the read out from the instructions you requested. Note that it wanted to repair but for some reason, probably because Cortana is disabled, but after pointing to the wim file in 2 separate places it did not work!

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.16299.334]
(c) 2017 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some
of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For
example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. Note that logging is currently not
supported in offline servicing scenarios.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.16299.15

Image Version: 10.0.16299.334

[==========================100.0%==========================] The component store is repairable.
The operation completed successfully.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.16299.15

Image Version: 10.0.16299.334

[==========================100.0%==========================]
Error: 0x800f081f

The source files could not be found.
Use the "Source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see Configure a Windows Repair Source | Microsoft Docs.

The DISM log file can be found at C:\WINDOWS\Logs\DISM\dism.log

C:\WINDOWS\system32>chkdsk /scan
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is MainDisk.

Stage 1: Examining basic file system structure ...
473344 file records processed.
File verification completed.
17430 large file records processed.
0 bad file records processed.

Stage 2: Examining file name linkage ...
28788 reparse records processed.
545132 index entries processed.
Index verification completed.
0 unindexed files scanned.
0 unindexed files recovered to lost and found.
28788 reparse records processed.

Stage 3: Examining security descriptors ...
Security descriptor verification completed.
35895 data files processed.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
37487600 USN bytes processed.
Usn Journal verification completed.

Windows has scanned the file system and found no problems.
No further action is required.

106986817 KB total disk space.
33700632 KB in 124762 files.
103704 KB in 35896 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
585837 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
72596644 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
26746704 total allocation units on disk.
18149161 allocation units available on disk.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth /Source:wim:G:\sources\install.wim

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.16299.15

Image Version: 10.0.16299.334


Error: 87

An error occurred while processing wim:G:\sources\install.wim. The specified path was not found.
Ensure that the argument is valid and that the path exists.

The DISM log file can be found at C:\WINDOWS\Logs\DISM\dism.log

C:\WINDOWS\system32>dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth /Source:wim:G:\sources\install.wim:1 /limitaccess

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.16299.15

Image Version: 10.0.16299.334

[===========================85.0%================= ]
Error: 0x800f081f

The source files could not be found.
Use the "Source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see Configure a Windows Repair Source | Microsoft Docs.

The DISM log file can be found at C:\WINDOWS\Logs\DISM\dism.log

C:\WINDOWS\system32>dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth /Source:wim:C:\W10\sources\install.wim:1 /limitaccess

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.16299.15

Image Version: 10.0.16299.334

[===========================84.9%================= ]
Error: 0x800f081f

The source files could not be found.
Use the "Source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see Configure a Windows Repair Source | Microsoft Docs.

The DISM log file can be found at C:\WINDOWS\Logs\DISM\dism.log

C:\WINDOWS\system32>dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth /Source:wim:C:\W10\sources\install.wim

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.16299.15

Image Version: 10.0.16299.334

C:\WINDOWS\system32>diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.16299.15

Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: JILLLAPTOP

DISKPART> list disk

Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
-------- ------------- ------- ------- --- ---
Disk 0 Online 447 GB 0 B

DISKPART> list volume

Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info
---------- --- ----------- ----- ---------- ------- --------- --------
Volume 0 F DVD-ROM 0 B No Media
Volume 1 C MainDisk NTFS Partition 102 GB Healthy System
Volume 2 NTFS Partition 489 MB Healthy
Volume 3 D Programs NTFS Partition 112 GB Healthy
Volume 4 E Software Ba NTFS Partition 231 GB Healthy

DISKPART> select disk 0

Disk 0 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> list partition

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Primary 102 GB 1024 KB
Partition 2 Primary 489 MB 102 GB
Partition 3 Primary 112 GB 102 GB
Partition 4 Primary 231 GB 215 GB

DISKPART> exit

Leaving DiskPart...

C:\WINDOWS\system32>

Why will the BIOS now not read the legacy SSD? If I change the BIOS to UEFI mode and insert a UEFI USB key, I can boot to it. However, if the BIOS is in legacy mode and it will not boot to a legacy USB, error 'Page Fault Error in non-paged area'.

Just out of curiosity I put the Lenovo's SSD (128GB) with Windows 10 Pro into the Dell, and again got exactly the same error message as the Dell was giving to my SSD (well the wife's!!!), 'Memory Management'.

 

Well, managed to solve it with the aid of Google (5 days of it!!!).

Basically when the BIOS updated it turned PTT ON. To boot with legacy PTT must be OFF. So thanks Dell for not even helping when I contacted you!!!

Thanks to you guys for trying to help, it was a weird one, but got there in the end.

So, for anyone else who finds themselves in this situation, if you cannot boot using legacy you will probably need to turn off PTT. It is in the BIOS under the 'Security' section. Here are a couple of links to help others, note the BIOS is of a different model, but it seems all recent Dells are very similar:
http://www.dell.com/support/article/fr/fr/frbsdt1/sln302676/how-to-configure-the-trusted-platform-module-tpm-when-its-greyed-out-in-bios-on-a-latitude-7350?lang=en

Windows 10 firmware bootloaders unable to boot from the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) on my Dell laptop