Windows 10: Laptop no longer booting from HDD or recovery USB

If your friend's PC is the same as yours. Boot into BIOS and compare the settings between the 2's. In addition, check the BIOS version of your PC. Rescue disk should boot without the SSD/HD connected.

If you boot the Windows installation, press SHIFT+F10 should open the command prompt then manually run setup.exe which will give you the choice to upgrade Windows and retain all data. As good practice, you should copy your personal data to an external HD before trying to fix the problem.

 

The boot was successful without Windows using Memtest86+ version 5.01.
How about booting to Ubuntu/Linux?
Using a hard drive enclosure is an inexpensive method to save the files.
These are some links on using Ubuntu / Linux:
How to Fix a Corrupted Windows NTFS Filesystem With Ubuntu
Linux to the rescue! How Ubuntu can help a computer in distress | PCWorld
Recover Data Like a Forensics Expert Using an Ubuntu Live CD
The 10 Cleverest Ways to Use Linux to Fix Your Windows PC

 

Thank you for replying here, Kyhi. In your comment on the rescue media topic, I downloaded Macrium Free but couldn't see an option to create bootable media using your ISO there. I did create the Macrium bootable rescue media, which worked on my friend's PC but not on mine. Both in legacy and UEFI I see the USB LED flash repeatedly during the OEM splash screen, but then stops when the screen goes blank.

I don't understand what is preventing booting to a USB (except Memtest86) even if the HDD is damaged.

I will source a cheap 2.5 enclosure and do as you suggested to at least retrieve my files.

My friend's PC is a Toshiba Satellite C850. SecureBoot is off in both. There is no fast boot option in either. Boot mode on his says UEFI or CSM, mine says UEFI or Legacy (although I think legacy IS CSM). All the media I have tried to create booted fine in UEFI on his. His is Insyde Corp v6.8, SMBIOS 2.7 (from msinfo32). Mine just says v1.32, VGA BIOS Intel v1037 on the BIOS. Both are using the InsydeH20 setup utility revision 3.7.

Thanks for this tip. Unfortunately it didn't boot into the Windows installation in either legacy or UEFI mode. I will get a 2.5 enclosure to back up my files.

Thank you for these links. Yes, as well as Memtest86+ when I used HBCD, the Linux based partition management environment did work and showed my HDD. I will go through your URLs and work out a plan using Linux. Thank you very much.

 

I was going to but was discouraged by the $/MB. Then I found out i can get an ODD caddy and stick a second HDD there. So now my plan is to get a 128GB SSD as a boot drive and stick a 2TB Barracuda for my data. That should give me the best of both worlds as I don't have a desktop and this is my only workstation.

 

I am happy to report I managed to boot to Ubuntu 17.10 live and I was able to browse my HDD. I now need to find ubuntu drivers for my wlan and then I'll be able to install the packages on the four URLs to try and repair my HDD.

 

I am Glad to see you are making some progress - with this issue..

 

I ended up booting to a live persistent Xubuntu 18.04 as I have a Broadcom WLAN which needed an ethernet connection to install every restart with a live USB.

The Disk application on Xubuntu reported 3200 failed sectors on my 1TB ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB with failed SMART and most attributes coming up as Old-Age or Pre-Fail. GParted doesn't do a full check because of the bad sectors. I got halfway with BadBlocks and the text file had over 1000 lines.

Would I be right in thinking this isn't salvageable and it's time for a new HDD?

If that's the case and I need to do a fresh W10 install on a new HDD, how will I get my activation code? This was originally a W8 system and I took up the free upgrade. Would the digital licence on the Microsoft servers still work with a new HDD?

 

Nice progress.
Having upgraded from Windows 8 to Windows 10 during the free period should have created a digital license on the Microsoft servers.
So you should be able to replace the drive.
For major hardware changes, for example a motherboard, it is recommended to have created a Microsoft account.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...ardware-change
Enable and Disable Driver Verifier in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials
How to Use Your Free Windows 10 License After Changing Your PC’s Hardware

 

It was only possible with all of your advice and suggestions; it has been fair learning curve for me. Thanks for those links. I will likely wait till next month's paycheck to buy a HDD given that currently, with the persistent live Ubuntu, I am able to do most of my work while saving to another USB.

I kept Badblocks running overnight and it has hit over 20000 lines on the text file! I can't remember how many bytes to a block the NTFS HDD has, but that seems a fair chunk of the drive.

 

If you going to Opt for a New Drive - Purchase a SSD Drive...
And you will not regret it..