Windows 10: Laptop won't boot.

Hello everyone.

Recently(September) I bought a new laptop, with an i7, a ssd with windows 10 installed in it and a hard drive 1tb for memory. However, 3 weeks after I bought it, the ssd suddenly disappeared. I googled about that and i saw it was a common problem so i let it go and reinstalled windows10 on the hard drive. It worked perfectly(only a bit slower) for 2 months until 2 days ago it displayed a message that my ssd drive needs to be fixed. It was weird and i was scared to do it so i let it go. But after a few hours, the screen went black and nothing would happen. I decided to reboot the laptop, but it wouldn't boot, it stuck on the win 10 logo with the loading circle forever.

Then, after a while i rebooted again but this time it stuck on the same thing only with the message preparing auto repair. Again, nothing happened. I tried to reinstall the windows from the usb stick, and it seemed to stuck again on the same screen after the screen saying loading files. However, i let it load all night and in the morning it had loaded successfully. I let it install the windows, which btw took strangly too long, but after it installed and rebooted in order to open, boom, same loading screen again forever. I let that screen load for a couple of hours, and then i got a message saying installation failed press ok to restart. The same thing again.

By the way, i have tried entering recovery mode from the usb to reset the windows but it doesnt load again. The hhd seems fine on bios, the ssd appears but 0gb.

My guess is that the hhd needs to be replaced, but any help is highly appreciated as i am in the middle of my exams(which ironically is computer science).

Thanks.

:)

 

Laptop Won't Boot

Hi Tony. I'm Greg, a volunteer installation specialist and 8 year Windows MVP, here to help you.

1) Try whichever method works here to get into Advanced Startup Options to run System Restore if this is a Windows Update, or Go Back to Old Version if this is a version update.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2294-advanc...

If you are able to access System Restore or Go Back and it fails, skip to step 3.

2) If necessary create bootable installation media to access the repair options if not accessible by any other method:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/m...

Boot media by powering up the PC while pressing the BIOS Boot Menu Key:
https://www.sysnative.com/forums/hardware-tutor...

You may need to enter BIOS/UEFI Setup to turn off Fast Boot if it won't allow the Boot Menu key to interrupt starting Windows:

https://www.mydigitallife.net/comprehensive-lis...

Choose UEFI version of media if offered, browse to second screen to Repair Your Computer link, then Advanced Troubleshoot options - to run System Restore to a point before the problem began.

3) If this fails try a Startup Repair, or go back to Troubleshoot Options on the previous screen to Reset your PC which will save your files while reinstalling Windows.

4) If that fails you can use the booted media to do the Clean Install. This link compiles the best possible install of Windows 10 that will stay that way as long as you stick with the tools and methods given.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

5) There is also an automated Refresh that reinstalls WIndows while shedding corrupting factory bloatware, saves your files, but doesn't clear the drive to get it cleanest:

https://www.howtogeek.com/265054/how-to-easily-...

Feel free to ask back any questions and let us know how it goes. I'll keep working with you until it's resolved.

 

Laptop won't boot

Ah, are you able to reach the sign in screen? Like sign-in then black screen with a normal cursor, or do you get black screen with a normal cursor right after the Windows logo?

If you are able to reach the sign-in screen, you can start your computer in Safe Mode from there. ->

Start your PC in safe mode in Windows 10.

If it's the latter, then you may have to create a Windows USB/DVD installation media and use that to repair your computer.

- You can create one using the ->
Media Creation tool.

- Once you created one, boot your computer using it (you can change the boot order in the BIOS), and select Repair your Computer.
On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup
Repair.

 

Hi there

Try UNPLUGGING every USB device you have connected to the laptop and then pressing ESC or whatever key you need to get the BIOS boot menu.

Then try choices such as Notebook hard drive or UEFI.

If you don't even get the BIOS menu then the chances are the HDD has gone defective. Doesn't happen a lot to laptops though unless you drop them on a Marble / Granite floor --laptops are quite rugged on the whole.

Another idea is to download say GPARTED (Partition manager) or any Linux distro on to a USB stick and see if the laptop boots from that.

Chances are in your upgrade you've got MBR / UEFI (GPT) partitioning hosed up. - Disable secure boot in the BIOS and allow "Legacy boot" so you can use "Normal MBR" formatted partitions. Once you've got a boot working you can switch back to GPT / UEFI if you want to.

Cheers
jimbo

 

I will try the UEFI boot and I will post the results. I get the BIOS menu normally. No, I didn't drop the laptop
I didn't find any options about secure boot btw.

Thanks.

 

It didn't work. I also tried installing windows 8.1 from a disc that I was given when I bought the laptop, but it won't boot from the cd. Sometimes it opens the cd as well when trying to boot from it(opens the case where you put the cd). I have previously tried using that cd and it worked fine, so I guess the problem might be in the HDD or motherboard?

 

Probably time for some basic hardware checks.
RAM check, chkdsk on your HDD. Do its SMART parameters show anything out of the ordinary?

And given what you said about the SSD, what happens if you remove it?

Note that automatic repair loops are sadly quite common in Win 10 and don't always mean anything is fundamentally wrong.

 

To be honest, I don't really know how to remove the SSD.

However, I will try to run a chkdsk to fix possible errors on HDD. It might fix the SSD as well. I will run the windows 10 install again and press shift + f10 to open cmd and run it from there.

BTW the parameters do not show anything out of the ordinary. And it's not a common auto repair loop case, otherwise I would be able to re-install the windows..

 

Hi, your manufacturer's site probably shows how to access things on your PC- diagrams. You 've not completed your system specs so we don't know what type it is.

Reading again, it seems you can't reliably boot from a CD/DVD, and maybe not from a bootable USB stick either. The reports point possibly towards your SSD, so I would suggest removing it is the next step, then try chkdsk, memory tests from a bootable disk/usb stick, then reinstall Windows if ok.

Once removed, there should be a way to connect the SSD externally to another PC, and you can test it from there.

 

Well, I could post more details about the laptop, what exactly should I post?
Intel i7,
SSD (I think it is 256 but it might be more)
1TB HDD 5400 RPM
NVidia GTX 860
It came with windows 10(installed on SSD) but after the SSD 'disappeared' I bought windows 10 and installed them on HDD. Ran smoothly for about 2 months, then I get message about SSD saying it needs repair. I ignore it and then after a couple of hours screen goes black(it went black due to inactivity, but then it wouldn't open as I moved mouse or pressed any keys). Then restart, loads forever *Biggrin

I can boot from the USB with windows 10 and the install is completed successfully, but then it still won't boot (when it restarts after the installation of windows). So I guess I will be able to open cmd at the installation with shift + f10.

If this doesn't work, I'll try to remove the SSD (hopefully I won't break it).

 

The SSD should be a 2.5" drive so I imagine is under a plastic cover secured with 3 or 4 small screws, assuming it's a physically separate drive.

Booting from Win 10 installation medium you can (via Repair your PC, Troubleshooting) get to a command prompt.

Given that your SSD was configured as bootable, if the PC sees it as such, and is able to access it, then this could prevent your PC booting from the HDD.

It may be worth getting a partition manager (bootable medium in your case) to look at what you've got if you can't get the disk out.

What type of laptop is it?
Here's how to complete the system specs: there is a huge selection of technical tutorials there too.
System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums - Windows 10 Forums

 

Yeah I think it's under a plastic thing.
I cannot open Repair your PC, I press repair your pc but it keeps loading forever as well. I hope the cmd will open.

The laptop is Turbo - X (it's a Greek brand I think, not sure). However the case is provided by HP from what I've read.

BTW, do you think the cooling thing I put my laptop on could cause damage to my HDD or SSD? Let me show you what I mean:
http://www.plaisio.gr/desktop-laptop...-215-NCP33.htm

I have one similar to that.

 

Hi, ok, so it's presumably failing to read or process files from your installation medium successfully.

Unless your cooling device were blocking an intake underneath your laptop, there's no real reason to think it should.

Try removing your SSD in the hope it's a problem linked to that. Assuming your HDD and SSD are separate , you can remove both of course, and try again to boot to a command prompt from an external medium.

 

Omg I love you. I bought a screwdriver and removed the SSD and atm I am installing my windows normally without delays. It seems it was blocking everything, lol. I won't mark it as solved yet, i'll wait for the installation to finish.
Thanks *Smile

 

*Redface Time will tell.. shame about the SSD- if it's a new laptop you might be able to claim on warranty, taking care about removing it and the warranty. You might want to consider replacing it for the advantages of speed; there's also some outside possibility it was corruption rather than a hardware fault in the SSD, so you could consider testing it as an external disk.

You might be able to port your Windows from the HDD to the SSD (when you have a functional one installed) should you wish using disk imaging, say, but I wouldn't be sure enough to suggest how to handle the change in bootable drive.