Windows 10: Nothing works! Help!

Hello everyone...im new here and in a bit of a pickle... I have a Toshiba Satellite C55Dt-A5305 that came with win8 upgraded to win10. It spent 8 months in the pawn shop and when i got it out i couldnt remember the password. So, not even remembering what was on it i decided to just start fresh and did a factory reset. That was apparently the worst possible thing to do! Now it wont do ANYTHING! System restore restored it.....to nothing... Everything i have tried ends with A) something went wrong and cant do it B) insert recovery disk C) cant find image or D) specify location of system image/network folder. After i screwed this all up i read somewhere that on these units.. Doing the restore when its been upgraded to win 10 erases everything. That part appears to be correct because i now have a $500 paperweight! I downloaded an iso and burned it to a flashdrive and even tried to just do a reinstall using a win 7 install i have and keep getting the same result. INVALID INVALID and INVALID. It tells me to install the driver for the device in question and havent had any luck with that either! Im about at my wits end and could SERIOUSLY use some assistance in unscrewing my screw up! someone....ANYONE!! Please help!

:)

 

Nothing Works - Help Please

Here is a guide for a Soft and Hard reset for your device. Is this what you did?

O2 XDA Stellar - Hardreset - Softreset hard reset soft reset

 

Nothing Works - Help Please

Hello, If a hard reset did not help, I would consider taking it back to the reseller for repairs or replacement. Seems like a hardware issue to me. Linley.

 

Have you tried to clean install Windows 10 yet ?

Clean Install Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

 

You can try to download your Manual and drivers from here so you will have them to install if needed Satellite C55Dt-A5305 Support | Toshiba

Then try as AddRam suggested above.

 

It might be frustrating but at least it's a step forward.
--- Type winver in the search box and let us know what version & OS build you have.
Create a 2nd local administrator user account in case it comes in handy if you have issues with the sign-in account.
Then go into settings, select Update & Security and check the status of your updates.
--- They have to be up-to-date in order to continue
You might also want to ensure Windows is activated. Go into Control Panel, select System and see what the Windows activation section reports.

BTW, Thanks to Essenbe’s link in post #3, it’s also possible to acquire the original Windows 8.1 Detailed Specifications for satellite_C55DT-A5305.pdf. Detailed Specifications for satellite_C55DT-A5305.pdf

Post #1 “i read somewhere that on these units.. Doing the restore when its been upgraded to win 10 erases everything. That part appears to be correct because i now have a $500 paperweight!’
--- Not true as wiping out the OS, etc.
--- What’s true is your data and applications aren’t saved.

 

Which password? Toshibas can have passwords set for the bios and/or the HDD separately from the Windows password.

 

I tried to boot windows 10 from USB and got "invalid". I got ahold of a factory copy of windows 7 Home Premium.. Thinking that id just install that, then upgrade back to 10 from there. Screen says "hit any key to boot from CD/DVD..then it says "windows is loading" then says "starting windows" and the windows emblem appears...thats where it freezes and wont go any further. Now what?

 

I'm wondering if you have a failed hard drive, maybe try a different one disconnecting the one your working with completely

For Windows 7, 8 and 10 you should download and create USB install media from MCT the link is for windows 10. Be sure to create the correct version of windows you know home or pro or N or whatever you had installed. No key is needed as the MS activation servers have your hardware already and will activate.

Take to heart about downloading the latest drivers for your notebook from manufacture most notebooks don't play well with windows native drivers.
if you have any files still on your old hard drive you can use a SATA to USB adapter to connect it USB and transfer your data files that way.

You also need to determine wether your system is MBR or UEFI, open your BIOS to find out. There are Tutorial here to walk you through a clean Install UEFI
Clean Install Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

 

One option is when doing the clean install, select the "custom" option and delete all the partitions leaving just one big unallocated space. Then try installing into that. Windows 10 will create any and all the partitions it needs automatically. IMHO that will give you the best chance of getting an install that's not all muddled up.

 

"i couldnt remember the password"
Does that mean it booted up and ran ok at the pawn shop?

 

Sounds like the hard drive is bad.

 

Yes. I just couldnt remember the password ehen i got it out. It still came on ok when i got it out just as it always did. I just couldnt get into it.

 

I read somewhere that when you do a reset on one of these thats been upgraded to windows 10 that it erases EVERYTHING instead of just going back to factory settings. It will actually display the windows 10 home screen, but the only icon is the recycle bin and i cant open it. I can even open a window that displays the diffirent programs. But they are just program names. Click on one and theres nothing there. Tells me that it cant find it. So i believe the hard drive does work. Man! This is seriously frustrating!