WTH?????

pirate_girl · Jul 23, 2012

Everything was fine all day, then I rebooted my home computer about an hour ago and couldn't get windows to start.
I am not at home right now.
I tried the repair process, even tried a restore.
All I am getting repeatedly is a blue screen taking me back to Start Repair, or Start Windows normally.
Neither one works.

When I left the house, the black screen was still going that says Microsoft with the green lines moving, but the computer will not start!!!

:neutral:

joec · Jul 23, 2012

What version of Windows? Have you tried to restore from the system backup if possible or a system back up from a external HD if you have one? Now if available try that first if not, try a system repair and that method will depend on the specific machine you have as to restart holding which ctrl key (it varies be makers). Now if that doesn't work and the maker stored the original configuration ask them how as again it might or might not take a different ctrl be held when starting. Now if that isn't available and you have a CD with it including the operating system try it and sorry I don't remember exactly how but on some versions you need to type a command at the first prompt on the cd others holding a key while the cd starts it really depends. Lastly there is the repair shop.

My new Lenovo ThinkPad started turning itself off after about 15 minutes but have a 3 year warranty on it. Called Lenovo had a shipping box to me that same day. Packed it up, called UPS and shipped it back. 5 days later got it back as the mother board was bad. Running like a champ since with no problems.

It kind of sounds like a memory chip failure but could be almost anything and I have no idea anymore what the screen say as well as means anymore.

tiredretired · Jul 23, 2012

That sucks PG. I have been there and know how you are feeling. That is pretty much how my last Windows machine ended.

pirate_girl · Jul 23, 2012

It's Vista Joe.
Never had a problem like this until today.
I already tried a system restore, and a start up repair.
It makes it look like it's going to start, but it doesn't.
The repair process did not tell me it found a problem, it's just not going anywhere.

pirate_girl · Jul 23, 2012

Joe, if I can't figure out what's going on, I may have to do a complete recovery.
That's a time consuming pain in the ass.

luvs · Jul 23, 2012

most likely a h.ware failure. is there an error # on the bluescreen~

rang my computer-genius bro. & this was from him. he also said u may well hafta get it to a pro.

i've needed to unplug all the stuff after i've flicked the power-strip, let things be fer a few, quite a few times over, in a row, to get to windows. 1 issue, i found, was things plugged into the ports & jacks, & a faulty keyboard. keep fussing w/ it.

Doc · Jul 23, 2012

I wonder if it is a virus.

I would not attempt recovery .... a better choice would be taking it to a computer repair shop. I run vista on my mini laptop. Never had an issue like yours. Something weird is amok. A failed recovery attempt could end up loosing some of your data.

tiredretired · Jul 23, 2012

Failed recovery attempts on my last computer was due to a hard drive failure. Just sayin'

Catavenger · Jul 23, 2012

Something similar happened to me and like Tired Retired it was the harddrive

joec · Jul 23, 2012

I agree with what others have said it sounds more like a hardware failure than Windows problem. I managed to skip Vista since I went from XP to Win 7 though I tried Vista on my son's computer and was never a fan.

pirate_girl · Jul 24, 2012

Doc said:
I wonder if it is a virus.

I would not attempt recovery .... a better choice would be taking it to a computer repair shop. I run vista on my mini laptop. Never had an issue like yours. Something weird is amok. A failed recovery attempt could end up loosing some of your data.

Well all this time I've been working on it.

It got to the point where I just bit my lip and hit the F11 key and hoped for the best.
I don't know about other computers, but HP's have the system recovery.
It takes your computer back to it's original condition when you bought it new.
So reformatting the hard drive is what happened.
True, I lost some pix that I loved and some stuff saved in documents, but nothing all that important.

First thing I did was make Firefox my default browser, then get my Avast, malwarebytes and other protection back on here.
Got a few things put back in my favourites menu.
That's going to take a long time to remember everything I had in there.

Last time I checked windows updating it was at like 100 :yum:

Had to stop it so the other programs could download properly.

Tweeker · Jul 24, 2012

pirate_girl said:
Everything was fine all day, then I rebooted my home computer about an hour ago and couldn't get windows to start.
I am not at home right now.
I tried the repair process, even tried a restore.
All I am getting repeatedly is a blue screen taking me back to Start Repair, or Start Windows normally.
Neither one works.

When I left the house, the black screen was still going that says Microsoft with the green lines moving, but the computer will not start!!!

The exact same thing happened to me about a month ago, I am running windows XP.
Everything I tried didn't work, had to reinstal windows.
This caused me to loose some of my program links, as a result I lost about a months worth of work, just lost like a puff of smoke.
Sometimes computers SUCK.
Tweeker

luvs · Jul 24, 2012

sad u lost stuff, glad u got to point 'a'.
i save all my meaningful pix on phone, put stuff on flashdrive, & send things to my Mom.

pirate_girl · Jul 24, 2012

No big deal Aubrey.
I went through this the last time my other computer died.
Still, I'm perplexed as to why this happened in the first place.
This computer isn't that old.

Yeah Tweeker, sometimes they do suck.
I gave the lap top back to my son because the damn thing gets too hot when you use it.. go figure... so there went my back up.

Anyhow, just glad I got this figured out.

By the way Doc, before I got malwarebytes etc back on here, I got a slew of ads popping up in succession.
The faster I'd click out of one window another would pop up.
That was a holy shit moment for sure.
There were at least 12 of them down in the task bar.
I exited, then rebooted... thankfully I got superAntispyware back on and running.
Can't remember what it was called, but it was Pup? something and adware.

Catavenger · Jul 24, 2012

Good luck getting it fixed sometimes it's cheaper to buy a new computer. I was lucky I have a smart friend who scrounged a hard drive and fixed my laptop for free.

pirate_girl · Jul 24, 2012

Catavenger said:
Good luck getting it fixed sometimes it's cheaper to buy a new computer. I was lucky I have a smart friend who scrounged a hard drive and fixed my laptop for free.

It is fixed, as far as I am concerned.

pirate_girl · Jul 24, 2012

This updating may very well go on all night.
First- "updates were not configured correctly-- reverting changes".
Do not turn off your computer!
Wait.. wait.. wait..
There it goes..
Then again.

I hate Windows Vista.

Adillo303 · Jul 24, 2012

pirate_girl said:
I hate Windows Vista.

So does Microsoft. LOL

I have to agree about the hard drive. I suggest that you try the following.

1) If the tower is on the floor, open it, look for dust / dirt. If present blow it out, it makes your PC overheat.

2) Consider a hard drive replacement and possibly an upgrade to Windows 7.

3) Before you do #2 above, make sure that there is not a deal available somewhere on a new system for the same cost or less than the hard drive and labor to replace it.

bczoom · Jul 24, 2012

PG,

Once you have it back, please consider getting an external hard drive. They're getting pretty cheap. Then do frequent backups of your personal files. Using the "briefcase" option is fast as it only copies files changed since your last update to the briefcase.

Doc · Jul 24, 2012

bczoom said:
PG,

Once you have it back, please consider getting an external hard drive. They're getting pretty cheap. Then do frequent backups of your personal files. Using the "briefcase" option is fast as it only copies files changed since your last update to the briefcase.

I'll 2nd the external hard drive.

joec · Jul 24, 2012

bczoom said:
PG,

Once you have it back, please consider getting an external hard drive. They're getting pretty cheap. Then do frequent backups of your personal files. Using the "briefcase" option is fast as it only copies files changed since your last update to the briefcase.

I have three 2 - 2 TB Segate GoFlex units that I love, small compact and 4 different connection systems (firewire, USB 2, USB 3, sata) both of my my machines have USB/Sata ports and they are fast. Had them both over a year now. I paid $99 each for the Segate drives on sale at tigerdirect.com. My 3 is a Western Digital Book type in 500 gig that I've had about 5 or 6 years now. USB 2 but never has missed a beat. I paid about $60 when I got it new from CompUSA was shutting down their stores.

bczoom · Jul 24, 2012

I prefer the Seagate myself. Heard bad things about Western Digital.

As Joe mentioned, they're cheap now. I use 3 of them. One for day-to-day backups and 2 more offsite that get brought in monthly for full backups. No good having them all in your house in the event of burglary or a fire.

joec · Jul 24, 2012

bczoom said:
I prefer the Seagate myself. Heard bad things about Western Digital.

As Joe mentioned, they're cheap now. I use 3 of them. One for day-to-day backups and 2 more offsite that get brought in monthly for full backups. No good having them all in your house in the event of burglary or a fire.

I have one Segate on the office machine and 1 Seagate, 1 WD on the Laptop which is my personal machine. I also backup to DVD which I store in one of my storage spaces in fire resistant containers. I only save stuff to DVD that are of long term importance while the HD are used for daily backup only.

Adillo303 · Jul 24, 2012

How about Mosey Home free and automatic?

Not subject to hardware failure

pirate_girl · Jul 24, 2012

Thanks for the advice guys.

Computer's working beautifully, got it all updated too, as much as I can.

WTH?????

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