Hey, guys, kinda having a computer emergency here.
I woke up this morning to find that my brand new HP laptop had become nothing more than a very expensive paperweight. When I turn it on, it says that Windows failed to start, and that a recent software or hardware change might be the cause. It gives me the following options to start from:
"Launch Startup Repair" - This starts to load the files correctly, but won't load up user profiles so that I can actually get on the computer….
"Start Windows Normally" - This only makes it to the "booting-up screen," i.e. the loading one where the Windows logo appears at the bottom (starts out as four swirling colored balls of light).
As you can see, this is kind of a big problem. The computer is running Windows 7; if you need any other technical info, I can get it easily. Also, the only things I have personally installed are a trial version of Norton, the first Assassin's Creed game (via CD-Rom), SD Gundam Capsule Fighters Online, and of course Minecraft. I doubt that any of these four programs are responsible, and besides, Norton would have let me know if there was a computer threat last night, when I was using the computer to watch Archer on Netflix.
This wouldn't be that big of a deal if not for that fact that I have homework assignments saved on it, and it cost $400 (it was on sale!); as such, I would really like to get it back up and running as soon as possible. You guys were the first ones I could think of who might be able to help, but if you have any other suggestions on where to get additional support, please let me know.
I'll be on my Macbook for a considerable duration today, so I can be reached by either post or PM. Thank you so much for your help in this matter, and I hope that you can all help me resolve this issue quickly!
Could it be possible that the computer did not shut down correctly?
It sounds like (some of) the user profile files corrupted.
It's possible…I've had to force it to shut off before by holding down the power button (only when it's extremely frozen or when it didn't load the profiles that one time). But where do I go from here? I can pause the Start-up menu before I get to it, but is there something that I should try to change or edit?
It's possible…I've had to force it to shut off before by holding down the power button (only when it's extremely frozen or when it didn't load the profiles that one time). But where do I go from here? I can pause the Start-up menu before I get to it, but is there something that I should try to change or edit?
Hm, I'm no expert on recovering user profiles, but I can at least tell you that all your data is safe.
Do you have an idea of how much free space you have on your hard drive? I know a way to recover your data, but it's rather bruteforce.
Hm, I'm no expert on recovering user profiles, but I can at least tell you that all your data is safe.
Do you have an idea of how much free space you have on your hard drive? I know a way to recover your data, but it's rather bruteforce.
I got it a few days ago, so it should have plenty of space available. I mean, Assassin's Creed was probably the largest thing I installed, and it only uses 8 GB. Recovering the data isn't as important as being able to actually use it again: most of my school assignments are completed online. Also, it would be really nice to have more than one CPU for Minecraft. However, if there is a way to do this (as in a way to make the computer work again) while keeping my data, I'd prefer to do it that way.
Oh, and I just tried hitting F8 before I got to the Start-Up Menu, and tried selecting "Last Known Good Configuration," but no luck so far….
EDIT: I'm going to try running it in Safe Mode, and see if I can make any further progress.
EDIT 2: Nada… It read this before it crashed, and went back to the Start-Up:
Loaded: \Windows\system32\drivers\CLASSPNP.SYS
If anyone has any other suggestions, please don't hesitate to let me know. I really need this computer for school, and as such need to get it back up and running ASAP. I am hoping to be able to do it on my own, but if I don't get any replies soon, I might have to take it to a store for repair….
Wait, was this a new machine or did you buy second-hand? Or is just the hard drive new?
I'm asking because 2 things: -
1. School project work is important. Maybe it doesn't seem important until you lose it, I don't know how you feel about that. The point is that you should backup important stuff. Dropbox is your friend.
2. If the thing is new, then go and get it repaired for free.
Yeah, it is virtually brand new. Will/Can Staples repair it for free?
And yeah, I probably should try DropBox. Might make life easier.
Yeah, it is virtually brand new. Will/Can Staples repair it for free?
And yeah, I probably should try DropBox. Might make life easier.
Well, staples charges you to build a computer so I assume their other services aren't free (unless you have a warranty). If you still have the warranty send it back to the manufacturer or the shop you first bought it.
Well, staples charges you to build a computer so I assume their other services aren't free (unless you have a warranty). If you still have the warranty send it back to the manufacturer or the shop you first bought it.
Everybody charges you, they just over charge. 100$ isn't much, 80-60$ is a good deal for someone else to build it for you. Anyways, this^
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise, it's continuing mission to explore a strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.”-Gene Roddenberry
I bet Staples will delete everything, re-install and OS and charge you at least 150$ (100 for the OS and at least 50 for the work). I don't think they care too much about your files.
If u cant do a system restore from the boot menu then do the system repair, Its what its there for and only takes 5 mins... IT will either fix it or give u a better error msg idea...
Yeah, that doesn't work. If I hit repair, it goes as far as the user profile selection screen, except that the background shows up as grey instead of blue, and the user profiles won't load. I then have to force a shut down. If I select anything else, it won't load (might go about halfway), and will go back to the option selection screen. The farthest I got in Safe Mode was
If the OP purchased the machine from Staples a few days ago and now the machine does not work... How much, exactly, do you think a repair will cost? I'll give you a clue, it will be less than $0.01.
I bet Staples will delete everything, re-install and OS and charge you at least 150$ (100 for the OS and at least 50 for the work). I don't think they care too much about your files.
Have to agree with you on that last point. Fortunately, it's not like there's anything on there that can't be reinstalled app-wise, and any school work on there was already submitted.
Get into safe mode and do a system restore and see if that helps.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MS Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit | AMD Athlon II X4 635 | 4.00 GB Dual-Channel DDR3 | BIOSTAR Group A880GU3 | ASUS VH238 | 1024MB GeForce GTX 550 Ti (Gigabyte) | 313GB Western Digital WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 | TSSTcorp CDW/DVD TS-H492A | Realtek High Definition Audio
Booting from a Live CD is one of the easiest ways to get data off of a computer that won't boot into Windows. All you have to do is:
Download an ISO for a Live CD (I recommend this one, but there are other choices)
Burn the ISO to a disc
Turn your computer on and look for anything like "Boot menu = F8" and press the button
Put the CD in your computer
Select your CD drive from the list of bootable devices*
Wait for your computer to boot from the disc (this could take a while depending on how fast your CD drive is)
Move all of your data off of your hard drive (e-mail them to yourself, upload them to Dropbox, put them on a USB drive, etc.)
Shut down the computer
Take the disc out at the prompt
*If your CD drive doesn't appear, you may have to enable booting from your CD drive from your BIOS setup, but most BIOSs have this on by default.
That isn't a bad idea. It would at least allow me to get the files off of the CPU. Will Linux then be permanently installed on the computer, however? Not sure if Staples would still repair it for next to nothing if I installed a new OS than the one that they sold me…
That isn't a bad idea. It would at least allow me to get the files off of the CPU. Will Linux then be permanently installed on the computer, however? Not sure if Staples would still repair it for next to nothing if I installed a new OS than the one that they sold me…
Nope, booting from a Live CD does not install Linux on your computer and doesn't touch your Windows installation unless you manually edit a system folder.
Nope, booting from a Live CD does not install Linux on your computer and doesn't touch your Windows installation unless you manually edit a system folder.
I think I might give this a try, then. But first I need to find a disc to store it on...
I woke up this morning to find that my brand new HP laptop had become nothing more than a very expensive paperweight. When I turn it on, it says that Windows failed to start, and that a recent software or hardware change might be the cause. It gives me the following options to start from:
"Launch Startup Repair" - This starts to load the files correctly, but won't load up user profiles so that I can actually get on the computer….
"Start Windows Normally" - This only makes it to the "booting-up screen," i.e. the loading one where the Windows logo appears at the bottom (starts out as four swirling colored balls of light).
As you can see, this is kind of a big problem. The computer is running Windows 7; if you need any other technical info, I can get it easily. Also, the only things I have personally installed are a trial version of Norton, the first Assassin's Creed game (via CD-Rom), SD Gundam Capsule Fighters Online, and of course Minecraft. I doubt that any of these four programs are responsible, and besides, Norton would have let me know if there was a computer threat last night, when I was using the computer to watch Archer on Netflix.
This wouldn't be that big of a deal if not for that fact that I have homework assignments saved on it, and it cost $400 (it was on sale!); as such, I would really like to get it back up and running as soon as possible. You guys were the first ones I could think of who might be able to help, but if you have any other suggestions on where to get additional support, please let me know.
I'll be on my Macbook for a considerable duration today, so I can be reached by either post or PM. Thank you so much for your help in this matter, and I hope that you can all help me resolve this issue quickly!
-
View User Profile
-
View Posts
-
Send Message
Retired StaffIt sounds like (some of) the user profile files corrupted.
It's possible…I've had to force it to shut off before by holding down the power button (only when it's extremely frozen or when it didn't load the profiles that one time). But where do I go from here? I can pause the Start-up menu before I get to it, but is there something that I should try to change or edit?
-
View User Profile
-
View Posts
-
Send Message
Retired StaffHm, I'm no expert on recovering user profiles, but I can at least tell you that all your data is safe.
Do you have an idea of how much free space you have on your hard drive? I know a way to recover your data, but it's rather bruteforce.
I got it a few days ago, so it should have plenty of space available. I mean, Assassin's Creed was probably the largest thing I installed, and it only uses 8 GB. Recovering the data isn't as important as being able to actually use it again: most of my school assignments are completed online. Also, it would be really nice to have more than one CPU for Minecraft. However, if there is a way to do this (as in a way to make the computer work again) while keeping my data, I'd prefer to do it that way.
Oh, and I just tried hitting F8 before I got to the Start-Up Menu, and tried selecting "Last Known Good Configuration," but no luck so far….
EDIT: I'm going to try running it in Safe Mode, and see if I can make any further progress.
EDIT 2: Nada… It read this before it crashed, and went back to the Start-Up:
Loaded: \Windows\system32\drivers\CLASSPNP.SYS
Yeah, it is virtually brand new. Will/Can Staples repair it for free?
And yeah, I probably should try DropBox. Might make life easier.
Well, staples charges you to build a computer so I assume their other services aren't free (unless you have a warranty). If you still have the warranty send it back to the manufacturer or the shop you first bought it.
Everybody charges you, they just over charge. 100$ isn't much, 80-60$ is a good deal for someone else to build it for you. Anyways, this^
I would've said boot from a Live CD and get any important data off of it first, but okay.
That's assuming the OP still has his receipt and Staples' retrun policy isn't too strict.
I…really don't know how to do that. I'm not exactly an expert with this kind of thing.
Yeah, that doesn't work. If I hit repair, it goes as far as the user profile selection screen, except that the background shows up as grey instead of blue, and the user profiles won't load. I then have to force a shut down. If I select anything else, it won't load (might go about halfway), and will go back to the option selection screen. The farthest I got in Safe Mode was
Loaded: \Windows\system32\drivers\CLASSPNP.SYS
…so something is definitely wrong.
I do believe that I still have the receipt, and since it was purchased about a week ago, it shouldn't be a problem.
You think? I sure as heck hope so…
Have to agree with you on that last point. Fortunately, it's not like there's anything on there that can't be reinstalled app-wise, and any school work on there was already submitted.
Booting from a Live CD is one of the easiest ways to get data off of a computer that won't boot into Windows. All you have to do is:
- Download an ISO for a Live CD (I recommend this one, but there are other choices)
- Burn the ISO to a disc
- Turn your computer on and look for anything like "Boot menu = F8" and press the button
- Put the CD in your computer
- Select your CD drive from the list of bootable devices*
- Wait for your computer to boot from the disc (this could take a while depending on how fast your CD drive is)
- Move all of your data off of your hard drive (e-mail them to yourself, upload them to Dropbox, put them on a USB drive, etc.)
- Shut down the computer
- Take the disc out at the prompt
*If your CD drive doesn't appear, you may have to enable booting from your CD drive from your BIOS setup, but most BIOSs have this on by default.That…doesn't work. Can't get in with Safe Mode.
That isn't a bad idea. It would at least allow me to get the files off of the CPU. Will Linux then be permanently installed on the computer, however? Not sure if Staples would still repair it for next to nothing if I installed a new OS than the one that they sold me…
Nope, booting from a Live CD does not install Linux on your computer and doesn't touch your Windows installation unless you manually edit a system folder.
-
View User Profile
-
View Posts
-
Send Message
Retired StaffWhat you have is called a "Laptop computer".
A "CPU(Central Processing Unit)" is the main processing unit for your computer. It is one component of many in a modern computer.
"CPU" and "Computer" are not interchangeable.
I think I might give this a try, then. But first I need to find a disc to store it on...
I'll keep this in mind, thanks.