Windows 10 won't start up

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Stephendnz

51 posts

Master Geek

#223861 20-Oct-2017 22:20

Looking for some help please.. Have recently upgraded to Win 10 from win 7. Now laptop (HP Pavillion dv6) won't start up.. can't get past login screen.. get just flashing screen...

It was working perfectly until I installed an updated version of a draughting program. Sweethome something.. it had an error message and when investigated solution provided was to change the desktop setting to Win 10 style.. ever since then it won't start up.. and I can't get into safe mode to try and change things back to what they were..
I use the escape key and can go into Bios. And check performance. And some other options.. and when I choose recovery it starts to load windows.. then get the following error message.

Stephendnz

51 posts

Master Geek

#1887162 20-Oct-2017 22:22

Sorry..Here was the image. Couldn't add in to earlier post..

Any help would be most appreciated..

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oakland

19 posts

Geek

#1888879 24-Oct-2017 18:20

Do you have a Windows 10 recovery disk? If yes, then boot from it and explore the troubleshooting options it provide. One of them will be to repair Windows or restore to a restore point (if it was enabled in windows).

I had to create Windows 10 recovery disk from Within Windows but you can try looking up Microsoft websites if there is a downloadable version available.

According to this website https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-access-advanced-startup-options-in-windows-10-or-8-2626229

the advanced recovery mode should appear after two consecutive startup errors.

Batman

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#1888889 24-Oct-2017 18:48

memory could not be written ... faulty RAM?

robjg63

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#1888964 24-Oct-2017 20:59

I would be guessing a problem with memory.
Perhaps try removing and then re-seating the RAM.
If it has 2 pieces may try running with 1 piece and see if you can get it running.
Memory issues can be a right PITA at times and often quite inconsistant.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

gzt

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#1889359 25-Oct-2017 15:44

If you have another computer handy use the media creation tool to make a usb stick to boot from:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

When starting it instead of choosing 'install' choose 'repair' to access the diagnosis options.

Batman

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#1889361 25-Oct-2017 15:45

If there are two RAM sticks remove one, boot, if problem, swap and only use one, if no problems then the RAM stick in your hand goes to the bin.

kryptonjohn

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#1889372 25-Oct-2017 16:08

If this has happened after changing stuff, you could boot into recovery mode then system-restore to a savepoint before your change.

I had to do this after a Windows10 update a month or two back - can't remember the details but the above is the gist of it.

Behodar

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#1889380 25-Oct-2017 16:15

Batman:

memory could not be written ... faulty RAM?

Not necessarily; that address (0x0) is never writable by user-mode software regardless of the quality of the RAM.

Jarno

270 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1889429 25-Oct-2017 17:06

I think the dialog is lying. There is no way it could even attempt to execute an instruction at 0x0 in the first place. Probably something really unexpected happened, and the error reporter didn't get sufficient correct information to make a useful report.

yitz

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#1889434 25-Oct-2017 17:26

Hopefully the OP won't run into this error while reinstalling.

Batman

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#1889439 25-Oct-2017 17:30

ROTLFLMAO

gzt

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#1889564 25-Oct-2017 21:21

kryptonjohn:
If this has happened after changing stuff, you could boot into recovery mode then system-restore to a savepoint before your change.

Op says it won't boot into inbuilt recovery.

Stephendnz

51 posts

Master Geek

#1891059 26-Oct-2017 22:49

Hi, Thanks for all the great help guys.. sadly I have now tried all the suggestions..
1. Tried the recovery disk.. made one from the link provided.. went into the Bios option and changed boot order to cd.. when turn on laptop I can hear lots of cd activity.. but then stops.. followed by the flashing screen again, and frenetic hard disk activity.. then eventually after about 1people mins of that.. it just turns itself off.

2. Have tried removing/resetting the ram.. only one piece.. that didn't do anything..

3. Can't get into Windows recovery mode.. only HP Startup menu by pressing escape on startup.. Been through all those options like System diagnostic.. checked memory came out OK..

Tried F11 System Recovery.. I get as far as the Windows log then nothing.. just the twirls dots going round and round for ages..then get the windows log in sound.. which is encouraging.. but then after awhile just back to the flashing screen and frenetic hard drive activity..

Then eventually to that same error message as posted above.. I click OK and just get more flashing and more hard drive activity.. just keeps going till I eventually turn it off.. seems like it might explode if I don't.. turn it off..

Any other suggestions.. polite ones please... 😀

Maybe it is possessed..

Dratsab

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#1891071 26-Oct-2017 23:18

I've had a problem with my HP laptop in the past - about 6 years ago so my memory is a little hazy. If memory serves correctly it all kicked off when I shut down one day and the shut down process still hadn't completed after about 15 hours. The HDD was constantly spinning at a high rate so I ended up powering it off after which it wouldn't boot at all. Turns out the BIOS had lost track of the hard disk (the ID had been set to all zeroes) and I ended up having to use an HP DMI tool - read some details about it here. I can't recall where I got the DMI tool but it worked and I still have it kicking around on a NAS somewhere. It's very much a longshot but try checking your HDD ID's inthe BIOS in case they've been corrupted.

In my particular case I also ended up having to do an fdisk /mbr then re-install Windows. I definitely wasn't a happy camper, especially when the same problem occurred about 3 months later. Chkdsk was used the second time round and marked a few sectors bad. The laptop's still running nicely to this day.

andrewNZ

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#1891092 27-Oct-2017 00:02

I'd get a new/different hard disk swap it out and install fresh. (SSD time if you don't have one)

This achieves two things:
1) Proves if the problem was a buggered windows install, possibly due to a bad disk.
2) Doesn't nuke your data. you should be able to connect the old disk with an adapter and pull any important data from it. You could even get an optical drive replacement caddy and keep the old disk if it's healthy.