Windows boot problems!

[MarvintheParrot]

Hey gang,

 

I've been having some problems for a few months now, including constant blue screens during intense loads, boot problems, and a bunch of other software related info. My biggest problem is that windows decided that it would only boot into the startup options menu. Thankfully I was able to use the command prompt to return to windows and the problem did not occur again...until the next day! When I booted up my PC, it booted into the startup options once again, however this time no options would appear, literally just a blank blue screen. I decided to try a clean install of windows, and got the windows install softear on a 32GB thumb drive and went through the whole process, and I even formatted my original windows drive (basically the only thing on it was steam and windows). As soon as I start the install process, it gives me the error code: 0x800701b1 and tells me I don't have the files needed. I have re-tried this countless times and even tried installing windows on my HDD, which worked, but as soon as the PC restarted to complete the install, it would fail and tell me that the computer doesn't have windows. 

 

Additionally, I did get into windows twice, but as soon as I go to install any apps or even open the start menu, I get a blue screen and cant boot back into windows.

 

My guess is that there is some sort of problem with the windows boot drive, so I ordered another one. 

 

In thew meantime, while I await the arrival of the new SSD, is there anything I can do, so that I can at least use my computer? 

 

THANK YOU

 

P.S. I know the above paragraph might be confusing to read, so let me know if y'all have any questions!

[Bombastinator]

Crash after boot means check memory integrity (even though it’s usually fine) doing so is free and automatic but slow so it’s one of those set-it-and-do-something-else type of tests.  A few full runs of memtest86 is(was) a common one.

Edited February 15, 2023 by Bombastinator

[MarvintheParrot]

10 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

Crash after boot means check memory integrity (even though it’s usually fine) doing so is free and automatic but slow so it’s one of those set-it-and-do-something-else type of tests.  A few full runs of memtest86 is(was) a common one.

Hello!Forgot to mention that after this happened the first time a few months ago, I was instructed to run memtest and some other benchmarks and everything came back fine.

[Bombastinator]

7 minutes ago, MarvintheParrot said:

Hello!Forgot to mention that after this happened the first time a few months ago, I was instructed to run memtest and some other benchmarks and everything came back fine.

So memory is probably good.  A drive is a drive is a drive.  A bootable thumb drive is a very doable thing.  They’re not particularly large or fast but they work. So a quick trip to target or Best Buy would net you something you could work with.   If you don’t already just have one.

[MarvintheParrot]

6 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

So memory is probably good.  A drive is a drive is a drive.  A bootable thumb drive is a very doable thing.  They’re not particularly large or fast but they work. So a quick trip to target or Best Buy would net you something you could work with.   If you don’t already just have one.

Already have a thumb drive that I'm trying to boot off of, are you suggesting to fully install windows on the thumb drive instead of a HDD or SSD?

 

Additionally, the only options it gives me when I try to install windows off the thumb drive is my SSD, HDD, or some MSR reserved drives.

[Bombastinator]

5 minutes ago, MarvintheParrot said:

Already have a thumb drive that I'm trying to boot off of, are you suggesting to fully install windows on the thumb drive instead of a HDD or SSD?

 

Additionally, the only options it gives me when I try to install windows off the thumb drive is my SSD, HDD, or some MSR reserved drives.

If you’re having the same problems with a thumb drive you are with your SATA or NVME stuff a new drive won’t help.  Your problem is elsewhere.  My knee-jerk reaction is to clear CMOS and update the BIOS.  Not necessarily because it’s out of date, but just to rewrite it.

[kb5zue]

Use the Windows Media Creation Tool and create yourself a nice clean fresh copy of Windows.  When using the tool to install your copy of Windows, be sure to delete ALL the partitions on your SSD making sure that way there are no garbage files left behind.  Then after you delete ALL the partitions, just go with the flow on the Tool install and it will automatically create the partitions needed and format them.  Once that is done, it will continue with the install until completed.  Just follow the on-screen instructions and you will do fine.

 

The key to the whole process working is the deletion of ALL the partitions on your boot SSD.

 

Good Luck.

 

[Bombastinator]

1 minute ago, kb5zue said:

Use the Windows Media Creation Tool and create yourself a nice clean fresh copy of Windows.  When using the tool to install your copy of Windows, be sure to delete ALL the partitions on your SSD making sure that way there are no garbage files left behind.  Then after you delete ALL the partitions, just go with the flow on the Tool install and it will automatically create the partitions needed and format them.  Once that is done, it will continue with the install until completed.  Just follow the on-screen instructions and you will do fine.

 

The key to the whole process working is the deletion of ALL the partitions on your boot SSD.

 

Good Luck.

 

This could also work I think.

[MarvintheParrot]

 

10 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

If you’re having the same problems with a thumb drive you are with your SATA or NVME stuff a new drive won’t help.  Your problem is elsewhere.  My knee-jerk reaction is to clear CMOS and update the BIOS.  Not necessarily because it’s out of date, but just to rewrite it.

I will do this first. However, I cannot figure out how to boot a full copy of windows off the thumb drive, only the windows creation tool, which then prompts me to select a boot drive, and the only two possible options are my SSD and HDD. The SSD is an M.2 NVMe drive which previously had windows on it. During the installation, it gets ~10% done with allocating the files, and then fails. The HDD gets through the install process, and then self restarts as its supposed to, and then boots into a screen that tells me I don't have windows.

 

9 minutes ago, kb5zue said:

Use the Windows Media Creation Tool and create yourself a nice clean fresh copy of Windows.  When using the tool to install your copy of Windows, be sure to delete ALL the partitions on your SSD making sure that way there are no garbage files left behind.  Then after you delete ALL the partitions, just go with the flow on the Tool install and it will automatically create the partitions needed and format them.  Once that is done, it will continue with the install until completed.  Just follow the on-screen instructions and you will do fine.

 

The key to the whole process working is the deletion of ALL the partitions on your boot SSD.

 

Good Luck.

 

Then I will do this.

 

THANK YOU!!!

[MarvintheParrot]

24 minutes ago, kb5zue said:

Use the Windows Media Creation Tool and create yourself a nice clean fresh copy of Windows.  When using the tool to install your copy of Windows, be sure to delete ALL the partitions on your SSD making sure that way there are no garbage files left behind.  Then after you delete ALL the partitions, just go with the flow on the Tool install and it will automatically create the partitions needed and format them.  Once that is done, it will continue with the install until completed.  Just follow the on-screen instructions and you will do fine.

 

The key to the whole process working is the deletion of ALL the partitions on your boot SSD.

 

Good Luck.

 

 

26 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

If you’re having the same problems with a thumb drive you are with your SATA or NVME stuff a new drive won’t help.  Your problem is elsewhere.  My knee-jerk reaction is to clear CMOS and update the BIOS.  Not necessarily because it’s out of date, but just to rewrite it.

I got into the bios and reset it to factory settings, then went through the windows install process with a new copy of the the windows creation tool. When I got to the drive selection part, I formatted every available drive and partition. Then I went through and attempted to delete the recovery and MSR partitions and it gave me an error message that said it could not delete the partition. Thoughts?

[knoxxb12]

If the problems are persisting through full boot drive formats, clean installs, etc., its got to be hardware. Download the latest version of BIOS from your motherboard manufacturer. Flash it onto your BIOS and verify you return to total factory settings (e.g don't just opt to restore BIOS to factory settings, do a refresh). Past that, swapping individual hardware to isolate potential issues is your best bet. In order of likelyhood, Boot drive -> BIOS/Motherboard -> Memory -> CPU

[Bombastinator]

1 hour ago, MarvintheParrot said:

 

I will do this first. However, I cannot figure out how to boot a full copy of windows off the thumb drive, only the windows creation tool, which then prompts me to select a boot drive, and the only two possible options are my SSD and HDD. The SSD is an M.2 NVMe drive which previously had windows on it. During the installation, it gets ~10% done with allocating the files, and then fails. The HDD gets through the install process, and then self restarts as its supposed to, and then boots into a screen that tells me I don't have windows.

 

Then I will do this.

 

THANK YOU!!!

A thumb drive is just a removable usb drive.  It just happens to be really small and uses a sepecific type of storage.  Should be able to treat it like any other drive.  Use the windows install to install windows on it.  It’s sounding to be though that this is likely to be useless and your problem is not with the drive.  It might be the data ON the drive.  For one thing the thumb drive would have to be formatted ntfs.  My memory is that they’re usually extFAT

[Bombastinator]

4 hours ago, MarvintheParrot said:

 

I got into the bios and reset it to factory settings, then went through the windows install process with a new copy of the the windows creation tool. When I got to the drive selection part, I formatted every available drive and partition. Then I went through and attempted to delete the recovery and MSR partitions and it gave me an error message that said it could not delete the partition. Thoughts?

That is the same as a cmos clear, but not a bios reflash. I don’t remember what an MSR partition is.  Might be one of those things windows uses.  If they’re a windows thing Linux won’t care.  Maybe a linxliveCD Thing and wipe the drive from that instead, then use the windows install to format and build the thing.  You should also be able to do that from CMD though.  Is this derive by any chance a samsung 980?  There are apparently problems with those that need a firmware update to fix.  I don’t have the details.

 

would that be a MBR typo by any chance?

[kb5zue]

There is a lot of information in all these posts but sometimes I find it just easier to go with the flow.  In other words, use a blank or empty USB drive and follow the procedures on the Windows website for creating the Windows Media Creation Tool.  Stay with the default, you can't go wrong.

 

While the machine is off at the PSU, remove all the drives in the machine with the exception of the drive you want to use for your OS.  Removing all the other drives will ensure the OS is only installed on the one you want to use for it.

 

With just the one drive and the thumb drive inserted in the system, turn the system back on and boot from the thumb drive.  Make sure the boot order in the BIOS is set to boot from the flash drive, otherwise the machine will most likely not boot.  Anyway, go ahead and boot from the flash drive/thumb drive and just go with the flow.  Make sure to delete ALL the partitions on the single drive you have in the system.

 

Just go with the flow.  After deleting ALL the partitions, go ahead and click the next button on the bottom right and let the process continue.  Whenever confronted by the software to make a decision as what to do, go with the default.  You can't go wrong as long as you stick with the default.

 

The machine will continue to create the partitions needed for your Windows and it will also format them for you.  Go with the default.  There is no reason to confuse yourself with what sort of formatting to use.  Let the software do it for you and you can't go wrong.  Stay with the default.

 

At this point, things should be pretty well done.  JUST GO WITH THE DEFAULT AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT SORT OR WHAT TYPE OF FORMATTING TO USE.  LET THE WINDOWS INSTALL TOOL DO THAT FOR YOU.  Some people are not satisfied unless they make every decision in the process but they need to understand the more times they make a decision instead of allowing the software to do that for you is just that many more times for them to make the wrong decision and therefore to screw things up.

 

Just use the KISS principal and let the software do it's thing.

 

KISS Principal.   K (Keep)

                           I   (It)

                           S  (Simple)

                           S  (Stupid)

 

 

[MarvintheParrot]

16 hours ago, knoxxb12 said:

If the problems are persisting through full boot drive formats, clean installs, etc., its got to be hardware. Download the latest version of BIOS from your motherboard manufacturer. Flash it onto your BIOS and verify you return to total factory settings (e.g don't just opt to restore BIOS to factory settings, do a refresh). Past that, swapping individual hardware to isolate potential issues is your best bet. In order of likelyhood, Boot drive -> BIOS/Motherboard -> Memory -> CPU

This worked. I got the latest version of BIOS and it finished installing all the files needed for windows. When the PC rebooted to finish up installation, it blue screened and gave be the error: whea_uncorrectable_error.

[MarvintheParrot]

UPDATE

 

Windows got fully installed on my SSD! YAY

 

I removed my HDD and updated the BIOS. 

 

HOWEVER:

Now that Windows is installed, I was going through the motions, and installed chrome. It also automatically installed Armory Crate for ASUS. Then, it black screened. No error message, no nothing. Now I cant get back in. I boot up the PC, and when I see the ROG logo, the dots stop spinning and it freezes. 

 

Thoughts?

[Bombastinator]

2 hours ago, MarvintheParrot said:

This worked. I got the latest version of BIOS and it finished installing all the files needed for windows. When the PC rebooted to finish up installation, it blue screened and gave be the error: whea_uncorrectable_error.

Bios isn’t hardware it’s firmware.  It’s actually in sort of an SD.  Non-volotile memory.

Edited February 15, 2023 by Bombastinator

[Bombastinator]

2 hours ago, MarvintheParrot said:

UPDATE

 

Windows got fully installed on my SSD! YAY

 

I removed my HDD and updated the BIOS. 

 

HOWEVER:

Now that Windows is installed, I was going through the motions, and installed chrome. It also automatically installed Armory Crate for ASUS. Then, it black screened. No error message, no nothing. Now I cant get back in. I boot up the PC, and when I see the ROG logo, the dots stop spinning and it freezes. 

 

Thoughts?

Try getting into bios before windows boots.  There should be a key you spam just after turning on the machine.  Usually it’s [delete] but it varies.  Your motherboard manual will know.   I hate armory crate.

Edited February 15, 2023 by Bombastinator

[MarvintheParrot]

1 hour ago, Bombastinator said:

Try getting into bios before windows boots.  There should be a key you spam just after turning on the machine.  Usually it’s [delete] but it varies.  Your motherboard manual will know.   I hate armory crate.

What should I do after this, assuming I can get into the BIOS?

[Bombastinator]

1 hour ago, MarvintheParrot said:

What should I do after this, assuming I can get into the BIOS?

It’s a test.  If you can get into the bios your card isn’t damaged.  It’s just some stupid loaded data screwing everything up.  Find out where it loads from and wipe it.  The installer for it had to be on something.  It might have just been directions to download the thing.  Then you go through the whole rigamorole again 

[MarvintheParrot]

10 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

It’s a test.  If you can get into the bios your card isn’t damaged.  It’s just some stupid loaded data screwing everything up.  Find out where it loads from and wipe it.  The installer for it had to be on something.  It might have just been directions to download the thing.  Then you go through the whole rigamorole again 

Ok so I got into BIOS fine. Then somehow I was able to boot into windows. And then for whatever reason the computer wasn't picking up my GPU (3060ti) so I fumbled around with the power cords and PCIe riser, and I was able to successfully boot into windows and install drivers and a few apps.

 

As of now, I'm calling it that the original problem was because of something with the BIOS and the blue/black screen problem and boot problem when windows was installed was because of the PCIe riser.

 

Thanks, everyone, for all of your help.