Win10 PC Won't load, Can't Login, Flashing Screen


  1. Posts : 4
    Windows 10
       #1

    Win10 PC Won't load, Can't Login, Flashing Screen


    Desktop PC with Win10 was working fine until I received the anniversary update. Now, when I load the computer, it will go to the login screen but immediately either turn black, or flashing blue screen. No register of any keys, ctrl alt delete, etc. All attempts at repair have been fruitless. I've talked to 4 different reps through support, created multiple ISO bootups on my USB drive for Win10 AND 8.1, could not get them to work. Tried both Custom and Update installs. Custom install yields this message: "We couldn't install Windows in the location you chose. Please check your media drive. Here's more info about what happend: 0x80300024." Startup repair doesn't work. Windows 8.1 CD doesn't work. Sometimes when I load, my ASUS screen will say something like "repairing startup X%" but once at 100%, it just stops there and nothing else happened. I read on these forums it can take awhile so I left it on for 24 hours. Still at 100%, no changes, nothing fixed.

    Had my case escalated to a level 2 tech, received the call a little over 2 hours later than the given window. They suggest I format my computer, and do a clean install. That is my last option as I have documents I need on the computer.

    I appreciate any input and help anyone can provide. I'm extremely frustrated and exhausted at this entire situation. I'm combed the internet and these forums, tried multiple suggestions and am still at square one. Thank you for taking the time and any and all assistance is welcome!
    Last edited by AYC00; 24 Aug 2016 at 15:35.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 16,325
    W10Prox64
       #2

    AYC00 said:
    Desktop PC with Win10 was working fine until I received the anniversary update. Now, when I load the computer, it will go to the login screen but immediately either turn black, or flashing blue screen. No register of any keys, ctrl alt delete, etc. All attempts at repair have been fruitless. I've talked to 4 different reps through support, created multiple ISO bootups on my USB drive for Win10 AND 8.1, could not get them to work. Tried both Custom and Update installs. Custom install yields this message: "We couldn't install Windows in the location you chose. Please check your media drive. Here's more info about what happend: 0x80300024." Startup repair doesn't work. Windows 8.1 CD doesn't work. Sometimes when I load, my ASUS screen will say something like "repairing startup X%" but once at 100%, it just stops there and nothing else happened. I read on these forums it can take awhile so I left it on for 24 hours. Still at 100%, no changes, nothing fixed.

    Had my case escalated to a level 2 tech, received the call a little over 2 hours later than the given window. They suggest I format my computer, and do a clean install. That is my last option as I have documents I need on the computer.

    I appreciate any input and help anyone can provide. I'm extremely frustrated and exhausted at this entire situation. I'm combed the internet and these forums, tried multiple suggestions and am still at square one. Thank you for taking the time and any and all assistance is welcome!
    Hi ACY00 and welcome to Tenforums.

    Since this is a desktop, (and not a laptop), I suggest you pull the hard drive out and hook it up to another system with a SATA to USB adapter, to get your files backed up. That is the first order of business.

    Example: SATA to USB adapter (this is what they look like)
    ‪SATA to USB adapter‬‏ - ب*ث Google‏

    Then you can look at a clean install and formatting your drive.

    Another option would be to buy a new drive, clean install to that, and then use the SATA to USB adapter to copy your files from your old drive to your new drive.

    Once that's complete and you're all up and running, you might want to consider putting the old drive in an external case, and use it as a backup, making system images with Macrium Reflect Free, so you don't have to go through this in the future.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 9,765
    Mac OS Catalina
       #3

    A flashing screen is most likely a GPU issue. Have you tried a different monitor or checked to make sure that you have the proper resolution setup? Double check your display adapter properties. It could even be resolved if you can get into Device Manager and uninstall the driver and device then reboot and let Windows reinstall. If that does not work, try a different monitor and Graphics card.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 4
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #4

    simrick said:
    Hi ACY00 and welcome to Tenforums.

    Since this is a desktop, (and not a laptop), I suggest you pull the hard drive out and hook it up to another system with a SATA to USB adapter, to get your files backed up. That is the first order of business.

    Example: SATA to USB adapter (this is what they look like)
    €SATA to USB adapter€€ - ب*ث Google€

    Then you can look at a clean install and formatting your drive.

    Another option would be to buy a new drive, clean install to that, and then use the SATA to USB adapter to copy your files from your old drive to your new drive.

    Once that's complete and you're all up and running, you might want to consider putting the old drive in an external case, and use it as a backup, making system images with Macrium Reflect Free, so you don't have to go through this in the future.
    Thanks for your response and suggestions! So you're suspecting it is a hard drive issue? I was thinking that as well, possibly even a MOBO problem, though hopefully not. A friend told me he had similar sounding issues as I did and ended up having to get a new hard drive. Also, thanks for the tip on system image back ups, that sounds like a great idea.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 4
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #5

    bro67 said:
    A flashing screen is most likely a GPU issue. Have you tried a different monitor or checked to make sure that you have the proper resolution setup? Double check your display adapter properties. It could even be resolved if you can get into Device Manager and uninstall the driver and device then reboot and let Windows reinstall. If that does not work, try a different monitor and Graphics card.
    Thanks for your response and suggestions Bro67. Unfortunately, I did try a different monitor for the desktop and that did not change anything. Both monitors function fine as secondary screens on my laptop as well. The issue is windows won't even reinstall due to the error I posted in the original message. Monitor seems to be fine as I can enter BIOS utility and Windows Recovery.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 16,325
    W10Prox64
       #6

    AYC00 said:
    Thanks for your response and suggestions! So you're suspecting it is a hard drive issue? I was thinking that as well, possibly even a MOBO problem, though hopefully not. A friend told me he had similar sounding issues as I did and ended up having to get a new hard drive. Also, thanks for the tip on system image back ups, that sounds like a great idea.
    I don't know for sure if it's a failing hard drive, but best to get your data backed right away before you do anything else.

    You haven't filled in your system specs, so I don't know what kind of system you have, but I'll tell you a little story:

    Three days ago, I had someone's HP Ultrabook laptop - wouldn't boot into Windows; gave me a blank light-blue screen. Nothing I did would work. I created several Windows boot media and Macrium Rescue media - of which, the Macrium would boot to the Macrium environment, and that's how I managed to backup the user data without tearing the laptop apart to get to the hard drive. I ran tests on the drive, and memory - everything checked out healthy. I and a friend spent an entire day trying to figure out what the heck was going on!

    Finally, I managed to get into the HP Tools environment and elected to perform a factory restore, now that the data was backed up. When looking at the partitions in the Macrium program after the restore, I noticed a second drive of 4GB which was previously unformatted, and now showed formatted as a hibernation partition. This turned out to be a 32GB mSATA (flash memory) which had failed, and was the reason the computer would not boot. Not saying this is your problem though....
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 4
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #7

    simrick said:
    I don't know for sure if it's a failing hard drive, but best to get your data backed right away before you do anything else.

    You haven't filled in your system specs, so I don't know what kind of system you have, but I'll tell you a little story:

    Three days ago, I had someone's HP Ultrabook laptop - wouldn't boot into Windows; gave me a blank light-blue screen. Nothing I did would work. I created several Windows boot media and Macrium Rescue media - of which, the Macrium would boot to the Macrium environment, and that's how I managed to backup the user data without tearing the laptop apart to get to the hard drive. I ran tests on the drive, and memory - everything checked out healthy. I and a friend spent an entire day trying to figure out what the heck was going on!

    Finally, I managed to get into the HP Tools environment and elected to perform a factory restore, now that the data was backed up. When looking at the partitions in the Macrium program after the restore, I noticed a second drive of 4GB which was previously unformatted, and now showed formatted as a hibernation partition. This turned out to be a 32GB mSATA (flash memory) which had failed, and was the reason the computer would not boot. Not saying this is your problem though....

    Thank you for sharing! I have ordered SATA to USB cable I need so will be backing up asap, then will try formatting and see what happens. For now, I've left the desktop with a local computer tech for diagnosis. I'll report back once the verdict is in. He did say he always checks hard drives first because they tend to give a lot of random issues like the one you experienced so it may very well be the underlying problem.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 9,765
    Mac OS Catalina
       #8

    There is the Windows 10 Refresh ISO. You would run it and it would either do a Clean install as if no OS, or just clear out an existing profile. Try popping out the CMOS battery after unplugging from power. Then go through and check all cards for properly seating, no dust between the fingers on the cards and slots, all cables are firmly plugged in. All it takes is one minor issue to cause bigger ones.

    To rule out bad hardware, boot up with a Linux Live DVD like Linux Mint 17.3 LTS.
      My Computer


 

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