BSoD has Incapacitated Computer - Cannot Reboot

Ztruker · 31 Dec 2017

zbook said:

If it is a custom computer you will need to temporarily change the BIOS boot order so that the USB drive is on top.

Never a good idea with USB as you can end up in a boot loop or boot to the USB flash drive at the wrong time and never complete the install. Dell uses F12.

zbook · 31 Dec 2017

When you can also run the Dell diagnostics: (built in diagnostics)
DELL hardware testing: Resolve Hardware Issues With Built-in and Online Diagnostics (ePSA or PSA Error Codes) | Dell US

SupportAssist Preboot | Dell US

Support for OptiPlex 745 | Support topics & articles | Dell US

Writer · 31 Dec 2017

For Zbook:
The F12 key is the "hot key." I highlighted the USB Device and pressed Enter, but nothing happened. Perhaps it's because I need to have the 64 bit version of the Windows Tool.

For Ztruker:
I downloaded the 32 bit version of the Windows Tool because the computer is ten years old. Additionally, since I can't boot it, I could not check to see if it was a 32 or 64 bit. Added to that, I'm not a Techie. I didn't grow up in the computer generation; I'm 75 years old, and I am challenged just keeping up with the terminology.

Regarding downloading Rufus 2.18: Malwarebytes Antimalware keeps deleting what I try to download.

Perhaps I should download the 64 bit version of the Windows 10 Tool. A question here is whether I can download it to the same Lexar Flash Drive. If not, I can buy another one on Tuesday and then give that a try.

Thanks for your suggestions.

zbook · 31 Dec 2017

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...-32-64-bit-faq
To benefit from greater than 4GB RAM you will need 64 bit.
If it is 4 GB or less then 32 GB is fine.
If you use or plan to use 8GB then use 64 bit
Dell Optiplex 745 - Max CPU RAM etc - General Hardware - Desktop - Dell Community
is a dell optiplex 745 compatible for a 64 bit processor? - [Solved] - CPUs
According to the link there are 4 DIMM slots with a max or 2 GB in each slot for a total max of 8 GB.
So 64 Bit is better than 32 bit.

See if you can find a friend, relative, neighbor, public library etc. where there is a faster download speed to make a 64 bit windows 10 iso if you can benefit from it. Alternatively you could make the .Windows 10 iso overnight.

These are some troubleshooting steps when there is difficulty booting from a bootable USB flash drive:

If you have fast boot or ultra fast boot enabled in your UEFI firmware settings, then you will need to temporarily disable fast boot or ultra fast boot to be able to boot from a USB.

How to Enable Fast Boot or Ultra Fast Boot in UEFI Firmware Settings for Windows: Enable or Disable Fast Boot in UEFI Firmware Settings for Windows Performance Maintenance Tutorials

1. Try another USB stick
2. Try all USB ports (2.0 and 3.0)
3. Maybe when using UEFI Bios you have to temporarily switch to Legacy in BIOS settings
4. Turn off temporarily fast boot, secure boot, CSM if enabled

Writer · 31 Dec 2017

For Zbook:

It sounds as though you agree with Ztruker that I should download and try rebooting with the 64 bit Windows ISO. I'll try to download it on the same 16 GB Flash Drive that I have the 32 bit Windows ISO on. If that doesn't work, I'll buy another 16 GB Flash Drive on Tuesday.

Thanks for your help.

zbook · 31 Dec 2017

If you have an optical drive that is an additional option for the Windows 10 iso.
Keeping the Windows 10 iso on a drive may become useful again in the future as you can perform in place upgrade repairs and keep the files and applications for the repair. In case the Windows 10 iso does not work another option is a boot rescue and that would need another flash drive.
The Windows 10 iso can be used on any computer with Windows 10 so you could help friends, neighbors, etc. So keeping the flash drive in a drawer and knowing it is available could give you some backup options in the future.

Ztruker · 31 Dec 2017

Can you take a picture and post it of what you see when you press F12 to get the boot menu on the Dell Computer?

You should be able to boot a 32 or 64 bit Windows 10 installation flash drive.

If the Dell has a "C:\Program Files (x86)" folder then it's a 64 bit install of Windows 10. Weird I know but that's where the 32 bit software is installed on a 64 bit Windows 10 system.

This is from the manual for your computer:
====================================================
Changing Boot Sequence for the Current Boot
You can use this feature, for example, to tell the computer to boot from the CD drive so that you can run the Dell Diagnostics on the Drivers and Utilities CD, but you want the computer to boot from the hard drive when the diagnostic tests are complete. You can also use this feature to restart your computer to a USB device such as a floppy drive, memory key, or CD drive.
1. If you are booting to a USB device, connect the USB device to a USB connector.
2. Turn on (or restart) your computer.
3. When F2 = Setup, F12 = Boot Menu appears in the upper-right corner of the screen, press <F12>.
If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop. Then shut down your
computer (see Turning Off Your Computer) and try again.
The Boot Device Menu appears, listing all available boot devices. Each device has a number next to it.
4. At the bottom of the menu, enter the number of the device that is to be used for the current boot only.
For example, if you are booting to a USB memory key, highlight USB Device and press <Enter>.

NOTE: To boot to a USB device, the device must be bootable. To make sure your device is bootable, check the device documentation.
====================================================

No mention of UEFI or GPT so it must ba a BIOS/MBR system. The Flash drive you have should be okay and selecting it from the F12 boot menu should work.

Press F2 to get into Setup then check Onboard devices, make sure the USB ports you are using, Front or Rear, are enabled.

Writer · 01 Jan 2018

This is what the Screen shows when I tap F-12:

Boot Device Menu
* USB Device
* Onboard SATA Hard Drive
* Onboard or USB CD-Rom Drive

* System Setup
* Hard Drive Diagnostics
*Boot to Utility Partition

Use Up/Down arrows go highlight desired item
Use Enter to select highlighted item.

My Comment:
I went to Setup by tapping F-2 (It's the first time I've ever done this.)

It has 64-bit Technology (Intel EM64T)
All USB Ports are enabled.
Installed Memory = 2.0 GB
Boot Sequence: I changed it so that USB Device is Number 1
TPM (Trusted Platform Module): Default position = OFF

My Comment:
Even with the USB Device in the Number 1 position, it still does not boot.

Plan: I can delete the 32-bit Windows ISO and download the 64-bit. That'll take about 8 hours. I'll try to boot the computer then with the 64-bit Windows ISO.

Update: I am now downloading Windows ISO 64-bit; it should be finished by about 6 pm est on January 1, 2018.

Of course, after I am able to boot it, I'll have to set about getting rid of the BSoD software.

Update: 6:45 pm, est: I tried booting with the 64-bit Version of Windows ISO, and it still does not work. First, I tried it with the USB Device in the number 1 position, and it doesn't work. Then I tried moving the USB Device to the number 5 position and it does not work.

The 64-bit Version of Windows ISO takes up 3.54 GB of space whereas the 32-bit Version takes up 2.73 GB of space.

Writer · 02 Jan 2018

I tried booting my BSoD computer with the 64-bit Windows ISO with the Flash Drive plugged into a USB Port, but it did not boot. I tried putting the USB Device in the first position on the Device Menu after tapping F-12, but that did not work.

I tried booting the computer I am now using with the 64-bit USB Device, and it did not work. I tapped F-12, the Boot Device Menu came up, I highlighted USB Device and pressed Enter. A blank screen came up. It appears that something is wrong with the Windows ISO download on the Flash Drive.

The Lexar 16 GB Flash Drive I am using is a 2.0.
All of the USB Ports on both of my Dell computers are Black and not Blue. It is my understanding that if the USB Port were a 3.0, then the inside of the port would be Blue.

zbook · 02 Jan 2018

1) See if you can find some flash drives that you can format.
2) Create a boot recovery flash drive:
Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums
3) If you have additional flash drives create them for:
a) memtest86+ version 5.01
b) Ubuntu/Linux: Ubuntu tutorials

This should allow you 4 different options to test and use the USB flash drives to troubleshoot.

In post #14 what happened with each steps 1 - 4 ?