BSOD Screen unreadable, can't boot into windows (even safe mode)

Hi, I am trying to get my elderly fathers laptop running again. I suspect a windows update has happened and perhaps something is wrong with his video drivers perhaps. Anyways, his laptop is an HP Pavilion dv7, that I believe was factory loaded with a previous version of windows, but we upgraded it to windows 10 at some point. I know these forums ask for logs and windows versions, but without being able to get to windows at all, that's a difficult ask considering it appears I ONLY have command line capabilities.

I am getting a BSOD that is vertically pixelated (see image) , so I can't even make out the error code etc to help me figure this out.


-I ran FULL HP diagnostics and no errors were found
-Startup Repair, couldn't repair
-Uninstall Updates (both Feature and Quality) 'ran in to problems'
-System Restore can't locate a restore point
-Image Recovery can't find an image
-All of the Safe Mode options bring me to a blank screen
-Seems all I have is command prompt - so tried SFC, DISM. SCANDISK etc, no issues found
-I also downloaded WIN10XPE tools from this forum, but when trying to run via a command prompt, I am getting a message that my version of windows isn't supported.

So, short of pulling the drives, and trying to go through and extract anything my dad needs to keep, then doing a clean install, I am stuck.

I'm hoping someone here can provide me some assistance, or tools, which don't require getting into windows, that I can run from a command line or other, to get this machine up and running again.

Thanks in advance

Go to the CMD prompt (from advanced recovery in boot)
> C:
> cd \Windows\System32\Config
> dir ( to see what's there)
> ren system system.old1
> ren system.old system { to use the previous one)

do the same for {sam security software} as {system}
if that gets blocked
> attrib -h -s *.* ( then try again)

if that works , get ... adwcleaner.exe and quarantine results then reboot
post results here

Would a reset save files equivalent be a viable fix?
This requires the reinstallation of drivers and applications.

Troubleshooting can be performed.
This may require repeating some steps that were performed so that the commands with results are posted in the thread.


Sunnysky ,

Please post links related to the config system ren steps

zbook said:

Would a reset save files equivalent be a viable fix?
This requires the reinstallation of drivers and applications.

Troubleshooting can be performed.
This may require repeating some steps that were performed so that the commands with results are posted in the thread.


Sunnysky ,

Please post links related to the config system ren steps

Basically same as
scroll down to

Fix the Registry

in How to Fix 'Bad System Config Info' Error in Windows 10 - Make Tech Easier
Except I said to use the *.old copied to * after renaming * (no extension) to *.old1

if Regback folder exists , that may be an older version that may be used too.

The automatic regback options unfortunately are no longer available for Windows 10:
Microsoft explains the lack of Registry backups in Windows 10

zbook said:

The automatic regback options unfortunately are no longer available for Windows 10:
Microsoft explains the lack of Registry backups in Windows 10

So I wonder if the OP's dir shows anything else. (\Windows\System32\Config)

1 more reason why I won't ever use win10

I'd recommend installing Win7 CD from available downloads

All, thanks for your support. I'll try working on this again later today when I get some more time, however;
@Ztruker, the machine has been running Win 10 for quite some time, so I know it's not an issue from that perspective. I will see what I can pull from BIOS or perhaps the good old DOS 'VER' command and see what I can get. I'll follow the other details and post back later

@Sunnysky - I'll give those ideas a shot, however, without windows running, not sure I can get adwcleaner, but will see how it goes

@zbook - re a reset and save files.. my dad was an avid photographer, so I'm not sure all his images are under his user folder. I fear they may be scattered amongst the other program files and folders, so leery of performing this

Thanks

sclarke said:

@Sunnysky - I'll give those ideas a shot, however, without windows running, not sure I can get adwcleaner, but will see how it goes
Thanks

I said use advanced Recovery console DOS PROMPT and replace hives SYSTEM SAM etc ( then adwcleaner when it works)

Just an update

1) I went into the Windows\system32\config and I don't have any .old files for either System or SAM. I looked even at hidden files and nothing. There are however a couple of .log files, ie, system.log1, system.log2, and same for sam, but no .old files

2) re Quick Start - i downloaded an ISO image and burned it to a USB, but the damn computer won't boot from it.(even thought i changed boot sequence to be USB first). I have tried to burn the iso to a disk, but I don't have one lying around large enough to support the iso.

So, this darn laptop is causing me grief every step of the way. I'll see if I can locate a disk for the iso, if not, I will pull the drives , connect to a working computer via my USB to SATA cable adapter, and troll through all the files and directories to save whatever I can, then perform a RESET choosing to keep my files.

Thanks again for the support