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#1
Freeze At Desktop With Spinning Cursor After Logon. SSD Error Light?
Trying to summarise:
1. Sandybridge machine with OCZ Vertex 2 boot drive crashed today. Upon trying to reboot it kept asking me for a valid boot disk. I powered down, waited and re-started.
2. It booted up BUT... after I log in and the desktop appears I get the endlessly spinning cursor the moment I try to do -anything-. This seems to be the new normal. Ever 2nd or 3rd boot I get a blue 'Windows Did Not Shut Down Correctly. Would you like Advanced Startup or Restart buttons.
3. I opened the case and the OCZ drive has a green ready light and a red error light. Both the green -and- red light are on.
4. I've tried booting with F4 and F5 and F6 and it won't boot into 'Safe' mode. It hangs when I do.
5. I unplugged the OCZ drive and attached to another PC. It is recognised and the files on most of the drives are visible. But again, the red -and- green lights are on. Also, the Windows and Program and Program X86 folders show as empty... which is of course... impossible, right?
So...
1a. I assume the OCZ drive is toast, right? Or can it be rehabilitated?
b. Is there a way to boot Win10 without ANY startup programs or with a 'log' of some kind as in previous versions so I can see where it's getting stuck?
2. I just got the Win 10 'free' update from Win 7 right before the July deadline. I do not have a rescue disk. I have a DVD of the Win 10 install, but nothing with a serial number. So... if I get a new SSD, how will I validate my Win 10 install? Or do I have to buy a new license?
I'm not so worried about a 'backup' as all my data is on a separate HD which is fine. I just need the machine to boot up to Win 10 and then I can re-install what I need.
Thanks in advance.