Laptop in restart loop after Windows 8.1 update

[fivefourone]

I have a Samsung series 5 ultrabook (np540u3c), new in march lat year with Windows 8.
I had just downloaded the Windows 8.1 update and it needed to restart to install it. After a while it had finished installing and restarted again but this time as soon as it switches to the Windows logo an error message appears for a few seconds saying there has been an error and it needs to restart after gathering information about why this error happens. It then turns off and on again, and as soon as Windows tries to boot up the same error message. It then restarts, and so on, until I force then it off by holding down the power button.
I have tried to get into the Safe Mode start up menu by holding down f8 as it restarts but it doesn't work.

My laptop doesn't have an optical drive to boot from a cd, nor do I have a flash drive with a recovery version of Windows on.

Any help gratefully received. It's just out of warranty too.

 

[chicken4thewin]

If you aren't too worried about cash, upgrade to Win7. (it may be older but it's a lot better)

[edit] Another option is to get a Linux Live USB and install Linux. If it still doesn't work try to sell it on Ebay .

 

[adityasarin]

I have the same machine and am facing the exact same issue. I called up the Samsung helpline and they agreed its an issue with 8.1. They suggested I got to the 'Recover' option by hitting F8 and restore the settings. This is not as easy as they made it sound. It is pure luck when the F8 is registered. Once you are on the screen, it gives you an option to backup (which did not work for me) or Recover (which did not work either). I exited from the screen and viola!, the windows screen was back on. I quickly backed up all my data and updated a few drivers as suggested by the Samsung technician. This required a restart and I am back to square one! Hope this helps you enough to take a backup. Do post any new info you get on any possible solutions.

 

[fivefourone]

If you aren't too worried about cash, upgrade to Win7. (it may be older but it's a lot better)

[edit] Another option is to get a Linux Live USB and install Linux. If it still doesn't work try to sell it on Ebay .

I have the same machine and am facing the exact same issue. I called up the Samsung helpline and they agreed its an issue with 8.1. They suggested I got to the 'Recover' option by hitting F8 and restore the settings. This is not as easy as they made it sound. It is pure luck when the F8 is registered. Once you are on the screen, it gives you an option to backup (which did not work for me) or Recover (which did not work either). I exited from the screen and viola!, the windows screen was back on. I quickly backed up all my data and updated a few drivers as suggested by the Samsung technician. This required a restart and I am back to square one! Hope this helps you enough to take a backup. Do post any new info you get on any possible solutions.

Thanks for the reply. I've tried holding down F8 as soon as the 'Samsung' logo appears, or when the Windows logo appears, and nothing happened. I've also tried repeatedly clicking F8 at both times as well with no result. Do you remember when exactly you hit F8 in the boot process?

 

[dodger46]

If you aren't too worried about cash, upgrade to Win7. (it may be older but it's a lot better)

[edit] Another option is to get a Linux Live USB and install Linux. If it still doesn't work try to sell it on Ebay .

I have the same machine and am facing the exact same issue. I called up the Samsung helpline and they agreed its an issue with 8.1. They suggested I got to the 'Recover' option by hitting F8 and restore the settings. This is not as easy as they made it sound. It is pure luck when the F8 is registered. Once you are on the screen, it gives you an option to backup (which did not work for me) or Recover (which did not work either). I exited from the screen and viola!, the windows screen was back on. I quickly backed up all my data and updated a few drivers as suggested by the Samsung technician. This required a restart and I am back to square one! Hope this helps you enough to take a backup. Do post any new info you get on any possible solutions.

Thanks for the reply. I've tried holding down F8 as soon as the 'Samsung' logo appears, or when the Windows logo appears, and nothing happened. I've also tried repeatedly clicking F8 at both times as well with no result. Do you remember when exactly you hit F8 in the boot process?

Correct key is Shift plus F8, but you need to be very lucky to get in using that. Best to get a pal running W8 to created a bootable USB Recovery drive for you, a 1Gb pendrive will do the trick.

 

[chicken4thewin]

Don't use Win8, if you aren't gaming or using Windows exclusive programs just use Linux.

 

[MeneerWitte]

KIndly I ask your attention.

Well,

Do you have family or friends how could lent you an USB-Medium Player/-stick or a USB Card Reader with a card?

When so, download, install (don't forget to create a bootable USB-stick,.

https://www.google.nl/#q=Samsung+series+5+ultrabook+%28np540u3c%29+recovery+ISO+download

https://www.google.nl/#q=How+to+create+a+bootable+usb+stick+Windows+8%3F

https://www.google.nl/#q=How+to+set+boot+from+USB+with+Samsung+series+5+ultrabook+%28np540u3c%29%3F

When you have it installed correcly and running it for several days, create a Recovery Disk. Try to lent a USB Medium player and burn it.

Might be:

https://www.google.nl/#q=How+to+create+a+Recovery+Disk+for+Windows+8.1+without+a+burner%3F

Hopefully I let you known enough, that you will find the answers you seek!

Good luck and have fun doing it!

Best Regards,

MeneerWitte

 

[fivefourone]

If you aren't too worried about cash, upgrade to Win7. (it may be older but it's a lot better)

[edit] Another option is to get a Linux Live USB and install Linux. If it still doesn't work try to sell it on Ebay .

I have the same machine and am facing the exact same issue. I called up the Samsung helpline and they agreed its an issue with 8.1. They suggested I got to the 'Recover' option by hitting F8 and restore the settings. This is not as easy as they made it sound. It is pure luck when the F8 is registered. Once you are on the screen, it gives you an option to backup (which did not work for me) or Recover (which did not work either). I exited from the screen and viola!, the windows screen was back on. I quickly backed up all my data and updated a few drivers as suggested by the Samsung technician. This required a restart and I am back to square one! Hope this helps you enough to take a backup. Do post any new info you get on any possible solutions.

Thanks for the reply. I've tried holding down F8 as soon as the 'Samsung' logo appears, or when the Windows logo appears, and nothing happened. I've also tried repeatedly clicking F8 at both times as well with no result. Do you remember when exactly you hit F8 in the boot process?

Correct key is Shift plus F8, but you need to be very lucky to get in using that. Best to get a pal running W8 to created a bootable USB Recovery drive for you, a 1Gb pendrive will do the trick.

I've got hold of a USB drive with Win8 recovery thing on it from a friend, but I am unable to get into the Bios menu to boot from the drive. I've tried hitting F2 or holding it down, or hammering it repeatedly, from the second the machine restarts but nothing happens. I've actually tried every single F-key with no success.

I think I'm going to have to call Samsung and convince them to give me a new laptop, unless they can fix it.

 

[dodger46]

Seems there's a problem with the 8.1 upgrade affecting the Recovery Partition...
http://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/how-to-uninstall-windows-8-1/
Meanwhile it's possible you're stuck in Fast Startup which relies on files written in the Hiberfile. It might be possible to access Setup (BIOS) by disconnecting your Hard Drive, thus breaking the link to the Hiberfile.
You'll still need to change your Boot Order to boot from a Recovery Drive.

 

[fivefourone]

Seems there's a problem with the 8.1 upgrade affecting the Recovery Partition...
http://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/how-to-uninstall-windows-8-1/
Meanwhile it's possible you're stuck in Fast Startup which relies on files written in the Hiberfile. It might be possible to access Setup (BIOS) by disconnecting your Hard Drive, thus breaking the link to the Hiberfile.
You'll still need to change your Boot Order to boot from a Recovery Drive.

So you think if I remove the SSD, the laptop will boot up from the other HD, then I can go into Bios, disable fast startup, and make it boot from the recovery drive?

 

[dodger46]

Seems there's a problem with the 8.1 upgrade affecting the Recovery Partition...
http://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/how-to-uninstall-windows-8-1/
Meanwhile it's possible you're stuck in Fast Startup which relies on files written in the Hiberfile. It might be possible to access Setup (BIOS) by disconnecting your Hard Drive, thus breaking the link to the Hiberfile.
You'll still need to change your Boot Order to boot from a Recovery Drive.

So you think if I remove the SSD, the laptop will boot up from the other HD, then I can go into Bios, disable fast startup, and make it boot from the recovery drive?

All depends on what's on the other drive...meanwhile just disconnecting the boot drive should allow you to get into BIOS, than you can change the boot order. Also make sure if you have a list of drives other than the Boot order that the USB drive is at the top of the list...

 

[MeneerWitte]

http://www.bing.com/search?q=How+to+reset+Samsung+series+5+ultrabook&qs=n&form=QBRE&pq=how+to+reset+samsung+series+5+ultrabook&sc=0-13&sp=-1&sk=&cvid=6a0b6948295a41f3bd241a02069a7633

http://factoryreset.co.uk/os/Samsung-Series-5-UltraBook/

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=how+to+reset+samsung+series+5+ultrabook&qpvt=How+to+reset+Samsung+series+5+ultrabook&FORM=VDRE

http://www.bing.com/search?q=Samsung+series+5+ultrabook+%28np540u3c%29+manual+download&qs=n&form=QBRE&pq=samsung+series+5+ultrabook+%28np540u3c%29+manual+download&sc=0-39&sp=-1&sk=&cvid=abecb258ca854b1f832440be9b019278

 

[chicken4thewin]

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/

 

[poknat29]

I have the same machine and am facing the exact same issue. I called up the Samsung helpliine and they agreed its an issue with 8.1. They suggested I got to the 'Recover' option by hitting F8 and restore the settings. This is not as easy as they made it sound. It is pure luck when the F8 is registered. Once you are on the screen, it gives you an option to backup (which did not work for me) or Recover (which did not work either). I exited from the screen and viola!, the windows screen was back on. I quickly backed up all my data and updated a few drivers as suggested by the Samsung technician. This required a restart and I am back to square one! Hope this helps you enough to take a backup. Do post any new info you get on any possible solutions.

SIR CAN U GAVE ME NO SAMSUNG HELP LINE MINE IS SAMSUNG BOOK 2 BUT F8 OR SHORTCUT KEY WONT WORK FOR ME THANKS

 

[ErickTom]

Hi I have experience the same restart loop, I'm using a MSI GE40 laptop. the solution I did is easy, I just re-install my NVIDIA drivers and GeForce experience, and Direct X. try re-install graphics drivers and Direct X.

 

[akuma6099]

I have ran into this and have fixed the issue on a Samsung series 5 520u4c. It was a pain, but the solution is actually simple. I had a harddrive that failed and produced a Inaccessable boot device BSOD in windows 8.1. It would reboot and round and round we go. During POST it would not register F2 to get to the BIOS nor ESC, or Shift+F8 for the Windows 8 boot menu. The problem is that Secure Boot is enabled in the BIOS.

I disassembled the base of the laptop and disconnected the CR1016 battery for the CMOS. I also held the emergency disconnect button on the main battery for a couple minutes. Plugged it back in and had the same problem. No F2...If you remove the HDD it will power off in 1 second. The problem is that there are no secureboot devices to boot.

Solution: Use RMprep and format an 8GB USB stick as FAT32. Select the bootmgr Windows vista/7/8 option in RMprep.
Step 2: Dump a Windows 8.1 installation DVD to the root of the USB.
Step 3: Done.

Simply plug in the USB stick and disconnect your HDD. The USB will boot thanks to UEFI and secure boot. This will load the windows 8 setup.
Select your language and click next.
Click Repair your computer.
Choose Troubleshoot.
Choose Advanced Options
Choose UEFI Firmware Settings
Choose Restart from this menu.

Upon restart you will be able to access the BIOS with F2!!!! I would now change secure boot to disabled and set os mode selection to UEFI and CSM OS.

Good luck to all those who are stuck. It's not just a samsung thing but ANY machine that is secure booting with UEFI only enabled. It works GREAT until you have a hardware failure. Of course the manufacture never thinks this deep into things.

 

[Grandin]

If you aren't too worried about cash, upgrade to Win7. (it may be older but it's a lot better)

[edit] Another option is to get a Linux Live USB and install Linux. If it still doesn't work try to sell it on Ebay .

you mean DOWNGRADE to Win7.

 

[ZeldaTima]

I have a Samsung series 5 ultrabook (np540u3c), new in march lat year with Windows 8.
I had just downloaded the Windows 8.1 update and it needed to restart to install it. After a while it had finished installing and restarted again but this time as soon as it switches to the Windows logo an error message appears for a few seconds saying there has been an error and it needs to restart after gathering information about why this error happens. It then turns off and on again, and as soon as Windows tries to boot up the same error message. It then restarts, and so on, until I force then it off by holding down the power button.
I have tried to get into the Safe Mode start up menu by holding down f8 as it restarts but it doesn't work.

My laptop doesn't have an optical drive to boot from a cd, nor do I have a flash drive with a recovery version of Windows on.

Any help gratefully received. It's just out of warranty too.

I had this issue on 2 different PCs, both with Windows 8.1.

It would force me into updates, and then say that the updates were unsuccessful and that it is undoing the changes.

It stayed in a restart loop of 'undoing changes' until I went into Safe Mode (using Shift + F8) and did a System Restore. I found this by going to the Control Panel, and going to 'Advanced Recovery Tools'. Be sure to choose a restore point date that doesn't say anything about 'update' , because it'll just restart and immediately begin updates after the System Restore.

I have now changed the settings on BOTH computers to not automatically install update. I don't need that kind of trouble! LOL

 

[targetchip]

I fixed this issue in the following way - I had a laptop have a windows 8 reboot loop and got stuck. Had the experts look at it locally as it was out of warranty - they said hard drive failure - I stuck at it. I tried every OS I have and I have a lot. My theory being DSL or one of the other linux discs may be able to break the loop. In the end I put a windows 10 preview disc in and BINGO I now have a working laptop again.

 

[Darius Hadarean]

I also had problems installing Windows on the the Samsung series 5 ultrabook np540u3c. Tried windows 7 and 8.1.
Tried everything i have found on forums. BIOS setting. etc
NOTHING WORKED.

After the first part of the setup > restart > second part did not work. It kept restarting, shutting down quickly
Safe mode/ recovery did not work.

SOLVED !!
THIS MODEL HAS a SSHD that is the problem !! 22gb ssd and the rest hdd.+ dose not have a DVD drive


What i did in order to work :

1. Settings in the bios:
Fast BIOS Mode: Disabled
AHCI Mode Control: Manual (Let be "Auto" just in case you wanna use dual boot with Windows)
Set AHCI Mode: Disabled
USB S3 Wake-up: Enabled

Secure Boot: Disabled
OS Mode Selection: UEFI and CSM OS

And changed the boot priority:
1. USB HDD:
2. SATA HDD:
3. SATA CD:

2. Used RMprepUSB to create the USB bootable. Tick Fat32 (Not NTFS) and Tick Boot as HDD and Force use LBA calls.

3. I gave up on partitioning the hard drive.


I don't usually write on forums. But now i feel the need to give back to people who offer me good information about anything in the past.
Hope this help anyone out there

 

[BobbyDee]

Don't use Win8, if you aren't gaming or using Windows exclusive programs just use Linux.

Most people do, why push Linux? just say you don't know the answer. Switch to Linux is not a good answer.

 

[turboyoda]

just follow these simple steps...

1) get a dvd or any bootable media of that particular windows that is not starting properly or is in a restart loop.
2) insert the media into pc.
3) now window installation screen will appear click next.
4) select the option (repair your computer).
5) in next screen choose these options >troubleshoot>advance options>command prompt
6) type (bcdedit) into the command prompt without ( and ).
7) a list will appear . now from that list search for (ressume object).. a few numerics and words would be there copy all of them including curly brackets.
8) now type "bcdedit /set (the long numerics you copied) recoveryenabled No" (Without quotes). Hit enter.
9) you will see the message operation completed sucessfully.
10) type exit
and you are done.. then just restart your pc ..

 

[xabi03]

Darius' solution works, thanks a lot, you really saved the day!

 

[Philip Handoko]

i have solved this problem.

1. insert dvd Win 8 installation media
2. boot from cd/dvd media
3. select repair
4. choose these options >troubleshoot>advance options>command prompt
5. type command -> bootrec /RebuildBcd
6. type command -> bootrec /fixMbr
7. type command -> bootrec /fixboot
8. type command -> exit
9. restart

i hope this will help you.

 

[Felipev3]

I have ran into this and have fixed the issue on a Samsung series 5 520u4c. It was a pain, but the solution is actually simple. I had a harddrive that failed and produced a Inaccessable boot device BSOD in windows 8.1. It would reboot and round and round we go. During POST it would not register F2 to get to the BIOS nor ESC, or Shift+F8 for the Windows 8 boot menu. The problem is that Secure Boot is enabled in the BIOS.

I disassembled the base of the laptop and disconnected the CR1016 battery for the CMOS. I also held the emergency disconnect button on the main battery for a couple minutes. Plugged it back in and had the same problem. No F2...If you remove the HDD it will power off in 1 second. The problem is that there are no secureboot devices to boot.

Solution: Use RMprep and format an 8GB USB stick as FAT32. Select the bootmgr Windows vista/7/8 option in RMprep.
Step 2: Dump a Windows 8.1 installation DVD to the root of the USB.
Step 3: Done.

Simply plug in the USB stick and disconnect your HDD. The USB will boot thanks to UEFI and secure boot. This will load the windows 8 setup.
Select your language and click next.
Click Repair your computer.
Choose Troubleshoot.
Choose Advanced Options
Choose UEFI Firmware Settings
Choose Restart from this menu.

Upon restart you will be able to access the BIOS with F2!!!! I would now change secure boot to disabled and set os mode selection to UEFI and CSM OS.

Good luck to all those who are stuck. It's not just a samsung thing but ANY machine that is secure booting with UEFI only enabled. It works GREAT until you have a hardware failure. Of course the manufacture never thinks this deep into things.

This worked for me until i reconnected the hdd. windows keeps bsoding on loop, f keys dont work and it doesnt boot from usb or usb dvd drive (when hdd is connected), and i did all those steps.

but when i go to the bios again(disconnecting the hdd and connecting a win8 usb drive), i noticed boot order resets every time i exit, i press save and exit, and when i go to the bios again everything is configured as i left but bios order.

im stuck there, please help. i cannot change boot order, f keys dont work and it keeps restarting.