[SOLVED] Strange Windows 10 behaviour even after system reset

[Barney Willis]

Hi there all,

Got a weird series of problems affecting my PC and would greatly appreciate some advice.

Two days ago my PC started acting oddly - I couldn't close Chrome or shut down PC via start menu. Task manager also wouldnt start. I shut down and then it wouldnt reboot. It can get to BIOS fine but then endlessly loads windows displaying the logo of my Mobo. After a few tries it did a repair sequence but then just went to a black screen (it did this every third time starting up failed. Repairing did nothing although it did sometimes appear to be doing something to drive D fixing it.

Either way, it still wouldnt boot. I eventually waited 10 mins while trying to boot and accessed a limited menu allowing me to try system restore and system reset. The latter appeared to work, preserving my files but reinstalling Windows. I can now reliably boot but all is still not well and I have odd symptoms going on. It takes about 10 mins to load Windows and attempts to repair the drive each time (I interrupt this because it can never finish). Further, when the PC is running, some system features are unresponsive. Right now, I can't access the start menu or search features of Windows 10! I feel like I have plastered over the problem but not uncovered it but have no idea what could be the issue.

I have installed Windows on an NVME drive but drive D: is an old hard drive which I used for larger files. Could it's failure be causing this despite not having windows on it.

Userbenchmark from today: MSI Z390-A PRO (MS-7B98) Performance Results - UserBenchmark N.B. it couldnt test the HDD.

Really grateful for advice as I honestly dont know what to do. Happy to run tests/upload logs if useful.


Thanks,

Barney.

 

[Lutfij]

Which version of Windows 10 are you working with? In retrospect, resetting the OS doesn't do any good. You're better off reinstalling the OS after recreating your bootable installer using Windows Media Creation Tools. You will need to go into your BIOS and see what BIOS version you're on, Userbenchmark link shows 20190222 for BIOS date, which by my count you have 8 BIOS updates pending until you reach the latest BIOS version.

 

[Colif]

can you right click start
choose disk management
expand the next window to show all details in top and bottom sections
take a screen shot and upload it to an image sharing website and show link here

what make/model is hdd?

 

[Colif]

have you tried unplugging hdd to see if it is reason?

 

[Barney Willis]

Which version of Windows 10 are you working with? In retrospect, resetting the OS doesn't do any good. You're better off reinstalling the OS after recreating your bootable installer using Windows Media Creation Tools. You will need to go into your BIOS and see what BIOS version you're on, Userbenchmark link shows 20190222 for BIOS date, which by my count you have 8 BIOS updates pending until you reach the latest BIOS version.

Windows 10 Pro. I have created a bootable USB drive using Media Creation Tools. Will I be able to do a fresh install without losing all my files? Games/programmes I don't mind since I can reinstall.

Are BIOS updates a problem? I'll be honest I have never updated it and don't know how

can you right click start
choose disk management
expand the next window to show all details in top and bottom sections
take a screen shot and upload it to an image sharing website and show link here

what make/model is hdd?

It's a Seagate Barracuda 2tb drive. Concerning the image you request, it is here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Dy34UjNnXO-TTJOMyl4AAwwPEr1iWm6C/view?usp=sharing

 

[Barney Willis]

have you tried unplugging hdd to see if it is reason?

Am trying to retrieve some data from it in case it is failing - it is going at sub 1mbps and some folders are really slow to access. Probably means it is dying so will try!

 

[Colif]

you have 2 boot partitions but 1 is on an nvme and other on ssd, so thats good. I thought PC might have been booting from hdd, but it could be either E or C (C is where windows is, E is a blank partition but an EFI is on it. Did it have windows on it at some stage? (EFI = boot partition bios looks for at startup to find windows)

try running this on hdd although it sounds rather sick - https://www.seagate.com/au/en/support/downloads/seatools/seatools-win-master/

 

[Barney Willis]

you have 2 boot partitions but 1 is on an nvme and other on ssd, so thats good. I thought PC might have been booting from hdd, but it could be either E or C (C is where windows is, E is a blank partition but an EFI is on it. Did it have windows on it at some stage? (EFI = boot partition bios looks for at startup to find windows)

try running this on hdd although it sounds rather sick - https://www.seagate.com/au/en/support/downloads/seatools/seatools-win-master/

It did have windows on it - it used to be my boot drive before the NVME. I guess I just didnt delete that partition. Suppose I could try and boot from E in future if I end up in trouble!

I am just pulling the last of the data off the HDD that I care about (incredibly slowly) and then will disconnect it and see if that solves my problem. I'd be surprised though - I didnt think a sick HDD which the PC isnt booting from could cause any problems other than becoming slow or inaccessible. The more you learn.

Thanks for the consult - will report back!

 

[Colif]

E won't work, you deleted the install, its just a left over

It takes about 10 mins to load Windows

thats a common feature of a dying hdd.

I am just pulling the last of the data off the HDD that I care about (incredibly slowly) and then will disconnect it and see if that solves my problem. I'd be surprised though - I didnt think a sick HDD which the PC isnt booting from could cause any problems other than becoming slow or inaccessible. The more you learn.

well, its attached, windows would try to wake it on start up and if its dying and doesn't always answer, it will delay other things from loading, like windows itself. it can cause PC to not to boot.
Windows may also try to index it and that could lead to slowness.

attempts to repair the drive each time (I interrupt this because it can never finish)

maybe it was trying to fix the hdd. chkdsk does all drives

 

[Barney Willis]

can you right click start
choose disk management
expand the next window to show all details in top and bottom sections
take a screen shot and upload it to an image sharing website and show link here

what make/model is hdd?

have you tried unplugging hdd to see if it is reason?

E won't work, you deleted the install, its just a left over



thats a common feature of a dying hdd.




well, its attached, windows would try to wake it on start up and if its dying and doesn't always answer, it will delay other things from loading, like windows itself. it can cause PC to not to boot.
Windows may also try to index it and that could lead to slowness.


maybe it was trying to fix the hdd. chkdsk does all drives

Disconnecting the HDD fixed everything - seems you were right and the HDD was dying, taking the rest of my PC down with it every time it attempted to boot! Luckily I retrieved most of the data I care about.

Thanks so much for your advice Case solved!