Question Trouble Booting Desktop/CLASSPNP.SYS/Booting from CDROM/Please help!

[GoddessIP]

Hi everyone! I am really new here, my brother recommended I use this site to help me with a computer issue I am having. The computer is pretty old, maybe about five years, but it has worked fine up until this point. I don't know much about computers but I am hoping someone can help me. (I apologize if I did not post this in the correct forum.)

A couple of months ago the computer completely shut off and wouldn't even boot completely--it shut off after showing the ASUS screen.

I carefully took apart the motherboard and cleaned it of all dust, and after some patience I managed to get the computer into repair mode. I got very frustrated and put the computer to the back of my mind and just returned to it today.

Now it is preforming better, but still has some issues. In order for there to be any hope of it booting up at all, I need to hold down the F8 key as it started and select for it to boot from CDROM:5M-ATAPI 1HAS124 B

(There is no CD in the CD drive though, but the other option I have (SATA:3M-Hitachi HDS721010CLA332) never lets the computer boot past the windows loading screen--sometimes even trying to boot it from the CDROM option doesn't allow me to get past that screen.)

I have tried starting it in SAFE MODE, but it always freezes at CLASSPNP.SYS. I have also put the computer through several "start up repairs" and tried system restore points, but have had no luck. When I do manage to get onto my computer, it will only stay on for about 12 minutes maximum before shutting itself off without warning. I have tried running Malware Bytes, but the system never has enough time to complete the scan--though it does detect 77 threats. I have tried launching CMD and putting in sfc/scannow (a suggestion I read about while googling), but the computer tells me that it is already running another operation and I need to wait for that to be complete before I can run SFC. Even though it says this, no other programs are running.

I believe that this might be an issue with the updates on the computer, or possibly a hardware issue, but I honestly have no idea. My father has been using the computer for the last year or so and he told me that he never approves any of the Windows Updates, always selecting "Postpone".

I am just really not sure what steps to take next. Any advice?

 

[jeremyj_83]

First place to start would be to try and reinstall Windows. If you have any needed files on the computer you will have to get them off. An easy way to do that would be to download Mint Linux and put the iso onto a bootable USB drive. Boot the computer to the USB drive and just run Linux from the USB drive. You can put another external drive into the computer and get the files off of it. After that download the Win 10 Media Creation tool https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 and create a bootable USB drive and use that to install a fresh copy of Windows on the computer.

 

[GoddessIP]

First place to start would be to try and reinstall Windows. If you have any needed files on the computer you will have to get them off. An easy way to do that would be to download Mint Linux and put the iso onto a bootable USB drive. Boot the computer to the USB drive and just run Linux from the USB drive. You can put another external drive into the computer and get the files off of it. After that download the Win 10 Media Creation tool https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 and create a bootable USB drive and use that to install a fresh copy of Windows on the computer.

Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly, I really appreciate it!

Now, I am very new with computers, and some of the terms you used went over my head. I am not sure what an ISO is, or what exactly a bootable USB drive is or how to create one. If it's not too much trouble, would somebody be able to walk me through this? I'm new to this but eager to learn what to do. Also, where would I find Mint Linux (whatever that is)?

Also, just to clarify, is re-installing windows really the only option? From what I have understood in the past, that is like the equivalent of a factory reset or like a last option, but maybe I am misinformed. Since I am at times able to get Windows to run, although it does shut off, I was hoping there was a way to salvage what I have.

 

[jeremyj_83]

Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly, I really appreciate it!

Now, I am very new with computers, and some of the terms you used went over my head. I am not sure what an ISO is, or what exactly a bootable USB drive is or how to create one. If it's not too much trouble, would somebody be able to walk me through this? I'm new to this but eager to learn what to do. Also, where would I find Mint Linux (whatever that is)?

Also, just to clarify, is re-installing windows really the only option? From what I have understood in the past, that is like the equivalent of a factory reset or like a last option, but maybe I am misinformed. Since I am at times able to get Windows to run, although it does shut off, I was hoping there was a way to salvage what I have.

An ISO is basically an image file. Image files are used to be able to boot an OS from a CD/DVD/USB.
A bootable USB drive would be a USB Flash Drive that you have installed an OS onto and can boot from it.

https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/linux/create-a-bootable-ubuntu-usb-flash-drive-the-easy-way/ - this will go through the process of creating a USB Boot Drive from Windows
https://linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=261 - where to download Mint Linux
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-do-clean-installation-windows-10 - shows how to do a clean install of Windows 10

While doing a clean install of Windows might sound extreme, this will show for sure whether the issues are software or hardware related. If the computer shuts off during the install or keeps doing the same things as before, you have a hardware issue. Hardware issues with a 5 year old computer generally mean your best bet is just get a new computer, unless it is something cheap like a hard drive. If a clean install of Windows fixes the issue then you know the issues were software related. I would recommend that before you put anything back onto the clean installed computer from the previous Windows install that you make sure a Virus/Malware scan is done on those files. Last thing you want is to have infected files put onto a clean computer.

 

[GoddessIP]

An ISO is basically an image file. Image files are used to be able to boot an OS from a CD/DVD/USB.
A bootable USB drive would be a USB Flash Drive that you have installed an OS onto and can boot from it.

https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/linux/create-a-bootable-ubuntu-usb-flash-drive-the-easy-way/ - this will go through the process of creating a USB Boot Drive from Windows
https://linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=261 - where to download Mint Linux
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-do-clean-installation-windows-10 - shows how to do a clean install of Windows 10

While doing a clean install of Windows might sound extreme, this will show for sure whether the issues are software or hardware related. If the computer shuts off during the install or keeps doing the same things as before, you have a hardware issue. Hardware issues with a 5 year old computer generally mean your best bet is just get a new computer, unless it is something cheap like a hard drive. If a clean install of Windows fixes the issue then you know the issues were software related. I would recommend that before you put anything back onto the clean installed computer from the previous Windows install that you make sure a Virus/Malware scan is done on those files. Last thing you want is to have infected files put onto a clean computer.

Thank you so so so much for the description, I definitely think I should be able to do this. I have to run out to work soon, but when I get home I am going to read through your suggestions again and see what I can do. I will keep you posted

 

[jeremyj_83]

Thank you so so so much for the description, I definitely think I should be able to do this. I have to run out to work soon, but when I get home I am going to read through your suggestions again and see what I can do. I will keep you posted

Good luck.