LoR*Evanescence Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 I have been having trouble with windows 8.1 since doing the free upgrade to 8.1 from the App Store. What is happening is, if I do not log off then shut down the computer I can start my computer back up. If it goes into the hibernation mode when I close the lid or let it stay on for so long when I next turn it on I will stare at the blue windows flag for ever, and windows will never start. When I hold the the power to turn off my laptop, when I turn it back on it acts like it's booting for the first time. I get that color changing background screen, and the message saying it is setting up my computer for the first time and installing my apps. It takes like 15 minutes to go through this. I have been trying to fix this, using the refresh pc option does not work. When I try to reset pc it asks me to insert my windows 8 recovery media, which I have none, as I bought the digital download upgrade to windows 8 pro. When I download the full ISO file from microsofts page, it tells me my product key is not valid. Microsoft support says that is because my product key is only valid for upgrading, and I would have to set my laptop back to vista, then upgrade it back to windows 8. Next comes the really strange bit, I discovered something really freaking with my HP notebook that has me concerned. I tried hitting F11 to enter the recovery section and restore windows vista factory default image. When I hit F11, the bottom of the screen pops up text saying F11, Entering Recovery Mode, but then windows just continues to boot from there. I did it several times thinking I didn't do it right, same thing. Then I tried getting into the bios with F10. Same thing, it says I hit the key and loading bios, but windows boots... Same happens with F2 for system tools, and esc does not interrupt start up. What one earth would cause all these to no load, and boot windows everytime? Anyone have any thoughts on this one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xendrome Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 Could be a problem with a driver on 8.1 and Fast Startup - Try disabling it as a test, see if it shuts down and wakes properly after and report back - http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/6320-fast-startup-turn-off-windows-8-a.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe User Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 I'm betting you erased or damaged your recovery partition, which is why the F10 and F11 part is all messed up. I would personally back up all the data, then wipe the entire drive and start over. You might not want to do something that drastic, it's a fair amount of work. Also, you don't have to re-install Vista if you have a working Windows 8.1 media, there are guides online that will help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoR*Evanescence Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share Posted December 29, 2013 I have never touched or deleted the recovery partition . but evn if the partition did get damaged, why would that prevent me from being able to access the system bios? It shouldn't. This is the part that has me the most concerned. I tried following a couple guides to do a clean install of windows 8. The reset my pc option does not work as it asks for me to insert my media. I don't have media. I tried downloading the full set up file to create a flash drive media through another tutorial, but that did not work. It said my product key wasn't valid. With chatting with microsoft, I can only use the upgrade file link from my purchase email, I would have to pay for a ull license for windows 8 to make media and do a clean install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe User Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 I have never touched or deleted the recovery partition . but evn if the partition did get damaged, why would that prevent me from being able to access the system bios? It shouldn't. This is the part that has me the most concerned. I tried following a couple guides to do a clean install of windows 8. The reset my pc option does not work as it asks for me to insert my media. I don't have media. I tried downloading the full set up file to create a flash drive media through another tutorial, but that did not work. It said my product key wasn't valid. With chatting with microsoft, I can only use the upgrade file link from my purchase email, I would have to pay for a ull license for windows 8 to make media and do a clean install. Is it a UEFI enabled computer? I've had a couple of those (both HP) that act differently depending if there is a HDD installed or not. You could always try disconnecting the drive and then try going into system settings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwx Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 Ok I have some hints for you. Your file system might have been fragmented and/or damaged to a critical point. This is what you can try doing. This is the least you can try. WARNING: Do this at your risk. This will either fix your issues, stuff it completely or make no change at all. I take no responsibility if things become worse. When Windows is up and running, go to what was formerly known as "My Computer" or "Computer". I think Windows 8.x calls it "This Computer" Right click your C: drive and select Properties and select the "Tools" tab. From the "Tools" tab, select "Check Now" and the select "Start". Windows will ask you that the system check will have to be scheduled for the next start up. Agree to the recommendation and restart your computer. Next time, Windows should enter a special checking mode checking your file system for errors. When the checking is complete, Windows will restart Next, when Windows starts up again, defragment your hard risk using Disk Deframenter. I normally recommend the above steps to be done from Windows PE (bootable pre-installed Windows environment) as it is more efficient (a lot more efficient). I am actually worried about how chkdsk and the scheduled check up will interact with "the message saying it is setting up my computer for the first time" - not sure which one will come first when you restart your PC. That message "it is setting up my computer for the first time" is probably because the file system has errors and it cannot save the settings properly so the setting up isn't finished. In relation to your recovery partition, it is possible that your Partition Boot Record has been damaged. This can easily be fixed if the recovery system is using Windows PE. You can go to Disk Management and see if the partition exists and if it does, you can assign it a drive letter and explore it (see if the files are there). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoR*Evanescence Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share Posted December 29, 2013 So here is what I found out from HP. Just spent an hour on the phone with them. The Windows issue is a known compatibility issue with older Pavilion HP notebooks. They will not wake up from hibernation when windows 8 or windows 8.1 is installed on them. They recommend downgrading back to vista or windows 7, no further support is offered for this notebook because it has reached its end of product support life cycle. The notebook is only 5 years old at the most. As for not being able to access bios or recovery partition. There seems to be another issue going on as well not related to windows 8. No support for this is offered either. Because I can't get into the recovery partition, they said they could send it to me on a disk. But then when they tried to order me a disk, the disk came back as not available and they are no longer making anymore due to the product being out of the product support lifecycle. The options look like doing a clean install of an older version of windows then 8.1, or possible 8 even though I never had problems with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xendrome Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 So here is what I found out from HP. Just spent an hour on the phone with them. It's still a driver issue or something causing it, it's not related to just HP, but this is the standard generic "We can't help you" resolution from HP or any OEM. Did you try my suggestion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaphat (Myles Landwehr) Member Posted December 30, 2013 Member Share Posted December 30, 2013 It's still a driver issue or something causing it, it's not related to just HP, but this is the standard generic "We can't help you" resolution from HP or any OEM. Did you try my suggestion? I wonder if some Vista/7 driver stayed installed on the system until he went from 8 --> 8.1. And yeah, he should really try your resolution if he hasn't. It certainly wouldn't be the first system with fastboot related issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe User Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 What HP model is this? I have two older HP laptops with Windows 8.1 on both of them, but granted they came with W7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoR*Evanescence Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 it is a pavilion dv7-1232nr. i have tried the check disk, that did noy solve the issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binaryzero Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Buy yourself a new hard drive, pop it in, rebuilt onto that, and then copy your data from your existing drive. That'll be a lot quicker than sitting there dicking around with settings that you've got no idea about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe User Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 This might be of help http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=ob-77258-1&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&os=4063&product=3866477&sw_lang= I should say: Run at your own risk. I think this will fix the recovery partition, but I can't be guarantee it won't make your computer unbootable. If you don't have a backup of EVERYTHING YOU WANT, you need to do that first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoR*Evanescence Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 I did a clean install of windows 7 upgrade disk along the lines so it appears that that patch would not work. So the recovery partition is no longer available once you upgrade from vista? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe User Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 I did a clean install of windows 7 upgrade disk along the lines so it appears that that patch would not work. So the recovery partition is no longer available once you upgrade from vista? I'm betting it's there but not readable. They might have some special OEM partition type in use. Personally, I would try it, or at this point just put a fast new HDD in and start from scratch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xendrome Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 I'm betting it's there but not readable. They might have some special OEM partition type in use. Personally, I would try it, or at this point just put a fast new HDD in and start from scratch. Not sure what a new drive is going to fix, especially if the same drivers are in use on a reload. snaphat (Myles Landwehr) 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe User Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Not sure what a new drive is going to fix, especially if the same drivers are in use on a reload. More of a time saver, he's using a 5200rpm 320 GB according to the specs. It's about 5 years old, retire it from main use and keep it for backups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwx Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 As I said in my previous post, open disk management that comes with Windows and see if the partition is there or not and if it is, right click it and select Change Drive Letter and Path and from the dialog that pops up, you can assign it a drive letter. Do *not" double click the drive letter in "Computer", that will make Auto-Run run and you don't want that because if you have a virus on your PC, chances are it will get transferred to the partition. Instead, right clicking the drive letter and selecting "Open in New Window", should and I think will bypass auto run. With XP, the menu entry was titled "Explore" I think. The safer way without looking at its contents would be to select Properties for the partition and see how much space it's been used. This way, you are not accessing its contents directly. If you can see the contents of the partition then there is nothing wrong with it. This is what probably has happened. Your Master Boot Record along with the Partition Boot Record might have been pre-configured by the manufacturer in a certain way. When you re-install Windows, the installation normally "overwrites" the Master Boot Record of your drive as well as the Partition Boot Record. The Partition Boot Record program loader loads a file called "BCD" stored on your boot partition and the boot entries are stored in this file. The fact that you cannot enter the recovery partition, to me, it indicates that this is what has happened. This is fixable. Then again, the way your laptop used to enter Recovery Mode may not be related to the Partition Boot Record. Probably the best solution for you is to order the recovery CDs/DVDs if possible and that will factory restore everything. Make sure you back up your data before doing anything risky especially before factory defaulting your system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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