Windows 10 gone bad
A client has a Toshiba Satalite C50-A-0FN. It was running Windows 8.1. He noticed that Windows 10 had started to install, so he powered the unit off. When it first tried to Boot it could not find the media. Booted from a windows 8 DVD and went to repair. repair tries, but indicates drive is locked. Tried a Windows 10 boot disk with the same results.
the loss of the laptop, while not pleasant is not the end of the world, but the loss of the data is difficult. Any thoughts on how to unlock the drive. Connecting it to a USB ATA adapter to another computer will show the adapter, but the drive does not register.
the loss of the laptop, while not pleasant is not the end of the world, but the loss of the data is difficult. Any thoughts on how to unlock the drive. Connecting it to a USB ATA adapter to another computer will show the adapter, but the drive does not register.
I had a similar problem recently on a client's laptop when he switched the laptop off during the Win 10 upgrade. HDD could not be read in another PC, except for the data the new OS had put there. I tried several data recovery programs and ended up purchasing EASEUS Todo Recovery Wizard. I managed to save all his data as well as documents he had deleted several years earlier.
phoffric: I walked into my office a few weeks ago and saw a warning that Windows 10 was going to start installing is 1 minute. Luckily I stopped it in time. I downloaded Never10 and that has stopped the endeless prompts to upgrade.
I used to be sceptical when customers told me that Windows 10 upgraded itself without asking the user. Now I have experienced it myself I know it to be true.
I used to be sceptical when customers told me that Windows 10 upgraded itself without asking the user. Now I have experienced it myself I know it to be true.
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Why should the data be any problem? For that one keeps on doing backups!!!
Boot the PC using a LiveDVD like PCRepix and see whether it can mount the disk. If it does you should be able to copy the data off.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/pcrepix/files/?source=navbar
If the disk can't be mounted, the LiveDVD also includes photorec which you can use to scan it for data and copy it off tp another disk or location on the LAN.
Boot the PC using a LiveDVD like PCRepix and see whether it can mount the disk. If it does you should be able to copy the data off.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/pcrepix/files/?source=navbar
If the disk can't be mounted, the LiveDVD also includes photorec which you can use to scan it for data and copy it off tp another disk or location on the LAN.
>> Why should the data be any problem << be cause : but the loss of the data is difficult.
and not everyone knows all the possible solutions
and not everyone knows all the possible solutions
Turning the computer off in the middle of an OS upgrade probably wasn't a good idea. A external USB cradle should work. Can you take a picture of it and post so we can see what you are using?
"repair tries, but indicates drive is locked" - please explain in detail. "Locked" as in bitlocker encrypted?
Windows 8.1 offers device encryption even in home editions - that might be in use. The recovery key would be needed to unlock bitlocked drives that are no longer bootable. This key gets saved to your OneDrive (Microsoft cloud storage) eventually if you didn't put it anywhere else or printed it out.
So let me know if this message you see is talking about bitlocker.
Windows 8.1 offers device encryption even in home editions - that might be in use. The recovery key would be needed to unlock bitlocked drives that are no longer bootable. This key gets saved to your OneDrive (Microsoft cloud storage) eventually if you didn't put it anywhere else or printed it out.
So let me know if this message you see is talking about bitlocker.
First make sure, the drive has not failed. Try nobus's suggestion and see if Windows or Linux can recognize or mount it.
Booted from a windows 8 DVD and went to repair. repair tries, but indicates drive is locked
Please describe in details on how you repaired.
No need to boot from win 10 boot dvd or usb.
It is likely that boot sector of win 8 has been overwritten by the win 10 upgrade.
Assuming that no UEFI bios, boot from win 8.1 recovery usb.
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 you can use the Recovery Media Creator to create a system recovery drive on a USB flash Drive. Details instructions can be found in this tutorial: How to Create a Recovery Drive on a USB Memory Stick in Windows 8 & 8.1".
Boot from the USB memory stick and follow the same instructions below.
First, you are asked to choose your keyboard layout. Press the layout you want to use. If you want to browse through the available options, press "See more keyboard layouts" until you find the one you want to use.
Safe Mode, Boot, Windows 8, Start
Then, the Choose an option of Troubleshoot.
Safe Mode, Boot, Windows 8, Start
In the Troubleshoot screen, press Advanced options.
Safe Mode, Boot, Windows 8, Start
In the Advanced options screen, press Startup Settings.
Safe Mode, Boot, Windows 8, Start
You are informed that you are about to restart in order to change several Windows options, including enabling Safe Mode. Press Restart.
Safe Mode, Boot, Windows 8, Start
Your computer or device restarts again and displays nine startup settings, including Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking and Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
Pess the F10 key for more option and press the key for Lauch Recovery Environment and click Restart.
On restart, you will enter Windows Recovery Environment and select Advanced Options and select Command Prompt.
In command prompt, type the lines of command below.
bootsect /nt60 c: /force /mbr
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Press enter after typing each line to execute.
Reference: http://www.digitalcitizen.life/5-ways-boot-safe-mode-windows-8-windows-81
http://superuser.com/questions/858568/windows-8-1-repair-loop-wont-recognize-win-install-or-fix-bcd
It is not an easy fix and the trick is to launch the recovery environment within win 8.1 OS installed to repair the boot sector.
Please describe in details on how you repaired.
No need to boot from win 10 boot dvd or usb.
It is likely that boot sector of win 8 has been overwritten by the win 10 upgrade.
Assuming that no UEFI bios, boot from win 8.1 recovery usb.
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 you can use the Recovery Media Creator to create a system recovery drive on a USB flash Drive. Details instructions can be found in this tutorial: How to Create a Recovery Drive on a USB Memory Stick in Windows 8 & 8.1".
Boot from the USB memory stick and follow the same instructions below.
First, you are asked to choose your keyboard layout. Press the layout you want to use. If you want to browse through the available options, press "See more keyboard layouts" until you find the one you want to use.
Safe Mode, Boot, Windows 8, Start
Then, the Choose an option of Troubleshoot.
Safe Mode, Boot, Windows 8, Start
In the Troubleshoot screen, press Advanced options.
Safe Mode, Boot, Windows 8, Start
In the Advanced options screen, press Startup Settings.
Safe Mode, Boot, Windows 8, Start
You are informed that you are about to restart in order to change several Windows options, including enabling Safe Mode. Press Restart.
Safe Mode, Boot, Windows 8, Start
Your computer or device restarts again and displays nine startup settings, including Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking and Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
Pess the F10 key for more option and press the key for Lauch Recovery Environment and click Restart.
On restart, you will enter Windows Recovery Environment and select Advanced Options and select Command Prompt.
In command prompt, type the lines of command below.
bootsect /nt60 c: /force /mbr
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Press enter after typing each line to execute.
Reference: http://www.digitalcitizen.life/5-ways-boot-safe-mode-windows-8-windows-81
http://superuser.com/questions/858568/windows-8-1-repair-loop-wont-recognize-win-install-or-fix-bcd
It is not an easy fix and the trick is to launch the recovery environment within win 8.1 OS installed to repair the boot sector.
>Sounds like he didn't try to start the installation himself. I was wondering what I would do if MS quietly started to install Windows 10 on my laptop. I thought that a class action suit might be warranted given that MS has tried to semi-secretly begun the installation without true, active consent of the PC own
Just had this happen 2 days ago to a customer.
They were out of town and hadn't turned their machine off.
I came in to pick up a check ,looked at the system and voila W10.
It's been over 30 days ,so their is no uninstall available.
Yes ,a class action law suit is in order.
My having to reinstall them from scratch will cost them $800 bucks.
The video card driver for 10 is flaky ,so back to 7.
Just had this happen 2 days ago to a customer.
They were out of town and hadn't turned their machine off.
I came in to pick up a check ,looked at the system and voila W10.
It's been over 30 days ,so their is no uninstall available.
Yes ,a class action law suit is in order.
My having to reinstall them from scratch will cost them $800 bucks.
The video card driver for 10 is flaky ,so back to 7.
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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Finally, if bootrec /rebuildbcd command reports that it has found a windows.old OS entry and ask you whether you want to add this OS entry in your boot menu, select No.
Select Yes will give you entry to boot into Win 7.... just my guess and you will have a dual boot win 7 and win 10.
Select Yes will give you entry to boot into Win 7.... just my guess and you will have a dual boot win 7 and win 10.
Frankly @wilf_thorburn I think you were on the right track when you tried to get the data off. I don't think Windows will ever run right on that computer again. You will probably have to formart and load from grould zero when you get the data off. Try one of these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0VN-0003-000H5
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0VN-0003-000H5
ASKER
I put the drive in a lab version of server 2012 r2 and it could read the data. Reclaimed the data and tried in vein to use the dos commands, but they did not work. The key for this Windows 8 unit was not on the computer [buried in CMOS or somewhere internal, and since I could not boot and use produckey, I am installing Windows 10. [It will allow me to skip the serial number, and will probably activate itself.
Windows 10 is not a bad OS, but being forced to install it is just wrong. The client did not ask for it, but may end up with it
Windows 10 is not a bad OS, but being forced to install it is just wrong. The client did not ask for it, but may end up with it
@akb,
Earlier I posted that maybe a class action suit was warranted.
This article shows a payout of $10K that MS initially was going to appear, and then agreed to pay.
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/microsoft-pays-woman-10-000-auto-upgrading-her-163533913.html?nhp=1
Earlier I posted that maybe a class action suit was warranted.
This article shows a payout of $10K that MS initially was going to appear, and then agreed to pay.
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/microsoft-pays-woman-10-000-auto-upgrading-her-163533913.html?nhp=1
Sometime with Microsoft it is easier to take the path of least resistance which, in this case, might be Windows 10.
>Earlier I posted that maybe a class action suit was warranted
They got deep pockets.
Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ruled them a monopoly back in early 2K and they should have been broken up then.
I've been in this biz a long time and M$ has pulled many ,many shady deals.
From DOS ,to Netscape to Word Perfect.
Now forced Windows 10.
And no matter who wins the White House ,it's not going to stop unless they are broken up.
They got deep pockets.
Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ruled them a monopoly back in early 2K and they should have been broken up then.
I've been in this biz a long time and M$ has pulled many ,many shady deals.
From DOS ,to Netscape to Word Perfect.
Now forced Windows 10.
And no matter who wins the White House ,it's not going to stop unless they are broken up.
>> He noticed that Windows 10 had started to install
Sounds like he didn't try to start the installation himself. I was wondering what I would do if MS quietly started to install Windows 10 on my laptop. I thought that a class action suit might be warranted given that MS has tried to semi-secretly begun the installation without true, active consent of the PC owner.