Hi experts,
Before I go into my dilemma, I want to provide the reader with a high level overview of my IT skills.
I have been using windows computers since 1997. My skills are very limited in hardware but I can install a new internal HDD and connect it to the pc, format it. Software is my stronger skill in that I can load an operating system with a split partition, boot from various devices, install drivers, use ms config and a few other simple tasks.
Anyhow, I shut my 2 week old custom build pc down at 1am this morning and when I woke up to start work again, my pc came up with an error saying that windows could not start and it recommended running the repair tool.
A few days back, internet explorer 11 started playing up in that it would just close every time I opened it. Through online research, I tried a variety of methods to repair it but nothing fixed it. So, I downsized it to 8 then 9 then 10 and stopped there. I am very meticulous about ensuring my pc has all the latest updates for my OS and ms office software. I use norton 360 for my antivirus.
Aside from the above, I had not done anything to my pc in the past week aside from adding a logitech hd webcam to it which windows installed the drivers on its own anyway and I tested it with skype and it was fine.
Prior to today, my pc has been working perfectly fine with no issues at all.
Since then, life has pretty much ceased to exist! I have a 3.5 2TB WD data storage drive inside my pc that has my current project on it and I have no clue about how I can connect to it after taking it out of its drivebay.
So, I started the startup repair process and after 6 hours, it had still not finished and my pc was running hot.
So I assumed something was wrong and then put my windows 7 64 bit OS disc in the cd drive, changed the boot menu in bios my pushing the F8 key as the pc was starting, and I cannot even get it to load windows setup.
I have pressed f7 at bootup and run a memory test and there were no issues with it.
I am using a Z97 sabertooth motherboard with a samsung 500gb SSD, Hydro H60 CPU cooler and various other components.
Any ideas to help me work through this?