I can't even boot into safe mode!!

[dkryan]

I have an Asus N53S laptop running Windows 7 64-bit. Generally, I've had little or no issue with it until earlier this week. For some reason, IE would freeze up and I'd have to re-start the laptop.

Now I have a re-start or boot error such that the laptop will not start up normally. I tried to go into safe mode via F8 at power-up, but it always pushes me to a window that gives me only two options: start windows normally (and if selected, it simply refuses to boot up) or "launch start-up recovery." That option could take ten minutes or two hours but it provides no fix. The only thing that came up after fifteen tries was that I had a "driver power state failure," whatever that is.

It recommended I go into safe mode via F8, but whether I hold down the F8 key or tap it continously upon start-up, I can't reach safe mode.

I do recall running MBAM (quick scan) earlier this week and it turned up nothing. I also ran CCcleaner immediately after MBAM and it did remove some items, but obviously that did not solve the problem.

Suggestions?

I did make recovery disks when I first purchased the computer, but I'm loathe to use them unless all else fails.

 

[michaelluscher]

Sounds like a good old hard drive failure, check all it's connections first.
Then contemplate a new HDD, if you want to go SSD, nows the time.
Also run the HDD's serial # through the manufactures warranty checker, it might be covered.

 

[chevrofreak]

Use crystaldiskinfo to check the health of the hard drive.

 

[zloveraz]

Originally Posted By: dkryan
I have an Asus N53S laptop running Windows 7 64-bit. Generally, I've had little or no issue with it until earlier this week. For some reason, IE would freeze up and I'd have to re-start the laptop.

Now I have a re-start or boot error such that the laptop will not start up normally. I tried to go into safe mode via F8 at power-up, but it always pushes me to a window that gives me only two options: start windows normally (and if selected, it simply refuses to boot up) or "launch start-up recovery." That option could take ten minutes or two hours but it provides no fix. The only thing that came up after fifteen tries was that I had a "driver power state failure," whatever that is.

It recommended I go into safe mode via F8, but whether I hold down the F8 key or tap it continously upon start-up, I can't reach safe mode.

I do recall running MBAM (quick scan) earlier this week and it turned up nothing. I also ran CCcleaner immediately after MBAM and it did remove some items, but obviously that did not solve the problem.

Suggestions?

I did make recovery disks when I first purchased the computer, but I'm loathe to use them unless all else fails.



If you have the recovery disks then I would use that and select "startup repair" first and see where that gets you. It may be a bad HD or your system partition was blown out.

 

[The_Jeff]

Get a Linux live CD/USB and boot with that to see if you can get your data (and if your HD isn't completely shot). If you can, back it up to another USB drive asap.

 

[dkryan]

Thanks for the responses.

I never even thought about a HD failure, as though THAT never happens.

Originally Posted By: michaelluscher
Then contemplate a new HDD, if you want to go SSD, nows the time.


What's the difference between an HDD and an SSD?

Originally Posted By: chevrofreak
Use crystaldiskinfo to check the health of the hard drive.


How do I accomplish that without booting up?

Originally Posted By: zloveraz
If you have the recovery disks then I would use that and select "startup repair" first and see where that gets you. It may be a bad HD or your system partition was blown out.


This may be the way to go. The original HD in the laptop came partitioined from ASUS. The question is: do I have a bad partition or just a flat-out bad HD?

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Get a Linux live CD/USB and boot with that to see if you can get your data (and if your HD isn't completely shot). If you can, back it up to another USB drive asap.


And where would I get a Linux live CD from?

I do have an external HD USB'd to the laptop and most (not all) of my documents are backed up, fortunately.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: dkryan

I did make recovery disks when I first purchased the computer, but I'm loathe to use them unless all else fails.



I think you are there. OR go to the C: and type WINDOWS and see if it will boot.

 

[The_Jeff]

Originally Posted By: dkryan

And where would I get a Linux live CD from?


http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

choose 32 or 64 bit as appropriate. Version 12 or 13 doesn't matter. Download the .iso then with a cd burning program choose "burn image" (not "burn data").

 

[dkryan]

Well, somehow I find myself back at my desktop screen!

I managed to get to an advanced diagnostic screen this a.m. and I selected "system restore" for a date two weeks ago. When I arrived home from work hours later, it said it had failed to restore the laptop to the chosen date and suggested I select another restore point.

I simply closed out of the screen and the laptop re-started on its own. Voila, there was my login screen. I am now at my desktop, having gotten rid of the window that said, " your computer has been restored to a previous date."

I figure I'm still skating on thin ice, so I'm typing this via my iPad. What should be my next move with this laptop?

 

[KrisZ]

Seriously, get Ubuntu 13.04, at least as a second boot.
I would back everything up and do a clean install of Windows 7, followed by Ubuntu.
Personally I have triple boot with Windows 7, 8 and Ubuntu. For general internet browsing, youtube watching and other media consumption, Ubuntu simply flies and I don't have to worry about viruses.

 

[dkryan]

Thanks, KrisZ!

But be patient - what is "a second boot?"

 

[yesthatsteve]

When you install more than one operating system on a computer, you will have a menu to choose from each time you boot the machine. You will also have a default OS that starts after a short time (usually 30 seconds) if you don't select a different one from the menu.

Dual-booting, triple-booting, quad-booting, etc. indicates how many operating systems you can select from when you boot.