New problem with my Win7 Pro PC
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My previous problem of not able to bootup my PC is at https://phatwalletforums.com/topic/31662/can-t-boot-up-my-win7-pro-pc/20
Last Friday and Saturday (Mar 20-21), I “shut down” my PC and power on my PC 3 times and it worked fine. But starting Monday (3/22), my PC is still booting up. However, during the bootup, it stalled at the Start Windows screen – for about 15+ minutes – before Windows completes its launch.
The PC has 2 SSDs.
What problem does this indicate? And what can I do about it?
TIA
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@phat200 Cold start the pc and as soon as you power on, hold down the F8 key and don’t let go until a text-based menu starts up. Select “Safe Mode” by using keyboard arrow keys and press the Enter key on your keyboard. If the pc come up relatively quickly then you have something in the startup that is holding up the process.
If the pc still slow loads then you might be having a hardware issue that needs to be addressed.
Report back the Safe Mode-boot up results, please.
—. Z. —
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@zerenia said in New problem with my Win7 Pro PC:
@phat200 Cold start the pc and as soon as you power on, hold down the F8 key and don’t let go until a text-based menu starts up. Select “Safe Mode” by using keyboard arrow keys and press the Enter key on your keyboard. If the pc come up relatively quickly then you have something in the startup that is holding up the process.
If the pc still slow loads then you might be having a hardware issue that needs to be addressed.
Report back the Safe Mode-boot up results, please.
—. Z. —
Last night, I “shut down” the PC, wait a few minutes and then power on the PC. I have a bootup password (PW) and a windows PW. I repetitively press the F8 key as soon as I press the power button on the PC, the bootup PWscreen came on; entered the PW. Then again repetitively press F8 key. But it got right into Windows – with no stalling – and I never get the menu screen to select “Safe Mode”.
So I “Shut down” Windows again for the night.
This morning, I power on the PC and repete the above process with one exception – I Press and hold F8 key: First as soon as I press the power button on the PC; then again as soon as I press Enter key after I input the bootup PW. Again, it went straight into Windows – without stalling.
Is the F8 key for the Boot Menu or Startup Menu? If yes, then I have a Post-It note on my PC that they would be f( or Esc key. I’ll try them when I “Shut Down” Windows tonight.
But that doesn’t explain why the PC is booting up normally now? Only time will tell whether “stalling” will recur.
P.S. Just to be sure, by “cold start the PC”, do you mean pressing the Power button to turn on the PC?
Thanks in advance.
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@phat200 My guess is Windows Trusted Installer has been sucking your clock cycles - not a SSD intensive process but a scan and replace effort was triggered.
I to am haunted by Win7 Trusted Installer. Wasn’t that supposed to go away when MS dropped support? No more updates? They lied. Then they forced the Edge browser on you for which to spy better.I’m a system software engineer working with OS’s since 1976. My best recomenation for you is to create an Ubuntu partition for dual boot, learn to do what you do in Linux, and when Windows finally craps out on you for the last time, you’ll still have access to your laptop. I recommend to burn a thumb-drive Ubuntu bootable first. Play with that then when comfortable tell it to make your laptop Ubuntu as well. The bonus is that will also open up the hidden windows recovery partition. Every Win7 machine I have(lots) has locked up like yours did, just as the swirling dots begin to form the windows logo, some for several days - all while grinding the drives and maxing the processors - a lock which passes more quickly on machines with more memory indicating swap thrashing so restarting just delays the inevitable and SSD’s make days just hours. Thanks Windows for “helping” not helping. I don’t surf flakey sites, so I don’t need MS to hold my hand and protect me from phony but credible looking pop-ups (displayed on pristine fresh installs by the way) “fix your virus, click restart” which of course you will then get infected with if you agree, but only because you fell for it instead of CTRL-W to wipe the window or ALT-F4 to wipe that tab but don’t click anywhere near that window - it has a transparent border which also agrees to install their Trojan, as does the phony “close window” x in the top right corner - might as well click the “reboot now” button on the ad, granting the fear mongers execute authorization either way. The brain twist is you then have a virus, or three, but don’t wonder what the problem is because the baddies convinced you that you are infected but only your fears made it so.
But if you were in OSX on an apple or utilizing Linux you would just laugh it away as you instantly recognize how well they mimic MSwin warnings.
Should you accidentally click their dangerous ad immediately open task manager, find the offending launch and right click “End Process Tree” for if you reboot they have already dropped a boot loader first thing which will either hide and spy or even kidnap your machine for ransom, which is why you run daily backups and have installed an alternate OS preloaded for workaround access right? Windows can continue to hold your hand, or you can learn to be a super-user by next week.
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@phat200 said in New problem with my Win7 Pro PC:
@zerenia said in New problem with my Win7 Pro PC:
@phat200 Cold start the pc and as soon as you power on, hold down the F8 key and don’t let go until a text-based menu starts up. Select “Safe Mode” by using keyboard arrow keys and press the Enter key on your keyboard. If the pc come up relatively quickly then you have something in the startup that is holding up the process.
If the pc still slow loads then you might be having a hardware issue that needs to be addressed.
Report back the Safe Mode-boot up results, please.
—. Z. —
Last night, I “shut down” the PC, wait a few minutes and then power on the PC. I have a bootup password (PW) and a windows PW. I repetitively press the F8 key as soon as I press the power button on the PC, the bootup PWscreen came on; entered the PW. Then again repetitively press F8 key. But it got right into Windows – with no stalling – and I never get the menu screen to select “Safe Mode”.
So I “Shut down” Windows again for the night.
This morning, I power on the PC and repete the above process with one exception – I Press and hold F8 key: First as soon as I press the power button on the PC; then again as soon as I press Enter key after I input the bootup PW. Again, it went straight into Windows – without stalling.
Is the F8 key for the Boot Menu or Startup Menu? If yes, then I have a Post-It note on my PC that they would be f( or Esc key. I’ll try them when I “Shut Down” Windows tonight.
But that doesn’t explain why the PC is booting up normally now? Only time will tell whether “stalling” will recur.
P.S. Just to be sure, by “cold start the PC”, do you mean pressing the Power button to turn on the PC?
Thanks in advance
I’m operating under the premise that you have a wired and not a wireless keyboard, but even then F8 ought to work. Not sure why you’re getting a boot menu - I was expecting a startup menu with multiple startup options like Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, etc. Cold start = power off and power on. We use the term “power cycle the machine” but didn’t want to confuse you even more.
If it’s starting OK now, leave it alone. If it starts to stall on startup again, try “Diagnostic Startup” in MSCONFIG. Here’s a link to how to use it:
Diagnostic startup will disable all programs and non-essential services from starting up when you boot up and get to a Win 7 desktop. Something in startup not completing successfully is the typical cause of a boot hangup. If the diagnostic startup works, then go back to normal startup and then on the Startup tab of MSCONFIG you can uncheck all the startup items and put them back one at a time until the system hangs again.
This is all assuming that you can get past the hanging the next time it happens…
It may be time for a new OS or new computer. Is all this trouble worth your time?
– Z –
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@zerenia said in New problem with my Win7 Pro PC:
@phat200 said in New problem with my Win7 Pro PC:
@zerenia said in New problem with my Win7 Pro PC:
@phat200 Cold start the pc and as soon as you power on, hold down the F8 key and don’t let go until a text-based menu starts up. Select “Safe Mode” by using keyboard arrow keys and press the Enter key on your keyboard. If the pc come up relatively quickly then you have something in the startup that is holding up the process.
If the pc still slow loads then you might be having a hardware issue that needs to be addressed.
Report back the Safe Mode-boot up results, please.
—. Z. —
Last night, I “shut down” the PC, wait a few minutes and then power on the PC. I have a bootup password (PW) and a windows PW. I repetitively press the F8 key as soon as I press the power button on the PC, the bootup PWscreen came on; entered the PW. Then again repetitively press F8 key. But it got right into Windows – with no stalling – and I never get the menu screen to select “Safe Mode”.
So I “Shut down” Windows again for the night.
This morning, I power on the PC and repete the above process with one exception – I Press and hold F8 key: First as soon as I press the power button on the PC; then again as soon as I press Enter key after I input the bootup PW. Again, it went straight into Windows – without stalling.
Is the F8 key for the Boot Menu or Startup Menu? If yes, then I have a Post-It note on my PC that they would be f( or Esc key. I’ll try them when I “Shut Down” Windows tonight.
But that doesn’t explain why the PC is booting up normally now? Only time will tell whether “stalling” will recur.
P.S. Just to be sure, by “cold start the PC”, do you mean pressing the Power button to turn on the PC?
Thanks in advance
I’m operating under the premise that you have a wired and not a wireless keyboard, but even then F8 ought to work. Not sure why you’re getting a boot menu - I was expecting a startup menu with multiple startup options like Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, etc. Cold start = power off and power on. We use the term “power cycle the machine” but didn’t want to confuse you even more.
If it’s starting OK now, leave it alone. If it starts to stall on startup again, try “Diagnostic Startup” in MSCONFIG. Here’s a link to how to use it:
Diagnostic startup will disable all programs and non-essential services from starting up when you boot up and get to a Win 7 desktop. Something in startup not completing successfully is the typical cause of a boot hangup. If the diagnostic startup works, then go back to normal startup and then on the Startup tab of MSCONFIG you can uncheck all the startup items and put them back one at a time until the system hangs again.
This is all assuming that you can get past the hanging the next time it happens…
It may be time for a new OS or new computer. Is all this trouble worth your time?
– Z –
The keyboard and mouse are wired.
I have no stalling this morning. [And in booting up, I pressed the Esc key to get to my Startup Menu.]
For some reason on my PC it is the “Esc” key is for the Startup Menu. And my startup menu doesn’t have the option to Start Windows in Safe mode. The closest that I see is F2 for Diagnostic; F12 for Network Service Boot; F11 for Recovery. Maybe “Start Windows in Safe Mode” is under Diagnostic Or Recovery? I know I have seen that option before – I think it is after my PC get a Blue Screen and I have to turn off the PC by holding down the Power button; and power back on.
I do have a Win10 PC; but I haven’t really migrated to it because of my 32-bit legacy software I use often. And it takes much more time to achieve the same level of proficiency in a new software. (And I don’t need that software for work.)
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@phat200 said in New problem with my Win7 Pro PC:
@zerenia said in New problem with my Win7 Pro PC:
@phat200 said in New problem with my Win7 Pro PC:
@zerenia said in New problem with my Win7 Pro PC:
@phat200 Cold start the pc and as soon as you power on, hold down the F8 key and don’t let go until a text-based menu starts up. Select “Safe Mode” by using keyboard arrow keys and press the Enter key on your keyboard. If the pc come up relatively quickly then you have something in the startup that is holding up the process.
If the pc still slow loads then you might be having a hardware issue that needs to be addressed.
Report back the Safe Mode-boot up results, please.
—. Z. —
Last night, I “shut down” the PC, wait a few minutes and then power on the PC. I have a bootup password (PW) and a windows PW. I repetitively press the F8 key as soon as I press the power button on the PC, the bootup PWscreen came on; entered the PW. Then again repetitively press F8 key. But it got right into Windows – with no stalling – and I never get the menu screen to select “Safe Mode”.
So I “Shut down” Windows again for the night.
This morning, I power on the PC and repete the above process with one exception – I Press and hold F8 key: First as soon as I press the power button on the PC; then again as soon as I press Enter key after I input the bootup PW. Again, it went straight into Windows – without stalling.
Is the F8 key for the Boot Menu or Startup Menu? If yes, then I have a Post-It note on my PC that they would be f( or Esc key. I’ll try them when I “Shut Down” Windows tonight.
But that doesn’t explain why the PC is booting up normally now? Only time will tell whether “stalling” will recur.
P.S. Just to be sure, by “cold start the PC”, do you mean pressing the Power button to turn on the PC?
Thanks in advance
I’m operating under the premise that you have a wired and not a wireless keyboard, but even then F8 ought to work. Not sure why you’re getting a boot menu - I was expecting a startup menu with multiple startup options like Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, etc. Cold start = power off and power on. We use the term “power cycle the machine” but didn’t want to confuse you even more.
If it’s starting OK now, leave it alone. If it starts to stall on startup again, try “Diagnostic Startup” in MSCONFIG. Here’s a link to how to use it:
Diagnostic startup will disable all programs and non-essential services from starting up when you boot up and get to a Win 7 desktop. Something in startup not completing successfully is the typical cause of a boot hangup. If the diagnostic startup works, then go back to normal startup and then on the Startup tab of MSCONFIG you can uncheck all the startup items and put them back one at a time until the system hangs again.
This is all assuming that you can get past the hanging the next time it happens…
It may be time for a new OS or new computer. Is all this trouble worth your time?
– Z –
The keyboard and mouse are wired.
I have no stalling this morning. [And in booting up, I pressed the Esc key to get to my Startup Menu.]
For some reason on my PC it is the “Esc” key is for the Startup Menu. And my startup menu doesn’t have the option to Start Windows in Safe mode. The closest that I see is F2 for Diagnostic; F12 for Network Service Boot; F11 for Recovery. Maybe “Start Windows in Safe Mode” is under Diagnostic Or Recovery? I know I have seen that option before – I think it is after my PC get a Blue Screen and I have to turn off the PC by holding down the Power button; and power back on.
I do have a Win10 PC; but I haven’t really migrated to it because of my 32-bit legacy software I use often. And it takes much more time to achieve the same level of proficiency in a new software. (And I don’t need that software for work.)
The ESC key is giving you a hardware-based startup menu that is burned into the boot hard drive of your computer. That startup menu is not a Windows menu but is a menu that was put there by the manufacturer of your PC. If you want to reinstall Windows you would select F11, for example.
If it’s working, leave it alone. Resist the temptation to tinker.
– Z –
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@zerenia
So far so good. Thanks, Z. I’ll resist meddling with my PC.Do you know of any other forums that have people knowledgeable about virtual machines in the Windows environment?
Thanks again.
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Once Windows loads, try the following:
-Click Start, type CMD and run it as administrator
-Copy and paste the command below and hit enter.Sfc /scannow
Wait until the pc finishes scanning and repairing any corrupted system files then proceed with the next command
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Once done restart your pc
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@phat200 said in New problem with my Win7 Pro PC:
@zerenia
So far so good. Thanks, Z. I’ll resist meddling with my PC.Do you know of any other forums that have people knowledgeable about virtual machines in the Windows environment?
Thanks again.
Best bet for me has been Reddit, but I don’t do much of this any more. I was a server admin and network engineer, not really a desktop OS engineer. @jtownsucks46 gave you some good advice but assumes that you have corrupt operating system file/files which is what RestoreHealth fixes. Likely no harm in trying what jtown suggested.
—. Z. —
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@jtownsucks46 said in New problem with my Win7 Pro PC:
Once Windows loads, try the following:
-Click Start, type CMD and run it as administrator
-Copy and paste the command below and hit enter.Sfc /scannow
Wait until the pc finishes scanning and repairing any corrupted system files then proceed with the next command
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Once done restart your pc
I tried it and get Error: 87. I did a dism /h and RestoreHealth is not an option of DISM. I google the error 87 in Win7 and this article (https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/error-87-running-dism-online-cleanup-image/33be783f-6e3f-408b-9d0c-901cd19c14ea) seems to say RestoreHealth doesn’t work in Win7. [I have Win7Pro sp1.]
Following is my session in CMD:
//////// begin ////////////
C:\Windows\system32>DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7600.16385Image Version: 6.1.7601.18489
Error: 87
The restorehealth option is not recognized in this context.
For more information, refer to the help.The DISM log file can be found at C:\Windows\Logs\DISM\dism.log
C:\Windows\system32>dism /h
Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7600.16385DISM.exe [dism_options] {WIM_command} [<WIM_arguments>]
DISM.exe {/Image:<path_to_offline_image> | /Online} [dism_options]
{servicing_command} [<servicing_arguments>]DESCRIPTION:
DISM enumerates, installs, uninstalls, configures, and updates features
and packages in Windows images. The commands that are available depend
on the image being serviced and whether the image is offline or running.WIM COMMANDS:
/Get-MountedWimInfo - Displays information about mounted WIM images.
/Get-WimInfo - Displays information about images in a WIM file.
/Commit-Wim - Saves changes to a mounted WIM image.
/Unmount-Wim - Unmounts a mounted WIM image.
/Mount-Wim - Mounts an image from a WIM file.
/Remount-Wim - Recovers an orphaned WIM mount directory.
/Cleanup-Wim - Deletes resources associated with mounted WIM
images that are corrupt.IMAGE SPECIFICATIONS:
/Online - Targets the running operating system.
/Image - Specifies the path to the root directory of an
offline Windows image.DISM OPTIONS:
/English - Displays command line output in English.
/Format - Specifies the report output format.
/WinDir - Specifies the path to the Windows directory.
/SysDriveDir - Specifies the path to the system-loader file named
BootMgr.
/LogPath - Specifies the logfile path.
/LogLevel - Specifies the output level shown in the log (1-4).
/NoRestart - Suppresses automatic reboots and reboot prompts.
/Quiet - Suppresses all output except for error messages.
/ScratchDir - Specifies the path to a scratch directory.For more information about these DISM options and their arguments, specify an
option immediately before /?.Examples:
DISM.exe /Mount-Wim /?
DISM.exe /ScratchDir /?
DISM.exe /Image:C:\test\offline /?
DISM.exe /Online /?C:\Windows\system32>dism /restorehealth /h
Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7600.16385No help topic could be found for the restorehealth option.
Specify an image to see relevant help topics, using either the /Image or
/Online command-line option:/Image:<path_to_offline_image>
This is the path to the root directory of the offline Windows image.
Example: DISM.exe /Image:C:\test\offline /?/Online
Specifies that the operation is to be performed against the running Windows
installation.Example: DISM.exe /Online /?C:\Windows\system32>
////////////////// end ////////////////
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It should work on Win 7. Here’s some more info that may be helpful:
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@jtownsucks46 said in New problem with my Win7 Pro PC:
It should work on Win 7. Here’s some more info that may be helpful:
I restart my PC and Go to Action Centre > Trouble Shooting > Performance. En error message said that a system problem
had prevented this process to proceed.When I did "Action Centre > Trouble Shooting > ", there is no “Performance” option on the list. May be because I have none??
I also did a chkdsk /r /f with zero error.
Thank you for your help.
So far, the problem has not recurred. So I will stop figuring out the problem – until it happens again.
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Good to know that the problem has not recurred again. I hope that you already figured it out and that it hasn’t made things complicated in the past 6 months. Good to know about that, good luck in keeping it work smoothly! You’ll handle it.
