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Unable to boot up 8.1 and no recovery disc or usb.

Anonymous
2015-04-14T05:56:02+00:00

Ok, so I've been working on this for the past 10 hours or so, and, while I've learned a lot I've gotten nowhere. So I'll try to cover as much of my situation as I can.

I have a Toshiba Satellite (Laptop) which I've had for the past year and a half or so. Anyway earlier today I decided to restart my pc, (as I do every so often) upon noticing that it was taking longer to boot back up than usual I decided out of frustration to do a hard shut down mid-reset. After powering back on I was brought to a blue recovery screen which stated that my 'pc couldn't start properly' and that it needed to be repaired, Error code : 0xc0000001. I started by going into BIOS and resetting everything to default as well as tampering with many other settings but that didn't do anything.

I next proceeded to the HDD recovery menu>troubleshoot> refresh pc? 'The drive where Windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again.' (I searched the net a while on a windows 7 pc I have access to but couldn't find anything useful on that.)

Next, Advanced options>Auto repair. Here's what I got - Diagnosing> 'Automatic repair couldn't repair your pc.' Then system restore, where I get: 'No restore points have been created on your computer's system drive.'

Also I was unable to start up in Safe mode through the recovery window or diagnose problems, each and any of the keys I use would send me back to a restart loop of either blue recovery page or 60 seconds of loading followed by a perpetual black screen.

Through the troubleshoot> adv options>Command Prompt I tried the following that others found helpful: **Bootrec /fixmbr > 'completed successfully'****Bootrec /fixboot > 'completed successfully'**Bootrec /rebuildbcd > 'Total identified windows installations: 0  'The operation was completed successfully.'

But after that.. nothing happened, restart still failed.

There were also a large number who found this or something very similar to work:

  1. Press Shift + F10 when you are at the Install Windows screen, The elevated command prompt at boot will now open.
  2. Type DISKPART command
  3. Enter Command LIST VOLUME, note volume no...
  4. Enter Command SELECT VOLUME "no" (eg1,2,3) mine was 3
  5. Enter Command ASSIGN LETTER=Z and EXIT
  6. Enter Command BCDBoot c:\Windows /s z: /f: UEFI

7.Exit and restart.

Neither this nor any other variations I tried seemed to do anything. After step 3 here's what I see:

Volume ###  Ltr  Label          Fs      Type          Size       Status        Info

Volume 0      E                              DVD-Rom     0 b        No Media

Volume 1      C  TI10671000C NTFS   Partition      918 GB   Healthy

Volume 2     F  System        NTFSPartition      1024mb  Healthy   Hidden

Volume 3                             FAT32 Partition      260 MB   Healthy   Hidden

Volume 4    G                     NTFS  Partition       350 MB   Healthy   Hidden

Volume 5    H  Recovery      NTFS  Partition        11 GB    Healthy   Hidden

Volume 6    D                             Removable      0 B       No Media

After assigning volume 3 letter z it says successfull, I exit and enter BCDBoot c:\Windows /s z: /f UEFI

Afterwards It tells me: Boot files successfully created. I restart and... no change.

The only thing I can figure that I am missing (maybe?) is a recovery disc or usb. No My pc didn't come with a windows 8 disc either. And whats more since I can't gain access to my desktop I can't make one, or can I? Also I don't know of anyone who has 8.1 for me to do it on their pc. Is it possible for me to do it on win7? Or can I get around using a disc or usb? And lastly, no I really don't want to lose all my info on my pc by reinstalling windows or anything.

Sorry for the huge question but since I've already been at this for 10+ hours I wanted to be as thorough as I could.

Thanks in adv for taking time to answer.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-04-14T23:18:36+00:00

    Hi,

    It should show you that you have booted however I do have the disk you have. Toshiba does

    have information on all their models and forums.

    Normally you would boot up to a Windows disk and use the Command Prompt option.

    See the link I posted above to access your BIOS to so you can boot to the DVD.

    Toshiba - Forums

    http://laptopforums.toshiba.com/

    Toshiba - Contacts

    http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/support/jsp/navShell.jsp?cf=su\_contact

    Toshiba - Drivers - navigate to your model

    http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/support/jsp/home.jsp?nav=Download

    Toshiba - Support

    http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/support/jsp/home.jsp

    Rob - SpiritX

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-04-14T23:01:16+00:00

    Toshiba does not have help on their website thats of any use.

    So correct me if I'm wrong but once I insert the windows installation disc nothing is supposed to happen right? Because for me nothing happens and after I type bootrec /reuildbcd it says 0 windows installations detected if thats related in any way.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-04-14T22:17:17+00:00

    The bootrec commands and if needed Diskpart which you listed in your original question.

    Those often will work from a Repair or Installation disk. And you may need to try to re-install

    Windows. And there could be a hardware problem which can't be fixed with any software

    methods.

    Boot to UEFI Mode or Legacy BIOS mode

    https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh825112.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

    Toshiba should have help on their website and well in their forums for your specific model.

    Rob - SpiritX

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-04-14T21:22:48+00:00

    Hi and thanks for responding.

    Toshiba forums and support were of no use whatsoever. I contacted Toshiba support but since my pc is out of warranty I was charged 40$ which I agreed to since they were of course very confident they could fix my problem without having to wipe my drive. After about an hour of trying a couple of things which I had already tried numerous times they said that I would need to wipe the drive and that if I needed help backing up my files there would be an additional,     and quite steep, service charge.

    As far as drivers - I can't even boot up windows on my toshiba... 

    You mentioned trying the same methods that I've been trying from a boot disc. What exactly should I use? I would prefer using a dvd vs usb. I tried all of the links you provided although it seems they may be outdated according to Philip. I was able to use this link http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media  to 'create installation media for windows 8.1' and I burned the iso onto a dvd on the computer I'm using now, which uses windows 7. 

    Once I put the disk into my laptop nothing happened. I tried restarting with the disk in my drive and again nothing happened, same bootup problem I've been having, and by the way my disk drive was definitely working. 

    I tried selecting 'Use a device'> EFI DVD/CDROM after which my pc restarted and... nothing happened started booting up and then went to permanent black screen. 

    Can someone be a bit more specific on what kind of disc I need to burn and where/how to do it. Also I don't have a windows key since my pc didn't  come with one which it seems like I may need and according to the vast majority of tutorials seem to just assume that I would have one. Also I have no clue what OEM installation is and no I do not have a bing edition.

    One more thing, is there any way I can backup my files on a external hard drive or on this windows 7 pc I'm using now, both of which I have and have about a TB of space to play with. Again though I can't successfully boot up windows on the pc which files I need to backup.

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  5. Anonymous
    2015-04-14T15:58:15+00:00

    Thanks for the heads up Philip.

    Why not put a link on the old page pointing to the new one? There are a lot of recommendations

    to the old page out there and referencing the new one would save many a lot of grief. Of course

    I will change my references in the future.

    Rob - SpiritX

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