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PC Won't boot, boot drives aren't booting either
posted in Hardware
1
#1
0 Frags +

Fix

Disconnected my HDD, and computer booted up fine. Didn't have to reinstall windows, and didn't lose any files on my SSD

Intro (2nd paragraph gets straight to the error code):

As of a few hours ago, I had trouble installing a classic WoW beta update on the battle.net launcher. To fix this error I began restarting my computer, after 2 or 3 restarts, my computer got stuck on "restarting..." and I had to hard shut down my PC, then when booting up again, my desktop wasn't responding, and I had to hard shut down again. This time, on boot, my motherboard (MSI) had a "repairing hard drive 'x'%" and restarted once it completed. This time on boot, my PC would get to the motherboard loading screen, but would just keep spinning, until after further hard restarts, I finally encountered the diagnoses of my issue via a blue screen.

Possible culprit(s) to the issue:

1) Windows 10 OS problem
2) My SSD, which is what the OS is installed on, was running very low on storage >10GB, I'm wondering if trying to install the Classic WoW beta update caused something to happen to it? Not super knowledgable with blue screens and their causes, just spitballing.

error code: 0xc000000f

https://i.imgur.com/dMFtaWD.jpg

PC Specs:

CPU: i7-8700k @ 3.7GHz (OC'd to 4.7GHz, I do have sufficient cooling my temps are all below 60*C)
GPU: Asus GTX 1080
RAM: 16GB DDR4 (2x8GB)
MOBO: MSI z270-a pro
PSU: EVGA 750w
SSD: Crucial MX100 2.5" 256GB
HDD: Seagate 2-TB 7.2K 3.5
CD/DVD: LG something
OS: Windows 10 64-bit

What I've tried so far:

1) Brought my CPU GHz back down to 3.7GHz just to see if it changed anything
2) Turned off Fast Boot in my BIOS
3) Tried to boot via Safe Boot, Safe Boot w/ internet, Safeboot w/ cmd prompt
4) Tried to access Advanced boot menu to system restore - couldn't access advanced boot menu

What I've tried with boot drives so far:

Note: I 100% had the boot priority listed correctly, saved and rebooted my bios

USB details:

8GB, FAT32 format

5) Had a friend give me his boot drive with Windows media creation tool on it, would just give me a black screen
6) Wiped friend's USB and created a boot drive with Windows 10 Disc Image from my Macbook Air using unetbootin (ISO), would just give me a black screen

Additional Information
1) I do have my original Windows 8.1 64-bit CD and Code
2) I'm not 100% positive if my pictures are on my HDD or SSD, but I have a lot of files I would really like to avoid erasing. I know my pictures shouldn't be on my SSD if they are, but I've been really lazy with properly formatting my drives. - That's the first thing on my to-do list assuming this issue is resolved. :)

I'll answer any questions to the best of my ability and as in much detail as possible. Thank you all for your time reading this.

[b][u]Fix[/u][/b]

Disconnected my HDD, and computer booted up fine. Didn't have to reinstall windows, and didn't lose any files on my SSD

[u][b]Intro[/b][/u] (2nd paragraph gets straight to the error code):

As of a few hours ago, I had trouble installing a classic WoW beta update on the battle.net launcher. To fix this error I began restarting my computer, after 2 or 3 restarts, my computer got stuck on "restarting..." and I had to hard shut down my PC, then when booting up again, my desktop wasn't responding, and I had to hard shut down again. This time, on boot, my motherboard (MSI) had a "repairing hard drive 'x'%" and restarted once it completed. This time on boot, my PC would get to the motherboard loading screen, but would just keep spinning, until after further hard restarts, I finally encountered the diagnoses of my issue via a blue screen.

[u][b]Possible culprit(s) to the issue[/b][/u]:

1) Windows 10 OS problem
2) My SSD, which is what the OS is installed on, was running very low on storage >10GB, I'm wondering if trying to install the Classic WoW beta update caused something to happen to it? Not super knowledgable with blue screens and their causes, just spitballing.

error code: [b]0xc000000f[/b]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/dMFtaWD.jpg[/img]

[u][b]PC Specs[/b][/u]:

CPU: i7-8700k @ 3.7GHz (OC'd to 4.7GHz, I do have sufficient cooling my temps are all below 60*C)
GPU: Asus GTX 1080
RAM: 16GB DDR4 (2x8GB)
MOBO: MSI z270-a pro
PSU: EVGA 750w
SSD: Crucial MX100 2.5" 256GB
HDD: Seagate 2-TB 7.2K 3.5
CD/DVD: LG something
OS: Windows 10 64-bit

[u][b]What I've tried so far[/b][/u]:

1) Brought my CPU GHz back down to 3.7GHz just to see if it changed anything
2) Turned off Fast Boot in my BIOS
3) Tried to boot via Safe Boot, Safe Boot w/ internet, Safeboot w/ cmd prompt
4) Tried to access Advanced boot menu to system restore - couldn't access advanced boot menu

[u][b]What I've tried with boot drives so far[/b][/u]:

[b]Note:[/b] I 100% had the boot priority listed correctly, saved and rebooted my bios

[u][b]USB details[/b][/u]:

8GB, FAT32 format

5) Had a friend give me his boot drive with Windows media creation tool on it, would just give me a black screen
6) Wiped friend's USB and created a boot drive with Windows 10 Disc Image from my Macbook Air using unetbootin ([url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO]ISO[/url]), would just give me a black screen

[u][b]Additional Information[/b][/u]
1) I do have my original Windows 8.1 64-bit CD and Code
2) I'm not 100% positive if my pictures are on my HDD or SSD, but I have a lot of files I would really like to avoid erasing. I know my pictures shouldn't be on my SSD if they are, but I've been really lazy with properly formatting my drives. - That's the first thing on my to-do list assuming this issue is resolved. :)

I'll answer any questions to the best of my ability and as in much detail as possible. Thank you all for your time reading this.
2
#2
0 Frags +

Also regarding the four options given to me in the blue screen:

The first option would just restart my computer and get me no where
The second option just refreshed this blue screen (screen would go black for a second then come back to this screen)
The third option took my to the startup menu which is where I selected to safe boot
The fourth option just took me to a black screen

[u][b]Also regarding the four options given to me in the blue screen:
[/b][/u]
The first option would just restart my computer and get me no where
The second option just refreshed this blue screen (screen would go black for a second then come back to this screen)
The third option took my to the startup menu which is where I selected to safe boot
The fourth option just took me to a black screen
3
#3
4 Frags +

Step 1: Get any bootable USB drive or CD/DVD, probably Linux, boot and copy everything you might need from the SSD to the HDD.
Step 2: Check the SSD status (S.M.A.R.T.). If it's fucked then you know what the problem is.
Step 3: Maybe delete WoW (probably broken now anyway) or anything else that can be redownloaded easily to make some space. It's 16nm 2D NAND so it might just be running out of write endurance. Step 2 should tell you this but if you used the "full" size of the SSD then you'd have 239 GiB partition with <10 GiB free and ~27 GiB of for the SSD controller to shift around, meaning if 28 GiB of flash are broken at this point it's going to be very unhappy.
Step 4: If it still doesn't boot but the SSD is fine it's either a different hardware problem or Windows. You can try booting from another HDD/SSD, but if it booted from USB/CD/DVD then it's probably just Windows.
Step 5: You can try fixing Windows (boot fucked, Windows fucked in general, whatever) which is a pain in the ass or just reinstall since you saved everything you need in step 1.

Step 1: Get any bootable USB drive or CD/DVD, probably Linux, boot and copy everything you might need from the SSD to the HDD.
Step 2: Check the SSD status (S.M.A.R.T.). If it's fucked then you know what the problem is.
Step 3: Maybe delete WoW (probably broken now anyway) or anything else that can be redownloaded easily to make some space. It's 16nm 2D NAND so it might just be running out of write endurance. Step 2 should tell you this but if you used the "full" size of the SSD then you'd have 239 GiB partition with <10 GiB free and ~27 GiB of for the SSD controller to shift around, meaning if 28 GiB of flash are broken at this point it's going to be very unhappy.
Step 4: If it still doesn't boot but the SSD is fine it's either a different hardware problem or Windows. You can try booting from another HDD/SSD, but if it booted from USB/CD/DVD then it's probably just Windows.
Step 5: You can try fixing Windows (boot fucked, Windows fucked in general, whatever) which is a pain in the ass or just reinstall since you saved everything you need in step 1.
4
#4
0 Frags +
Setsul

Thanks Dr. Setsul for responding!

I haven't made the linux boot drive yet, just a few questions I was hoping you could enlighten me on.

- The only computer I have easy access to make a boot drive from is my Macbook Air. Would I be able to make a boot drive (linux or windows) from a Mac and have it work on a PC?

- Will a Linux boot drive work if my other boot drives aren't working? Or is there something else I should do in BIOS to ensure it will work?

Reason for asking: By disabling Windows 10 WHQL Support in my Bios, I was able to get my DVD/CD and USB boot drives to be accepted as boot devices, however my windows 10 boot drive got text saying it isn't a valid boot drive, and my Windows 8.1 CD took me to a black screen with a blue windows logo before just turning to a black screen.

Here is a 4 image album showing what happens when I try to boot from my boot drives and install disc. The images have some descriptions to them also.

https://imgur.com/a/Vv7IKbX

[quote=Setsul][/quote]

Thanks Dr. Setsul for responding!

I haven't made the linux boot drive yet, just a few questions I was hoping you could enlighten me on.

- The only computer I have easy access to make a boot drive from is my Macbook Air. Would I be able to make a boot drive (linux or windows) from a Mac and have it work on a PC?

- Will a Linux boot drive work if my other boot drives aren't working? Or is there something else I should do in BIOS to ensure it will work?

Reason for asking: By disabling Windows 10 WHQL Support in my Bios, I was able to get my DVD/CD and USB boot drives to be accepted as boot devices, however my windows 10 boot drive got text saying it isn't a valid boot drive, and my Windows 8.1 CD took me to a black screen with a blue windows logo before just turning to a black screen.

Here is a 4 image album showing what happens when I try to boot from my boot drives and install disc. The images have some descriptions to them also.

https://imgur.com/a/Vv7IKbX
5
#5
3 Frags +

Should work. Any correctly created boot drive won't even be able to tell which OS was used to create it.

Windows boot media is always a gamble. I mean Windows is barely functional on a good day.
Disable Secure Boot. That might be causing problems, blocking all non-Windows boot media and 90% of Windows boot media because the verification fails anyway. Theoretically Ubuntu supports secure boot but let's just avoid it altogether for now. Maybe even enable CSM in case it's an older version without UEFI support.

Yep, sounds like secure boot. FYI it's named secure boot because it's not secure and mostly prevents booting.
Windows is generally a mess so let's not try to figure out why W8.1 install media is extremely weird (just like W8.1 itself) and W10 is probably confused since it was installed with secure boot on and now is trying to boot with it disabled. Or it's just very fucked.

Should work. Any correctly created boot drive won't even be able to tell which OS was used to create it.

Windows boot media is always a gamble. I mean Windows is barely functional on a good day.
Disable Secure Boot. That might be causing problems, blocking all non-Windows boot media and 90% of Windows boot media because the verification fails anyway. Theoretically Ubuntu supports secure boot but let's just avoid it altogether for now. Maybe even enable CSM in case it's an older version without UEFI support.

Yep, sounds like secure boot. FYI it's named secure boot because it's not secure and mostly prevents booting.
Windows is generally a mess so let's not try to figure out why W8.1 install media is extremely weird (just like W8.1 itself) and W10 is probably confused since it was installed with secure boot on and now is trying to boot with it disabled. Or it's just very fucked.
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#6
0 Frags +

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#7
3 Frags +

I'm not doing anything RN so if you need someone to walk you through any of this add me. If you can't access steam ATM im screwball #1396 on discord.

I'm not doing anything RN so if you need someone to walk you through any of this add me. If you can't access steam ATM im screwball #1396 on discord.
8
#8
0 Frags +

Ran the short SMART test, it said overall assessment: Disk ok

https://i.imgur.com/4P4iXg8.jpg

Just can't figure out how to access specific files/folders to copy them from SSD to HDD. I've gotten into the file explorer and have access to my files, I just am not sure how to locate the folders I'm looking for specifically
Definitely going to choose to just reinstall windows though once I get there

Ran the short SMART test, it said overall assessment: Disk ok

[img]https://i.imgur.com/4P4iXg8.jpg[/img]

Just can't figure out how to access specific files/folders to copy them from SSD to HDD. I've gotten into the file explorer and have access to my files, I just am not sure how to locate the folders I'm looking for specifically
Definitely going to choose to just reinstall windows though once I get there
9
#9
1 Frags +

Is that the SSD or the HDD?

How would you usually locate the folders?

Is that the SSD or the HDD?

How would you usually locate the folders?
10
#10
0 Frags +

That is the SSD

I've since located the folders I need, but my HDD isn't showing up in the ubuntu file explorer. I talked with screwball and he suggested since I can't find the HDD to just upload the pictures to google drive, which is what I'm doing.

But if I'm able to find the HDD that would be ideal.

Thanks for your guys' help so far I really appreciate it!

That is the SSD

I've since located the folders I need, but my HDD isn't showing up in the ubuntu file explorer. I talked with screwball and he suggested since I can't find the HDD to just upload the pictures to google drive, which is what I'm doing.

But if I'm able to find the HDD that would be ideal.

Thanks for your guys' help so far I really appreciate it!
11
#11
0 Frags +

Just to be proactive, how would I go about reinstalling windows?

I only have 1 8gb+ USB drive which currently has linux on it. Again, I do have the windows 8.1 disc so I'm wondering if I install windows 8.1 and then install windows 10 from their website using windows 8.1?

I also am wondering how to wipe my SSD? In the BIOS I did see an option called secure erase+ which said it would wipe my C drive. Is that the best method for reinstalling?

Using a Mac won't let me download a media creation tool to repair/reinstall windows so I'm wondering if the only way is using the 8.1 windows disc?

Just to be proactive, how would I go about reinstalling windows?

I only have 1 8gb+ USB drive which currently has linux on it. Again, I do have the windows 8.1 disc so I'm wondering if I install windows 8.1 and then install windows 10 from their website using windows 8.1?

I also am wondering how to wipe my SSD? In the BIOS I did see an option called secure erase+ which said it would wipe my C drive. Is that the best method for reinstalling?

Using a Mac won't let me download a media creation tool to repair/reinstall windows so I'm wondering if the only way is using the 8.1 windows disc?
12
#12
1 Frags +

You could try to mount it manually. Most likely Windows didn't write out the metadata because fast boot was enabled so now it's slightly broken, which will have to be fixed after the reinstall. There'll be a fairly obvious error description in the CLI if that's the case. You can still mount it read only and might want to save that to a google drive too, if you're not confident you'll be able to fix it.

There's an option to delete partitions during install.

Yeah, media creation tool is a joy to work with. It doesn't even work properly on anything other than W10 half the time. I don't recommend upgrading because that makes Windows do weird things. Ideally just download it on a different pc, worst case install windows 8.1 temporarily just to get a W10 install medium.

You could try to mount it manually. Most likely Windows didn't write out the metadata because fast boot was enabled so now it's slightly broken, which will have to be fixed after the reinstall. There'll be a fairly obvious error description in the CLI if that's the case. You can still mount it read only and might want to save that to a google drive too, if you're not confident you'll be able to fix it.

There's an option to delete partitions during install.

Yeah, media creation tool is a joy to work with. It doesn't even work properly on anything other than W10 half the time. I don't recommend upgrading because that makes Windows do weird things. Ideally just download it on a different pc, worst case install windows 8.1 temporarily just to get a W10 install medium.
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#13
0 Frags +

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#14
0 Frags +

Update:

I tried my boot drive on a dinosaur PC, and it worked fine and went straight to the windows install menu.
Then I went back to my PC and disconnected the SSD, but the boot drive still wouldn't boot to the HDD.
Then I went back and plugged my SSD into the dino and the boot drive went to the windows install menu with and without the dino's HDD connected.

So I suppose its a problem with my motherboard? However the linux boot on my PC worked fine.

Screwball suggested it could be a motherboard issue. I did replace my PSU 2 weeks ago and when pulling the power cables out of the old components, some of them I had to pull hard on, could it be possible I damaged the motherboard in the process?

Also I replaced my PSU 2 weeks ago because my old PSU started to restart my pc (like when the power flickers) whenever I'd launch any game more intense than TF2 (PUBG, WoW, GTA V, etc). Is it possible that my PSU damaged my mobo or other components?

Update:

I tried my boot drive on a dinosaur PC, and it worked fine and went straight to the windows install menu.
Then I went back to my PC and disconnected the SSD, but the boot drive still wouldn't boot to the HDD.
Then I went back and plugged my SSD into the dino and the boot drive went to the windows install menu with and without the dino's HDD connected.

So I suppose its a problem with my motherboard? However the linux boot on my PC worked fine.

Screwball suggested it could be a motherboard issue. I did replace my PSU 2 weeks ago and when pulling the power cables out of the old components, some of them I had to pull hard on, could it be possible I damaged the motherboard in the process?

Also I replaced my PSU 2 weeks ago because my old PSU started to restart my pc (like when the power flickers) whenever I'd launch any game more intense than TF2 (PUBG, WoW, GTA V, etc). Is it possible that my PSU damaged my mobo or other components?
15
#15
1 Frags +
BRKThen I went back to my PC and disconnected the SSD, but the boot drive still wouldn't boot to the HDD.

What do you mean? It can't boot to the HDD, there's no OS on that.

BRKAlso I replaced my PSU 2 weeks ago because my old PSU started to restart my pc (like when the power flickers) whenever I'd launch any game more intense than TF2 (PUBG, WoW, GTA V, etc). Is it possible that my PSU damaged my mobo or other components?

Theoretically yes, but since the PC shut down instead of catching fire it seems like the protection mechanisms were working.

[quote=BRK]
Then I went back to my PC and disconnected the SSD, but the boot drive still wouldn't boot to the HDD.[/quote]
What do you mean? It can't boot to the HDD, there's no OS on that.


[quote=BRK]Also I replaced my PSU 2 weeks ago because my old PSU started to restart my pc (like when the power flickers) whenever I'd launch any game more intense than TF2 (PUBG, WoW, GTA V, etc). Is it possible that my PSU damaged my mobo or other components?[/quote]
Theoretically yes, but since the PC shut down instead of catching fire it seems like the protection mechanisms were working.
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#16
0 Frags +

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17
#17
0 Frags +

I've also recently found out that my mobo isn't compatible with my CPU, though I've been running the two together since I bought them 10 months ago, with no problems (unless that caused the PSU issue and now this..).

But there is a thread claiming that my mobo does support it, so I'm not really understanding if this is a big issue or not.

I obviously bought the motherboard with the false assumption that i7 chipsets and ddr4 come together, so if my mobo I bought supports ddr4 RAM, then it will be compatible with an i7

Thread: (https://www.reddit.com/r/intel/comments/828tmu/coffee_lake_i78700k_on_z270/)

I've also recently found out that my mobo isn't compatible with my CPU, though I've been running the two together since I bought them 10 months ago, with no problems (unless that caused the PSU issue and now this..).

But there is a thread claiming that my mobo does support it, so I'm not really understanding if this is a big issue or not.

I obviously bought the motherboard with the false assumption that i7 chipsets and ddr4 come together, so if my mobo I bought supports ddr4 RAM, then it will be compatible with an i7

Thread: (https://www.reddit.com/r/intel/comments/828tmu/coffee_lake_i78700k_on_z270/)
18
#18
0 Frags +

Booted my PC up without the HDD or boot drive connected, just the SSD, and it gave me one blue screen from before, then on the 2nd it did a disk check and repair and then it took me into my desktop no problems. Restarted again for good measure and took me into my desktop again without any issue. HDD still disconnected.

Booted my PC up without the HDD or boot drive connected, just the SSD, and it gave me one blue screen from before, then on the 2nd it did a disk check and repair and then it took me into my desktop no problems. Restarted again for good measure and took me into my desktop again without any issue. HDD still disconnected.
19
#19
1 Frags +

Yeah, it's not officially supported and the microcode updates for Spectre mitigations will be a problem.
i7 got nothing to do with it. It's about age. You wouldn't expect a mobo from 2007 to be compatible with a CPU from 2015, even if they both support DDR3.

Linux booted with the HDD plugged in, right? Run a SMART test on the HDD.

Yeah, it's not officially supported and the microcode updates for Spectre mitigations will be a problem.
i7 got nothing to do with it. It's about age. You wouldn't expect a mobo from 2007 to be compatible with a CPU from 2015, even if they both support DDR3.

Linux booted with the HDD plugged in, right? Run a SMART test on the HDD.
20
#20
0 Frags +

The HDD never showed up on linux though, which was why I needed to upload my files onto google drive instead of copy them from SSD > HDD

The HDD never showed up on linux though, which was why I needed to upload my files onto google drive instead of copy them from SSD > HDD
21
#21
2 Frags +

Not even in /dev/ ?

Not even in /dev/ ?
22
#22
0 Frags +

I think the play for me here, is now that I have my computer up and running, with all my important files untouched, is to just purchase a new HDD and not worry about the old one. It did last me 5 years, so I'm happy with its lifespan.

Thank you so much Setsul and Screwball for your consistent and helpful support. Knowing there are people like you on this forum take a lot of pressure off of me when I can't troubleshoot something myself and there are no working fixes I can find already posted.

I think the play for me here, is now that I have my computer up and running, with all my important files untouched, is to just purchase a new HDD and not worry about the old one. It did last me 5 years, so I'm happy with its lifespan.

Thank you so much Setsul and Screwball for your consistent and helpful support. Knowing there are people like you on this forum take a lot of pressure off of me when I can't troubleshoot something myself and there are no working fixes I can find already posted.
23
#23
0 Frags +

Yes, 5 years is completely average.
You should still reinstall because for some reason the HDD was involved in the boot process or your install is pretty messed up. Do a clean install with only the SSD you want to install on connected and plug the HDD in afterwards.

Yes, 5 years is completely average.
You should still reinstall because for some reason the HDD was involved in the boot process or your install is pretty messed up. Do a clean install with only the SSD you want to install on connected and plug the HDD in afterwards.
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