Computer restart problem. Please help

[Abishkar]

Hello, fellow modders. Recently, my computer suffered from a problem, and sadly, all my campaign work that I was working on went to a waste. Can anyone tell me what's causing the problem, and if there is any way to retrieve my work?
My computer crashes in the Starting Windows screen, and it restarts (I have Win7) And when it restarts, it gives the following message :
Windows failed to restart. This might be the cause of a hardware or software change.
If power was interrupted, choose any of the following :
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking Prompt
Last Known Good Configuration (advanced)
Open Windows Normally
I chose all the choices, but still it crashes in "Starting Windows" and again restarts. This happens in a loop. I didn't even change any hardware or software.
I am really helpless and have almost lost hope, because my work was almost finished, but now I have to start all over again. One month ago, I even bought new Hardware, Motherboard, and RAM. It cost me a whopping amount of money. After that, this happened again. Even my antivirus was updated.
Can anyone tell me the cause ?
Thanks in advance

 

[pyf]

Hello, fellow modders. Recently, my computer suffered from a problem, and sadly, all my campaign work that I was working on went to a waste. [...]

What kind of problem?
What do you mean by 'went to a waste'?

 

[Abishkar]

What kind of problem?

That's what I described in the message, bro.

What do you mean by 'went to a waste'?

That I lost my entire work I was working on.

 

[pyf]

That's what I described in the message, bro.

Except that you did not tell everything. From a profile discussion, I am learning this:

"In the the past few days, there were some minor disturbances. The computer would hang whenever you open it, but after sometime it became perfectly okay"

This might indicate a possible hardware failure somewhere.


Is your computer a desktop, or is it a laptop?

Also, have you tried to follow this advice from Microsoft?
Error: Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might have caused the issue after you install Windows Updates - Microsoft Support

That I lost my entire work I was working on.

At this point, I have no reason to suppose that the data of your campaign has been corrupted in any way.

 

[Abishkar]

Is your computer a desktop, or is it a laptop?

A desktop

Except that you did not tell everything. From a profile discussion, I am learning this:

Whoops, forgot to tell that.

At this point, I have no reason to suppose that the data of your campaign has been corrupted in any way.

But, if I have to format the computer or change the Hardware, it will be lost forever.
EDIT : Yeah, tried all the advice from the link. It just won't start. It crashes on Starting Windows

+rep for replying

 

[chobibo]

You can just reinstall win7 on your HDD if you have an installation disk. You don't need to reformat but I remember you would need to install windows on a different directory. That is assuming your secondary storage device is not potato-chiped.

 

[pyf]

But, if I have to format the computer or change the Hardware, it will be lost forever.

Only if.

EDIT : Yeah, tried all the advice from the link. [...]

I have doubts that you have used the Recovery Method #2, which is to use the Automatic Repair or Startup Repair feature of Windows 7.

Did you really hit F8 and then selected 'Repair your computer' from the Advanced Boot Options screen?

 

[Abishkar]

Did you really hit F8 and then selected 'Repair your computer' from the Advanced Boot Options screen?

Will try that! Never thought of it. Thanks!

 

[PrinceYaser]

Does a blue screen appear before restarting? This might be a BSoD. I have recently faced with this problem. If so, there might be several reasons for this. Try removing one memory card (RAM) and try starting the Windows again, if the issue did not solve, try removing the other one (If there is) and start the Windows again. If the issue still stands, well, you can extract your HDD and connect it to another PC and copy your files out. If you don't have an additional PC, you might want to get another HDD, boot that in, and copy files. Or you can use a USB OS installation. I overall recommend you to take your PC to an expert, just like what I did.

 

[pyf]

Does a blue screen appear before restarting? [...]

@PrinceYaser: he never mentioned a BSoD anywhere.

Will try that! Never thought of it. Thanks!

It means that you did not read the Microsoft Support page I have linked to previously.

Also, have you tried to follow this advice from Microsoft?
Error: Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might have caused the issue after you install Windows Updates - Microsoft Support

EDIT : Yeah, tried all the advice from the link.

 

[PrinceYaser]

@PrinceYaser: he never mentioned a BSoD anywhere.

That's why I asked.

 

[Abishkar]

No, no blue screen. @pyf do you have A Discord acc? Will send the screen there.

 

[pyf]

I do not have a Discord account.

Did something go wrong with the Startup repair?

 

[Abishkar]

Okay, I did call a computer mechanic, and strangely he said that all the C-drive files have been deleted! There was no virus, I am sure, cause I had my antivirus updated to latest version and even scanned weekly. And I really don't know why it was hanging, the days before this problem.
Unfortunately, my Warcraft 3 was saved in C, so I lost everything.

 

[chobibo]

That sounds fishy, if that were true then you wouldn't have seen the boot up error messages from your first post. Sounds like the computer technician was lazy and just wanted to fix the problem quickly.

 

[pyf]

What happened after you used the Automatic Repair / Startup Repair feature of Windows 7?


** Edit **

Also, did you have more than 70 GB of free HDD space on your C drive?

 

[pyf]

@Abishkar: Bump!

 

[Abishkar]

Yeah, thanks for bumping. Why the fuck do I keep forgetting this thread? I even saw your bump and decided to reply later, and again forgot.
Okay, back to the topic!

Also, did you have more than 70 GB of free HDD space on your C drive?

Yup

What happened after you used the Automatic Repair / Startup Repair feature of Windows 7?

It just crashed again. It just doesn't start.

That sounds fishy, if that were true then you wouldn't have seen the boot up error messages from your first post.

But this also proves that the computer won't start up because it could not load its main files in the C Drive, cause the files were never there.

Sounds like the computer technician was lazy and just wanted to fix the problem quickly.

Lol, really? Then R. I. P to the $15 he charged.

 

[pyf]

Okay, I did call a computer mechanic, and strangely he said that all the C-drive files have been deleted! There was no virus, I am sure, cause I had my antivirus updated to latest version and even scanned weekly. And I really don't know why it was hanging, the days before this problem. [...]

The procedure by Microsoft I linked you to, is non-destructive.

I know that a faulty installation of some antivirus software may prevent getting direct access to the HDD by the OS. It may even prevent Windows (Vista here) to launch in Safe Mode, or do a chkdsk after a restart in normal mode. Which antivirus are you using?


If your OS experiences any further strange issues, then the answer might be in the log files. You may use FullEventLogView to find out anything weird (like for example, reading errors because of bad clusters).

FullEventLogView - Event Log Viewer for Windows 10/8/7/Vista

 

[Abishkar]

Which antivirus are you using?

Microsoft Security Essentials

If your OS experiences any further strange issues

Actually, there are still issues. Whenever I connect to the Internet, after sometimes, it hangs and restarts, showing a blue screen this time (like @PrinceYaser said)
It shows "The computer has been turned off to prevent damage to the Hard Disk"
Interesting thing is that when I play Warcraft 3, nothing of this sort happens. This shows that it is not any heat-sync related problem.
P. S. : Also, @Zordrak , please read all the posts in this thread to understand my problem properly.
And maybe @deepstrasz

 

[Zordrak]

You should ask another computer workshop, they can probably save your datas on your hard disk because as long as they are not overwritten by something new they are technically still there. That's why don't change anything on your computer as long as the datas aren't saved. I am sure it can be done.

 

[pyf]

[...] Actually, there are still issues. Whenever I connect to the Internet, after sometimes, it hangs and restarts, showing a blue screen this time (like @PrinceYaser said)
It shows "The computer has been turned off to prevent damage to the Hard Disk" [...]

Please run BlueScreenView. Also please run FullEventLogView.
- Blue screen of death (STOP error) information in dump files.
- FullEventLogView - Event Log Viewer for Windows 10/8/7/Vista

Please tell us what crashed, and also report any warning / error according to your logs.

I am ruling out MSE as being the cause of your issues.

You should ask another computer workshop, they can probably save your datas on your hard disk because as long as they are not overwritten by something new they are technically still there. That's why don't change anything on your computer as long as the datas aren't saved. I am sure it can be done.

I would not count on it.

@Abishkar: how did the PC technician fix your computer?

 

[Chaosy]

Buy a new computer, always works.

 

[Abishkar]

Buy a new computer, always works.

Yeah Sure. Lose more $1500-2000 . That would really work well.

how did the PC technician fix your computer?

By loading a new C Drive. The other drives retained all the files that were present.
I will try your suggestion however

 

[pyf]

You mean he did a complete reinstall by formatting the C drive first, before reinstalling the OS from another partition and using its default factory settings? Or did he use a different, quicker solution?

 

[Abishkar]

Ok, please help again. Now, my computer freezes up every moment I do something. Every second it freezes, and when it becomes ok again, after one second, it freezes once again. I am unable to do any work Help!!!! @pyf

 

[pyf]

Do the freezes also happen in safe mode?

You mean he did a complete reinstall by formatting the C drive first, before reinstalling the OS from another partition and using its default factory settings? Or did he use a different, quicker solution?

You did not answer the question, btw.

 

[Zordrak]

Probably there is a virus on your computer? Or an electronic element is broken. You should bring your computer to a repair shop.

 

[Abishkar]

You mean he did a complete reinstall by formatting the C drive first, before reinstalling the OS from another partition and using its default factory settings?

Yeah, he only installed a new C Drive.

Do the freezes also happen in safe mode?

Probably there is a virus on your computer?

I have not tried to open it in safe mode. Will see. But, I am convinced that it is not a virus, because after several minutes, the computer is usable. But another thing, when I tether my phone to the computer for accessing the internet, the computer works for a while, and then gives me BSoD stating "The computer has been shut down to prevent damage to the hard disk"
Another interesting thing is that, when I play any game, I find that the computer stops freezing. It should be the opposite. I am confused. It's like if I am working otherwise, like working in the WE, it freezes.

So this problem rules out the problem of heat-sync gel (or any heat related problem) AND it is not caused by a virus.

Or an electronic element is broken.

For example?

Thanks guys for helping. +rep

EDIT : Also forgot to state that sometimes when I turn on the computer, sometimes it insists on repairing the disks. It can be skipped by pressing any key. However, I did the check many times, but to no avail. (the problem still exists)

Edit 2: See this now. I got a BSoD out of nowhere and then when I restarted my computer, I got this screen. I am unable to start my computer. Please help @pyf @Zordrak

Edit 3: I am really confused. The PC has started again after I switched it on. No Boot problem

 

[pyf]

It is a possibility that your HDD is failing. Please backup any important data immediately.

Please run BlueScreenView. Also please run FullEventLogView.
- Blue screen of death (STOP error) information in dump files.
- FullEventLogView - Event Log Viewer for Windows 10/8/7/Vista

Please tell us what crashed, and also report any warning / error according to your logs.

Did you do that after I told you to?

 

[Abishkar]

Please run BlueScreenView. Also please run FullEventLogView.
- Blue screen of death (STOP error) information in dump files.
- FullEventLogView - Event Log Viewer for Windows 10/8/7/Vista

Please tell us what crashed, and also report any warning / error according to your logs.
Did you do that after I told you to?

I am afraid it might freeze up again. Cause every time I connect to the Internet, it gives me BSoD after 2-3 min. Leave alone downloading something.

The thing I can do is maybe download it with my mobile phone and transfer it to my computer.

 

[pyf]

So what happened since yesterday 3:09 PM?

 

[Abishkar]

You mean for you it is 3:09 PM. Here it was 6:39 PM.
After that, I played WC3 for a while, and nothing happened (no freezes). Then I had other work in computer (offline), and did that. Then I decided to update my antivirus, and either the computer was not letting me do that, or my network connection. I got tired of waiting, and shut my pc down.
I have not opened it till now.

 

[pyf]

You mean you did not download with your mobile / transfer / run on your PC the software I linked you to, in order to hopefully understand what is happening?

It also means that you did not try to run your computer in safe mode yet?

Instead, you decided to update you antivirus (presumably directly from your PC), even though you are "afraid it might freeze up again. Cause every time [you] connect to the Internet, it gives [you] BSoD after 2-3 min. Leave alone downloading something."? And do some other stuff, which did not create any further issue. Am I right?

 

[Abishkar]

Yup, and why do you sound so violent, man? I am telling the truth. If you do not want to help, don't. Just don't be mad at me like that for no reason.
I did run on safe mode. It did not freeze.
I did not transfer those files because I tried to transfer some other files before. The computer lags more.
Can I transfer and run these files in safe mode? Presumably no.

And about the issues, I have no hand in them, so I thought of checking the antivirus, and found it wanted an update. I tried to update it but couldn't.

 

[Dr Super Good]

I suggest checking up the S.M.A.R.T. status of your main hard disk. This can reveal information about the condition of the drive. If it is logging excessive numbers of errors then it is probably failing and you will need a new drive.