After Win 7 update, can't boot from anywhere

[ashtray]

Hi there, I need your help. I'll try to make it as clear and short as I can:

Today, after a Windows 7 (Ultimate, 32 bits) update, I restarted my PC. Minutes later it froze, since ctrl alt supr didn't work I restarted manually.

Since then, All I get is "Starting Windows" (without the window logo) and right after that, a BSOD: 0x0000005c.

But the problem is bigger:

I can't either boot from Win 7 DVD
I can't get into safe mode
I can't boot Windows XP either (I have dual-boot configured)

Can someone tell me what's happening?

Is it the HDD? The motherboard? A corruption originated after the update?

I will be grateful for help.

 

[Shintaro]

Is the computer beeping when it starts?

What is your hardware?

 

[Shintaro]

Beep codes:
http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm

Hope this helps.

 

[ashtray]

Thanks, but honestly, I dont remember that my PC has ever made a beep. Other PC's I've had did, but not this one.


my motherboard is a g31m-s asrock,
cpu core 2 duo 2,93ghz
power supply cooler master

 

[TrainableMan]

Well you say you get to the "Starting Windows" message which should mean you completed post therefore you should be able to boot to a W7 DVD. You need to make sure the DVD is the first device in the boot chain (check BIOS settings) and then try again.

BTW, while you are in the BIOS see if it detects your hard drive. I suspect some sort of hardware failure (hard drive, etc) or it could be a virus. i would try to rule those out first.

 

[ashtray]

I've changed the boot order before, I'm not an expert but I know how to do that.
Plus, I've been in this situation before (a win7 update gone wrong) and this DVD saved me, because it repaired my OS reverting changes.

Not so lucky this time,

And HDD is detected in the BIOS.

 

[ashtray]

Hello again, I made an experiment:

I disconnected the sata cable of the HDD, tried booting from the WIN 7 DVD and the same BSOD shows up at the same time as it appears when I boot from C:

With this information, could we say that the problem is the motherboard?

 

[TrainableMan]

Do you use a video card or on-board video? It's possible you got a bad video driver update. If you have a video card you might try yanking the card and using on-board video just to see if you can boot that way. If so, then restore to a restore point prior to the updates and go into Win Updates and uncheck the box that says "treat recommended updates the same as critical updates" (all driver updates come in as recommended). If this is the problem then once the driver is fixed you can shut down and reinstall your video card and reboot.

If this solves the issue then go to Windows Updates and permanently hide that video driver update. Note, from now on you will manually have to install recommended updates if you want them.

UPDATE: I just saw your last post. I would say, still disconnect the video card and try what you did but with just on-board video to see if that boots. In case it is the video card.

 

[ashtray]

Yes I have a video card, an ATI Radeon. I'll proceed as you suggested.

 

[ashtray]

I removed the video card and the problem persists.

So we can discard HDD and video card as origin of this I suppose.

I also have a sound card and a TV cards

 

[TrainableMan]

Well you could pull them just to be sure but I'm thinking it is either a bad BIOS setting or the mobo or RAM.

 

[ashtray]

Well, finally I could log on Windows.

I set "Load Performance Setup Default" option and it booted.
So I quickly chose a restore point and reversed Windows updates, one of them was "Intel Chipset GM31" important update which I deleted.

BUT, I tried going back to "Load Default Values" in the Bios, and BSOD happens again.

Shall I continue in Performance Mode forever?

 

[TrainableMan]

Can you see if there is a BIOS update for your MOBO? Since you were having issues even w/o a hard drive attached I'm just not so sure it was an update that caused this.

And if it isn't BIOS then it could still be mobo or RAM issues.

 

[ashtray]

Can you see if there is a BIOS update for your MOBO? Since you were having issues even w/o a hard drive attached I'm just not so sure it was an update that caused this.

And if it isn't BIOS then it could still be mobo or RAM issues.

I got two ram modules, I tried removing one and another to see if one of them was the cause, but in both cases the error showed up so I don't know.


I'm now trying to update the BIOS so that this error goes away, but no luck so far.

 

[TrainableMan]

I'm now trying to update the BIOS so that this error goes away, but no luck so far.

Avoid updating the BIOS through the windows method if at all possible. I'm concerned if the computer would BSOD during the few seconds of the BIOS update that it may brick your mobo.

 

[ashtray]

Avoid updating the BIOS through the windows method if at all possible. I'm concerned if the computer would BSOD during the few seconds of the BIOS update that it may brick your mobo.

Ops, I already updated BIOS through the Windows method and loaded default values, result: BSOD again. So I went back to Performance Mode and was able to access Windows again.

So what shall I do? Will I have any problems if I always run the bios in performance mode from now on? Because I have no clue how to solve this.

 

[TrainableMan]

Well obviously you survived through the BIOS update so that's good. So now you are running the latest BIOS and you won't need to do that again.

Is "Load Performance Setup Default" an option in your BIOS?
If you can get in with it, then do so and gather your last 10 or so DMP files. You will need to copy them from %SystemRoot%\Minidump to a temp folder you create under "My Documents" and then you can zip them and, using Go Advanced to post here on the forums, attach them to your next post.

With actual DMP files Shintaro can likely tell you more about the BSODs.

 

[ashtray]

Yes, that's the name of the option I've been using (the only option that currently works).

I'll get the DMP files and post em here

Thank you very much for your help.

 

[ashtray]

There were 7 files, I couln't copy one of them because it required admin permissions to copy. So I zipped 6 of them.

I'll wait for an answer on this. Thanks again.

 

[TrainableMan]

You don't have Admin privileges? Based on the dates is it the most recent one, if no then don't worry about it.

While we are waiting for the DMP files analysis, I'll ask more details. Hopefully Shintaro has a chance to look at those today.

Were you using the default settings up until last night? How long had W7 been installed and working with those default settings? Have you installed any new hardware recently, if yes, how long ago? When was your last virus scan; anything suspicious? Can you get to safe mode and run a virus scan now? Do you have your computer on a surge protector and have you had any recent thunderstorms (No and Yes would make me worry again about the hardware, possible MOBO or power supply damage)?