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Question

Is a new hard drive going to fix the problem?

Aug 9, 2016 3:09PM PDT

My son tried to upgrade his Lenovo W 7 /64 bit laptop to W 10. It didn't work. Stuck somewhere between 7 & 10 it won't boot either 7 or 10, it won't finish the upgrade with their media creation tool, or even reload W 7 from the original disc nor will it repair from either, it's stuck. Windows tech support has close two of my cases w/o fixing the problem (they're so efing useless!!!) I'm done with trying to fix it, I'd like to re-coop the laptop though, it'll cost less than $100.00 but I'd like to know in advance that it will work. Are there any assurances that it will? Is it possible that the damage from a bad install could go beyond the hard drive? Where is the damage likely to be?
Thanks
Chris

Discussion is locked

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Answer
While I'd like to give you assurance
Aug 9, 2016 3:19PM PDT

I'm not there to test the HDD. HDDs are cheap here. 500GB HDD is under 40 now and 480GB SSD are under 99 bucks.

Tell me if you tried Lenovo's onboard recovery and well, why do you think the HDD is bad?

As to Windows Tech Support, if it's hardware, they would not be the right folk to talk to.

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I think it is badly corrupted
Aug 9, 2016 3:37PM PDT

I don't think it's bad but if it won't load the original W 7 why would it not load to a clean drive?
I can post the problem, symptoms, and steps taken if you like.
Chris

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If it's just corruption.
Aug 9, 2016 3:41PM PDT

There are many fine ways to wipe the drive clean to a blank state so we can do a clean install or recovery. Again, this is not a Windows Tech Support issue to me. I wish they would have checked what you have for recovery then wiped the drive clean but they didn't and now you can try wiping the drive clean and then trying the restore media.

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Previous efforts
Aug 9, 2016 3:43PM PDT

It is left in limbo between 7 & 10 we tried every option open to us, on starting there is an option to choose F2 "enter setup" or F12 multi boot menu nothing there to help. Leaving it to continue through the boot, we see a black screen with white text saying files have been moved or changed...blah-blah two more options appear "enter system repair" and "start Windows normally", both give indications they are starting to do what the should but quickly go to a black screen that we look at for 4-5 mins. and then to the W 7 wallpaper and a cursor that does respond to the mouse but that's it, no buttons, no tray, click does nothing keys do nothing. Leave all night still looking at the same in the morning. Downloaded a recovery program on USB with answer desk, watched the same screen yet another night, still there in the morn. Was then told, no use I must reload the original OS 7 from scratch, Okay, I put in the disc, boot, tap F 12, boot from the DVD and it starts well, asks a few questions, then "setup is starting" yeah!! next morning the setup is still starting! Then was told today that was all they are going to do. Anyone had this problem? I was wondering is there anyway to erase the hard drive without an OS, pressing another F key when booting maybe.
Thanks
Chris

Hi again,
Windows 7 will not install, as stated above it starts out okay but freezes in the process. As stated in one of the articles bad RAM can effect an installation, I took out one stick (RAM) and I got access to the Windows 10 recovery disk stored on a USB, (not able to before, some progress there). Installation failed, it looks like it has installed, I entered the prod. key but ends with a message that "The computer started using the Windows installation media. Remove the installation media and restart your computer so that Windows starts normally. Then insert the installation media and restart the upgrade. Do not select Custom (advanced) to perform an upgrade. Custom installs a new copy of windows and deletes your programs and settings." Windows 7 will not boot so I can't continue on this path.
I have tried all the recovery options on the W 10 media, Reset the computer ends with a message "The drive where windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again." Startup Repair ends with "Startup Repair couldn't repair your PC" I cannot do a system restore because, "To use System restore you must specify which Windows installation to restore, Restart this computer, select an operating system and then select system restore." It will not go back to a previous build either.
"The drive where windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again." I looked into this here http://windowsreport.com/drive-windows-installed-locked/
and followed the three methods below, none worked!
What now???????????
Chris
Method one:
Place the Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 installation media inside the PC either a USB or a DVD.
Reboot the Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 device.
On the startup screen of windows you will be asked to boot from the DVD or USB stick and you should do so.
You will get to a Windows setup screen and you will need to left click or tap on the “Next” button.
In the next window you will need to left click or tap on the “Repair your computer” feature.
Now you should be in the “Advanced startup options” window.
Left click or tap on the “Advanced boot options” feature.
Left click or tap on the “Troubleshoot” feature.
Left click or tap on the “Advanced options” feature.
Left click or tap on the “Command prompt” option.
Now after you have the command prompt window in front of the screen you will need to write the following line: “chkdsk /f C:”
Note: If you’re Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 device is installed on another partition then the “C:” drive please copy the necessary drive in the command above.
Press the “Enter” button on the keyboard for the check to start.
After this operations is finished please reboot the Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 device and check to see if you get the same error message.
Method two:
Open the command prompt window as you did in the first method.
Write the following command in the command prompt window: “sfc /scannow”.
Press the “Enter” button on the keyboard.
Let the scan finish and fix any potential errors.
Reboot your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 device again and check if you have the same error message.
Method three:
Go to the “Troubleshoot” feature in Windows as you did in the first method.
Left click or tap on the “Advanced options” menu.
Left click or tap on the “Automatic repair” option.
Left click or tap on the “Command prompt” option.
In the command prompt window you will need to write: “bootrec /RebuildBcd”.
Press the “Enter” button on the keyboard.
Write in the command prompt: “ bootrec /fixMbr”
Press the “Enter” button on the keyboard.
Write in the command prompt: “bootrec /fixboot”
Press the “Enter” button on the keyboard.
Write in the command prompt: “Exit”
Press the “Enter” button on the keyboard.
Reboot your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 operating system.
See if you still get the same error message after doing this method.
Thanks again
Chris

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TL;DR
Aug 9, 2016 3:49PM PDT

All the above are methods I would not perform given the story. I'd wipe the drive clean with something like DBAN then boot my recovery media to restore the PC.

If there is no hardware issue, it will be just like new.

Post was last edited on August 9, 2016 4:44 PM PDT

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Answer
My logic says a bad install...
Aug 9, 2016 3:52PM PDT

should not go beyond the Hdd. In fact, a bad install should not damage the Hdd. at all...at least not the hardware. You have the windows 7 disc for this computer but you can reinstall it? Now that's weird. Something is not right here and we are not getting all the facts here (something's missing).

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Wipe drive
Aug 9, 2016 4:11PM PDT

I agree something is missing, MS didn't seem to to know what. Let me try wiping the drive, I had asked the answer desk I think if there was a way of reformatting the drive, I got no feedback so I'll look into DBAN and get back to you.
Thanks to both
Chris

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Just for clarity.
Aug 9, 2016 4:46PM PDT

Do not format the drive. That's a great way to trip up the Windows installer.

DBAN will give you a clean blank drive, ready for Windows to install to. Formatting would have us creating partitions, formatting then discovering we wasted our time with formatting.

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Answer
Factory restore
Aug 9, 2016 4:44PM PDT

Look in the lenovo manual and see if they talk about a restore partition and how to access it.

Grab a copy of gparted live.
Boot it up and delete all the partitions on that hdd.

Try to install w7 from the disc.

Keep in mind your going to lose everything on that disk.
So if there is anything important on that hdd you might want to replace it with a new hdd and then do the install on the new.
Then see if you can recover anything from the old.

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No good
Aug 10, 2016 9:00AM PDT

None of this works. I used ISO to USB to put DBAN on a flash drive, I changed the boot sequence to boot from the flash drive but it still goes to the windows error recovery screen, No DBAN maybe I'll try to put it on a DVD and see if I can get the DBAN screen up
Chris

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(NT) DBAN
Aug 10, 2016 10:22AM PDT
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DBAN
Aug 10, 2016 10:23AM PDT

Dban is now running from a CD
Thanks
Chris

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Thanks
Aug 11, 2016 6:46AM PDT

I have Windows & running now.