# Windows 8.1 boot isssue



## BlackHawk1 (Apr 5, 2014)

Hi. I hope someone can help me out with this Windows 8.1 issue that is driving me up a wall. A friends computer (HP 2000-2c27CL Notebook) was badly infected and while I was able to do some cleaning in normal Windows I had to do some in Safe Mode. In Windows 8 I was not being able to access Safe Mode so I got to Advanced Startup Options in Windows 8, Troubleshoot, then Advanced options, and finally the Command Prompt. Using the command prompt I typed "bcdedit /set {default} safeboot network" to have Safe Mode with Networking. Ever since I did that I haven't been able to get Windows to do a normal boot. I always get Safe Mode. I can't get back to Advanced Startup Options either. Via msconfig in Safe Mode I selected the Normal startup button on the General tab and selected apply and then ok. It then prompted me to restart the computer which I did. This did not fix the issue as I continue to get Safe Mode every time I start the computer. I also tried to do a complete system restore by typing "Recovery" in Windows 8 which brought up the HP Recovery Manager. Once in there I selected the Windows Recovery Environment and it prompted me to reboot the computer. I was expecting to get to an area where I could do a complete factory restore, but I again get booted into Safe Mode. What the heck is going on? The person who has this computer has no restore media, no USB or DVD discs. There is however a recovery partion, but as I said I can't do anything because I keep getting Safe Mode. Help with this is greatly appreciated. Thank you.


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## newtekie1 (Apr 5, 2014)

Did you try typing this in a command prompt?

*bcdedit /deletevalue {default} safeboot*


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## Blín D'ñero (Apr 5, 2014)

Look here BlackHawk1: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2757-safe-mode-start-windows-8-a.html and continue your flight.


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## BlackHawk1 (Apr 5, 2014)

newtekie1 said:


> Did you try typing this in a command prompt?
> 
> *bcdedit /deletevalue {default} safeboot*




I did that. I typed the command, hit enter, closed the window, rebooted, and now it's in a loop of automatic repair.  Then all it does it take me to the Choose An Option screen... Continue, Use a Device, Troubleshoot, or Turn Off PC.

I tried System Restore and it says no restore points have been created. I went to Troubleshoot, Advanced, System Image Recovery and it says "Windows cannot find a system image on this computer."WTF?!

Are there any Win8 iso's out there that would allow me to reinstall Win8 from the optical drive? This is a legit purchased laptop.


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## flmatter (Apr 5, 2014)

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...veCategory&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&product=5395277     depending on how far you want to take recovery-factory reset and reinstall OS. Your friend will lose all saved data, photos, etc... But laptop will be fixed


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## BlackHawk1 (Apr 5, 2014)

flmatter said:


> http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...veCategory&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&product=5395277     depending on how far you want to take recovery-factory reset and reinstall OS. Your friend will lose all saved data, photos, etc... But laptop will be fixed




Thanks. Let me explain... I had that page pulled up a while ago and as my original post said "I also tried to do a complete system restore by typing "Recovery" in Windows 8 which brought up the HP Recovery Manager. Once in there I selected the Windows Recovery Environment and it prompted me to reboot the computer. I was expecting to get to an area where I could do a complete factory restore, but I again get booted into Safe Mode." So I revisited that link and went to "Recovery when Windows 8 does not start correctly." Surprisingly it started the recovery to a factory state and was making progress BUT then all of a sudden I got this... "HP Recovery Manager failed. Error Code= 0xEFFFFF08."

That sucks! Win8 blows no? I am now getting "Boot Device Not Found. Please install a operating system on your hard disk. Hard Disk (3F0) 


I looked on this laptop for a Windows 8 key for reinstallation purposes if he has to order disks, but I don't see any stickers like I normally find.. I opened up the battery compartment and I don't see one there either. Is there one under one of the other bottom covers? How will I be able to find his key? Thanks again people, you have been a great help!


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## flmatter (Apr 5, 2014)

The license/key should be on a sticker 25 letters and numbers on it on the underside of the laptop  or you can find a free key viewer program to DL and run on your friends machine   if you can get it that far.  I will check my desktop later and see if I have the downloaded iso from Microsoft when I upgraded from WIn7(mistake lol) but you will need a key for the machine.


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## jsfitz54 (Apr 5, 2014)

You can purchase restoration disks from HP.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&docname=bph07143
The last time I had to do this it cost about $17.00us.
The Restoration area of the disk "D" was corrupt so all it did upon restore was give a bad image.

I would wipe the entire drive if it was infected, not just the "C" partition.

Have you tested the HD for errors?


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## BlackHawk1 (Apr 5, 2014)

flmatter said:


> The license/key should be on a sticker 25 letters and numbers on it on the underside of the laptop  or you can find a free key viewer program to DL and run on your friends machine   if you can get it that far.  I will check my desktop later and see if I have the downloaded iso from Microsoft when I upgraded from WIn7(mistake lol) but you will need a key for the machine.



Yeah I know what you mean man... normally the key sticker is found on the bottom the the laptop, but there's not one there. There is a little square Windows 8 icon sticker there, but nothing else. Nothing in the battery compartment either. Strange unless it's under a panel I would have to take off, but I've never seen sticker placed there before. I asked him if anyone peeled the sticker off and he said no. He's an older retired man and as I said this is a legit purchase. At this point I can't get into Windows so a key finder isn't going to work.  

I did a memory test and it passed. I just did a short hard drive test and it passed. I'm going to do a "Extensive Test" on the hard drive now. Craziness! I normally don't have too much difficulty solving things, but this one is driving me up the wall!


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## BlackHawk1 (Apr 5, 2014)

jsfitz54 said:


> You can purchase restoration disks from HP.
> http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&docname=bph07143
> The last time I had to do this it cost about $17.00us.
> The Restoration area of the disk "D" was corrupt so all it did upon restore was give a bad image.
> ...




Thank you. This computer is under warranty so I'm not so sure I should wipe the entire drive. I've never run into an issue where an infection spread to the recovery partition. Is infection of a recovery partition even possible? As stated in my previous post I did a short hard drive test and it passed. I'm going to do a "Extensive Test" on the hard drive now. Estimated time to complete that extended test is at 1 hour and 40 minute at this time. Did I mention that I despise Windows 8.? LOL!


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## BlackHawk1 (Apr 5, 2014)

While we are on the subject... I tried to use a antivirus emergency disk that I made with Sardu. It contains several AV programs on it. I have used this disk on XP, Vista, and Windows 7 with success. This mans laptop would not boot from it so I went into the BIOS and saw that Legacy is disabled by default and that UEFI is enabled. If I remember correctly under UEFI, Boot Manager was listed first then followed by the rom drive. I used the F keys to love the rom drive to the top taking the place of the boot mangers position. The computer still would not boot from the disk. I am new to BIOS with UEFI and wanted to know if I had done this correctly? If not, what would be the correct way to have it boot from emergency disks? Thank you!


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## Blín D'ñero (Apr 5, 2014)

In that case, don't forget to during bootup, "hit any key to boot from optical drive" in time...?


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## BlackHawk1 (Apr 6, 2014)

I changed the boot order and it will not boot from a AV rescue disk and it will not boot from a Hirens's disk either. Hard drive issues, error logs in the BIOS started being produced on 04/03/14 with code "03F0" I didn't get the computer until 04/04/14. A memory test shows it's ok. A short and extended hard drive test shows it's ok yet it won't boot up and hard drive errors are produced in the BIOS. If it won't boot from a AV rescuse disk and won't boot from Hiren's, would it boot from a OS reinstall disk purchased from HP? I wonder why it won't boot from the Rom drive? The UEFI boot order by default is... Boot Manager, Internal CD/DVD Rom Drive, USB Diskette On Key/USB Hard Disk, USB CD/DVD Rom Drive, ! Network Adapter. I changed the order to read Internal CD/DVD Rom Drive, Boot Manager, USB Diskette On Key/USB Hard Disk, USB CD?DVD Rom Drive, ! Network Adapter and it won't boot from the Rom drive. All I ever get is... "Boot Device Not Found. Please install an operating system on your hard disk. Hard Disk (3F0)" message.


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## Blín D'ñero (Apr 6, 2014)

"Boot Device Not Found". Are you sure the cable (from dvd-drive to mobo) isn't loose?

If at "Boot Option #1" the correct dvd drive is listed and selected, yet when trying to boot up from it, "the dvd-drive is not found" a loose cable is the most likely suspect.

Look also under "CD/DVD ROM Drive BBS Priorities" to set the order of devices.


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