Windows 7 will not boot - USB Boot unavailable

[Izzy Goldman]

Ok, folks, here's the definition of hopeless. But I hope someone can still help me.

I have a Lenovo X201 bought from original buyer. It refuses to boot into W7 Pro. It has a 1 TB WD, partitioned into 2 drives. It has (had?) two user accounts, one full admin, one limited (for kids).

Yesterday, my son tried to log into limited account. Windows went into startup repair mode, but could not repair. A hard boot constantly gives a quick "Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change..." and then goes into startup repair again, but then cycles.

Startup repair gives the following:

System Disk = \device\harddisk0
Windows directory = d:\Windows (not sure why D)
Autochk Run=0
Number of root causes = 0

Tests performed:
Check for updates - completed successful
system disk test - successful
disk failure diagnosis = successful
disk metadata - successful
target os test - successful
volume content check - successful
boot manager diagnosis = successful
and all the way to file system test (chkdks) which remains not completed

This is made much harder by the fact that Bios is locked, with no pw, and will not boot off USB key. It has no cd or dvd drive.

What can I do?

 

[NickyAB]

Well first of all by the words "the BIOS is locked" do you mean that it is protected by a password? If it is you could try and contact the original seller and see what he/she says. If you are just having trouble getting into the BIOS usually the key to get into it is F2 or delete.

Make sure that the USB drive can be formatted in fat32 so it can be booted up, and including win 7 installation files.

You can buy an external CD/DVD drive from Ebay for about £9.00 till £20.00, just make sure it is a DVD drive and not a blue ray.

You can also try doing a system restore by pressing F8 (start pressing after the BIOS splash screen), then you should see repair your computer and then select system restore.

Also did this start to happen after it was working and where any updates or programs before this happened?

Hope this helps,

Nicky

 

[Ghostman 1]

You will have to open the laptop up, and change or reset the Bio's battery.. If you pull the battery out, Wait 10 minutes, then reinstall it.. This should clear the password..