[Q] Windows 8 laptop problem. - Windows 8 General

Hi.
I have a ASUS A55A laptop. Last night I tried to install some software. I think it is startdock. I found it while googling. In the file I found included a crack. When I run the crack suddenly my laptop restart and show me bluescreen. Actually these is not matter for me as I can reinstall windows at anytime. But I am wrong. First I tried to automatic restore but it fails. Then I tried "Refresh Your PC" and "Reset your PC" but sadly both fails showing me a error. Then I tried System restore and system Image recovery but it shows me I don't have user control on it and won't let me do that. Then I tried reinstalling windows but it says I have to format my whole hard disk and create new partition to do that. But I can't do that. My 750 GB hard disk is almost 500 GB used. So I am really fedup and need to fix it soon because I have many project to do. So is there anyway I can do that? Hope I can hear from you guys soon.
Thanks in advance.

PS: Now i can system restore using this command: rstrui.exe /offline:c:\windows.
But after restore it says restore failled.

Boot off the install disk, do a custom install, advanced disk options, delete your existing partitions, let the installer create and format new ones in the resulting unallocated space, and let the pain of going through backing up and recovering all your data be a lesson to you about software piracy.

Related

woopsie HDD help needed!

Hi....i was going to format my shift and since i never used the vista recovery option from the bios i downloaded gparted and made a live cd usb and booted it up, deleted every single partition uncluding the hidden one that i could see and in total i had one big unallocated partitionless harddrive which i saved the changes and rebooted.
I then inserted a usb stick with windows 7 on it and proceeded to install, i created a new partititon and windows asked to create that 100mb system reserved and i then proceeded with the installation which took more than twice as long as it has ever done before.
Is this due to my gparted fiddling? Because at the second stage of installation, the unpacking of files it went quick and smooth up to 38% and after that slow as hell, unlike ever before during any version install...
And now that i finally had that part of the installation behind me it proceeded to automatically reboot for the final stage and when it did reboot after the RAM and basic BIOS tests it reported bad SMART status and i pressed F1 to continue and everything resumed as it should...
But I cannot find any settings in the BIOS to turn of the SMART checking so what can I do now?
Did i not delete the MBR? as I thought it would have gone with the partitions...
And why did the installation go so incredibly slow this time?
now I just got a Blue Screen & Ataport.sys message.
Could it really be such bad timing that the computers HDD has started to fail at the same time i deleted the partition or is this a software issue and not a hardware one?
What version of Windows 7?
I accidentally downloaded a RC/ Checked Debug version which had the same problems on an original untouched HDD.
If you are using correct version, then try repartitioning woth another tool liek acronis disk director. Format completely. Reboot, then re-partition , install windows 7 (RTM available tomorrow)
oh you sound a bit more optimistic than over at hd guru forum, check what they wrote when i published my thread over there:
http://forum.hddguru.com/htc-shift-recovery-partition-gives-false-smart-bios-error-t12907.html

[Q] Boot loop, unable to reach recovery, bootloader strange, Oxygen

Hello, I've spent several hours searching a solution for this problem, both on this forum as well as others. But still unable to find one I try my luck here.
This is the case:
U8800 bought in Sweden a couple of weeks ago. Installed SuperBoot r1 and CWM 4.0.0.5 Perfect Recovery from XDA forums. Installed Oxygen 2.2.2 r4, worked fine until yesterday. When it got stock at the screen lock. Pulled battery and then it was stuck in a boot loop showing only the IDEOS-logo. Tried to get into recovery with Vol+ and power. But still only gets to IDEOS-logo and then reboot after about 10 seconds.
I'm able to get into bootloader (pink-screen) by Vol+, Vol- and Power. Have tried to replace boot.img and recovery.img with others (original backup, CWM 5.0.2.3) in both Ubuntu 11.10 and Win 7). But still unable to reach recovery. And next time I start bootloader and check it's still the same boot.img and recovery.img as it was before I replaced them.
Seems like I'm unable to write to image folder somehow. It looks good when I disconnect it from the computer. Have tried "safe removal" in both Ubuntu and Windows, no difference. Also tried to rename the files to boot_backup.img and recovery_backup.img and then put the new files in there. But next time I start bootloader they are once again restored to how they were before (same file size as before) and the renamed files doesn't exists any more.
Have also tried to install B136 stock ROM via bootloader, looked good at first but when it was finished it said "Installation failed" (or something similar)...
Read somewhere modding the build.prop could cause boot loops, but I haven't touched that and therefore doesn't have any backup of it either.
Any ideas?
Yep, it looks like your bootloader may be corrupt...Do the following:
Boot the phone in Bootloader (pink screen) by pressing Vol+, Vol- and Power and connect the USB cable. Copy all the files you can find on that partition (this will be your backup) and format the partition with FAT32 file system, create a folder named "image" and copy the following files on there.
EMMCBOOT - http://www.mediafire.com/?lb6ifvgk72iru4a
AMSS.MBN - http://www.mediafire.com/?d6r45q6p5gew59v
Recovery.img - http://www.mediafire.com/?57njygc8oianjac
Boot.img - http://www.mediafire.com/?6d5i0714a7o9z97
Once you've done this, take the battery out and boot into Recovery and flash a new Rom (VOL+ and Power.)
Let me know how this goes...
Thank you very much for your help!
However when I try to format the partition windows says it couldn't complete the format. Tried both to right click > format and disk management > format. FAT32/std fast format as well as regular/slow. Neither work. If I do a regular format it goes at normal rate up to 100% and then says the disk isn't formatted...
I don't know if I dare to remove the partition and make a new in disk management, feels like I would screw something else up then?
Any tips?
Have tried to format in Ubuntu 11.10 as well, with the standard tool it didn't complain, but it didn't format it either. Installed GParted and tried that, it did seem to work and said it had successfully formatted it. But yet the image-folder still remains on the boot partition...
Run a systemcheck with the disk management in Ubuntu and it said the file system was OK.
I'm almost out of ideas now...
I don't think you're actually formatting the drive as the "image" folder should be gone once the format is done.
Try using a windows PC, I know that Gparted and Ubuntu can be a bit tricky sometimes...
Also, you've definitely installed the drivers for the cable?
On Windows 7 the drivers are being automatically installed, so maybe you should try that...
I've tried Windows 7 several times (the only Windows I use). It's very weird the files just wont go away. I have taken Shift+Del on the image folder several times and they are removed just as any other files on the computer. Then the next time I connect it the very same files (58 MB) are back! When I do a format the computer shows the disk empty, but when the error window comes up the files are back... In ubuntu GParted shows the partition empty, but after a re-scan the 58 MB are back...
Can try to see if I can make a screen recording to see if I'm doing it wrong somehow.
Thanks for your support!
I have a short screencast on screenr illustrating the problem, but unable to post a link I'll try to describe it.
screenr(dot)com(slash)WMls
Pastasallad said:
I have a short screencast on screenr illustrating the problem, but unable to post a link I'll try to describe it.
screenr(dot)com(slash)WMls
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seen your screencast...it's a bit unclear. Sent you a PM, hopefully we'll be able to sort this out.
Same problem here h ttp//forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1318647
The bootloader seemed to be beyond rescue. Nothing seemed to help, tried several drivers and computers. But the partition seemed locket somehow, couldn't replace the files. Tried to flash in stock ROM 136 and 138. Both failed unless you removed the cust update file. Then it succeeded, but still bootloop when it restarted.
So the phone is now returned for service.
Thanks katu2006 for all the help!

[Problems & Questions] With Official 2.3 Update V2

Hello !
I am feeling really down today after been trying to get my phone working again.
There is a huge problem currently, I am really annoyed that it doesn't work at all.
First thing, my phone won't start after update it just boot loops and never seem to end it.
First thing I noticed /boot, /cache /system and most things are gone, I can load up recovery but nothing more. I have no idea what happened but the whole image folder was wiped and I had to myself put in the CWM recovery.
I can't do an upgrade "again" as it will be stuck @ the unpacking part without starting it at all.
I been trying with 2.3 V2 and with B133(My stock rom I got).
If anyone has a solution that can solve this problem please help out if you could. Also if you are about to tell me get this and that, please most cases I haven't seen any of the Firmware roms in @modaco wiki links work. Means I can't download them, so if you happen to have spare copy please upload it and link it to me. I have been googling and looking through this section twice, nothing really worked out.
Thanks in advance !
If you didn't erase the .cust_backup partition which contain the image folder with all system' s .img files, then maybe it' s damaged. I had some problems with this partition before and when I checked it with windows check disk it repairs it and I had no problems from then. So, try this, and if you still haven' t any file on image folder, you can find the original folder on X5' s forums. Is definately here, but I don't remember where is the link and I don't gonna search it for you. If you cannot find it, you can allways reflash the original rom. If you fix the partition(if this is the problem), I don't think that you'll have problems with update any more.
dancer_69 said:
If you didn't erase the .cust_backup partition which contain the image folder with all system' s .img files, then maybe it' s damaged. I had some problems with this partition before and when I checked it with windows check disk it repairs it and I had no problems from then. So, try this, and if you still haven' t any file on image folder, you can find the original folder on X5' s forums. Is definately here, but I don't remember where is the link and I don't gonna search it for you. If you cannot find it, you can allways reflash the original rom. If you fix the partition(if this is the problem), I don't think that you'll have problems with update any more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello, thanks for the reply.
I have no idea about this .cust_backup partition and how I am supposedly to access it via windows. Also the thing you said about fixing partition within Windows, the check disk thing. I am not sure about that part either as I can load CWM and it can read the partitions but they are empty. Also there is nothing in this forums that contains original things, only way for me to fix this if someone have extra copy and can guide me on how and where to place the all needed files. I am pretty sure it's only things that are missing and I can't get a grip out of this.
So to sum up what my problem is.
I did an upgrade from 2.2 to 2.3 with official firmware, it worked out normally but after a reboot my phone became stuck in an endless loop, I can't do anything and it will not I repeat it will not allow me to "re flash" any firmware I tried so far, the 2.3 V2 and B133.
I am begging someone in this forum section, please if you have the knowledge about this problem care to help?
I can't get a refund out the phone warrenty is off and I do not have that much spare money.
Thanks in advance !
If you can get to recovery, wipe cache and data. It should be possible in stock recovery.
The cust partition has all the images for bootloader, recovery etc. You can get to it with the pink screen. Reformatting and then reinserting the images and files could help, but try that when nothing else works.
I can't give you good help via phone, but try wiping data first. Also, try if you can use some other sd card.
Sent from my U8800 using Tapatalk
Blefish said:
If you can get to recovery, wipe cache and data. It should be possible in stock recovery.
The cust partition has all the images for bootloader, recovery etc. You can get to it with the pink screen. Reformatting and then reinserting the images and files could help, but try that when nothing else works.
I can't give you good help via phone, but try wiping data first. Also, try if you can use some other sd card.
Sent from my U8800 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The most common things I have already done, but do enlighten me what this "custom" parition is. Because in windows I do not see such partition I see a removable partition which I have now added a folder called image with these containing files.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1370960
EDIT ** Also regarding to first person who said about Windows partition manager. The thing is I see a lot of partitions and there is no labeling for them, might be because they are ext2/3 or even something else? In anycase I can't do so much I just find it really odd I have many duplicates and I am guessing that must be errors... Because I am seeing the main recovery partition which has no label too... its at 240 MB where 135MB is used. Lastly there is my internal SD card empty and healthy still I can't reach it within Windows if I do not mount it...And can't now without going into the android OS. I Have loads of free space "partitions I don't understand why they are there".
**
Thanks for helping out, it feels not good to have a half dead phone, it's still not solved :'-(
The .cust_backup is the mount point on android for this removable partition with image folder. In windows haven' t this name. I didn't mean to use the windows partition manager, just to use windows explorer, right click on the partition and choose properties, then tools and then check disk. Of course you can use partition manager too, but because as you found there are all no labeled other partitions there and is a bit confused.
As you mentioned, you found the original image folder and you replaced the files. Did you tried to do the update again after that?
Also you can see and the internal sd partiton, but you need linux system. This partition is not fat32, so windows cannot see it.
dancer_69 said:
The .cust_backup is the mount point on android for this removable partition with image folder. In windows haven' t this name. I didn't mean to use the windows partition manager, just to use windows explorer, right click on the partition and choose properties, then tools and then check disk. Of course you can use partition manager too, but because as you found there are all no labeled other partitions there and is a bit confused.
As you mentioned, you found the original image folder and you replaced the files. Did you tried to do the update again after that?
Also you can see and the internal sd partiton, but you need linux system. This partition is not fat32, so windows cannot see it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have placed all things that I got from here.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1370960
And I can't run the upgrade firmware, it gets stuck at first stage which is to unpack the the update.app thing.
It just stays like that not blinking and frozen.
Did you tried now that you have the original files, to go to recovery mode and wipe data etc?
Also when you try to do the upgrade do you have the device connected with the cable?
I had this problem once and I think that when I disconnected the cable(or maybe wasn' t connected and I connected it, I don't remember well), the proccess bar starts to moving after a while and the upgrade completed successfully.
dancer_69 said:
Did you tried now that you have the original files, to go to recovery mode and wipe data etc?
Also when you try to do the upgrade do you have the device connected with the cable?
I had this problem once and I think that when I disconnected the cable(or maybe wasn' t connected and I connected it, I don't remember well), the proccess bar starts to moving after a while and the upgrade completed successfully.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are not understanding me :-(, I have wiped already millions of times in millions of different ways just to get it work. And no, I don't have the device connrected when I upgrade, it won't work properly then, I have tried to wait for the progress bar to "start" move it won't happen the battery will die, and nothing happened.
I can't go in with normal Recovery mode, can only go in with CWM, the normal recovery mode is really small, I mean only 3mb, while the froyo version is 5mb. Now I am asking if you have the time to upload the image files from 2.3 V2, the ones in forums are for V1. Which I don't know might conflict.
Thanks again for trying to help me out, this is really frustrating to get it to work.
**EDIT**
I worked it out !
I think I understood what you meant, I did as you told I started first with pluggin in the charger forced it to upgrade and now it's upgrading, thank you so much dancer_69. I was going to go tomorrow to buy a new 2nd hand smartphone. But now I can save my money for other things !
**EDIT of EDIT **
I seem to have downgraded to B133, I will try now with B158 2.3 V2 again and hopefully it will work now.
Yes, wasn't clear because I don' t remember what I've done and solve it. But I think that I did it like you discribed too.
Anyway I'm glad that was helpful(kind of)..
And don' t give up so soon with smartphone' s bricks, I've faced brick kind of problems many times and if the device it' s not completely dead, there is something you can do. Maybe need more search or many tries(sometimes the same things) but at the end(and of course If there isn't a hardware problem) device can unbrick.

How do I restore original factory settings after installing Windows 8 ?

I installed windows 8 nut things are not working properly. I would like to shift back to windows 7 on my Sony Vaio. But how do I restore original factory settings ? I cannot find the 'Vaio central' option in the start menu.
By installing Windows 8 Dev Prev over your original operating system do you realise that without a full backup will not be able to do restore?
You can however reinstall the previous OS if a restoration disc is available to you and install all software from there.
Long way but unless you have created a dual boot.
This is not the expected reply but sorry.
I am not sure I understood your problem but, have you tried F11 (or F10 at some cases) while booting? Sometimes it brings up a menu to restore your built-in OS that is hidden on a special partition...
You should have installed W8 on a different partition since it is not a final version. Only final versions should be installed on other Windows, just in case to lessen the risk. I hope I helped you dude!
Also look for a folder called Windows.old on your hard drive, that should have your old install of Windows and will have your old data. Make sure to copy that somewhere safely before wiping the drive.

Dr Fone recovery option messed up my phone getting "Enter your password to start up device" and No support single sku

When I plugin my Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime and then select recovery module and it show as connected and then I select android data recovery option and then select recover documents only and then click next. Then it show and detected device model, downloading package and it went like that till 99% uncertain if it hit 100% or not and then it caused my device to reboot and after it reboot now it is asking for a password to start up device but I tried device screen password, google account password and samsung account password but all didnt work. Thus it shows have 7 attempts left before factory reset itself.
The boot up looks a bit different from normal too, unsure if it is coming through a different type of boot and if there is a way to reverse to how it was earlier?
In recovery mode it shows in recovery log pid 2064 ran. where first line filesystem table code was;
0/ efs ext4/ dev/block/platform/1354000.dwmmc0/by-name/EFS(/dev/block/mmcblk0p3) 0
and in following
#ls /cache/recovery
ksmg
-rw------root root 8190724 2022-04-02 11:19 last_ode_dumpstate_err_check_password.log
From what I could see further in log it seems like maybe dr fone tried to root phone since I see files seem to have been overwritten probably as same file name shown where earlier recorded in time stamp as either 2017 or 2008 and underneath that dst is run with today tim stamp.
What would be method to solve to get back to normal working state without any data loss?
It seems when check via dr fone transfer showing as mem capacity 2797mb and 1362mb used whereas it should show as 32Gb, also when start up it says Enter your password to start up your device but I am certain I enter correct passwords but it is not verifying. Also in recovery mode it shows No support single sku supported api:3.
And when try backup option no files come up on scan does that mean the Dr fone recovery package that it installed wiped out the data? Or is it like in another different boot system for recovery? How to solve this problem?
Also any backup software you think could backup stuff before applying any drastic fixes
I think your phone internal storage is corrupted because of Dr. Fone and this is caused by the data encryption inside the phone and I think that it requires the encryption password, and to solve this problem, you must flash a modified recovery like TWRP or CWM and then pull all the data by making a MOUNT of the internal storage it will only works on old Android version 6.x or 7.x but you can try
My android is 6.0.1 so I think it should work, do you have any video tutorials or a thread with stepwise instructions to get twrp or cwm to backup current data and later restore?
Also any idea if use the dr fone repair device feature it might fix?
Dr.Fone only one thing do transfer WhatsApp chat between android and iOS all else features not work perfect so try another way, ask google how mount internal storage on android phones by twrp it’s easy and not need a tutorial just flash a custom recovery and don’t let device to boot enter recovery mode immediately and go to mount and press mtp or mount storage
Looks like the device name has got renamed as well best try to see if have a file explorer or manager for android so can see if files still intact? Any pc softwares that can be used to clarify without need to unlock screen since it is asking for a pass saying Enter your password to start up your device but I am certain I enter correct passwords but it is not verifying.
If the files are intact then I can try twrp or odin cf root flashing to see if can flash home version file so files possibly stay intact. Or if they are anyways not then will try factory reset via recovery mode and then will need recommendation of good software to recover data for free
Any ideas?
That app is trashware. Do Not use!
If a factory reset doesn't clear it you'll need to reflash the stock rom.
The data is lost... that's my opinion.
Always backup all critical data redundantly to at least two hdds that are physically and electronically isolated from each other and the PC... or you will lose data, eventually!
NEVER encrypt a data backup drive.
Do copy/paste file transfer, verify file size and folder count match. Test for readability.
NEVER clone music data bases, copy/paste only.
Do not use compression or apps like SmartSwitch to backup critical data, they can fail you miserably.
You can never have too many backup data drive. Avoid using flash memory; quality hdds have better memory retainment. Store in more than one location. Near lightning strikes can wipe them; a metal earth grounded box or safe is best.
blackhawk said:
That app is trashware. Do Not use!
If a factory reset doesn't clear it you'll need to reflash the stock rom.
The data is lost... that's my opinion.
Always backup all critical data redundantly to at least two hdds that are physically and electronically isolated from each other and the PC... or you will lose data, eventually!
NEVER encrypt a data backup drive.
Do copy/paste file transfer, verify file size and folder count match. Test for readability.
NEVER clone music data bases, copy/paste only.
Do not use compression or apps like SmartSwitch to backup critical data, they can fail you miserably.
You can never have too many backup data drive. Avoid using flash memory; quality hdds have better memory retainment. Store in more than one location. Near lightning strikes can wipe them; a metal earth grounded box or safe is best.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you recommend a free pc software that could possibly backup device in current state? Or a free pc software that could do data recovery without need to root phone so if I do go ahead with flash and it wipes data or i do factory reset then I could try to get backup data.
NW_Work said:
Can you recommend a free pc software that could possibly backup device in current state? Or a free pc software that could do data recovery without need to root phone so if I do go ahead with flash and it wipes data or i do factory reset then I could try to get backup data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not on an unrooted phone. You can try this.
If you used Drfone it has likely already encrypted the data with their own encryption key.
Hopefully some of your data is backed up somewhere else because this is a dead horse... I believe.
I be more concerned about salvaging the phone at this point. It's a tough lesson from the U of hard knocks... don't repeat it. Sorry.

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