Hardware failure or corrupt windows install?

MOH

I've a build that's been running fine for years with Windows 8.1. OS is on an SSD, everything else on a WD HDD. User document folders are also on the HDD. Swap file is on the SSD.

Machine crashed earlier (think to to a memory oroblem) and won't reboot. Keeps either hanging at the windows logo, or giving a note that it's preparing automatic repair, followed by a black screen.
Can't seem to find anyway way of getting into safe mode, and I don't have an alternative boot option.

Opened the case to check if anything had come loose, all looks fine. Randomly decided to disconnect the HDD, it spent about two seconds at the logo and brought up the login screen. Except now it's giving an error that "the user profile service failed the sign in". I don't seem to have any option to switch account or do anything else, and I can't log in.

Reconnecting the drive and restarting puts me back at the endless logo and swirling dots.

I'm a bit bemused. If its the HDD that's faulty, surely I should be able to at least log in with it disconnected since the OS is on the SSD. Unless having the user folder on the HDD is causing a problem.

Any suggestions as to what to check or how to get into safe mode without an alternative boot method would be very welcome.

It's an Asus H97M motherboard, in case that's relevant. I've been through the BIOS options but can't see anything helpful there

5uspect

You could boot Ubuntu off a CD/DVD or USB stick and see if the drive is accessible.

MOH

5uspect wrote: »

You could boot Ubuntu off a CD/DVD or USB stick and see if the drive is accessible.

Good point, thanks . Unfortunately I don't have an optical drive or a bootable USB. Might be able to get one tomorrow.

Hmmm. Left it spinning away for half an hour, and just got "scanning and repairing drive 100% complete".... Followed by more black screen.

I'm 90% sure it's Windows after getting itself in a twist. The problem is just getting in.

Been meaning to switch back to Linux for a while though. This is the last straw.

smuggler.ie

By any chance you had OS on HDD originally, and later install OS to SSD with HDD still present on the system?


to get to safe mode: at your error message you should still have power options button on bottom right - hold Shift and select Restart from power options, then Troubleshoot>>Advanced options>>Startup Settings>>Restart>>4

Check user profile reg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEyxD6ZG-jI

smuggler.ie

...and once you get back to you account, make sure you create another one(or even two) admin accounts. You don't have to use them, but in instance like this it might give you more options recovering from profile corruption issues...

z0oT

MOH wrote: »

I'm 90% sure it's Windows after getting itself in a twist. The problem is just getting in.

Been meaning to switch back to Linux for a while though. This is the last straw.

Doesn't sound like it's Windows per se, but rather like your HDD is potentially dead, and Windows doesn't like not being able to find the User directory. To be fair any Linux OS will probably fall over in a similar way if it can't find the /home directory either. (Although you'd probably still be able to log on as root)

Two very good suggestions above. Another is to remove that HDD and put it into an external USB enclosure if you have one and access it with another machine. You'll very quickly be able to tell if there's an issue or not.

If you haven't got one I'd recommend getting something like This, it comes in very handy for accessing stuff on loose HDDs.

Rob2D

https://partedmagic.com/

Great tool, I've used it for many years. Should help you diagnose.

MOH

smuggler.ie wrote: »

By any chance you had OS on HDD originally, and later install OS to SSD with HDD still present on the system?


to get to safe mode: at your error message you should still have power options button on bottom right - hold Shift and select Restart from power options, then Troubleshoot>>Advanced options>>Startup Settings>>Restart>>4

Check user profile reg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEyxD6ZG-jI

Thanks, I'll try that. Nah, OS was always on the SSD.

There's at least one other account on the system, and I might have a default admin accou t with the hone folder on the SSD, but I'm not seeing any way of switching accounts.

MOH

OK, so accessed the advanced restart options, booted into safe mode with HDD disconnected.
Logged in using normal account but got a message saying I'd been signed in with the default credentials. Verified there is a default admin account which I somehow even remembered the password to.

Ran a bcdedit command to always boot into safe mode, turned it off, reconnected the HDD and turned it back on. Back to the same "repair 100%" then black screen.

Aaand just as I was about to post this it's now finally come up with a login screen and I now have spinning dots at the "welcome" message. Although if the HD is borked, maybe the signon is completing using whatever credentials it now has on the SSD, and it's then failing trying to access the home folders.

I guess the next step is to try to boot with the HDD connected, use advanced options to reboot to a cmd prompt, and run chkdsk on the HDD, if I can see it at all.

The other question is how do I change user at the login screen? Unless I'm being thick there's no option to do so. And I now know there's another account there (two in fact)

smuggler.ie

Win 8.1 has arrow to-the-left next to current user sign-in
If you dont have it , there is no other user accounts on system (apart of buid-in Admin that is disabled by def.)

smuggler.ie

In OP you said you home folders on HDD, hence OS failing to access it without disk/gone disk.
You might need to restore default locations
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18583-user-folders-restore-default-location.html

MOH

smuggler.ie wrote: »

Win 8.1 has arrow to-the-left next to current user sign-in
If you dont have it , there is no other user accounts on system (apart of buid-in Admin that is disabled by def.)

Yeah, I'm not seeing that arrow and there's definitely at least one other user account on the system, I only saw it a couple of days ago before all the problems started.

smuggler.ie wrote: »

In OP you said you home folders on HDD, hence OS failing to access it without disk/gone disk.
You might need to restore default locations
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18583-user-folders-restore-default-location.html

That's brilliant, thanks. I'll try that.

In the meantime, I called over to a friend, made an Ubuntu live USB, booted into that and can access stuff on the HDD no problem. Though obviously that doesn't mean it's totally fine.
Also discovered that when I built the box 5 years ago I'd only partitioned half the SSD so I could install Linux on the other half, and then never did. So I've done that now.

Next step is back up anything important off the HDD, and try your link to restore default locations. If that doesn't work I'll just nuke the Windows side and reinstall. Been meaning to upgrade to 10 anyway so may as well do that now.
I'm still half convinced Windows has just somehow corrupted the user profiles and the disk is fine, but I won't be relying on it until I've got a stable system again. Plus a timely reminder to keep my backup regime up to date!

smuggler.ie

depend on edition (home/pro/enterprice)...
in CMD (or RUN) type lusrmgr.msc to check accounts ever created in on the system
or

"accounts" from control panel(Control Panel\User Accounts and Family Safety\User Accounts\Manage Accounts>> manage other accounts)


all valid accounts should be listed there.


Depending on SSD manufacturer... Samsung eg. leave about 10% of a disk total capacity "un-provisioned" by def.

smuggler.ie

"home folders" only are created if user account was ever logged-IN. Account might be there without folders, if it was created, but never logged-in

TheBoyConor

I had a smiliar thing before on my Win 10 SSD. I just wouldn't boot and the SSD wasn't showing up in the boot options for some reason.
after fiddling around with boot menu options to no avail, out of options I eventually just tried taking out the SSD and then reseating it. Worked perfectly then.

So could be a simple as a dirty connection on the interface. Certainly worth a try to rule it out.

At 5 years old you should consider the condition of the SSD. They do suffer from "wear". the manufacturer should have a utility that you can run that will test the SSD and give you a report on its condition and wear level. If any kind of deterioration is reported you should consider replacing it. They are cheap now anyway.