# Can't Do A Reset



## Unoriginal (Aug 16, 2012)

Help me, Tech Support Forum. You're my only hope.

Once again, I have a problem whose origin eludes me, and it is here I come for help because it is here I have gotten the most help. Since the last time I posted here, I've gotten a new computer. Yay. It's a Windows 8 HP 2000 with 4 gigs of RAM and a 500 GB hard drive. Vast improvement over my old hunk of junk, except, you know, Windows 8. I didn't have a choice in the matter, though, they were all Windows 8 and Windows 10 wasn't yet a thing. 

Anywho, I has problems with this thing and they're driving me crazy. In the first place, I download updates Microsoft says I should have and my browser starts to run slow or sites don't load at all, so I try to uninstall said updates, but the computer re-installs them anyway so my browser still doesn't want to load every site I normally visit properly all the time. Great. So I decide to try to start all over from factory settings and download the updates a few at a time and maybe isolate the ones causing the issues and maybe search for updates I'm missing that may address the issue I'm having. Why not simply look for said updates now, should there be any? Because my browser barely loads anything and I need the computer and browser in a state I can actually search and download without hangups, pages getting stuck, or things just plain not happening and I'm not getting that with the state it's in now. Thanks, Obama.

Anywho, my next problem, and the one I need help with most, is I can't do a factory reset, so I'm stuck with a computer that barely loads anything on any browser after installing updates Microsoft themselves released even after upgrading to 8.1. Windows or HP recovery, no matter which I try, no matter what method I employ to try to do the recovery, I try running them, they act like they're starting, but after the computer restarts, the screen just goes black and nothing else happens. I know nothing else happens because when I first noticed this problem, I let it go for five hours thinking it was doing something. It wasn't. And I know it should be doing something because I did a factory reset on another computer and watched it restart to begin the process without issue.

I've tried pressing ESC to stop the boot and access the controls that brings up, I've tried pressing F11 at POST, I've tried accessing recovery for both Windows and HP via the start menu, I've tried making a recovery USB drive, I've tried the black screen fixes suggested here except ones that suggest removing the HDD for any reason or taking it to a computer repair place because I don't know if I have a small enough screwdriver to get it out and put another one in for testing purposes or the money to take it to a computer repair place. Nothing has worked and if there is something I can do that doesn't involve getting another new computer, I would love to know it because what if I inadvertently do something that does actually require a refresh or reset to fix, but I can't because every time I try, the screen just goes black and does nothing instead of doing what I told it to?


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

First off, if you have only had this computer for a few weeks, you can take it back to the place of purchase and they will give you another one for free. 
If you have had it longer, but less then a year, you still have a warranty from HP, plus Free Phone and Email Support. 
If you can boot your computer,Have you tried doing a *System Restore* to a time before this happened? This is not as radical as a Factory reset, but it something you should try first. 
You also can Go to Search and type *CMD*, Right click the* CMD *results and *Run As Administrator*. In the Elevated *Command Prompt*, type *chkdsk /R *and press enter. Now type a* Y* for Yes and restart the computer. *Check Disk* will start at next bootup and it may take a while. 
If you can't do that, or it doesn't help, you can do diagnostic tests on your HDD and Memory, by booting into *Setup *(Bios) by pressing *F2* HP PC Hardware Diagnostics | HP® Official Site This will tell if your HDD is failing, and if it needs replacing. You can also download the ISO image for *Seatools *in my signature. Burn the image to CD using *IMGBurn* also in my signature, and boot off of the newly created CD and run the Short and Long tests on the HDD. If either test fails, the HDD needs to be replaced.


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## BIGBEARJEDI (Aug 8, 2012)

Looks like you attempted a Windows8.1 upgrade from Windows8 correct? This is catastrophic to most Users these days; about 7 out of 10 customers of mine who try this on their own scramble their Windows by doing so. Unfortunately, it's a computer killer. :facepalm: Thanks M$! :nonono:

Try Spunk's suggestions,* SYSTEM RESTORE* and *WINDOWS RESET* are the easiest way to fix this, but if that fails you probably have a hardware failure. Have you or anyone you loaned your laptop to recently dropped it?? :ermm: This can cause premature hard drive failure or other electronic components as well. 

If you decide to test your hardware components after software resolutions fail, post back here and I will provide you with step-by-step instructions to do so. This will enable you to narrow down a faulty hardware component in your laptop.:wink: But, some of my tests require the opening of your laptop, which *MAY* void your Factory Warranty; so I would take Spunk's suggestion of returning it to HP. _Bear in mind however, that HP is notoriously slow on repairs due to their volume, and it has taken my Customers up to 11 weeks to get their laptops back from repair._ If this is unacceptable and you get to this point, you may need to consider taking to your local Computer Repair shop.:smile:

Best of luck, :thumb:
*<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>> :yltype:*


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