Start up issues and other misc problems

It's not found on the test but the flash works on this computer

Are you saying program don't detect USB flash drive have you selected HDD check box .

Yes

Then there is not much we can do if program wont detect USB flash drive. If you want you can create new Windows 8.1 Setup USB flash drive using Media Creation Tool or you can test the USB flash drive on working computer.

I reloaded the flash drive this morning. It will run on the good computer

What we need to to know is does the USB flash drive is bootable we tried program which did not detect USB flash drive so if you want you can try to boot working computer with USB flash drive if Windows 8.1 setup screen displayed then we will know USB flash drive bootable.

I DID,IT DOES

So you telling me it USB flash drive works with different working computer but not the one we are trying to repair.

Yes

What is brand name and model number of the computer that we are trying to repair.

Gateway

HDMI

Please follow the instructions from below link.


https://panam.gateway.com/s/Mobile/Gateway/M275/3501734faq69.shtml

The only way I can get into the BIOS screen is to hit delete during startup

Have you tried ESC and F10 keys while the Gateway screen is displayed during the startup process?

Yes, that didn't work

Okay make sure USB flash drive connected to USB 2.0 port and set the Removable Device as first boot device and press F10 key to save and exit BIOS to see if computer boots from USB flash drive.
If you have a DVD optical drive you can create Windows 8.1 Setup DVD.

We did all this yesterday, it didn't work then and it's not working now.

That's why i ask you to create Windows Setup DVD your computer wont boot from USB flash drive it will from bootable Windows 8.1 Setup DVD.

Send a link for the setup dvd

You can use Windows 8.1 Media Creation Tool to create Windows 8.1 setup DVD.

ok

Now I have to learn to burn a cd

The Media Creation Tool should burn the DVD for you if not please tell me which operating system working computer using.

My son in law is burning one for me, I'll have it this afternoon.

Got the disc, let's proceed.

Place the DVD to DVD optical drive and set CD/DVD drive as first boot device within BIOS setup utility and press F10 to save and exit BIOS. When ask to boot from DVD press any key to do so.
We will first repair Windows system files then repair hard disk drive errors after we are finish with these repairs you will use Automatic Repair (Startup Repair) tool.


Please open the Command Prompt.

The following command scans integrity of all protected system files and repairs files with problems when possible.




Following command will fixes errors on the disk and locates bad sectors and recovers readable information.




Please replace partition letter D: with Windows installed partition letter. When computer boots into Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) environment the drive letter assign to Windows partition may not be C: drive letter because Windows 7, 8 , 8.1 and 10 creates a separate system partition when it's installed from scratch. The system partition contains boot files WinRE assigns the system partition the C: drive letter and the Windows installed partition will be assign any other drive letter usually D: drive letter is assign to Windows installed partition. The Bcdedit /enum | find "osdevice" command can be use to find out the drive letter of the Windows installed partition the output of the Bcdedit command is similar to this osdevice partition=D:. The drive letter after partition= is the drive letter of the Windows partition.


After you have finish executing the commands run Automatic Repair (Startup Repair) tool and when this tool finish restart your computer to check if it will boot normally.

How do I open the command prompt?

From Windows Recovery Environment click “Troubleshoot”. Click “Advanced options” on the Troubleshoot screen to access more WinRE recovery utility’s in “Advanced options” screen. From Advanced options click Command Prompt.

What does all this mean?


Please replace partition letter D: with Windows installed partition letter. When computer boots into Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) environment the drive letter assign to Windows partition may not be C: drive letter because Windows 7, 8 , 8.1 and 10 creates a separate system partition when it's installed from scratch. The system partition contains boot files WinRE assigns the system partition the C: drive letter and the Windows installed partition will be assign any other drive letter usually D: drive letter is assign to Windows installed partition. The Bcdedit /enum | find "osdevice" command can be use to find out the drive letter of the Windows installed partition the output of the Bcdedit command is similar to this osdevice partition=D:. The drive letter after partition= is the drive letter of the Windows partition.

How else you want me to explain what all that means that's best way i can explain that you need to enter Bcdedit /enum | find "osdevice" command to find out which drive letter is assign to Windows installed partition and use this drive letter with commands i ask you to execute.

It tells me it's not recognized as an internal or external command,operable program or batch file

You must be typing the command not correctly.

It worked that time and the scan is running

@pappy how is going?

Both scans just got finished.

Okay now use Automatic Repair.

It says "Couldn't repair try advanced options"

Try System Restore tool to restore your system to a date when it was working.

Can I do that from a command prompt?

Never mind I found it

@pappy please tell us the result of the system restore process!

System Restore did not complete successfully. Your computer's system files and settings were not changed.

Details

An unspecified error occurred during System Restore. (0x8007051a)

Execute below commands and test to see computer boot into Windows.

They all scanned successfully

Have you restarted your computer to see if Windows boots.

No, not yet

Please restart your computer.

I took the disc out to restart and I still only have a black screen.

You can use try Refresh option to reinstall operating system while keeping your personal files. This option is located at Troubleshoot screen.