Windows stuck loading

[fx_rage]

I was using my UX32VD last night when all of a sudden my programs began to close and windows crashed.

I tried to reboot into windows and it now sticks on the starting windows screen, the windows logo does not twist and come up as it should, indicating that it is frozen. Trying to repair the files via windows boot manager locks up, as does booting into safe mode.

I checked my bios and it recognizes all ram and hard drives. I tried swapping both to no avail. I then tried to reinstall windows using a flash drive, different flash drives and from different isos. These will boot from the flash drive, it will say windows is loading files, and then get stuck at a black screen where I can see my mouse.

I called ASUS and they would like me to send it in, they think it is just software issues though so I would like to see if anyone could help me out. Thanks!

 

[Bubbaleone]

When you say you tried to repair the files "via windows boot manager" do you mean by tapping the F8 key for access to the Windows 7 Recovery Environment repair options when you first power up?

 

[tracerbullet]

When I've had something like this in the past, it was new hardware going into a PC, and an apparent drivers issue. I vaguely remember removing the new part, pre-installing the drivers, then putting the part back in and having success.

I know you didn't say anything about new hardware, but maybe it gives an idea? Perhaps turn off everything you can in the BIOS (serial / parallel ports, whatever), setting things to their most basic mode, and giving it another try?

Also, it seems that how you got here, with things getting hosed up and making you feel the need to reinstall, should somehow drive an idea as to the trouble? Possible hardware issue such as RAM?

Just thinking out loud, hope it helps.

 

[fx_rage]

I tapped f8 and it locked up. I swapped in original ram and hdd to no avail.

I also tried swapping a sad into my desktop, installed win 7 to that, and put back in the laptop. I am now getting a boot manager missing error.

Thoughts? Thanks again!

 

[Smoove910]

so if you have a HD in there which says the boot manager is missing, can you at least get to a DOS prompt? The boot mgr files can be rebuilt if you can get to DOS. Not sure if the link will help since I don't know if you can get that far with your current conditions.

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/32523/how-to-manually-repair-windows-7-boot-loader-problems/

 

[Bubbaleone]

I tapped f8 and it locked up. I swapped in original ram and hdd to no avail.

I also tried swapping a sad into my desktop, installed win 7 to that, and put back in the laptop. I am now getting a boot manager missing error.

Thoughts? Thanks again!

Which drive configuration did you order for your Zen? Asus's site says that there are drive options available. If you were able to install Windows 7 to one the Zen's SSDs via your desktop and now you're getting a "boot manager missing" error with that SSD reinstalled in the Zen, that would be normal if the Windows 7 installer located the new installation's boot manager on the desktop's drive instead of the SSD from the Zen. (For reasons apparently known only to MS, installing Windows 7 on a PC with multiple drives usually results in the boot manager being placed on a drive different from the drive you perform the installation on...go figure).

So my thoughts are these: If the Zen came with two SSDs and the above scenario is true i.e., the boot manager was placed seperately from the OS drive, and both drives are recognized in the Zen's BIOS, then it sounds like the Zen's SSD that contained the OS somehow became badly corrupted. I'm not suggesting a new SSD has already gone south (although that could be the case); more likely the storage controller driver got corrupted or there may be a defective SATA cable or loose connection that caused the corruption.


.

 

[fx_rage]

Thanks for the help, I finally got the bootloader issue etc worked out, so I am now booting from the 2.5" drive bay.

My one question is, now that I am in windows, I cannot see the iSSD. It shows up in the bios, but does not show in disk management, device manager, or diskpart.

Any help? Thanks again for everything, you guys have been lifesavers

 

[Bubbaleone]

Windows probably can't see the embedded SSD cache device because there's no driver for it in this new installation. Go to this Asus Support site for downloading drivers, utilities, and BIOS files for the UX32VD. I think you're going to need to download and re-install new drivers (install the Intel INF driver first!), and possibly re-flash the BIOS if you expect all the features of your Zen to be fully functional again.

Did you try backing up your personal files on the original HDD and then use the factory restore option (press F9 at boot) to return your Zenbook to original condition, before you started swapping parts and reinstalling operating systems? Just thought I'd throw that out there in the event that might still be an option for you.

 

[fx_rage]

I installe the ssd cache and still can't see the drive. I also don't have an interest in using it as a cache drive, I'd prefer to install to it as I did before. I can't do a factory reinstall as they install to the hdd, which is terribly slow. I installed to the ssd and then used the hdd as a slave drive.

I assume order of installing drivers matters? For some reason I can't install the Intel Rapid boot driver and I think that's why it is taking a minute or more on the Windows is starting screen, which shouldn't be the case. I benched the 2.5" SSD and it is performing fine.

 

[Bubbaleone]

Unless your Zenbook came with a factory driver CD (which by default would install all the drivers in correct order), as I said in my previous post; you'll need to download and install the Asus drivers on your new installation. To successfully install any of the Intel components you must install the Intel INF driver first.

Edit: Click the Asus download link in my previous post, select your OS, and wait for the page to load. The Asus drivers begin at "Chipset", which is the Intel INF driver. Install that first, then install the remaining catagories of device drivers in the order they're listed.


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[fx_rage]

Sorry to bump an old topic, but this is for anyone else with a similar issue:
I had to send it into ASUS for repair. They ended up replacing the mobo, so it was a hardware issue.