HP 24-r159c locks up when booting up

[itsmyname]

@Gregjdyck --  Ironically, removing a stick of memory allowed it to get to 70% recovery before it hangs instead of 50%. 

Hmm. Is it possible that the stick of RAM that is installed is "bad" ?  Can you try removing that stick, and inserting the stick that you removed?

70% of "X" is approximately 50% of "two-times-X" -- if you allow the possibility that the "progress-bar" is not an EXACT indicator of the overall progress of the update.

>  I've tried recovering from multiple different sources and also different BIOS versions and it always does the same thing

That implies that it is NOT the media that causes the problem.

It also implies that the content of the BIOS file does NOT affect the process.

Unfortunately, what's left is:

* the power-supply (not likely)

* the CPU (not likely)

* the motherboard

* overheating (not likely)

Sigh.

Can you move your RAM to a different computer, and use www.memtest.org to create a bootable "RAM-test" CD-disk, to test the RAM (on a different motherboard) ?

[Gregjdyck]

Unfortunately I don't have another computer to test the RAM.  I might just order some new RAM and see if that fixes it.  I did try that before and it didn't make a difference but I suppose it's possible there are two problems, the SSD and the RAM. 

Fortunately I did get the BIOS to recover finally so I'm back to where I was before where the UFEI test will run successfully forever but it won't load the OS.

[itsmyname]

@Gregjdyck --  I'm back to where I was before 

Good. Now, you can run that MEMTEST utility on your computer, to extensively test your RAM.

[Gregjdyck]

I downloaded the memtest utility onto a bootable USB Flash drive but can't get it to boot the AiO.  I went into BIOS settings and enabled legacy boot options, moved USB Drive to the top of the boot order for both UEFI and Legacy and it still hangs at the HP logo.  Any suggestions?

[itsmyname]

@Gregjdyck -- any suggestions?

The web-site has several download options, including the following:

Memtest86+ V5.01 (27/09/2013)

* Download - Pre-Compiled Bootable ISO (.zip)
* Download - Auto-installer for USB Key (Win 9x/2k/xp/7)

Of the above two methods, which did you choose?

For the former, you need to "unzip" the download, to create the "ISO" file.

Then, right-mouse-button click on the ISO file, and then choose the file: C:\Windows\System32\isoburn.exe

to correctly copy the ISO to an empty USB memory-stick.

Then, you should be able to boot from the memory-stick.

For the latter, again, you will need to "unzip" the download, and run the EXE file, to write to the USB memory-stick.

[Gregjdyck]

There is another option:

• Download - Auto-installer for USB Key (Win 7/8/10)

This is what I selected.

[itsmyname]

@Gregjdyck -- that is what I selected

So, step by step, what did you do after the download of this file completed?

Any error-message after each step?

[Gregjdyck]

I downloaded the .zip file and extracted it on another PC.  It extracted a single executable.  I executed this file which launched an installer that asked for a USB drive to install onto.  I also selected the option to format the USB before installing.  It formatted as Fat/32 and then installed the software.  No error messages.  I inserted the USB flash drive into the AiO PC and started up the PC, pressing F11 multiple times to get into the BIOS settings.  I went into the BIOS settings and moved "USB Drive" to be first in the boot order under UEFI.  I exited and restarted and it froze at the HP logo as per the screen shot.  I repeated the process to get into the BIOS settings again and enabled legacy boot options.  I then went into the legacy boot order and moved USB Drive to the top of the order.  Saved, exited and tried booting again and it froze again at the HP logo.  I tried a couple of more times and one time it actually booted to Windows 11 but then froze as soon as I clicked on something.  Another time it said it needed to repair and it froze at the repair options screen.

[itsmyname]

@Gregjdyck --  I went into the BIOS settings and moved "USB Drive" to be first in the boot order under UEFI.  I exited and restarted and it froze at the HP logo as per the screen shot.

What happens if you disconnect the "data" and "power" cables from the disk-drive, leaving the USB memory-stick as the _only_ available bootable device?  Do you still get the Windows "spinner" (dots flowing in a circle), and then falling off the screen)  as Windows loads?

Does your USB stick have a lamp on it, that lights-up each time that there is input/output?

[Gregjdyck]

Great tip!  Removing the SSD drive worked perfectly.  The memtest is running right now!