Flashing "hp" screen upon booting up.

[Bree27]

Hello community,

My camera disappeared and i decided to restore back to the date of my last use. The restore date would only go to two days before. I decided to do a reset and it started looping, after about 2 hours it was still looping. I powered it off.

I powered on my all in one desktop and it began flashing "hp". I powered off and back on,  and it continued. I powered off f11, and tried to reset this pc but it responded "There was a problem resetting your PC. No changes were made. Can someone please help ?Can it be repaired or should i trash it?  Thank you

[RrichardD · Accepted solution]

Dear Bree,

  You may not like what I have to say, but wade through it and we might save your computer.

1. Initial problem was Windows 10 (as is around 85~90% of issues reported/help-requested in this forum). Trying the back-date routine would likely result in it resetting your user password too - so expect that once we get it running again.

2. Your pressing buttons/keys (f11 for example) and turning the computer on-off successively ... has caused a truck-load of additional problems. Desperate or panicking really is no justification. If you do not know what you are doing - DON'T DO IT.

 I have a fair notion the reason others here did not bother responding to your request for help, is because your actions were incredibly dumb/do not warrant help.

 I think everyone deserves a few chances, because we all make mistakes, and that is the basis for learning. On the record - the other morning I was trying to 'multitask' making toast and coffee - then spread ground coffee on my buttered toast. We all do it (no I do not recommend it - tastes terrible).

 If you do not have a couple lying around, go out and buy three USB sticks/thumb drives. Using a friends computer/public access system - go to HP's main pages and down-load the USB drive version of HP recovery/diagnostic utility - directly onto one drive. Put it to one side and got to the MicroSoft Windows (10) community support forum - then scroll back to April 20th. You will find in there three posts that talk about Windows 10 pro system recovery on a HP Z400 Xeon server. I was being slack and asking some friends to get some links, because I was very busy (work/talking with important folks).

 If you wish you can read all three posts (covers a lot of what you have experienced - from the perspective of top IT folks - however the important thing is the links (3 - I think) on the second post/message. You may need all three - so it save time and you learn by reading why (covered all contingencies).

 The one I want you to download onto the second USB thumbdrive is the link to the Windows recovery/installation USB.

 Remember where you went, so you can go back if you need the other tools/options on the second/third links (unlikely - but possible).

 Go home, take a break and wait until you have a six~eight hour (max=possible) working window.

 When ready, make sure no other USB's or connections are on your computer - except the modem/LAN connection (turned on) - and keyboard/mouse where applicable.

 Turn it on, insert the HP recovery USB ... then follow instructions to recover the system. If in doubt (does not do it automatically/based on your responses ... select "default" bios, then F10 at the main screen).

 This should get you past the initial hardware configuration and start-up ... into "Windows" land (probably busted/malfunctioning/requesting a password and not accept your password - does that to lots of folks, so do not get annoyed or angry ... waste of time/achieves nothing).

 Now remove the HP recovery USB - wait thirty seconds - then insert the Windows recovery USB ... then follow the directions.

 It is possible - it might (after some running fixes/repairs) say it needs to "update". You are lucky if it does (saves your data/files, etc. that might be lost in a complete reinstall). Let it run, if it give you that option - otherwise you will have to go with "clean install" (might save/restore some of your personal files - but do not count on it) - then once running - walk away.

 Do not touch it, especially if it reboots itself several times. The repairs/fixes at that point are not complete. DO NOT INTERFERE (leave it alone - it is writing machine code/internal code). Find something to do (eg. Recall a rich elderly Aunt who might like a cozy for her tea-pot ... so take-up knitting ... or feel a oneness with Storks and see how long you can stand on one leg. If into self harm - put on the Irish Rover's greatest hits and sing-along to "loveliest of them all was the unicorn" - which should see the neighbours chasing you for a couple of blocks).

 After some time - usually two~three hours - you will have a Windows log-on screen showing the beach cave looking out to sea (Unicorn's maybe) ... Leave it alone until that log-on screen has been static/unchanged for ten to fifteen minutes.

 This means you are 85%~90% finished. Try your password and see if it works (may not).

 If it does, you are finished, can go online and buy a tea cozy for the rich Aunt, get a Stork shooting game, etc.

 If the log-on rejects the password (33~40% likely), go back to the Microsoft Customer Support forum discussion (April twenty) and download the password fix program. Links to the same are here /this forum - because it happens (reported/help requested) frequently.

 Run the program and follow instructions.

 Make sure you always remove USB devices/drives on shutdown and and before start-up - on a Windows 10 machine. Those can cause boot errors on start-up, then you will have to do this all again.

 Keep the stuff need to restore your (Windows 10) system, because you know how to do it - have the resources - and it will happen to people you know (maybe even rich Aunts).

 Cheers,

 Rick.