Windows 10 upgrade problem

[lizbethjane]

I downloaded the Windows 10 upgrade and installed it but the computer never re-started.  I have tried numerous times to re-start the computer, but it displays a blue screen with the hp emblem and the dots go around in a circle but then the screen goes black and it does the same thing over again.

How do I go back to the Windows 8.1 operating system when it will not boot?  I used the F11 key and the only operating system listed is Windows 10.

Any help will be appreciated.

[WAWood · Accepted solution]

lizbethjane

Hello;

Allow me to welcome you to the HP forums!

I read your post about revert your PC back to Win8.1 and wanted to help.

Unfortunately, the Win10 Upgrade is know, in some cases, to corrupt the Recovery partition stored there by the OEM that built the original machine.  This pretty much guarantees that no HP Recovery is going to work.

Ordinarily, I would recommend using HP Recovery Media to restore your PC to its original condition. That would erase the entire drive, format the drive, and install the OS, the drivers, and the HP utilities.

Unfortunately, there is no HP Recovery Media linked to the HP Product Page for your PC.  This could be an oversight by HP, or it could also mean that HP no longer stocks the recovery media for your PC. They no long stock recovery media for the older PCs.

You can try contacting HP Customer Support directly, using the links below, to see if you can order if from them:

If you live in the US or Canada, contact information is on this page: http://www8.hp.com/us/en/contact-hp/phone-assist.html#section1

If you live elsewhere, contact information is on this page: http://www8.hp.com/us/en/contact-hp/ww-contact-us.html

NOTE: After you get through, stay on the line until you are finally able to talk to some one -- it can take a while!

Good Luck
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Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try:

Good Luck
========================================================================
I am a volunteer and I do not work for, nor do I represent, HP.
---------------------------------------------------------------
If my posts helped you, please click the Thumbs-Up symbol on my post to say thanks.
If my posts solved your problem please click "Accept As Solution".
========================================================================

[lizbethjane]

Thank you very much for your reply and help.

I am delighted to report that the computer fixed itself!  I tried numerous things such as restoring to previous condition, booting from the DVD drive with a Ubuntu operating system to gain access to the files -- which would not work because the OS was corrupt/not shut down properly -- then after more "experimenting" I was re-starting the Windows OS and I saw a screen that indicated the computer was trying to restore "something" -- I did not remember what exactly was on the screen due to being exhausted -- and I let it "spin" (the blue dots went round and round) for 5 hours when I went to bed.  After 5 hours it was still "spinning" so I forced a shut down by pressing and holding down the power button.  I left it for a day and this morning I decided to try "one more time" to start the computer and I got a screen saying the computer was "restoring the previous operating system."  After about 45 minutes the computer was working perfectly in Windows 8.1.

I will now try to create a "restore disc" on a jump drive so that if I have a problem with the operating system in the future I will have my own recovery data.  If I can not create the recovery disc, I will contact HP about obtaining the recovery disc if it is available.

Again, thank you for your help.

I went into detail regarding this so that if anyone else has this problem with Windws 10, they can try what I did before wiping out their hard drive.

[WAWood]

What I would suggest, in terms of making a restore backup, is doing what I have been for years -- using a tool known as Macrium Reflect.

Macrium Reflect (MR) provides a FREE version that can be used to image and restore partitions or entire drives.

What I recommend is the following:
1) Download and install Macrium Reflect (MR)
2) Run MR and choose the option: "Create an image of the partition(s) required to backup and restore Windows" to write a full backup to an external drive or USB stick
3) Use the option to create a boot USB stick or CD

My experience is that MR, when using the High Compression option, typically can compress the saved image file to about 50% of the USED space in the OS partition.  This means if you have an 80GB OS partition, and 40GB is used, MR only needs about 20GB to store the image file.

I use this all the time and it typically takes less than 10 minutes to do the image backup and about the same time or less to do a restore.  

Plus, MR has the option to Add a Recovery Boot Menu entry.  This allows you then to boot into WinRE, and you can then use that to do a restore -- when you can't boot into Windows!

NOW, you have the means to restore a full working system from the external drive or USB stick in only a few minutes.

Good Luck
========================================================================
I am a volunteer and I do not work for, nor do I represent, HP.
---------------------------------------------------------------
If my posts helped you, please click the Thumbs-Up symbol on my post to say thanks.
If my posts solved your problem please click "Accept As Solution".
========================================================================