Computer boots to lock screen w/ keyboard & mouse disabled

[slburch]

Computer boots to a beach scene with clock(lock screen), but unable to do anything except turn PC off. Keyboard and mouse are disabled on boot. Tried every option from restore to recovery and system says it's unable to perform them. I don't have restore disks or any files to boot from jump drive. So need files to put on jump drive to boot with so I can reinstall Windows. This computer was upgraded since purchase to Windows 10.

I don't want to lose files on PC so plan to rename folders in command prompt where personal files may be. Please help me where they may be so I can do this. I do IT work but don't have HP knowledge. Many years ago I would just rename windows folder then reinstall windows then copy folders I need from old folder then deltree old windows folder. 

I'm sure there is a partition with the windows files but not sure I'll be able to get Windows 10 back, but not worried about that at this point. Would just like to get computer functioning again and not have it be just a clock now. Thanks in advance.

Stephen

[Dvortex]

Hello, @slburch - Hope you are well 🙂
 

Thank you for your continued participation in the HP support forums!

I understand that you are having trouble with your HP Desktop PC and is trying to recover the same. Appreciate all your efforts so far! I will try and help you from here 🙂

Go to http://hp.care/2d8t85o and follow the steps under " Recovery when Windows 10 does not start correctly" to perform the recovery.

You can also check the options to back up your files while performing this step.

Those steps should do the trick, let me know the outcome!

Good luck 🙂

Please click "Accepted as Solution" on the post that solves your issue to help others find the solution. To show appreciation for my help, please click the "Thumbs Up Icon" below!

[mdklassen]

> Tried every option from restore to recovery and system says it's unable to perform them.

Can you give more details about any error-messages that are produced?

Can you reboot and run the HP Diagnostics on the disk-drive -- it might be "failing", and causing the "unable" messages.

> I don't have restore disks or any files to boot from jump drive.

Access http://support.hp.com   and enter your model-number.

If your computer is less than 3 years old, HP may offer to sell you a copy of the original Windows Installation "set", on a USB memory-stick.   If not, see 'www.computersurgeons.com' -- they may have that "recovery set" for your original version of Windows.

I would purchase another disk-drive, and reinstall Windows to it.

Then, attach the current disk-drive as a "slave" drive, and copy your files from "old" to "new".

(The "old" disk-drive probably is "out-of-warranty", and should be proactively replaced before it fails.)

However, since you were running Windows 10, you have a "digital entitlement" to reinstall Windows 10, at no cost to you. See: https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10  to download Windows 10 to a USB memory-stick.  This "skips" the re-installation of the original version of Windows, but you probably will need to access Windows Update (and/or http://support.hp.com ) to download the device-drivers for your HP-specific hardware.

[slburch]

Thanks Dvortex & mdklassen,

I have completed a system restore and am back to Windows 8.

I backuped data and now have data back to my C: drive but in "System Recovery Files" folder. How do I get it to restore to correct places in Windows? Is my Windows 10 still here? Would like to put it back to Windows 10 before I put files back. The link Dvortex gave doesn't look like the Windows 8 restore screen I see, so maybe it's due to being Windows 8.

If I've done something wrong let me know I can rerun the restore if it was suppose to put in somewhere else instead of the "System Recovery Files" folder.

Thanks!

Stephen

[mdklassen]

> Is my Windows 10 still here? Would like to put it back to Windows 10 before I put files back.

See: https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/accessibility/windows10upgrade

Since you did have Windows 10 installed, you can use the above information to reinstall Windows 10, to exercise your "digital entitlement" to get it for free.

[slburch]

Thank you so much, I now have Windows 10 back on computer and all seems well. I have an external hdd where it backed up all my files to a folder "Backup Files 2017-03-12 214901".

I would like to have them restored to the folders where they were removed from. How can I do this?

[mdklassen]

> I have an external hdd where it backed up all my files to a folder "Backup Files 2017-03-12 214901".

> I would like to have them restored to the folders where they were removed from. How can I do this?

Open that folder on the external disk-drive.

You should see something like:

(The above picture may take an hour or two before being visible -- have patience.)

Use "drag-and-drop" to select specific file(s)/folder(s) and "drop" them into the 'Documents' or 'Music' or 'Pictures' folders (on the left).

[slburch]

Windows 10 is says it's going to expire today and lock me out of my computer. This is not good, since no where did I see anything about a trial period or that purchase was necessary. I would like to know how to restore it back to 8 or stop it from locking me out. Please it says today is last day. Already trying to lock me out. Thanks,

[mdklassen]

Did you install from:   https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/accessibility/windows10upgrade

(which is for users who have not installed Windows 10, but have "accessibility" needs, and want Windows 10 for free),

or from:   https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10

(which is for users who had Windows 10 installed, but need to reinstall it)

?

[slburch]

Yes installed from the 1st link which was given further up in this thread. Is there a fix? Thanks!