Spectre Spectre x360 Convertible Laptop PC 14-ea0023dx will not boot

[RB209]

Hello,

I cannot boot to windows anymore and tried to create a recovery tool that HP recommended and that does not boot either from USB. I can use a generic Window bootable disk that was made with the windows media creation tool. The issue with using that is it does not recognize the  SSD because it is an Intel Optane H10 which apparently complicates things. 

Does anyone know what i need to do to recover this drive? i would reinstall windows on it but i need to recover the data first.

Incidentally, i ran the HP diagnostics and everything passed including the SSD.

BTW - i downloaded HP Cloud Recovery Tool Installer.exe on another machine but can't get it to run because i get the "need to run as administrator" even when i am running it as the admin.

Thank you in advanced for your help!

[zoey7886]

@RB209, Welcome to the HP Support Community!  

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding an HP Spectre x360 Convertible Laptop PC with Intel Optane SSD! 

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.  

When dealing with boot issues and recovery on an HP Spectre x360 Convertible Laptop PC 14-ea0023dx that has an Intel Optane SSD, it's important to follow a specific set of steps to ensure proper recovery. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Access HP Recovery Manager

You might need to utilize the HP Recovery Manager to recover your system. Follow these steps:

1. Create Recovery Media:
   • Connect the computer to an AC power source.
   • Insert a blank flash drive.
   • Select Start, type recovery in the search field, and select HP Recovery Manager from the list.
   • Click Recovery Media Creation.
   • Follow the on-screen instructions to continue the creation process.

Step 2: Boot from Recovery Media

Once your recovery media is created:

1. Insert Recovery Flash Drive into USB Port:
   • Plug in the recovery flash drive to your USB port.
   • Restart the computer.
   • Press ESC while the computer is restarting to access the Startup Menu, then press F9 and select the USB drive from the Boot Options menu.

Step 3: Access BIOS Settings

Ensure the correct boot order and settings:

1. Enter BIOS Settings:
   • Restart your computer, quickly press ESC, then press F10.
   • Verify that the USB drive is listed first in the boot order.  

Hope this helps! 

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards, 

[RB209]

Hi ZOEY7886,

Thank you for your response.

Unfortunately, I’m unable to boot into Windows, so I can't perform step #1: “Select Start, type recovery in the search field, and select HP Recovery Manager from the list.”

Background:

This machine originally had a damaged screen, but it booted successfully until the display eventually went black. I then connected an external monitor and attempted to boot again. The HP logo would appear, followed by repeated restarts. Occasionally, it would display “Preparing Automatic Repair”, but then freeze.

I attempted to access the BIOS, but the external monitor went black as soon as I entered it—likely because the BIOS doesn't support external display output. So I halted all efforts until I could replace the screen. (For what it’s worth, HP was unable to supply a replacement screen despite repeated attempts.)

After finally replacing the screen—which now works perfectly—the original boot issues persist.

Here’s what I’ve tried so far:
I powered on the computer, pressed ESC, and selected F11 for System Recovery, but the system hangs on the HP logo screen with the spinning dots and goes no further.

I also created a bootable USB using generic Windows recovery media. That does boot, but when I go into Troubleshoot > Command Prompt and launch Diskpart, the SSD does not appear. I suspect this is due to missing drivers for the Intel Optane SSD, which likely aren't included in the generic Windows boot media.

I then ran HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI (via ESC > F2) and completed the extensive storage and system board tests. Everything passed, which led me to believe the SSD is not physically failing.

As another test, I moved the SSD to an older Spectre x360 (13t-aw000 CTO). In this system, the SSD shows up in Diskpart, but I can’t access any data—it says the drive is "not accessible" when I try to open it.

I hope this provides a clearer picture of the issue. My current goal is to recover the data from the SSD, and then proceed with a clean installation of Windows.

Thank you again for your help—I really appreciate it!

[zoey7886]

@RB209, Thanks for the detailed follow-up—your clarity makes a big difference, and I’m truly sorry for the continued trouble you're experiencing, especially after already replacing the display. Let's work on getting your data recovered.

Since your system uses an Intel Optane H10 SSD, a common issue is that generic Windows recovery media doesn’t include the necessary Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) drivers. As a result, the SSD isn't recognized during recovery attempts.

Please try the following steps:

Step 1: Load Intel RST Drivers

On a working PC, visit the Intel website and download the latest Intel RST drivers that support Optane memory.
Intel RST Driver Download

Extract the driver files to a separate USB drive.

Insert both the Windows installation USB and the USB with the RST drivers into the affected laptop.

Boot from the Windows USB, and at the install screen, select:
Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt (or System Image Recovery if applicable).

If you try to install or recover Windows and the SSD is missing, choose Load Driver and point to the USB containing the RST drivers.

Once loaded, your SSD should now appear.

Step 2: Recover Your Data

Once the SSD is recognized, you may:

Use Command Prompt to copy files to an external drive (xcopy or robocopy), or

Run a portable data recovery tool from a third USB (such as Recuva Portable or EaseUS) to attempt safe data retrieval.

Important: Ensure that the BIOS SATA Mode is set to RAID, as switching to AHCI may cause further detection issues with Optane SSDs.

If you’re able to recover your data successfully, you can proceed with a clean installation of Windows using the same RST-loaded recovery media.

Hope this helps! 

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards, 

[RB209]

Hi ZOEY7886!

Thank you for you suggestions. Since your last reply, I’ve been trying to obtain the latest Intel RST drivers directly from Intel’s website as you suggested. However, they require you to use their Intel Driver & Support Assistant, which needs to be run on a working windows machine and is useless if the computer won’t even boot as it will only auto scan the system to get the correct drivers. Even then, it will only give you drivers that need to be updated. As a result, I haven’t been able to get any drivers form Intel.

The HP support site does have RST drivers (specifically, sp135584.exe) listed for this Spectre ea0023dx model. I’ve tried loading those into a generic WinPE environment (since the HP recovery environment itself won’t boot, so I don’t have all the usual functionality), but I still haven’t had any success. I also tried using the DCHU-VD drivers, but the system hangs when I try to install any drivers in WinPE using DRVLOAD from the command line.

Your last email advised:

Important: Ensure that the BIOS SATA Mode is set to RAID, as switching to AHCI may cause further detection issues with Optane SSDs.

But the BIOS on this system is extremely limited. There’s nowhere to see how it’s set up, let alone change it. There’s no Storage section or tab at all, which is very frustrating in situations like this.

Do you happen to know of any secret way to get further into the BIOS to unlock more advanced options or gain more control over these settings?

I did find something that might be relevant under the Configuration tab in UEFI, which I’m including below. I noticed the Non-Raid status on the 953.8 GB portion of the drive—shouldn’t this be set to RAID? This is what is listed in Configuration Tab:

UEFI Space HII Configuration

Intel Rapid Storage Technology (Clicking on this opens this info)
Optane Volume:
Intel Optane, 953.9 GB

Configuration
Optane Volume Info

Disable Mode: Safe

Size: 953.8 GB

Disable

Volume Member Disks:

• TG 0.0, INTEL HBEPEKNX0203AH TE11650GFX1POC-1, 953.8 GB (Clicking on this opens this info) 
  • Physical Disk Info
    • Port: 0.0
    • Model Number: INTEL HBEPEKNX0203AH
    • Serial Number: TE11650GFX1POC-1
    • Size: 953.8 GB
    • Status: Non-Raid
    • Controller Type: NVMe
    • Controller Interface: TG
  • TG 1.0, INTEL HBEPEKNX0203AHO TE11650GFX1POC-2, 27.2 GB (Clicking on this opens this info)
    • Physical Disk Info
      • Port: 0.0
      • Model Number: INTEL HBEPEKNX0203AHO
      • Serial Number: TE11650GFX1POC-2
      • Size: 27.2 GB
      • Status: Cache
      • Controller Type: NVMe
      • Controller Interface: TG

Is it normal for the main drive portion to show Non-Raid in this configuration? Shouldn’t this be in RAID mode for Optane to work properly? It obviously see the SSD in the BIOS but in DISPART only the USB is visible.

Thank you very much for all your help so far—it’s truly appreciated.

[zoey7886]

@RB209, Thank you so much for your detailed response and kind words. I can sense how exhausting this journey must’ve been, especially after replacing the screen and still facing roadblocks. You're doing everything right, and we truly appreciate your patience and persistence.

You're absolutely correct—Optane drives can be tricky, and the "Non-Raid" status you're seeing does suggest the drive isn’t bound in a RAID configuration, which is typically needed for Optane to function as intended. That’s likely why it's invisible to DiskPart and standard recovery tools.

A few thoughts to guide the next step:

What You’re Seeing Is Valid (But Limiting)
Yes, it’s normal for the larger Optane volume (953.8 GB) to appear as Non-Raid in UEFI if the array was broken or never initialized correctly. For Optane to work, both components (main SSD + cache) must be in a RAID 0 array via Intel RST.

Unfortunately, most HP consumer BIOS interfaces don't expose RAID controls—it's deeply locked down.

Hidden BIOS Settings?
There isn’t an official HP method to unlock deeper BIOS menus. Advanced menus (like storage config) are usually only accessible via BIOS versions meant for internal HP testing—not something we can safely recommend.

Alternative Recovery Option: Bootable Intel RST + PE Tool

Here’s what we’d suggest:

Use a PE tool like Sergei Strelec or Gandalf’s Win10 PE (search for reputable sources) – these environments often include RST and NVMe drivers baked in.

If the SSD shows up there, use file explorer or recovery software (like Recuva Portable) directly from the PE session to extract your data.

Only after recovery, wipe and clean-install Windows using generic boot media.

Hope this helps! 

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards,