Small number of problems, main concern battery and booting

[BlueRose580]

I have a small number of problems with my computer, but my main concerns have to do with its battery and when it boots up.

I remember making a post somewhat like this, but being told I’d have to perform a “system restore” or “reset” my computer, or something along those lines. I haven’t done that yet, and as for a system restore, as I don’t understand how to make a system restore point - and I’d like to know for sure that none of the data stored on my computer will be lost, or if I have to back-up everything just in case.

so my main concerns:

- sometimes whenever I start or restart the computer, the desktop and taskbar tend to load partially or not at all - but when they usually do load, they usually take a long time.

- Sometimes it also takes a long time for file explorer to load, which leads to the desktop crashing and then re-loading.

- In one case (today), the computer just shut down after it was unplugged for a few seconds.

and my other concerns which may or may not be related:

- sometimes the computer freezes up and becomes unresponsive, sometimes for the longest time, which leads me to hold down the power button to restart.

- file explorer also tends to become unresponsive when I try to select a specific number of files in a folder and scroll down, but then it continues scrolling down long after I’ve let go of the mouse.

If I can get some help, I would appreciate it so much.

Thank you.

- bluerose

[WAWood]

@BlueRose580 

First, let's clear up what System Restore actually IS -- OPERATING System Restore, not Computer System Restore.  When you do Windows Updates, MS saves off the system files that are being replaced or removed.  When you do a System Restore, ALL it does is retrieve THOSE files.  It neither saves nor restores PERSONAL files.  So, yes, you have to do backups of personal files and settings prior to doing a System Restore.

Second, what you are describing would most likely NOT be fixed by a System Restore, anyway.  Your PC sounds like is is having more serious problems, most likely, caused by a failing drive.  If your PC is new enough to support UEFI, you can use these steps to test the hard drive: http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c00439024

[ieee488]

Since you have a failing hard drive, I would immediately backup your personal files --- photos etc --- to an external USB drive.

[BlueRose580]

Hello again. This is a response to my last question, as I have an update.

Looking into the first answer I got, I did some research as to what steps I could take next. Also, my PC is new enough to support UEFI, and so I ran the computer through a system extensive test and a hard drive extensive test from the BIOS menu and everything passed just fine.

As a result, overall, my computer's been more responsive and I've had less trouble with file explorer, though I still occasionally get crashes - and other little sluggish signs that the hard drive might be failing.

But now, I also have this new problem where my computer shuts down as soon as it's unplugged. I've already tried reinstalling the Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery, and this other idea from the forums where you disconnect the battery and cord, hold the power button down for 1 minute, then reconnect everything and turn it on again, and neither of these things worked (doubted the second one would work anyway).

The forums say for this new issue you're supposed to update the BIOS, and I figured out you could just do it from the HP website. But upon trying to update it, I found this warning message: "Updating the TPM firmware while the drive is encrypted will result in data loss."

So now, I am backing up my data; and as for de-crypting my drive (which I believe it's referring to the hard drive?), I'm not sure what exactly that would do, how to "re-crypt it" once it's been de-crypted (assuming you can even do that) and I'm not sure if it's still necessary to do anyway for some reason, if I'm backing everything up.

I thought I would ask the HP community about this first before making any decision. I'd like to know what you think. As of now I don't have any other issues to note. Your help will be much appreciated (and I thank the people who've helped me so far). Meanwhile, I will continue researching myself.

An update, as of 3:57 PM: Upon trying to either shut down the computer or start it, I also got the error message "Driver power state failure" and right now I'm trying to figure out how to fix that. Haven't found anything yet.

Thanks,

- Bluerose