Business Notebooks

Hi there.  Hoping for a resolution to my problem.  I will describe in detail what is happening with my HP Elitebook 820 G1 with Windows 10.  It was shut down properly prior to this.

- Upon boot up, now enters automatic repair process, diagnosing PC, etc...  "Your PC did not start correctly".  Restart does the same.  After letting it go, I can get to the blue screen repair options:

- Under advanced options, troubleshoot:

  1. Reset PC.   Keep my files.  Doesn't work:  "You need to sign in as Administrator to continue, but there aren't any administrator accounts on this PC".

  2.  Advanced Options.  Startup Repair & Cmd Prompt & Uninstall updates .  Same Administrator msg.

  3. Nothing is permitted.  same error msg.

- Next step.  Changed boot order to include USB stick as first source.  Inserted USB recovery stick.

  1.  Does not try to fix errors on boot up.  However, boot fails and directs me to the blue screen repair options.

  2. Lets me select keyboard layout - US selected.Back to repair options including Continue (doesn't work), and Troubleshoot.

  3.  Not trying recover from a drive since that erases all files!  

  4. Troubleshoot - Advanced options - System Restore:  No restore points.

  5.  Troubleshoot - Advanced options -  Startup Repair: Diagnosing your PC... Startup Repair couldn't repair your PC.

  6.  Troubleshoot - Advanced options - Cmd Prompt.  This is the only thing that works.  What scares me if I go to C: and do DIR, there are no files there (???).

Can you please give me some ideas of what to try?  I am surprised my recovery USB isn't helping more.  I am surprised my c: shows no files when all my 2021 unbacked-up 😞 photos should be there, amongst other things.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide.  At this point, it is not about saving this old computer... its about getting my files off successfully.