Startup Issues

chairw

Member
Hello,

I got a PC Specialist Desktop from Currys PC World as a gift for Christmas.

It was working fine up until yesterday when the issue started.

When I start my desktop I get "Preparing Automatic Repair" followed by "Diagnosing your PC". After a minute I get a screen saying

"Automatic Repair couldn't repair your PC

Log File C:\windows\System32\Logfiles\Srt\SrtTrail.txt
"

I attempted

System Restore
System Image Recovery
Startup Repair
Startup Options (Disabling automatic repair on start, Running Safemode, Safemode with Networking and disabling early launch anti malware protection)
Using the "Reset this PC" option with and without keep my files
Bootable USB (It wouldn't let me load it. I made it with the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft)

I spoke with multiple people from technical knowhow at PC World and nothing worked.
They gave me a number for PC Specialist which I attempted to call but I got an automated response saying the call wasn't assigned yet
and the call cannot proceed. (I did call during opening hours and the tech support guy got the same response.)

I will bring it into PC World where they will arrange for the manufacturer (PC Specialist) to fix it but only as a last resort because shipping will take ages (I live in Ireland)
and my mum gets stressed over tiny things and will assume the pc is totally broken.

I hope there is some kind of solution I can use first.

I can provide more information such as images of errors and proof of purchase if necessary.

This is the PC
https://www.currys.ie/ieen/computin...gtx-1060-gaming-pc-2-tb-hdd-10181297-pdt.html

Thanks very much,
Charlie
 
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Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
I'll let those with much more knowledge reply properly, but just to begin:
Bootable USB (It wouldn't let me load it. I made it with the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft)
When you say it wouldn't let you load it, what do you mean? You mean you couldn't see the USB pen in the BIOS to boot from? Or you could, and tried to boot from it, but something happened? What happened?

Have you tried a different USB pen?

How were you trying to contact PCS? The contact details are here: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/contact-us/
(if it's an international call, then +44 333 011 7000 apparently: https://www.pcspecialist.ie/contact-us/ )

They do take calls, and they definitely do honour their warranties (they've fixed my PC when it had faults, and there are plenty of other instances on these forums of them handling RMAs where those were needed). So try them again.

my mum gets stressed over tiny things and will assume the pc is totally broken.
The PC is absolutely fixable. It may be that Windows just needs reinstalling. But even if there is a hardware fault, that component can be replaced and it will be well within the hardware warranty.

So as disappointing as a problem with a relatively new system is, and as much hassle as troubleshooting it has been / is, you'll definitely have a working system at the end of it.

I'm no expert but I can't help but feel that something (maybe an update) borked your Windows install, and then something else is interfering with you booting from the USB pen...
 
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Stephen M

Author Level
Just to add to Oussebon's comments, PCS are very helpful and I would try telephoning the number he gave, you can email but depending on how busy they are it could be a day or so before you get a reply. Having been a customer here for several years and having also used Currys/PC World I would stress that it is best to try to resolve this with PC Specialist as the Currys/PC World have a dubious record at best when dealing with their customers. A friend was having no end of problem with an in warranty laptop, they kept giving it back saying it just needed W10 re-installing, eventually he asked me to look at it, my guess was a corrupt drive and on running Gparted this was shown to be the case. It still took several more weeks and involving the local Trading Standards for them to admit that it was the drive that was faulty and not the W10 install.

I have heard many horror stories associated with Currys/PC World and would be very careful about letting them do anything.

I hope you can get this sorted, please post back and let us know how you get on.
 

ubuysa

The BSOD Doctor
What changed yesterday?

If it was working and it stopped working yesterday then something changed. Did you install Windows updates? Driver updates? New software? New hardware? Have you made any BIOS changes? etc. etc...

If you're able to identify what happened just before it failed you're halfway home. Please don't be afraid to fess up if you think you did something dumb, we've all done something dumb and it's important for us to know. :)

How did you download the Windows install file to a USB stick? If it was on another computer then download a Linux distro (any one will do), most Linux distros allow you to run Linux from the USB stick without actually installing it. So boot one of those and see whether it boots. If that won't boot either then you almost certainly have a hardware problem.
 
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chairw

Member
I tried using another usb which I used a year ago for Windows 8 and it worked. I will try with windows 10 on this usb.

The error I was getting from my old usb I don't remember but I can try get a picture of it.

When I called PCS on the number before 8pm yesterday (Same one you guys gave me) I got some automated response saying the
call was not assigned yet and the call cannot continue (Something like that). I was calling around 7:00 to 7:30pm so maybe they closed a little
early or something? I will try calling today anyways.

Thanks.
 

chairw

Member
What changed yesterday?

If it was working and it stopped working yesterday then something changed. Did you install Windows updates? Driver updates? New software? New hardware? Have you made any BIOS changes? etc. etc...

If you're able to identify what happened just before it failed you're halfway home. Please don't be afraid to fess up if you think you did something dumb, we've all done something dumb and it's important for us to know.

How did you download the Windows install file to a USB stick? If it was on another computer then download a Linux distro (any one will do) as well, most Linux distros allow you to run Linux from the USB stick without actually installing it. So boot one of those and see whether it boots. If that won't boot either then you almost certainly have a hardware problem

I actually forgot to mention this but the last time I was using it (When it was working) I was being lazy and I turned off my pc
by turning off the switch at the wall and not using shutdown via windows.

Could that have caused anything?

I did update my drivers for my graphics card the day before that but I don't think that is the problem.
 
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chairw

Member
Hey, After ringing them I got it solved. Reinstalled Windows with a USB. I guess there was something wrong with the first usb I used
because the 2nd one I used worked.

I guess someone can lock this thread or mark it solved or however it works here.
Thanks.
 

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
I actually forgot to mention this but the last time I was using it (When it was working) I was being lazy and I turned off my pc
by turning off the switch at the wall and not using shutdown via windows.

Could that have caused anything?

It's very possible this would have caused start up issues, and if it was powered off whilst updates were applying (which is quite possible on a new computer), then that could have contributed to a borked windows.

Never power off at the wall for those reasons and the fact that it can cause a surge on the PSU and fry the internals. Always shut down via windows or program your hardware on/off button to force a shutdown as I do.

Very glad you got it sorted though!
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
This seems to happen a lot, I'm sure we've seen similar stories on the forums quite recently. i.e. something happens to Windows, and the user is then very alarmed when they can't run a fresh windows install - only for it to turn out the first USB pen was faulty/problematic.

Very glad to hear it was ultimately a simple fix though - and that you were able to get good support from PCS :)
 

chairw

Member
This seems to happen a lot, I'm sure we've seen similar stories on the forums quite recently. i.e. something happens to Windows, and the user is then very alarmed when they can't run a fresh windows install - only for it to turn out the first USB pen was faulty/problematic.

Very glad to hear it was ultimately a simple fix though - and that you were able to get good support from PCS :)

I actually wasn't worried that much because I thought it might be simple enough to fix.
My mum was the one worrying because she gets stressed over little things.
I cannot blame her much because my grandmother recently had a stroke..
 

ubuysa

The BSOD Doctor
Very glad it's sorted. :)

FWIW It's always trying another USB stick if the first one fails. Note that they have to be at least 8GB...

I actually forgot to mention this but the last time I was using it (When it was working) I was being lazy and I turned off my pc
by turning off the switch at the wall and not using shutdown via windows.

Could that have caused anything?

As SpyderTracks has already said, this could very well have been the cause. Often you can get away with just powering off, but if Windows was in the middle of updating stuff it's entirely possible that a power down could cause problems.

Could it be that your mom was worried because she paid for it?? :D
 

chairw

Member
Very glad it's sorted. :)

FWIW It's always trying another USB stick if the first one fails. Note that they have to be at least 8GB...



As SpyderTracks has already said, this could very well have been the cause. Often you can get away with just powering off, but if Windows was in the middle of updating stuff it's entirely possible that a power down could cause problems.

Could it be that your mom was worried because she paid for it?? :D

She is paying for most of it.
 
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