do you have the windows 10 disk?

trying boot from that and try doing a system repair.

if not try the following methods

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/12415/windows-10-recovery-options

 

steve32mids.
Thank you for your help and advice. Since my first message about this problem, I have found a disc that I did in SEP. 2016, marked "Sytem Repair Disc" (Win, 10 (64bit). Can I use that at this later stage to try to boot the PC completely, and not lose my current files?
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The Function keys do appear when I start the PC, but they are so brief, I cannot choose which to use. I DID manage to press "F10" which, again, is a bit over the top for me!
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I have just had another try at booting, but the animated circle that preceeds that, is just frozen in the middle of the screen!
Thanks once ore fr your advice.
megaman99

 

If your are worried about losing files you can install windows 10 again.

here's the guide for that.

How To Reinstall Windows 10 Without Losing Data

Or replace the hard drive with a new one the depends on the age of it the transfer files using a usb hard drive docking station.

https://www.novatech.co.uk/products/novatech-2-5-inch-and-3-5-inch-sata-hddssd-docking-station-v2-usb-3-0-black/6619us3.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI85yZhYrC1wIVwbDtCh1dXABSEAkYESABEgLC-fD_BwE#utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&utm_campaign=products

 

Press F10 key to enter Setup (Bios) at bootup. go to the Boot tab, using your arrow and Enter key, Move your CD/DVD drive to first boot device. Save and Exit
With your bootable Recovery CD in, Start the computer and you should see the message to Press Any Key to Boot From CD/DVD., You can also press F9 or ESC to do a one time change of Boot order. If not, The disc you made is not bootable, the CD/DVD drive is not First Boot device, or the CD drive is not reading the disc. First try the disc on another computer, if it doesn't boot that computer, then the disc is probably bad.

 

Hi, well it depends on what you used to make the system image, if it was from within windows using the windows "create a system image" option, then it was not intended to be bootable. It is intended to be used from within the RE (recovery environment). You are prompted to create one when you install windows. I am guessing you did not do so, pity it now would save you.

Win 10 gives another way to access the RE, start your computer and let it get to the loading stage (Hang) and force shut it down. Do this 2-3 times it should then detect a problem and boot to the RE.

Here you may be able to access safe mode, if not do not worry from here we can use system restore OR even do a full registry backup restore. Give this a try, let us know if you can access the RE, and we can advise further.

 

Hello, again to all who are advising me. Somehow, I managed to start the PC in Safe Mode. I took the opportunity to remove what I thought was the culprit - the AV software. This morning, on booting the PC, it froze again at the spinning logo stage, and would not go any further. However, as I was about to switch it off again, I had a message as follows: "Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. We're just collecting some error information, and then we will restart for you" !!
Strangely, the percentage of error collection seems to be nil at 0 % , and nothing seems to be happening. Do I wait for a long time? Has someone else experienced this to advise me what to do next?
If I have to wait all day to recover my PC, I won't mind, it's just that I have no flashing red lights showing from my drive, as sometimes happens when software is loading.

 

If your PC hasn't started by now, then hold the power button down till it shuts off.
Now restart and hold the Shift key down. You should get the Advanced Boot Menu. choose Troubleshoot/Advanced/Startup Settings/Safe Mode with Networking (see Attached)
Then download and run Avast Clear tool, to fully remove Avast.

 

I am in "Safe Mode" now, but how do I get up and running in my normal
mode?
Some of the options need my MS password, but it doesn't seem to recognise it, but perhaps it was such a long time ago that I used a MS password, it may be wrong.
I was trying save all of my files to an external USB WD elements drive, but the options for drives did not show the external drive!

 

HI, All forum members. I have decided to restore my PC to the original installation. I forgot that I had downloaded Windows 10 Home on top of my Windows 7, and now that I have restored the PC, I have Windows 7 OS!
However, I did make a Full Backup (Paragon) to an external drive in SEPTEMBER 2017, so I have most of my files, and Windows 10.
Just want to know now, how to 'update' to that date, using the external backup?
Do I just plug it in and go?

 

You will need to install Paragon Backup software program again. You should create a Boot CD of Paragon in the Program. Boot the computer with the Paragon CD (recommended) Or you can try Paragon from within Windows. Go to the Restore feature in Paragon, and Browse to your Backup Image on your external HDD that you created and choose to Restore this Image to your Internal HDD overwriting Windows 7.

 

A/T spunk.funk
Many thanks again for your continued help.
Before I received your reply, this is what I did (I think it would have saved time, if I had waited for your reply a little longer!):
Contacted Microsoft, told them the problem. They emailed a link to download Windows 10. That I did, and now I am back in Windows 10 OS. But of course, all of my files and apps have gone by doing that. So, can you help with this?
I have a Paragon External drive Full Backup from September this year, which will be great if I can restore those. I have no CD. Can you advise, please, and thanks,
megaman99

 

The instructions in Post #11 are the same. First install Paragon, next create Boot media (ie) CD or USB Flash. Boot off of the newly created media, and in Paragon, select Restore, browse it to your Paragon Image file on your External HDD and Restore to your computer.

 

spunk.funk
Regarding post #11 . I HAVE installed Paragon onto my newly restored Windows 10, then made, as you suggested, a USB Flash drive for the BOOT media.
However, when I key across to the BOOT menu, I cannot see anything to load my Flash drive to. I think I can remember the first line is CD/DVD but no USB. Where do I load the Flash Drive?
Also, do I plug in the Flash drive first, then the FULL BACKUP afterwards, or both together?
Your advice is very clear, and I think it is me not fully understanding some of the terms on the screen, so treat me kindly!
And do you know the answer to this? Can I SELECT old files from the FULL BACKUP drive. If so, I will gradually do that bit by bit!
Thanks again,
megaman99

 

Plug in your External Drive and your Bootable Paragon USB Flash Drive. Restart the computer and press F12 at bootup for a one time change of Boot order. Select USB device.
Or Boot into Setup (Bios) go to the Boot Tab, select Hard Drive Group to expand it. You should see your USB Flash drive listed by Manufacturer name. Or you will see USB Device as one of the selections. Move this to First Boot Device. Save and Exit.
When the computer starts with the USB Flash drive in, you should see the message Press Any Key To Boot From USB. If not, then you did not create the Paragon USB correctly, or the USB Flash drive is not the First Boot Device. Test the USB Flash drive on another computer. If it doesn't boot that computer, then go back into Paragon and create the USB Flash drive correctly.
Once booted from the Flash drive in the Paragon program, go to Restore. Browse to the Paragon Image on the USB HDD.
I am not sure how you used Paragon, so I can't tell you if it is a whole image or if you can browse the backup and pick specific files.

 

spunk.funk;
I can't find any external drives that I have plugged in. Maybe I'm not following your instructions correctly. Pressing F12 at boot up does not reveal any external devices. I have had a look at the contents of the USB drive in File Explorer, and this is what I can see.
Both drives are shown. One is shown as Paragon (K) (usb Flash device), and the files I see are BOOT, EFI and SOURCES.
Clicking on the "BOOT" folder shows 7 files, FONTS,bcd,bcd, bcdLOG1,bcdLOG2,boot.sdi and etfboot.
Clicking on the "EFI" folder shows BOOT and MICROSOFT, and clicking on "SOURCES" shows boot.wim.
I am sure that I have correctly created the Boot files, but somehow missing a trick. I will try again tomorrow when the old grey matter is refreshed and meanwhile, bid you goodnight. But thank you once more for your expertise and patience.
megaman99

 

It sounds like your Paragon drive is correctly setup.
When you press F12 or boot into the Bios and go to the Boot tab, What Boot choices do you have? Does Hard Drive have a + sign next to it? if so, that means you have to select it and press Enter to expand it and see that USB Flash Drive which is also a part of the Hard Drive Group, if there is No USB Device selection in the Boot menu.

 

spunk.funk;
It seems that the Paragon Flash drive WAS correctly created. This is the latest:
Opened "Select Boot Device" and this is the result:
hp DVD-Ram GH60l
Sandisk
HL-DT-ST- DVDRAM
Ratek PXE BO2 D00
WDC WD 400 AKS- 657B

THERE'S My Flash Drive -the SANDISK !!
Which I chose to click - that took me to "Select a Backup to Restore", and my Toshiba drive was indicated !
Everything going well, until I chose Toshiba, then the option to "NEXT" was greyed out, and I can go no further!!
I suppose I could go "BACK" and start all over again......!!!!!
How frustrating!
Back to the black coffee!
megaman99

 

Once you select Toshiba, you should be able to Browse inside the drive to the Paragon Backup file, before going Next. if not, then that drive does not have a Paragon backup file on it.
Boot into Windows and browse that drive to be sure that the Paragon Backup file is there. If it is, try moving it out of any folders and directly to the Root of the Toshiba External HDD. Then try again.
You also can try restoring while in Windows if you aren't successful with the SanDisk drive.

 

spunk.funk:
Update:
I have it back!!
When I reported to you that the option "NEXT" was greyed out, and would not respond to my clicking on it, I decided to go back one step to see what BACKUP I had chosen. As you may probably know, there are 3 options to choose from, and the one I had chosen from "Select a Backup to Restore", was what I thought was my Toshiba Backup, but it was not. I chose more carefully , and Bingo! When I clicked on "NEXT" again, it continued until the whole back up was completed!!
I am very pleased with your help, and the time you have devoted to this problem.
I also managed to save some recent videos and images when I was in SAFE mode. I can now re-load those, and feel quite happy that only a few files were lost overall.
Thank you and the rest of the team.
megaman99

 

spunk_funk

Btw. I have deleted AVAST AV!!