On my son’s Asus X401A computer running Windows 7, he is suddenly unable to login. From the usual login screen, when he selects a user icon it just immediately refreshes the screen with no apparent error message. When he starts from safe mode, when selects the user icon it pauses for 5-10 second and refreshes the screen, again with no error message.
Bottom line is he cannot log on.
I don’t know if this has anything to do with it, but he may have practically no more space available on his hard drive.
Also, he is unable to access the command prompt from safe mode - when he tries it scrolls through dozens of line commands, stops, then goes back to the Windows login screen.
It’s hard to say. He needs to get some sort of boot disk and then look at the files on the hard drive. Though I’d be more inclined to tbink the hard drive is going bad than that it is too full. Still, he could delete some files he knows are safe to delete and see. (Games from Steam would be obviously okay, as you can reinstall them later.)
I had similar issue with niece’s oldish laptop that she was given due to almost the same problem. It was confounding me, of course. So I went to Google and looked through many threads/articles and eventually got it up and running as designed.
I had to first run “Startup repair”, which I do not know how to initiate on your model/brand, **bytheway. **If it helps you, here is the link to an appropriate Google search and here’s a good place with links to other threads of similar type probs.
You might not benefit from doing a ‘startup repair’, but I would try that first. You can Google exactly how to boot into that mode by keyboard (likely an F* button)pressed repeatedly right after powering up the system. No certainty that this will resolve the issue, of course - and you can always download a ‘repair disk’ from appropriate site (Google for that as well).
As a disclaimer, I honestly mean no offense whatsoever by posting/recommending Google searches or whatever. Some folks are too quick to say “Just Google it”, but not me.
Sorry I cannot provide a more direct answer, but ‘startup-repair’ kinda sounds like a good place to start (and Google will tell you how to initiate such on that machine) and if that does not work, then there are other options - most of which are buried in various forums/sites, IME. Or maybe** drachillix** will see this thread and know exactly what’s up or whatever (??)…
Thank you to all who have replied. A few responses:
Big T - We don’t have a boot disk. If we take the computer to a repair shop, would they be able to use their own boot disk?
Ionizer - I am not the least bit offended by the Google search links. I have tried to do my own searches but I haven’t come up with the correct search terms yet. It appears the Startup Repair is selected from the Advanced Boot Options page; I will give that a try when I get home tonight.
Atamasama - I believe my son has tried logging into both a user and administrator account, but I will check on this tonight.
I have another question - on my own laptop running Vista, I have restored the computer to an earlier system save point. Can this be done in Windows 7 without going to the command prompt (since we are unable to get to the command prompt)? My son says he has never done a system save, so he is unsure if there is previous point he can restore to. Does Windows 7 perform system saves automatically on its own? (Not sure if I am using the correct terminology.)
Just thought I’d throw this link to you just in case there is not any available ‘boot disk’ - couldn’t find any downloaadble ones just now with various Googlings, fwiw. A pro-shop may have one on hand, though, so I’d call around for specificity of make/model of the 'puter itself before going physically to place(s) (IMHO)
Worst case scenario is using ‘restore’, but will fix issue for sure. You lose all data, though, which sucks. IME, also, to use a ‘recovery point’, you need to be into Windows already, which seems to be what hampers things right now. IIRC, and am not certain about this by any means, but when Win Updates does its thing(s), it often (always?) creates automatically a restore point to revert changes made if things are wonky. Not definitely sure of that, though. Perhaps it gives as an option on your ‘advanced startup’ view?
I know how frustrating it can be - but it’ll get solved, I bet. One way or another. Good luck!
A recent Windows Update caused issues with logging in for touchscreen computers. Buddy just needs to rollback the update in step-by-step safe mode without enabling the touchscreen driver or something and it’ll be fine.
It’s possible that he’ll need to do that, but, as stated, he can’t even get into safe mode right now. So he needs a boot disk.
And, yes, a repair site will have a boot disk. But make sure you know they aren’t the type to just reformat and reinstall. I ran into those types before.
A Windows 7 install disk will allow you to run system restore to roll it back to a date before the offending update. No files or applications are lost.
