Well.....Now I Have Done It ----- Resolved

If you flashed the BIOS with the new update and the process was interrupted in some way (power cut, power shutoff or an untimely restart) then the MB won't be able to function by booting windows. I've had a similar problem after flashing BIOS wherein Windows would not boot, like you. My solution was to restart the computer, F2 into BIOS settings and manually change the boot order of your drives as they may have reset upon BIOS flash (assuming the BIOS flash was successful).

For example, you may have 3 drives : C, : D and : E. You might have Windows on :C drive but it's set to boot : D drive which doesn't have an OS so the computer will think there is something wrong. Repairing Windows will do what it does to your Windows on drive : C then when it restarts it'll still try to boot up and come up with the errors you are facing and you'll be in a forever cycle. Make sure your dries are re-seated as well, just unplug them and plug them back in.

So, F2 into BIOS

Set boot order with the drive that has Windows on it to the top

Restart

Victory

a reply to: Encia22

Sorry, I forgot to reply.
F2 did allow me access.
Then I wasn't sure what to do lol
Thanks for the additional information.

a reply to: Compendium

It's a 3 year old desktop

a reply to: shaemac

Oh hell yeah!
I had the extended warranty.
3 years was up 5 months ago

a reply to: TheMadTitan
if I was seeing that correctly after F2, I saw no option to change boot order.
Was that the well too of the screen?

originally posted by: JinMI

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
a reply to: JinMI
I don't get what you're supposed to do after clicking one that uefi-bios box.

#8 says to restart???

Can you get to the BIOS screen using the F2 key?

Yes.
But it didn't seem to have any boot order choices.

My first Dell years ago had issues, so I know changes could be added to boot order.

originally posted by: JinMI
a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Why does the resident Mom and ATS Administrator have the most computer help threads DToM!?!?!?!?!

And....
FWIW, I am not the most computer literate person.
I know what I know, but the "under the hood" stuff is mostly beyond me.
I've added memory, put in a new hard drive with help years ago. Would not try it again BTW!!!!

I rely on the kindness of others.
Most online computer help pages don't help me, as I have a bit of difficulty following directions for installation, and the like

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

First, pull the SATA cable from the hard drive. If you can find two flash drives, do as someone else has suggested, and download the correct BIOS flash from the Dell drivers site. Once you have fixed the BIOS, try to boot. If all it good, it will give you a message that the boot drive cannot be found. That's a good thing. Then reconnect the HDD and reboot. If you get a boot error then, you will need to reload the system. Google, how to reload windows 10, and you should get instructions on how to make a boot disk from a USB stick.

Good luck, and be sure to give the PC a stern look and tell it you won't be bullied. (that part is more for you, as the PC really doesn't care)

And if you need help, holler.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Ok, that's a good sign. My second link to DELL's BIOS recovery instructions covers the F2 procedure in more detail.

Also, I forgot to add something. Does your PC wink and speak to you when you turn it on... oops, that didn't come out right!

What I'm trying to say is that DELL builds in a visual/acoustic method to diagnose problems; at least it may help discover where the problem originates. Check out the complete list HERE

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

To change the boot order I believe you have to press F12 on DELLs just after you turn on the computer. Sometimes it could also be F8 or F10, depending on the BIOS.

Don't press and hold, but tap repeatedly. Holding down a key too long may make the BIOS think you have sticky keys.

originally posted by: Encia22
Holding down a key too long may make the BIOS think you have sticky keys.

Yes, and that is a totally different set of issues, usually involving farm animals and jello.

a reply to: network dude

I read somewhere that rubber gloves help!

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe



In this video of a Dell laptop BIOS boot screen, you will see that the 3rd option down is boot management, it is here where you will be able to set boot order and/or remedy boot problems. Without any specific system specs/model no/chipset etc, all advice will be generic instead of tailored. I suggest you find out the exact model no. (This will usually be on a sticker on the Dell itself) and either check youtube for a troubleshooting guide quoting: 'How to set boot management of Dell xMakeandmodelherex' or contact Dell support. If you can get into the BIOS then MB should be functioning fine and the problem is almost certainly to do with how it is booting Windows.

originally posted by: Encia22
a reply to: network dude

I read somewhere that rubber gloves help!

Yes, unless it's sheep, then velcro. YMMV.

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: Encia22
a reply to: network dude

I read somewhere that rubber gloves help!

Yes, unless it's sheep, then velcro. YMMV.

For that issue, a Welsh friend suggests a different rubber solution: Wellington boots.

Maybe we should continue this convo in RATS.

a reply to: JinMI

You won't regret the improvement.

a reply to: TheMadTitan

If they able to try run a repair, and a system restore, it has nothing to do with the boot order

If it were the boot order, you wouldn't be able to try repair Windows. It wouldn't detect widows full stop

If there is a problem with widows starting after a BIOS update, it is almost certainly has to do with I/O settings in BIOS

Check/try different SATA/Drive settings in BIOS

Load failsafe settings

But, if windows still doesn't boot, it is easiest just to use Universal Restore to restore the disk image like I said earlier

It's not worth f#&king around with

It takes 15 minutes to get the drive image backing up
And 15 minutes to get that image restored to the drive
Maybe 15 minutes to restore the windows drivers

Much easier than messing around trying to repair windows

Generally once a windows install sends you to the "repair" screen, it is a waste of time trying to fix it

Just restore it and be done with it. It works every time

I worked as the Service Delivery Manager for a computer wholesaler. I was a laptop service agent for HP, ASUS, Toshiba, etc

Easier just to do the guaranteed fix, than mess around with Windows

a reply to: TheMadTitan

Yeah, I did find the model number on the tower.
That was the easy part.
Dell Optiplex 3050

Windows10 makes the BIOS looks foreign. Windows 10 makes everything look foreign.
Although working on an old machine saved for such emergencies, window 7 looks pretty weird....and is slow.

The item that corresponded, I guess it was disk mgmt, had only the one choice for booting, so nothing could be changed.
I'm not monkeying around with it anymore tonight.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

There was a BIOS update from last month.

Um, no.

That's not how anything works. BIOS updates don't just happen. You have to actually do them yourself - also, do PCs today even have BIOSes anymore, instead of the weird UEFIs and such?

Why would you do a BIOS / UEFI update, if you don't have to? It's messing with the hardware, it's like a firmware tampering in a way, and if you don't have to do it, just DON'T DO IT.

You can't expect to tamper with the hardware without consequences. If you're lucky, it might be fine, but I would think very hard and long before doing any BIOS or UEFI update. They don't just happen, you make it sound like a BIOS update just arrived into your life without any activity from your side.

That's not how it works, you have to have a good reason to do it, and know what you're doing, and if you make a tiny mistake at any point of the process, chances are your hardware will be bricked. Be careful with hardware tampering, firmware stuff, etc. It can be dangerous and so much can go wrong.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Sheeez, can I join the WTH Did I Do?! club? I'm in the same boat, but I think my laptop's SSD went toes up. Can't fix jack, can't roll back jack, can't restore jack, can't Safe Boot, can't do jack but loop itself with the options that don't do squat.

I think I'm going to have to get a new SSD...