Samsung ultrabook won't boot to windows

[JumBie]

I have a Samsung series 5 ultrabook. One day I woke up and turned it on and it just remains stuck on the samsung logo and won't boot past that. The lights and fans are all on so I'm not sure where to begin trouble shooting. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Bubbaleone]

Restart and immediately begin tapping the F2 key in order to enter the BIOS setup. Look at the key/function legend and press whichever key (usually F5) loads the default BIOS settings, then save and exit to test if it will now boot into Windows.

 

[JumBie]

Did that, no luck. Just hangs still even after loading defaults.

 

[Bubbaleone]

There are three possible options you can try; start the notebook and immediately begin tapping the F4 key to run recovery mode. If you created your backup disks as instructed in your User Manual, you'll be able to restore the system to the state it was in on the date you made the backup. If you failed to create a backup then a factory restore is your other choice, in which case all your personal data will be deleted and the laptop restored to the condition it was in when you bought it. The third option (which I recommend be tried first) is to to boot the Windows installation media and select the repair option when you get to the Install Windows screen.

.

 

[JumBie]

This ultrabook has no disc drive. I tried to boot from a windows 7 USB key and nothing happens. The bios recognizes everything but the computer won't move past the Samsung logo.

 

[JumBie]

I am getting an error that says the boot configuration data for your PC is missing or contains errors. I plugged a windows 7 USB installation and set the boot priority and the msg still persist. I can't even get windows 7 install to boot. It did however randomly once boot into windows install but no disk drive showed up when I tried to pick a drive to install to. The sad drive also randomly appears and disappears from the bios. When I hit f4 at startup for recovery the same boot file error appears. The error persist no matter what I do, so I am unable to move past it.

 

[Ketchup]

Do you have anything plugged into the machine other than the power cord? Usually these hangs mean that there is an unresponding device preventing it from finishing POST.

You could probably see what this is, if it wasn't for that Samsung logo. Some computers give you an option in the BIOS to turn off that "wallpaper" (that's what I call it anyway). You may want to see if yours has this option.

Some BIOSes also have a "halt on" option, that will tell POST what errors to stop on. If you have that option, see if there is an option to the effect of "none."

 

[corkyg]

Can it be booted into Safe Mode?

 

[Virgorising]

Hi,

For whatever it might be worth, I fear not much, but reading this reminded me, the system I am now on, once, suddenly refused to get past POST; I checked everything I knew to check, including inside, and, it turned out.....two of my 4 RAM sticks had died! Two big ones I got used on ebay, of course. I bought good replacement new ones, popped them in and everything was good again.

But it took hours and hours of troubleshooting on the floor, cause I had no clue ram sticks could go bad.

Edit: just read initial post again, re error messages.....I think it's not dying ram in yr case. But dying ram happens.....I learned the long & hard way. When I found the bad sticks after the usual interminable chronology of testing each stick and removed the two bad ones, system booted, but was naturally slow.

I would do what Bubbaleon suggested as #3: a repair install of the OS. I have no clue what happend to yr boot files. But I would like to know!

 

[JumBie]

Well guys. Thank you for all the help. I threw in an old HD I had laying around and it booted into windows that was already installed in the HD. However, I cannot install a fresh copy. Whenever I inster the USB stick and boot to it. It says that the boot configuration data is missing or contains errors. I tried to make another USB copy with another I so of windows and it does not work. I booted the USB from another laptop and it works fine. I'm assuming the sad is working and just needs a fresh install but this laptop will not allow me to do that.

 

[tts20smoke20]

I just started having the same issue where the POST would freeze and not boot into windows. Recently updated OS from Windows 7 to Windows 10. When the POST freezes I hold the power button down until the device powers off. Then I turn on the ultrabook and it boots fine. Tested the memory and it tested OK.

 

[SERT Data Recov]

Whenever I inster the USB stick and boot to it. It says that the boot configuration data is missing or contains errors. I tried to make another USB copy with another I so of windows and it does not work. I booted the USB from another laptop and it works fine. I'm assuming the sad is working and just needs a fresh install but this laptop will not allow me to do that.

Did you put the old hard drive back in?

When operating systems get stuck on splash screen or during boot up, this often is a sign of a failing hard drive, or at the very least one with bad sectors (which also ultimately means failing).

A failing hard drive can also sometimes prevent the computer from functioning normally: ie. booting to other devices (I know sounds crazy however have seen that plenty of times). Windows is going to try to access all drives connected and ID them.

...sorry i just noticed this was a very old thread that was revived...

I just started having the same issue where the POST would freeze and not boot into windows. Recently updated OS from Windows 7 to Windows 10. When the POST freezes I hold the power button down until the device powers off. Then I turn on the ultrabook and it boots fine. Tested the memory and it tested OK.

I've heard a lot of this happening with Windows 10. I usually don't recommend upgrading OS's until the bugs are worked out, unless for testing them out on a box that is not regularly used.