Another computer problem with Microsoft Windows operating system. This time most likely with Microsoft Windows seven operating system. Below is the original question quoted verbatim.
“Asus My laptop will not restart. Message is “Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause…””
This individual did not know what operating system this computer had installed. This to me is an amazing lack of computer literacy. Anyways, they claimed they owned this Asus laptop computer for five years.
Most likely this individual owned an Asus computer with Microsoft Windows seven operating system installed. Also, this laptop did not come with a digital video disc drive nor did it include a slot for it. You can turn off that laptop by powering it off.
You can remove the battery and all external devices, for example any universal serial bus printer, external hard drive, flash drive, etc. You can disconnect the power cable from both wall outlet and laptop. Now you will want to press and hold the power button for one minute.
You can plug the power cable back into wall outlet and laptop. Now power on that computer to see if Microsoft Windows operating system will boot properly. If your computer laptop battery is underneath a cover, you can skip that portion of the instructions and follow the rest.
If clearing potential electric static discharge or some funky Microsoft Window operating system hardware problem, was not fixed, then you can power off your computer. You will want to power it back on and immediately start tapping your F8 function key until an advanced boot options menu opens. You can make certain to start pressing your F8 function key before Microsoft Windows seven operating system tries to boot.
You can choose “Last known good configuration” from that advanced boot options menu. If that does not work then you can try “Safe mode”, “Safe mode with networking” or “Safe mode with command prompt” from that same advanced boot options menu. If your computer is able to boot into any of the safe mode options, your problem is not necessarily fixed.
You could then try to boot into normal mode Microsoft Windows operating system mode. If you still receive that albatross of an error, then try booting into Microsoft Windows operating system safe mode again. This time you will want to perform some system scans.
You can perform a malware, spyware, virus, system file check, and check disk scan. Also, you can perform a spyware scan on Microsoft Windows seven operating system with the free already installed Microsoft Windows Defender software program. In order to perform a malware scan, you may want to download and install Emsisoft Emergency Kit and or Superantispyware.
There are a plethora of antivirus software available such as Avast, Anti-Virus Guard, Microsoft Security Essentials, etc. You certainly do not need to use those tools that I mentioned. Now you want to run a system file check with the following command.
sfc /scannow
You need to type in this command into a command prompt with administrator rights. Finally, you can perform a check disk scan with the following command.
chkdsk c: /f /r
This is a comprehensive scan that can take hours and potentially days to complete on a corrupt or failing hard drive. There are five stages with the command I gave you. You need to type this command into a command prompt with administrator rights.
I normally run a system file check scan three times. I only run a check disk scan once, unless I receive an error or after running this scan Microsoft Windows operating system boots differently or I feel running the scan a second time may potentially fix this problem. If none of these scans do not fix your issue, you can open up "Device Manager" and see if there are any hardware devices with problems.
You can look for a red x or yellow exclamation point. Also, you can remove that problematic device in "Device Manager" and then clicking on a “Scan for hardware changes” tool. This should reload the driver for that device. If this does not fix your problem, you may need to download and reinstall the driver from the original equipment manufacture website.
Another potential way to fix this problem, is to perform a Microsoft Windows operating system restore. You would restore your computer back to before you were having this problem. Choose a recovery date back to before this error appeared.
You should not lose any of your important personal data. However, your programs that you installed after that recovery date will be removed. Finally, never interrupt a Microsoft Windows system restore while it is running.
If you are technology capable you could boot off of a Microsoft Windows seven compact disc or digital video disc and potentially fix your problem. If you search the Internet for “Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause“, you may find some additional ways to fix this problem, which are beyond the scope of this blog post. They would require command line expertise.
If you are not technology capable or just not in the mood to mess around in the command line, at the very least you could take your hard drive out of your laptop and recover your data by installing it into a second computer. However, this might not be your cup of tea, so when all else fails, take it to a computer technician widely known as a computer repair individual. At the very least, they will be able to recover your data.
Also, they might be able to fix this problem. If not, they could reinstall the Microsoft Windows seven operating system for you. They would just need the Microsoft Windows seven certificate of authenticity product key that is legible on a sticker on your Asus laptop computer.
These instructions were written for an Asus laptop computer with Microsoft Windows seven operating system, but certainly could be used as a basis point to troubleshoot other versions of Microsoft Windows operating system with a similar error and basically any computer hardware compatible with Microsoft Windows operating system.
How to Fix Windows Failed to Start a Recent Hardware or Software Change Might be the Cause Video Transcript
0:01
this is Aaron with anetcomputers.com with
0:05
another video for you
0:07
today the errors on screen it's kind of
0:10
lengthy One windows failed to start a
0:12
recent Hardware or software change might
0:14
be the cause so this video pertains to
0:17
how to fix Windows failed to start a
0:20
recent Hardware or software change might
0:21
be the cause there are some different
0:25
troubleshooting steps that I included
0:28
but
0:30
some of them or one of them may fix your
0:33
issue okay let's go over the original
0:37
request quoted
0:39
verbatim on
0:41
screen Asus my laptop will not restart
0:45
message is Windows failed to start a
0:48
recent Hardware or software change might
0:51
be the
0:52
cause and this they didn't know what
0:56
operating system they actually had
0:58
installed which was a bit perplexing to
1:00
me but
1:01
anyways they claimed that they owned
1:03
that Asus laptop for 5 years they had
1:07
Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System
1:10
installed that laptop did not come with
1:14
a optical drive so that's something that
1:18
you might become aware
1:20
of because you could not boot off of an
1:23
optical disc like or even the
1:26
installation disc and reinstall
1:28
Windows
1:30
so here's the troubleshooting steps you
1:33
can go ahead and turn off that laptop by
1:35
powering it off then you can remove the
1:39
battery and all external devices for
1:42
example Universal cobus printers
1:45
external hard drives flash drives Etc
1:47
then you want to disconnect the power
1:49
cable from both the wall outlet and your
1:53
laptop now you want to press and hold
1:56
the power button on your laptop for one
1:58
minute
2:00
if you have a desktop computer same
2:03
scenario even a tablet you could
2:05
say then you can go ahead and plug in
2:09
the power cable back into the W outlet
2:13
and your laptop computer or desktop
2:16
computer now you want to power on that
2:19
computer and see if Microsoft Windows 7
2:21
operating system will boot
2:25
properly now some of the more modern
2:28
laptops the
2:30
actual battery is inside the housing
2:34
inside the cover the case and if you
2:37
don't have much computer experience most
2:40
people would not never have a clue on
2:42
how to remove the battery just to let
2:44
you know back in the day you would just
2:46
have like a little button or a release
2:48
knob or you know what I'm saying and
2:50
then the battery would just fall right
2:52
out I don't know why compter
2:54
manufacturers started placing the
2:57
batteries inside but if if you're not
3:00
familiar with computer hardware then you
3:02
might have to take it to a computer
3:04
technician to get the battery
3:07
replaced or to to remove the battery but
3:10
or you could you another way you could
3:11
do it is you could discharge the battery
3:14
I would not recommend that you boot into
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an operating system and
3:20
then let the com battery discharge that
3:23
way you could boot it into the BIOS if
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you know what the basic input output
3:27
system is you could boot it in into the
3:30
BIOS and then just leave it there and
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the bad when obviously disconnect the
3:35
power cable from the laptop and then let
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the battery discharge that way okay
3:41
because sometimes Believe It or Not
3:43
sometimes a failing battery or a
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discharging battery whatever you know
3:49
can cause these kind of issues
3:51
okay now what you want to
3:58
do
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is you
4:04
could
4:06
perform clearing the electrostatic
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discharge but that's actually what I
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just told you I usually don't tell
4:12
people that because a lot of people
4:13
don't have no clue what you're talking
4:15
about ESD is an acronym but it stands
4:17
for electrostatic discharge or electric
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static discharge you know what I'm
4:22
saying so that's what the steps I just
4:25
gave you also it could be some strange
4:27
Microsoft Windows operating system
4:28
problem now they if it didn't fix your
4:31
issue the troubleshooting steps I just
4:34
gave you then what you want to do is you
4:37
can power up your computer and then you
4:39
will want to power it back on and
4:41
immediately start pressing and tapping
4:45
the f8 function key until an advanced
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boot option menu opens it's a black
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screen with different options it's just
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a menu of options that Microsoft
4:55
operating system
4:57
has now remember as soon as you power on
5:00
your computer before Microsoft Windows
5:02
tries to boot keep tapping just keep
5:06
pressing just click click click click
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click the fa key you don't hold it down
5:10
you keep tapping it until the menu opens
5:12
if it opens if that menu opens the
5:16
advanced boot options menu you want to
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select last known good
5:20
configuration and from that menu and
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it'll it'll restore Microsoft Windows
5:25
back to its last no configuration if
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that fixes your issue chances are that
5:30
might be it if that does not fix your
5:33
issue and it just will not boot and you
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keep receiving that Windows failed to
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start error what you can do is try the
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other options in advanced boot options
5:44
which include safe mode with command
5:49
prompt safe mode with networking and
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just safe
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mode
6:00
all right let's see I'm just reading
6:04
here okay now if after using any of the
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safe mode options and they
6:11
work
6:12
the safe mode safe mode with networking
6:15
safe mode with command prompt what you
6:17
can do is you can try to restart that
6:19
computer and see if all of a sudden
6:22
Microsoft Windows starts to function
6:24
normally just allow it to normal boot
6:25
don't go back into the f8 menu just
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allow
6:30
the computer to restart the basic input
6:33
output system will display just don't
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touch anything and Microsoft Windows
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normal mode should try to boot that and
6:41
then if it does you chances are you
6:43
fixed your issue you know what I'm
6:51
saying now if you're still receiving
6:54
that Windows pil to start a recent you
6:56
know that lengthy error you're not the
6:59
at the beginning of this video and in my
7:02
blog
7:03
post then you can try to boot into
7:06
Windows Safe Mode now you're going to
7:10
perform some scans on the operating
7:14
system so you'll need to become a little
7:17
bit aware of command line you can or you
7:21
could yeah you could also try this you
7:23
could perform a malware sper virus
7:25
system file check and check this scans
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all that some of them require a command
7:30
line you can use Microsoft Windows
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Defender and run a full scan Microsoft
7:36
Windows Defender now I don't know about
7:39
Windows 7 I'm not sure I just do not
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know if the more recent versions of of
7:45
Windows Defender will scan for malware
7:47
spyware and and adwar and you know what
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I mean and viruses the older version I'm
7:54
not sure but just run a full scan
7:58
with Windows Defender because it's INB
8:00
built in or if you already have your own
8:02
antivirus installed you go ahead and use
8:04
that my point is that you want to run
8:06
some malware spyware virus scans just in
8:09
case that that's what's causing that
8:12
error now you do not have to use these
8:14
tools but these are my preferred
8:18
tools mssoft emergency kit and or super
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antis power just a quick anecdotal
8:26
evidence sometimes m emergency kit now
8:30
it's been a few years but when I had my
8:32
own computer repair business I always
8:34
used moft emergency kit and super anti
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Sprite Weare once on occasion super
8:39
anti-spyware would not detect everything
8:41
and and if the computer was really
8:44
infected and even super anti spare found
8:46
a lot of malware and spare and crap I
8:49
would go ahead and just use moft anyways
8:51
because on occasion moft would find
8:55
items that super anti-py did
8:58
not now as far as antivirus scans I'm
9:01
not sure if moft I haven't used it in a
9:04
while I'm not sure about super
9:05
antispyware I'm not sure if they also
9:08
scan for viruses now if if that program
9:12
or the program that use only scans for
9:15
malware and spyware but not viruses
9:17
there's plenty of antivirus you know
9:19
what I mean programs there's avast
9:22
antivirus guard did you know that avas
9:24
and Antivirus guard are owned by the
9:26
same
9:27
company yeah they merged so they're not
9:30
you know they're not competitors anymore
9:32
but well on the surface they are but
9:35
they're not they're owned by the same
9:37
company you could also use Microsoft
9:39
Security Essentials which is a does that
9:42
come
9:43
installed that may not be installed but
9:47
that one was a virus scan software
9:50
program and you can use any of them you
9:52
want there's all kinds you know what I'm
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saying so when once you run malware
9:58
virus spyware scans and you're pretty
10:02
certain that there's and it may have
10:03
found some or you know it's not really
10:06
finding anything you could you know move
10:09
on to the next
10:10
step you're going to want to run two
10:13
file system checks now before I tell you
10:16
about these two file system checks that
10:18
are built into the Microsoft Windows
10:20
operating system if you ever need online
10:23
computer technical support you can ask a
10:25
computer techician now and solve your
10:27
computer problem I have partnered with
10:31
a third-party company that has probably
10:35
hundreds at least I would say hundreds
10:37
of computer technicians that are vetted
10:39
and
10:41
verified you can at your disposal
10:45
communicate with
10:46
them over text chat real time text chat
10:52
SMS text Telephone video and they can
10:56
even remotely Connect into your computer
10:59
so if you're F now remotely they
11:02
couldn't well it depends on if you're
11:05
able to boot into Microsoft Windows safe
11:08
mode with
11:09
networking and browse the internet one
11:12
of their technicians could possibly
11:15
remotely Connect into your computer and
11:17
then perform the troubleshooting for
11:20
you in order to and you can get Tech
11:24
help 24 hours a day through 365 days a
11:27
year at my website aomp putter.com you
11:30
can just browse to incomputer
11:43
docomo back to this video there are two
11:48
system scans that a lot of people are
11:51
not aware of the first one is called sfc
11:54
which is an acronym which stands for
11:55
system file
11:57
check and here's the command that you on
12:01
screen highlighted that you would type
12:02
in to a command prompt sfc space SL scan
12:07
now now I don't recommend I never give
12:11
out advice I never guarantee anything
12:13
but here's a tip I usually run that more
12:15
than once because sometimes I find
12:18
that after running a sfc scan it may say
12:23
it fixed something or it may not and
12:25
then I'll try it two or three more times
12:27
and it may actually you know say it
12:29
fixes something it's kind of strange now
12:33
sfc scans can take a while so just be
12:35
patient but again it it you're going to
12:38
run that in a command prompt it has a
12:41
kind of a indicator it it just comes
12:43
back to the C prompt and just tells you
12:46
that the scan's complete but that's it's
12:48
a good tool you know what I'm saying
12:51
another tool that you can use to
12:53
possibly fix this just wretched long
12:56
error windows failed to start a recent
12:58
Hardware software blah blah blah you
13:00
know what I mean fail to
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start is it check his scan and again add
13:06
a command prompt chk dsk space c colon
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space slf space SLR now those you don't
13:16
really need to concern yourself but the
13:19
last two variables are basically a full
13:22
scan and there are five different steps
13:24
and you'll see it when you when you kick
13:26
off that scan it'll it'll it has a
13:30
progress indicator and it's five steps
13:33
and so you should see step one two 3
13:35
four five with you know a progress
13:37
indicator now they caveat mtor that kind
13:40
of a scan and since it's a full scan can
13:44
take hours believe it or not be it
13:47
depends on just many variables maybe
13:49
your hard drive is failing or or maybe
13:51
you have a lot of data or maybe Windows
13:54
is
13:54
corrupted so be patient you could just
13:58
probably leave it overnight and come
14:00
back the next day and check on it you
14:02
know what I'm saying no pun in that
14:03
wasn't a pun but I just realized I'm
14:06
like wait a minute I'm describing the
14:08
check disc tool and I just you know used
14:11
the word check but no that was not an
14:13
intentional punt you know what I'm
14:14
saying I wish it was an intentional pun
14:16
that would mean that wow that that was
14:18
just not bad but nope
14:21
okay again just going over how it's a
14:25
comprehensive scan it can take hours and
14:27
believe it or not you may not believe
14:29
this but I've had customers that brought
14:31
me a computer that were so [ __ ] up
14:34
that I kicked off a checked his scan and
14:37
it literally took days I don't know what
14:40
my record was I used to kind I didn't
14:42
like chot it down but maybe I should
14:44
have but no I just kind of mentally try
14:47
to remember I don't know a week I don't
14:49
know if I had any that were a couple
14:51
weeks I think I had my own one of my own
14:53
computers or a computer that I recycled
14:56
that I tried to salvage the operating
14:58
system that like took a couple of weeks
15:00
or something it may have been an older
15:02
computer that wasn't very fast you know
15:04
you know what I'm saying but whatever
15:06
yeah yes believe it or not it can
15:08
actually take days for a check this scan
15:09
so that's why you want to become patient
15:12
and also it it can potentially fixing
15:16
and I in that one I also another tip is
15:19
to run it more than once believe it or
15:21
not yes if your computer is really awful
15:25
and you're especially if you're trying
15:26
to fix this kind of an error you might
15:28
want to run it more than once you know
15:30
what I'm saying and and then I think I
15:33
have had computers that the sfc scans
15:36
and check disc scans yeah I've had
15:38
plenty that just didn't fix the issue
15:39
but it's worth a shot it's worth running
15:41
those tools now the the check disc scan
15:44
on screen the this one will actually
15:48
repair it'll try to repair any any you
15:52
know corruption or misconfigurations or
15:55
whatever it tries it looks for it you
15:57
know what I'm saying okay
15:59
anything further remember a command
16:02
prompt and you might have to type yeah
16:06
you need to type
16:08
in the second one I believe or maybe
16:12
both but I definitely think the second
16:14
one with administrator rights it may
16:17
give you an error if you don't if you
16:18
don't have administrator rights and I
16:20
already went over the five
16:23
stages okay yeah okay yeah here's some
16:27
more
16:29
description about the check this scan I
16:32
only run a check this scan once unless I
16:34
receive an error or after running the
16:36
scan Microsoft Windows operating system
16:38
boovs differently or I feel running the
16:40
second the scan a second time yes may
16:43
potentially fix a problem yep if the if
16:45
the computer's just awful and it won't
16:47
even boot right and sometimes I just go
16:51
ahead and run check this twice back to
16:53
back that otherwise I'll just reboot it
16:55
and then it depends on now if it takes a
16:58
couple of
16:59
weeks n I'm too impatient for that I
17:02
would try to boot it first and see if
17:04
the check do fixed the problem
17:08
okay now this would be obviously if
17:11
you're able to boot into any of the safe
17:13
modes the [ __ ] the safe mode safe mode
17:16
networking and what was the other one
17:18
what whatever there's what three
17:19
different safe modes okay you can go
17:22
into device manager and see if there are
17:24
any hardware devices with any proos you
17:27
can look for a red X or a yellow
17:29
exclamation point in Microsoft Windows
17:32
device manager if you see the Red X or
17:34
yellow that's usually not a good good
17:36
sign you know especially a red X a red X
17:39
means like the driver is either disabled
17:42
or might not even be loaded or whatever
17:44
but that's but that's a way that you can
17:49
troubleshoot now what you can try is if
17:52
you see any red X's or any exclamation
17:55
points you you can rightclick the device
17:59
that has a red X or exclamation point
18:01
and then choose remove what it will do
18:04
is it will remove it's supposed to
18:05
remove the driver from it could be the
18:07
driver that's corrupt that's causing
18:08
your problem believe it or not and so
18:10
you're removing it from the operating
18:11
system and the device manager has a
18:14
little tool it's like a little hour
18:16
class look for it and it's also named
18:19
scan for Hardware changes so if you
18:22
remove the
18:23
driver or that
18:25
device and then it disappears go ahead
18:28
and scan that we don't have to restart
18:30
the computer when it scans for Hardware
18:32
changes it should find that device again
18:35
and it should load that driver again
18:37
hopefully and hopefully it'll load a
18:38
driver that's not corrupt but yeah yeah
18:41
Microsoft is corrupt no doubt about it
18:43
Microsoft Corporation is just another
18:46
corporation that is corrupt I mean but
18:48
no the operating system yes it the
18:50
drivers get corrupt Hardware devices get
18:52
corrupt in in Microsoft Windows that's
18:54
just a fact you know what I'm
18:57
saying
19:01
now if that doesn't fix the driver issue
19:05
you could potentially download and and
19:07
reinstall the driver from the original
19:09
you know equipment manufacturer let's
19:11
say it's a video card that's with a
19:13
driver that's corrupt you it's an Nvidia
19:15
you could browse nvidia's website and
19:17
download it and then what on a flash
19:19
drive and then mount it on the Microsoft
19:22
Windows 7 or whatever Microsoft Windows
19:24
operating system and then manually
19:26
install it you know what I'm saying or
19:27
it may have an installer may have a
19:29
setup that exe or install at xia and
19:31
then it could be the Microsoft driver or
19:34
it could even be the the Nvidia driver
19:36
as an example that became corrupt so
19:38
what you're doing is you're installing a
19:40
newer one hopefully you'll download the
19:42
most recent version or a newer version
19:44
or just a version that's not corrupt
19:47
okay anything further now this is a
19:50
longer video but that's okay because
19:52
this is a ugly the windows failed to
19:54
start a recent Hardware software and
19:55
change might be the cause is an ugly
19:57
error it really is
20:01
you could try a system remember earlier
20:04
in this video I told you that this
20:06
laptop did not have an optical drive
20:08
therefore back then I don't think you
20:11
Universal
20:13
cobus well maybe it was anyways let's
20:16
digress away from that you're not going
20:18
to be able to boot off of a compact disc
20:21
or a digital video disc and you know re
20:24
reinstall the operating system is what
20:27
I'm trying to tell you not not with an
20:28
optical disc what you could try is a
20:31
system recovery Microsoft Windows has a
20:33
system recovery
20:35
tool okay let's try to move along
20:39
here you won't you shouldn't lose any of
20:41
your personal data what you want to do
20:44
is choose a restore point back to before
20:47
you were having this problem you want to
20:49
choose a recovery date back
20:51
before that ugly Windows failed to start
20:54
a recent Hardware software change might
20:56
be the cause okay
20:59
now if you have any computer programs
21:01
that you installed since that time they
21:03
will get removed it it it is an image
21:08
and it restores the image back to before
21:10
you had that problem so if you install
21:12
software since then it will get removed
21:14
all
21:20
right and never interrupt a Microsoft
21:22
system restart just don't even don't
21:24
even think about un because well I mean
21:27
you know you're you're already in a
21:28
quagmire but you could potentially make
21:31
things worse and let's say it's a it's a
21:33
issue that wasn't all that
21:35
bad well either way you could
21:37
potentially cause Microsoft when
21:40
operating system not to boot at all not
21:42
like you can't even boot it into safe
21:44
mode yes yes yes so never interrupt a
21:47
system restore do not reboot do not
21:50
power off do not disconnect the power
21:51
cable they can take a while but just
21:54
allow it to
21:57
complete
22:01
now if you had an external optical drive
22:04
or an external digital video disc drive
22:07
you could potentially fix a problem
22:11
yes yeah there are some additional ways
22:13
to fix this problem so you could perform
22:15
a search for Windows failed to start a
22:17
recent Hardware software change might be
22:19
the cause but I gave you quite a few
22:21
tips you know what I mean yeah some of
22:24
them are just holy you know what I'm
22:27
saying requ cars command line and they
22:29
want you to there could be a a system
22:32
file or yeah they get they get ugly
22:35
whereas me I'm like nah especially back
22:38
when I had a computer repair business
22:42
uhoh I just received a message saying
22:48
that that OBS Studio disconnected and is
22:52
reconnecting it says reconnection
22:54
successful I don't know what that's
22:55
about okay maybe I need to run so that I
22:58
can you know finish this
23:03
video no there's something weird going
23:05
on here yeah let's wrap this dude quit
23:07
quit [ __ ] bothering me okay that's it
23:11
I think that's enough right now you know
23:12
what I mean these instructions were
23:14
written for an acus laptop computer with
23:16
Microsoft Windows 7 operating system
23:18
however you could use the
23:20
troubleshooting steps in this video as a
23:23
basis for other Microsoft operating
23:26
systems you can always browse to ancoms
23:29
outcom to fix your most common computer
23:32
problems also you can find out the other
23:34
platforms I'm available I'm available on
23:36
YouTube youtube.com/ anet computers
23:40
twitch trobo dolive Twitter I already
23:43
said that I
23:47
think Instagram Tik
23:50
Tok and Rumble
23:54
adios