Windows 8.1 error 0xc000000f on boot - tried everything.

[Daniel1992]

I'm not that familliar but recently I gained some knowledge as the situation forced me to . I'll proceed with the process and post pics + info about success|failure

 

[hydranix]

Ok, hopefully it works out and boots Windows.

You might even want to run this command on the filesystem you recovered. Just to make sure everything is in order after the recovery.

CHKDSK C: /F
(C: being your actual drive letter)

 

[Daniel1992]

I wanted to know out of curiosity. Just basically why there is "MOVE B:\Boot\bootmgr B:" instead of "MOVE B:\Boot\bootmgr B:\Boot" if we want to move the bootmgr file just one directory up ?

 

[hydranix]

I wanted to know out of curiosity. Just basically why there is "MOVE B:\Boot\bootmgr B:" instead of "MOVE B:\Boot\bootmgr B:\Boot" if we want to move the bootmgr file just one directory up ?

If I understand correctly you're asking about the syntax of the command?

All 5 of these commands will do the exact same thing

MOVE B:\Boot\bootmgr B:\bootmgr
MOVE B:\Boot\bootmgr B:\
MOVE B:\Boot\bootmgr B:
MOVE B:\Boot\bootmgr B:bootmgr
IF EXIST B: ( PUSHD B: & IF EXIST Boot\bootmgr ( TYPE Boot\bootmgr>bootmgr & DEL Boot\bootmgr ) & POPD )

But when I direct others to enter the commands, I feel the like the top command gives the most information to a user in the least confusing way. Just in case they're not very familiar with the command prompt.


If however you meant, why use the command prompt to move a single file up one directory, I figured 'Heck, we're already in command prompt with one more thing we gotta do, might as well just knock that last file operating out so we can continue on to the BCD'

 

[Daniel1992]

I wanted to know out of curiosity. Just basically why there is "MOVE B:\Boot\bootmgr B:" instead of "MOVE B:\Boot\bootmgr B:\Boot" if we want to move the bootmgr file just one directory up ?

If I understand correctly you're asking about the syntax of the command?

All 5 of these commands will do the exact same thing

MOVE B:\Boot\bootmgr B:\bootmgr
MOVE B:\Boot\bootmgr B:\
MOVE B:\Boot\bootmgr B:
MOVE B:\Boot\bootmgr B:bootmgr
IF EXIST B: ( PUSHD B: & IF EXIST Boot\bootmgr ( TYPE Boot\bootmgr>bootmgr & DEL Boot\bootmgr ) POPD )

But when I direct others to enter the commands, I feel the like the top command gives the most information to a user in the least confusing way. Just in case they're not very familiar with the command prompt.


If however you meant, why use the command prompt to move a single file up one directory, I figured 'Heck, we're already in command prompt with one more thing we gotta do, might as well just knock that last file operating out so we can continue on to the BCD'

Yes I was just asking about the syntax I already studied the diagram which explained what windows needs in order to boot up. Btw. How did you learn about all this ? You're from the DOS era, studied CS or self taught yourself ? Where can I learn more on how to debug certain heavy duty problems like these ?

 

[hydranix]

Yes I was just asking about the syntax I already studied the diagram which explained what windows needs in order to boot up. Btw. How did you learn about all this ? You're from the DOS era, studied CS or self taught yourself ? Where can I learn more on how to debug certain heavy duty problems like these ?

I'm self taught.

When I started taking classes in college for CS and C++ programming something kind of funny happened to me...
I was doing alright in the C++ class. CS was a no-brainer for me.

Then at some unknown point my professor started giving me Cs and Ds on my homework. (homework consisted of go home, write a C++ program of increasing difficulty, then turn in the Source and the Compiled Binary. Grading was something like 60/40 Source/Binary)

The professor said my source code was perfect, but my binaries weren't working and were screwed up and scolded me for compiling them incorrectly. So I studied for weeks to figure out what was wrong. I tried multiple compilers, but still I was getting closer and closer to failing.

Same story every time, Source is great, binary is broken.
I tried everything I could think of. Nothing seemed to fix it.

I had only a few days left before my grade would be so bad that I was afraid I'd never make into a University.

I came to the conclusion that I just wasn't cut out for programming or computer science for that matter. So I quit.
Took all my books and homework archives (kept on a flash drive) and threw them in a box and left it at my parent's house.

5 years went by...

I completely left behind anything computer science related. When my parents were moving they had me grab my boxes of crap.

I found my old flash drive and was bewildered, completely forgetting what was even on it. It felt like a time capsule when I plugged it into my computer.

Besides some dumb virus being detected on it, my homework archives were fun to go through again.


Later that night I realized something that made me feeling violated, angry, sad, yet also incredibly reinvigorated.

The Virus that was quickly detected and removed from the flash drive was fownadup AKA conficker, along with some other malware that it may have downloaded. I had read about conficker only a day or two before I found my old flash drive.

This virus (actually a worm) infects flash drives to spread network to network, going so far as to brute force passwords of other computers on the LAN, if I can't just instantly infect them.

The malware also downloads payloads of other viruses to the infected machines.

My source code was fine, but the viruses had modified my executable files, or tampered with things during the compilation process. Probably as part of their defensive mechanisms.

Realizing that i got pwned pretty hard by not knowing enough about computer science reignited an old curiousty, and since then I've been pretty focused on learning as much as I can. At this point it helps pay the bills as well

Jeez sorry for the life story. I don't get a chance to tell that one very often


When it comes to debugging any problems on computers, your first tool should be Google. There's endless amounts of information out there. The hardest part is knowing whats true, and whats senseless bullshit. (Like running sfc /scannow when your webbrowser crashes)

The best way to actually find that out is just by experimenting. I'll admit though, that most folks couldn't be bothered by that sorta thing, or would rather spend the very little free time they have doing things they're passionate about.

 

[Daniel1992]

Yes I was just asking about the syntax I already studied the diagram which explained what windows needs in order to boot up. Btw. How did you learn about all this ? You're from the DOS era, studied CS or self taught yourself ? Where can I learn more on how to debug certain heavy duty problems like these ?

I'm self taught.

When I started taking classes in college for CS and C++ programming something kind of funny happened to me...
I was doing alright in the C++ class. CS was a no-brainer for me.

Then at some unknown point my professor started giving me Cs and Ds on my homework. (homework consisted of go home, write a C++ program of increasing difficulty, then turn in the Source and the Compiled Binary. Grading was something like 60/40 Source/Binary)

The professor said my source code was perfect, but my binaries weren't working and were screwed up and scolded me for compiling them incorrectly. So I studied for weeks to figure out what was wrong. I tried multiple compilers, but still I was getting closer and closer to failing.

Same story every time, Source is great, binary is broken.
I tried everything I could think of. Nothing seemed to fix it.

I had only a few days left before my grade would be so bad that I was afraid I'd never make into a University.

I came to the conclusion that I just wasn't cut out for programming or computer science for that matter. So I quit.
Took all my books and homework archives (kept on a flash drive) and threw them in a box and left it at my parent's house.

5 years went by...

I completely left behind anything computer science related. When my parents were moving they had me grab my boxes of crap.

I found my old flash drive and was bewildered, completely forgetting what was even on it. It felt like a time capsule when I plugged it into my computer.

Besides some dumb virus being detected on it, my homework archives were fun to go through again.


Later that night I realized something that made me feeling violated, angry, sad, yet also incredibly reinvigorated.

The Virus that was quickly detected and removed from the flash drive was fownadup AKA conficker, along with some other malware that it may have downloaded. I had read about conficker only a day or two before I found my old flash drive.

This virus (actually a worm) infects flash drives to spread network to network, going so far as to brute force passwords of other computers on the LAN, if I can't just instantly infect them.

The malware also downloads payloads of other viruses to the infected machines.

My source code was fine, but the viruses had modified my executable files, or tampered with things during the compilation process. Probably as part of their defensive mechanisms.

Realizing that i got pwned pretty hard by not knowing enough about computer science reignited an old curiousty, and since then I've been pretty focused on learning as much as I can. At this point it helps pay the bills as well

Jeez sorry for the life story. I don't get a chance to tell that one very often


When it comes to debugging any problems on computers, your first tool should be Google. There's endless amounts of information out there. The hardest part is knowing whats true, and whats senseless bullshit. (Like running sfc /scannow when your webbrowser crashes)

The best way to actually find that out is just by experimenting. I'll admit though, that most folks couldn't be bothered by that sorta thing, or would rather spend the very little free time they have doing things they're passionate about.

No ! I love it ! Each one of us has some bricks of knowledge to share. Everything can become useful one day. This is really something I would never think of. A virus modifying something in your code in the compiling process. Well, I guess sometimes life is like that first scene from Broken Sword II, you think 'damn it, what a stupid game' and turn it off. Then randomly after years, you get back to it out from sentiment or to defend own honor. Voila, you figure out the solution and get hooked until you finish it. I was 9 at that time

Speaking about Google. I don't know is it me or is it Google itself...maybe I got dumber over a time, who knows BUT as a child and as a teen I used to learn much more from Google than I do now. I remember doing really complex things as a teen. Now, even though Google serves content that best fits your needs based on your previous searches, it is somehow very often unrelevant to my questions. Also I feel that many people turned their backs to forum boards from which I used to learn so much in 2005. Is it only me or you feel like that too ?

Btw. BIG BIG BIG THANKS FOR HELPING ME OUT! The whole master boot record and boot configuration data have been rebuilt, It booted back to Windows 8.1 although some tile apps like weather or sports had problems to update and display any info. Also shutting down was quite slow, maybe hybrid shutting down option have been turned off. I'll check all tomorrow. Also I plan on consolidating your mini tutorial to a one post and adding photos that I took while moving from step to step. It can help folks in the future. Once again thank you very much for your help. Till this day Microsoft Forums didn't give a damn about my problem. Super User by Stack Exchange also didn't help a lot. Hope to hear from you tomorrow

 

[hydranix]

When I was around 5 years old, I saw my uncle using DOS on a computer. I couldn't have been bothered to pay any further attention to it, the TV was way more interesting.

Then I heard something that I'm pretty sure changed my life... lol

I don't think I even turned 6 before I had my own computer, built from computers PACBELL had thrown out.
Can thank my uncle for building that thing for me.

Couples days later I learned how to type:

CD WAR
WAR.EXE

It's all history from that point forward.

Is it only me or you feel like that too ?

I think Google was once incredible. (though I started with ask.com to be honest)

First discovering a search engine was the first time I could learn things that up until that point could only be taught by someone else.

Google now-a-days still works well, but you gotta work harder for it. Probably a combination of both how google is more about advertising deceptively than searching intuitively, and the tsunami of bullshit that has overtaken everything.

Maybe I've got dumber, maybe my standards for what I want to learn have risen, don't really know for sure, either way, I can relate.

Btw. BIG BIG BIG THANKS FOR HELPING ME OUT!

I'm glad I could help.

 

[Daniel1992]

Hi there dear geeks and nerds,

I'm proud to announce that yesterday at 23:00 computer started and booted to Windows 8.1. However, it did check C:/ Drive for errors and seems to repeat the process each time I boot in. This is a minor problem as the situation have changed. Yes you read it well.

Yesterday, after 23:00 I decided to strip down pc and clean everything inside.

Tools used :

- fat rubber pc surgeon-like yellow gloves
- salicylic alcohol
- un-used eraser
- clean un-used brush to clean out that dirty ol' dust
- Magnifyer glass (to see if rubbish is clean yo)

1. I cleaned everything out from dust.
2. I put the pc back together
3. Attempted to boot up
4. Computer turns on for 2-4 seconds, doesn't even display bios, turns off and boots up again upon 3 seconds (continous loop).
5. I press power button for 5 seconds, doesn't help so in the pause of the pc turned off I kill the power supply for components using kill switch at the back of PSU.
6. I begin to examine the components of pc, found out that one unit of Geil Dragon DDR3 4 GB ram is causing computer to go crazy (checked both units on both slots separately)
7. I begin to apply salicylic alcohol using a small syringe with a proper size needle on golden pins of the ram memory chip.
8. I use an un-used rubber to delicately scrub the dust and dirt out of the golden pins of the 4 gb memory ram memory chip.
9. I let the rubbish dry out.
10. I install the before faulty ram unit in each of the slots and turn the pc on.
11. Success (kinda), the computer makes 18 beep noises in 0.5 seconds intervals then turns off, pauses for 3 seconds and begins the same process again. Nothing is displayed on the screen through a VGA output (stinky Samsung SyncMaster VGA screen is plugged in, survived zombie attack, don't ask questions)
12. I begin to scratch my head...what can still cause the problem.
13. I found out that I'll annoy you guys once again before I post my consolidated tutorial post with photos and info from saint hydranix user.

Workspace, surgery, patient :

 

[hydranix]

8. I use an un-used rubber to delicately scrub the dust and dirt out of the golden pins of the 4 gb memory ram memory chip.

lol'd


On a more serious note, thick rubber gloves aren't the best choice when it comes to avoiding static discharge into the system.

Static electricity can have pretty high voltage. It's quite easy for any other part of the body, hot covered by gloves, to discharge into the computer. It's always best to use a strap.

I doubt that had anything to do with the problem though.


Did you remove the CPU heat sink at any point in cleaning the computer?

As for the beep codes. Your motherboard uses an AMI EFI BIOS.
You said you heard rapid short beeps. Here's all the rapid short beep codes, their meaning. (and the solution).

8 short beeps: Video card missing or broken. (reseat video card)
9 short beeps: BIOS ROM checksum wrong (corrupt rom, hope you can solder well)
10 short beeps: CMOS is screwing up. (check battery and jumper)
11 short beeps: L2 cache broken. (gg)

You shouldn't really have to clean a RAM stick's contacts. Definitely don't use any sort of tool or liquid to clean the bus slots on the motherboard. Compressed air is enough for that.

You plugged in the 4-pin 12v plug into the slot at the upper left corner labeled ATX_12V, right?
You plugged the CPU fan into the four-pin fan plug just below that last plug, right? (next to USB slots)

Have you tried clearing the CMOS? Or maybe you plugged something into the CMOS pins on accident?

Since messing with the RAM had some effect, do you have a spare stick of RAM to test?

Clearing the CMOS on most modern boards also tells the motherboard to clear out the overclock/ram timing/other settings it stores on nvram. That might help it to POST if the board is setting weird timings on the RAM.

I'll post back with more in a bit.

 

[Daniel1992]

Hi again,

Sorry for the unplanned delay. Computer caused much more problem than I expected. When I got it running I had to rush in order to complete something for my clients.

I'll share the photos that I took while executing step-by-step instructions that you listed in this thread. It might be helpful to other users in here. Hope they are in the right order, unfortunately I don't have time to check that now.
Photos of the most important steps from hydranix user :























Et voila...




Btw. 2 cents from me...

#1. Your OS might be automatically checking and attempting to repair your system partition each time you boot up. To turn that off do the following :

-Boot up to your OS.
-Run Command Prompt as administrator.
-You should be in the following directory C:\Windows\system32>
-Type the following:

fsutil dirty query c:

(assuming that C: is the label of your system partition)
System can prompt you that either the volume is not dirty or the volume is dirty (Didn't have time to check what that means. Will update this thread if I'll have chance)
Continue typing :

chkntfs /x c:

#2. if it happens dear user that you can't access safe mode in your Windows 8.1. then try to execute the following commands in your command prompt (if you can't boot up to your OS, execute them in command prompt built in repair tools in windows 8.1. installer DVD)
Commands to unlock safe mode:



So, the pc seems to work not that bad now. It boots up quite fast like before. Same for shutdown time. Depending on amount of programs previously turned off before shutting down.

When it comes to the previous problem with RAM there was something crazy going on. Let's name two sticks of ram 'stick A' and 'Stick B' and ports 'Port 1' and 'Port 2'. I continued to clean things inside from dust as well as used salicylic alcohol on the golden connectors of the sticks as I thought that the whole unit doesn't work because of the dirt that collected on these pins.

In the beginning 'Stick A' didn't cause problems no matter if I placed it in Port 1 or Port 2. 'Stick B' was causing problems if added to an empty port along with 'Stick A' or installed alone in either Port 1 or Port 2. I bought a compressed air spray and used it on both ports as well as both sticks of RAM. Upon that first attempt, 'Stick A' stopped to work properly and caused identical problems like 'Stick B' previously. Surprisingly 'Stick B' started to work as if nothing ever was wrong (so the whole situation got inversed). If I remember well after that I cleared CMOS manually as I didn't have any jumper available to me (I used the metal end of a flat screw-driver to temporarily connect the two pins on mobo). Didn't help, computer still was behaving like before (beeps for 18 seconds as if no RAM would be installed or booting up for 2 seconds and turning off in a constant loop). Upon that I pulled out the battery, waited 30 seconds and re-plugged it back. Still without any positive effects. Then happened something I cannot understand up until this moment...

I relocated the now working 'Stick B' from port 2 to port 1 and added the now not working 'Stick A' to port 2. The whole unit booted up without any beeps and didn't cause any problems. I restarted the whole unit few times, still no problems. So in big shortcut I'm happy it works but hell I have no idea what caused these problems before.

Now... when I booted to my OS I noticed that some things don't work like before.

What doesn't work :

1. Some metro apps like weather, news, mail app.
EDIT: It seems that even though I'm opening the Windowsapps folder as an administrator, I don't have direct access to it. Why I care ? Because I'm trying to repair the apps not working problem. I love such challenges, OS completely shitted, and you a one man army trying to kill all the problems.
2. Occasionally some programs like to crash (Cakewalk Sonar X2)

What works now and did not before :

1. Explorer.exe doesn't crash randomly like before. Everything is stable.

 

[MCPlayer18]

Is the ram bad?

 

[Daniel1992]

Is the ram bad?

Sorry, was still editing the previous post. Answering your question: No, it works fine now. I used salycylic alcohol + compressed air in spray can.