[Zenoman]

Hi. Thank you in advance for any help!

 

I have a custom build. Running Windows 7 Ultimate. I have scoured the interwebs for all things related to my issue. That issue being and unending boot loop. It started yesterday, 8/12/16, after doing a system update. Downloaded and installed the recommended updates, per Microsoft's built in updater, after the updates installed I told it to restart to finish installing and BOOM. Infinite boot loop of doom. No other changes were made and I absolutely HAVE to get some files off of it. The issue is that those files are encrypted. I've tried slaving the drive to a good machine, but without it being a boot from that windows, I don't know how to get those encrypted files.
I have tried using a recovery disc (I don't have an install disc, it was downloaded from MS as an ISO), I have tried bootrec /Fixboot, bootrec /Fixmbr, bootrec /rebuildbcd. I have tried using last known good, system restore. Nothing works. Can't boot to safe mode to remove the offending updates.

PLEASE HELP!!

If it were not for the need of those files, I would have just done a fresh install and been done with it. Any help would be immensely appreciated.

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Hi Zenoman and welcome to our forums.

 

Sorry to hear of the non booting issue with your encrypted drive.

 

It looks like you are between a rock and a hard place, although I guess you don't need me to tell you that.

 

1 Presumably this is a business computer/data hence the reason for the encryption?..... if this is so then ask your IT dept to reimage a similar computer, add the encryption software, if not already included in the image, and use the encryption key you will have exported and the required password/passphrase to decrypt the files you were able to salvage (but not read) from the original machine.

 

2 If the IT dept are having difficulty in doing this then they should consult their normal consultancy firm for advice and information, as going further into that in this topic on the forum would be against our Terms of Use.

 

3 If its not a business machine then use a recent disc image to reimage a replacement hard drive, so your computer will now boot and away you go!

 

4 Otherwise your best bet is to get the old computer working again presumably you have tried booting from your Repair disc or Microsoft Win 7 installation disc and using a system restore point created before the problem started?

 

5 Whether its a business machine or a private one we cannot help you with "breaking" any form of encryption...( that is against our Terms of Use) so we need to be clear on that.

 

6 All your files included encrypted ones should be on your back ups, and provided you have your encryption certiciacates/passphrases/passwords kept safely on removable media, maybe the following links will help.

 

http://www.symantec....nother-computer

http://www.pcworld.c...hard_drive.html

 

Finally we are assuming that your Win7 ultimate operating system is correctly and legitimately licenced and correctly and legitimately activated..... if you are in any doubt whatsoever that this might not be the case, then do not proceed but inform us and we will advise a suitable way forward.

 

Regards

paws

[paws]

Hi Zenoman and welcome to our forums.

 

Sorry to hear of the non booting issue with your encrypted drive.

 

It looks like you are between a rock and a hard place, although I guess you don't need me to tell you that.

 

1 Presumably this is a business computer/data hence the reason for the encryption?..... if this is so then ask your IT dept to reimage a similar computer, add the encryption software, if not already included in the image, and use the encryption key you will have exported and the required password/passphrase to decrypt the files you were able to salvage (but not read) from the original machine.

 

2 If the IT dept are having difficulty in doing this then they should consult their normal consultancy firm for advice and information, as going further into that in this topic on the forum would be against our Terms of Use.

 

3 If its not a business machine then use a recent disc image to reimage a replacement hard drive, so your computer will now boot and away you go!

 

4 Otherwise your best bet is to get the old computer working again presumably you have tried booting from your Repair disc or Microsoft Win 7 installation disc and using a system restore point created before the problem started?

 

5 Whether its a business machine or a private one we cannot help you with "breaking" any form of encryption...( that is against our Terms of Use) so we need to be clear on that.

 

6 All your files included encrypted ones should be on your back ups, and provided you have your encryption certiciacates/passphrases/passwords kept safely on removable media, maybe the following links will help.

 

http://www.symantec....nother-computer

http://www.pcworld.c...hard_drive.html

 

Finally we are assuming that your Win7 ultimate operating system is correctly and legitimately licenced and correctly and legitimately activated..... if you are in any doubt whatsoever that this might not be the case, then do not proceed but inform us and we will advise a suitable way forward.

 

Regards

paws

[Zenoman]

Thanks for the response!

No, this isn't a business machine. Just my personal one that I use for all of my school work. I have proof of legitimacy and can provide reciept of purchase of the hdd, if needed. Also, windows is legit. I've been using this computer for over a year with zero issues, until yesterday when I did the update.

I'm not asking for help with breaking encryption (that'd be a silly thing to do, especially on a great site like this one!). Just looking to get the darn drive to boot up.

Unfortunately I don't  have a disc image. Woulda done that a long time ago and not bothered anyone here. The restore failed, there are only two restore points that I can even click on but only one that actually tries to work, then fails. I hate to admit this, but I haven't been able to backup my drive in a while, like over a year. ( I can't afford a drive that big, school's killing my finances. Neither can I afford the "cloud" space required.) My HDD is a 2TB and it has about 1.2TB of data on it about 1TB of which I need and only about 20 files that are encrypted.

Started an Avira System Restore scanning the drive last night right after I posted and it isn't finished yet. I will post the results of that scan and the subsequent attempts to use the repair tool (if it finds anything). I believe that the issue is corrupted boot files, but my attempts at replacing them with good ones has been unsuccessful so far.

Edited by Zenoman, 13 August 2016 - 12:37 PM.

[Zenoman]

Well, Avira Rescue System just finished and found 0 threats and there were no repairs done/needed.

[Zenoman]

I know I just posted this topic yesterday and haven't had time for anyone to really help, but I've managed to get back into my hard drive. Decrypted those darned files and am going to roll back the update.

Different question, not sure if it should be here or on another board. I'll put it here and if it needs to be somewhere else I'll do that. 

 

Had to use a windows 7 .iso install DVD to get back in, after getting back in I got all these alerts that my copy of windows is not genuine. I don't know where the .iso was downloaded from (used a friends disc). Could it have written onto my hard drive and caused my registration key to no longer be valid? I don't have the .iso I used last year (it was from a USB flash drive and wasn't needed, or so I thought). If I have to, I have a legit copy of 7 professional I can use.