Laptop Won't Start In Safe Mode

Hi, I have a 2-year old Sony VAIO that won't start correctly. In normal mode, it will load the desktop but then freeze and I can't click on anything. When I try to boot in Safe Mode, it goes to the welcome screen and freezes there. I've tried all the F8 options, and the scans didn't find any problems. I also did a system restore and it didn't help. What else can I do? I have AVG and Malwarebytes but it's possible something could have gotten past them. Is it possible that my video card is fried? I run some graphics-intensive games and it always puts out a lot of heat from the vent.
Thanks for any help you can offer!

 

Originally I was thinking along the lines of a heat issue but a few things that you have said need some clarification.

What confuses me is how you managed to try a system restore and run scans if you cannot get past the desktop in a normal boot and the welcome screen in safemode. Clearly I am missing something here.

 

I had exactly the same thoughts.

 

The system restore was one of the F8 options, which I can get to before I try to boot in safe mode.

 

Can you clarify please?

Can you boot up and run any applications at all - or does the system freeze at every attempt?

 

In addition to KenB's quetions
I understand how you reached the system restore but did the computer indicate that it completed it or did it freeze?? That would take longer than just getting to the desktop and would tend to rule out heat as the issue.

 

I can't run any applications. In normal mode it will load the desktop, but it won't open any applications. It doesn't freeze exactly, but for example I clicked on Open Office in my taskbar and it didn't start up. I tried CTRL+ALT+DEL and it gave me a "Failure to display security options" message. I can't get to the desktop in safe mode to try loading any applications there. Also, in normal mode it won't connect to my wi-fi, but I don't know if that's relevant.
Yes, the computer indicated that the system restore was completed successfully, when I got to the desktop in normal mode. I was able to click "OK" but not able to load anything.

 

Hi,

Boot up in normal mode.
Start > type in ......cmd ......DO NOT hit ENTER yet.
Right click on cmd that appears top left > Run as Administrator.

At the command prompt type in .....sfc /scannow .....ENTER ( note - there is a space after sfc )

This will check and repair system files.

 

The Start menu froze when I tried to open it, so I tried safe mode with command prompt. It actually got past the welcome screen this time and is displaying the safe mode desktop, with the command prompt (it's running as admin). I typed in sfc /scannow and it came back a few minutes later and said Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service. It's now displaying "sfc /scannosfchh".

 

To the best of my knowledge you cannot run sfc /scannow from safe mode. If you go back to the same window in the advanced boot options (F8) window where you found the system restore and select the command prompt from there it should run.. That differs from safe mode with command prompt.

 

Ah ok. Well, I did as you said and went back to the F8 window and booted command prompt from there. I typed the scan command and it said there was a system restore in progress and to restart the system first. Previously, when I booted in normal mode it told me the system restore had been completed successfully. But I haven't been able to restart normally since this whole debacle started--I've had to do a hard restart with the power button every time. So I think that may be the problem; it can't actually complete the system restore until it's restarted properly. Basically I'm stuck, because command prompt says I need to restart to fix the problems, and I can't restart until the problems are fixed. I hate my computer. Should I just take it to a repair shop at this point?

 

I am going to tell you only what I would do under the circumstances. If you choose to do it yourself we can help you. On the other hand, if you widh to have someone do it for you that is OK too. BUT you need to know exactly what you want them/him/her to do for you.

If you can get into safe mode on a consistent basis our experts MAY be able to investigate it from that standpoint. However if appears that you can't. So if that is the case you need to remove the hard drive from the laptop and connect it to another computer using a USB adapter and transfer all the data that you want to keep from your computer to the "other" computer and then save it to an external hard drive or DVDs. After that you can format the old hard drive and reinstall windows.

Now I am going to take that back because I am not at all sure that you exhausted all the options available to you. Did you try the option that says "Repair My Computer" after getting to the advanced boot options page? Keep in mind that you do not want to do a full reinstall which will return the computer to factory settings until you make certain that you can save all the data first.

 

If you are prepared to remove the hard drive, and once removed, connect it to a good computer using a USB adapter, once at that point various scans and investigation procedures can be done from that good computer.
Let us know if you can do that or prefer to leave it to a repairer.
We can help further if you can go that far.
Nev.

 

Be aware that if you take it to a repair shop - they may decide to reinstall Windows for you and you will lose all of your data / files / photos.

BeeCeeBee and Nev have suggested using an adapter.
This is NOT a complicated process.
You can then access your hard disk and take off all of your saved data before you lose it.
With the drive connected this way you use it just like a memory stick.

You need something like this: