# Windows 8 freezing



## Mouse (Nov 6, 2013)

So my new laptop is a heap of crap. Had a problem where it kept doing the blue screen of death and saying I had a 'watchdog violation'. It wouldn't restart so I'd have to force it to shut down by holding the start button and then, it wouldn't turn on properly. Well, it'd turn on, but it wouldn't load anything unless I took the battery out and tried again.

Gave it to an IT person who supposedly 'fixed' it, but when I got it home it did the exact same thing again. So I managed to fix it myself but Googling on the old laptop and, within the 30 second time frame I had each time before the error would occur (which meant lots of taking the battery out and starting over), I finally managed to get it to run in safe mode and refreshed it to an earlier time. Now, it looks like it was something to do with good old OpenOffice that made everything **** up (possibly the grammar check I installed), so last night when it was working, I reinstalled OpenOffice (I _need_ a word program of some sort!), but didn't install the grammar check. Worked fine.

This morning, I turned the laptop on, but as soon as I log in, it freezes. I can't even click on anything. So whereas last time, I'd have about 30 seconds where I could actually press stuff, this time I have _no_ time at all. So, any ideas on how to fix this?

How do I get it to run in safe mode, if I can't click anything? Everything is frozen, mouse, keyboard. I've Googled and all the 'fixes' seem to say refresh again, but I can't do that, because the screen is frozen! 

I can send the laptop back for an exchange or refund, but it has all my personal stuff on there which I'd rather wipe, if I can't fix it.

Help?

(by the way the asterisked word isn't a swear word so not sure why it's been censored!)


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## Foxbat (Nov 6, 2013)

Not sure if it's still the same but I think pressing F5 during bootup gets you into safemode (at least on older Windows software). Personally, I'd take it back and get a refund/different model (after you get back in and remove your personal stuff).

Hope this helps.


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## Erin99 (Nov 6, 2013)

I'm not too sure of Windows 8, tbh (I'd avoid buying PCs with that on), but you could try the shift and F8 method to bring up the startup options menu - if it works in 8. It works in other past Windows environments. You basically hold down "shift" and "F8" continuously as soon as you've switched your laptop/PC on, even if your laptop beeps loads at you for doing so, and eventually a screen appears that gives you several options, one of which is to load up in safe mode.


Try it several times, since there's only a small window in which Windows recognises that key press during startup, and if you miss it, it won't work. If that doesn't work, I can try to find other ways tomorrow. If there are any. I dunno! I've just been to the supermarket, and I'm feeling rotten right now, so I'm not going to search the internet for answers. Maybe someone with Windows 8 will have answers for you? 


Edit: Oh, Foxbat has beaten me to it! With a different keypress, though.


Edit edit: A further thought - did you get an installation CD with the laptop? If you did, or you have a recovery partition on your hard drive, going into that at bootup will give you the option to go into Recovery Mode, which will let you get to your Command Prompt and other repair options.


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## Mouse (Nov 6, 2013)

Nah, Windows 8 is a pain in the bum and everything's different! F5/F8 doesn't work.

I've just found something in Google that said: If you're not signed in to Windows, tap or click the power icon 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





      from the sign-in screen, hold Shift, then tap or click Restart

And that's enabled me to refresh the PC so I'm trying that. Dunno what good it'll do, but it looks like I can reset from that option too, so if all else fails...

Wish I knew what the problem was though!


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## Foxbat (Nov 6, 2013)

Try here:  How to start Windows 8 in Safe Mode; Safe Mode in Windows 8 - PC Advisor

Read the part about 'restart+shift key'


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## Erin99 (Nov 6, 2013)

Hmmm. Contrary to what I just said, I Googled the shift+F8 thing: _"In fact, even the widely publicized SHIFT+F8 option, which supposedly works to force Advanced Startup Options to appear (and ultimately Startup Settings and Safe Mode), only works on very slow computers. The amount of time that Windows 8 looks for SHIFT+F8 is so small on most Windows 8 devices and PCs that it borders on impossible to get it to work."_ (http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windows-8/ss/windows-8-safe-mode.htm)

It doesn't say it's _impossible_, though...


Blergh, Windows 8.

I'll have to have a think and a read and see if tomorrow I can find any answers for you, unless someone else does first.


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## Mouse (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks, Foxbat. I used that link yesterday, actually! But it requires you being able to actually get in to your desktop and being able to press stuff - which I could do for 30 secs at a time yesterday, but not at all today. But anyway, the clicking shift and restart before sign in seems to do something and I'm now refreshing. Whatever that does

S'alright, Leish! Thanks for looking. It's doing something at the mo. Whether that fixes anything or not... But yeah, _never_ get Windows 8!


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## J Riff (Nov 7, 2013)

If u have a Windows7 disc, roll back. IF not... well OpenOffice is nuttin but trouble here. Find someone with an old MS Office suite, maybe 2007, and try that. OpenArfice is not worthy of you as a writer.


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## dask (Nov 7, 2013)

We have Windows 8 and what I wouldn't give to get my old Vista back.


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## Foxbat (Nov 7, 2013)

dask said:


> We have Windows 8 and what I wouldn't give to get my old Vista back.


 
Jeez! Windows 8 must be bad. I regularly verbally abuse my Vista-run PC and long for the heady days of XP. 

Perhaps it's no surprise that one of the Microsoft bigwigs resigned not long after the launch of Windows 8.


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## Mouse (Nov 7, 2013)

So after 'refreshing' it last night, it seemed to solve the freezing problem... only for it to go back to the Blue Screen of Death. So that's it. I've reset the damn thing and I'm sending it back. Only problem is that I don't have the original box any more (wasn't expecting a brand new laptop to be faulty!) and hopefully I won't have to pay postage. Never buying a Windows 8 laptop again.

The trouble with Windows 8 is that, although you pick it up quickly and it's not difficult to use, it's all geared towards _looking_ good. You have to click through so much stuff to even do one thing and I don't want my laptop to look or act like a phone/ipad/tablet, I want my laptop to act like a laptop so I can do work on it!


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## Erin99 (Nov 7, 2013)

If I couldn't install Windows 7 on it, I'd send it back too. My dad has Windows 8, and from the small go I had on it, I hated it. I've always said the same as you, Mouse - why are Mickeysoft so adamant that everything needs to look like a tablet or phone??? If I want that, I'll buy one of those. A PC/laptop should be just that - a different platform altogether, one that is designed to run on non-touchscreen interfaces. I suppose it's all to do with sales of PCs being down and everyone trying to boost sales with new designs. But I've always said, sales aren't down, they're just normal. Unlike tablets, smartphones, and phablets, people don't change their PCs every year to follow the latest trends. A PC is a big expense, and if you make the right choice, it could remain reliable for a decade.


Anyway, the watchdog violation (is it just me, or does that sound sordid?) has to do with drivers or software, which doesn't narrow it down any! It could be a driver problem from some piece of kit that doesn't play nice with Windows 8 (even just plugging headphones into a non-Win-8 sound card will throw the BSoD), or it could be a program which Win 8 doesn't like that loads up fully after about 30 seconds.


As for writing programs, there's Calligra Suite, Lotus SmartSuite, KWord, and LibreOffice as replacements for OpenOffice (I love Scrivener, too, although it's not free). Most save files as ODF, the Open Document Format, which is company neutral and works in all major writing packages.

Good luck in getting this sorted! And if you need help in finding a new laptop, I don't mind helping! There are some good deals out there. Ebuyer's a great site...


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## Mouse (Nov 7, 2013)

Cheers, just having a look at that site now!


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## Erin99 (Nov 7, 2013)

I've used that site for over 10 years. Always reliable. And you can search by price, HD size, Windows version, etc.

Anyway, I'm wondering - since I've seen the price of their Win 7 laptops compared to the cheaper Win 8 ones - if you shouldn't just buy a Windows 8 laptop and a Window 7 installation disc, as long as the laptop is compatible with Win 7 (a quick search online would determine if that was the case). Then, all you'd have to do is boot up the laptop with the Win 7 disc in, and it would ask you if you want to wipe the HD and install Windows 7. You'd lose all the software that came with your laptop (unless you get a CD with it on), but that's not too bad...

There's even a cheaper OEM version of 32-bit Windows, for laptops up to... is it 3.25 GB in RAM(?): Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium w/SP1 | Ebuyer.com

Or 64-bit OEM, for laptops above 3.25 GB in RAM: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium w/SP1 | Ebuyer.com


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## Mouse (Nov 7, 2013)

What's the difference between 32 bit and 64 bit? I'm not sure there's any decent ones in my price range on that site.

This one kinda seems ok: http://www.ebuyer.com/569134-hp-255-laptop-h6e10ea-abu (does it?!) I couldn't afford Windows 7 on top of that, though.


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## Glitch (Nov 7, 2013)

If you're not a techie, I'd recommend buying a computer with windows 7 rather than trying to install it.

As to which machine to buy, it depends how much you want to spend.

The Novatech nSpire N1538


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## Mouse (Nov 7, 2013)

Yeah, not that much!! Preferably under £300. And well under £300 would be nicer.

Just looking at this on ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HP-Compaq...t=UK_Computing_Laptops_EH&hash=item4acba217a1


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## Glitch (Nov 7, 2013)

Mouse said:


> What's the difference between 32 bit and 64 bit?




64 bit would allow you to have more than 4gb of ram.


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## Glitch (Nov 7, 2013)

How about this one? Comes with Microsoft office

Asus X102BA Touch Laptop - Laptops | Ebuyer.com


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## Mouse (Nov 7, 2013)

But it's Windows 8? And I'm wary of those touchscreen ones, I can see lots of stuff would go wrong!


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## Vertigo (Nov 7, 2013)

Actually Windows 8 is supposed to be okay with a touch screen but a pile of **** without. I'm figuring this is MS's usual every other operating system:

98 - good
ME - rubbish
XP - good
Vista - rubbish
7 - good
8 - rubbish

So roll on Windows 9!

(bit like the Star Trek films really!)


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## Glitch (Nov 7, 2013)

The cheapest laptop I could see with windows 7 has a rubbish spec.


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## Mouse (Nov 7, 2013)

Ha! Didn't notice that before, Vertigo.

Glitch - my trouble is that I have no idea what specs are good and bad! Really, I just want it for writing and the internet. And putting photos on it.


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## Erin99 (Nov 7, 2013)

Then you don't need amazing specs. You don't even need multi-cores like the i3, i5, or i7.


I'd say, in your situation, opt for a bigger hard drive (500GB+) to store loads of files and at least 2GB memory (RAM). You can get mad-sized memory, like 6GB, 8GB, or even 24GB (in PCs!), but I don't see why you'd need that. You also wouldn't need a dedicated graphics card - just shared graphics would do. You also don't necessarily need 64-bit Windows, if you get a laptop with less than 3.25GB memory.


How about this, if you don't mind used goods? http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002Q8HMD2/?tag=brite-21 I love Toshibas. 500GB hard drive, 4GB RAM, 2 processor cores for doing tasks simultaniously...

If the "battery is not guaranteed", which is normal on a used laptop, you'd just keep it plugged into the mains.  Or buy a new battery in the future. We'd all help you out one finding the correct one when the time came. eBay has good cheap ones.


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## Mouse (Nov 7, 2013)

Thanks, Leish.

I'm still so annoyed that I have to mess around with the other one! God knows what I'm going to pack it in to send it back. Amazon say they refund the postage on faulty items, but does that mean I have to pay the postage to start?


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## Erin99 (Nov 7, 2013)

From my experiences, yes.


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## Mouse (Nov 7, 2013)

I bet it's going to be mega bucks.


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## Erin99 (Nov 7, 2013)

Well, the good news is that last time I didn't pay out at all. I selected the return option that made Amazon arrange a courier to pick it up from my door. If it's still available, you should choose that if you don't want to pay. You just print out their return label and stick it on.


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## Glitch (Nov 7, 2013)

Based on experience, I wouldn't recommend anything lower than an i3 with 4gb ram if you want any sort of longevity. The PC I'm writing this post on has only email and internet explorer open now (besides antivirus etc...) and is using 2.2gb ram


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## Mouse (Nov 7, 2013)

Ah, I'll look for that option then, cheers Leish!

The one I'm on at the mo has erm... 3GB DDR3 memory. No idea what that means.


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## Erin99 (Nov 7, 2013)

Glitch said:


> Based on experience, I wouldn't recommend anything lower than an i3 with 4gb ram if you want any sort of longevity.



I must be lucky. I've still got a dual core, 250GB laptop running fine, and I've had no problems with all my other laptops in the past. Ended up replacing them only because I wanted better!



> 3GB DDR3 memory. No idea what that means.



Don't quote me on this, because I'm a little behind the times and my brain is fried right now, but I'm sure it's the fastest type of memory you can get, or at least it was about a year and a half ago, DDR3 SDRAM. Unless there's a new one out? I've only got DDR2 in my PC.

Anyway, better go rest. My head's not the best!


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## Mouse (Nov 7, 2013)

Well it's not very fast! It's slooooooooow.


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## J Riff (Nov 7, 2013)

Well get Win7 with Office on it, and don't pay an arm or a leg. There's zillions of laptops now.
 64-bit is the future. I still use XP tho, and have 4 working 32bit laptops from  picking them up basically for free, my 64Bit Win7 is sitting until it becomes neccesary.
 Get the Win7 disc if possible, with the PC. They make that difficult now, getting the disc, so I borrowed one and made an installation ThumbDrive, and that works fine.


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