So I just had something weird happen with a Windows Update.
Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 8:14 pm
I shut down my laptop earlier using the Update version of the Shut Down button. Everything went normal, it powered down after the update was applied. When I turned it back on a few hours later, it started applying the update again at the boot screen, also like normal.
When it finished, the chime noise that 7 makes as you get to the profile login screen was a few seconds early, still showing up during a black screen. When the login screen showed up a few seconds later, it prepared to configure my computer, which is also normal behavior. However, once it finished and I input my password, instead of saying "Welcome" with a spinning wheel next to it, it instead said "Preparing your Desktop."
Thinking this update did something involving desktop graphics or something, I left the room for a few seconds to wait it out. When I returned, I was greeted by a black desktop background, the only icon was the Recycle Bin, a glitched taskbar that was partially the classic style, partially the 7 style, and some error message coming from next to the clock that was partially off screen and said something along the lines of "Error locating C:\\Windows something system32." An "illegal operation" box was in the center of the screen saying a similar message as the one that was in the corner. Due to my previous experience with user profiles disappearing, I admit I panicked and forcefully shut down the laptop.
When it powered back on, the "Windows was not properly shut down" screen showed up like normal. I selected "Start Windows Normally," not having enough technical know-how to even use Safe Mode anyway. It continued to progress normally, however, the chime noise again appeared to quickly. It brought me to the login screen, I input my password, and thankfully everything operated as it usually did when signing me in.
So now I'm sitting here wondering what just happened. I backed up all of my files to their recent version out of terror already, and now I don't know what to expect. The freezes I've previously reported here have been happening less frequently since the cleaning I gave the fans, and the past few have happened months apart from each other with the last happening on the 9th of this month. Should I be worried?
If anyone else has ever experienced something like this before, please let me know whether or not this is just a fluke or some sort of early warning that something critical is going to fail. Thanks in advance.
When it finished, the chime noise that 7 makes as you get to the profile login screen was a few seconds early, still showing up during a black screen. When the login screen showed up a few seconds later, it prepared to configure my computer, which is also normal behavior. However, once it finished and I input my password, instead of saying "Welcome" with a spinning wheel next to it, it instead said "Preparing your Desktop."
Thinking this update did something involving desktop graphics or something, I left the room for a few seconds to wait it out. When I returned, I was greeted by a black desktop background, the only icon was the Recycle Bin, a glitched taskbar that was partially the classic style, partially the 7 style, and some error message coming from next to the clock that was partially off screen and said something along the lines of "Error locating C:\\Windows something system32." An "illegal operation" box was in the center of the screen saying a similar message as the one that was in the corner. Due to my previous experience with user profiles disappearing, I admit I panicked and forcefully shut down the laptop.
When it powered back on, the "Windows was not properly shut down" screen showed up like normal. I selected "Start Windows Normally," not having enough technical know-how to even use Safe Mode anyway. It continued to progress normally, however, the chime noise again appeared to quickly. It brought me to the login screen, I input my password, and thankfully everything operated as it usually did when signing me in.
So now I'm sitting here wondering what just happened. I backed up all of my files to their recent version out of terror already, and now I don't know what to expect. The freezes I've previously reported here have been happening less frequently since the cleaning I gave the fans, and the past few have happened months apart from each other with the last happening on the 9th of this month. Should I be worried?
If anyone else has ever experienced something like this before, please let me know whether or not this is just a fluke or some sort of early warning that something critical is going to fail. Thanks in advance.