Cannot boot straight to desktop

Like a good boy last week I installed a raft of Windows updates which included an update for my GeForce GTX 560. It was late and instead of restarting the computer I shut it down and went to bed. Next morning I could get no image on my screen (iiyama ProLite E2407HDS connected to Win 7 Home Premium PC via HDMI). As I couldn't see anything on the screen I used the power button to turn the computer off (I've since learned how to turn off the pc via the keyboard!). Eventually found a DVI to VGA connector and the screen lit up to tell me there'd been a fatal error, the world was going to end but not to worry because the Cyberlink recovery procedure would save me; which after a fashion it did although re-installing programmes took a very long time. So a couple of questions please:
Should I have restarted the computer straightaway rather than shut it down until the morning?
I've got a Crucial 234GB SSD as my C drive - what's the very best way to clone it and, importantly, keeping the cloned image up to date? And if something like this happens again how do I install the clone?
And last but not least because it's annoying me: My machine used to boot straight to the desktop. I'm the only person to use it so don't bother with a password. Since the crash it now tells me to Press F11 to run recovery (which I ignore) and then up pops a "Starting Windows" screen with some little coloured balls which morph into the Windows flag. I'd like to do without all that nonsence and just get straight to the desktop so any guidance there will be appreciated. Thank you.

Comments

  • thmsthms Posts: 61,002
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Did your recovery reset your system restore function? If there is a backup available from before the update that caused your problem, you may be able to use that, and then do your update again?
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Cholas wrote: »
    Like a good boy last week I installed a raft of Windows updates which included an update for my GeForce GTX 560. It was late and instead of restarting the computer I shut it down and went to bed. Next morning I could get no image on my screen (iiyama ProLite E2407HDS connected to Win 7 Home Premium PC via HDMI). As I couldn't see anything on the screen I used the power button to turn the computer off (I've since learned how to turn off the pc via the keyboard!). Eventually found a DVI to VGA connector and the screen lit up to tell me there'd been a fatal error, the world was going to end but not to worry because the Cyberlink recovery procedure would save me; which after a fashion it did although re-installing programmes took a very long time. So a couple of questions please:
    Should I have restarted the computer straightaway rather than shut it down until the morning?.
    It shouldn't make any difference if you shut down completely or restart. The computer has no concept of the gap between Windows shutting down and restarting so it makes no difference to it if it's 2 seconds or 2 years it will do the same operations regardless.
    Cholas wrote: »
    I've got a Crucial 234GB SSD as my C drive - what's the very best way to clone it and, importantly, keeping the cloned image up to date? And if something like this happens again how do I install the clone?
    For cloning hard drives on my computers I used this originally

    http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

    In fact I now use the paid for version which gives a few extras over the free version.Pretty simple to drive and seems to do the job decently enough.

    It can create a boot CD/DVD that you use to restore the back-up. I store the back-ups on a NAS drive but a USB drive will do just as well.
    Cholas wrote: »
    And last but not least because it's annoying me: My machine used to boot straight to the desktop. I'm the only person to use it so don't bother with a password. Since the crash it now tells me to Press F11 to run recovery (which I ignore) and then up pops a "Starting Windows" screen with some little coloured balls which morph into the Windows flag. I'd like to do without all that nonsence and just get straight to the desktop so any guidance there will be appreciated. Thank you
    That's how Windows normally starts up. So either you are recovering from a sleep or hibernate mode rather than shutting down completely or the start up screen was disabled.

    Click on the Start Menu then on Control Panel. Click on System and Security then on Administrative Tools. Double click on System Configuration and select the Boot tab.

    Onthe Boot tab tick the check box called "No GUI Boot" under the Boot options section. Click on "Apply" to save the changes. You will then be prompted to restart your PC.
  • CholasCholas Posts: 123
    Forum Member
    Thank you thms and, as always, thanks to chrisjr for a particularly helpful and comprehensive reply.
  • CholasCholas Posts: 123
    Forum Member
    In fact I now use the paid for version which gives a few extras over the free version.Pretty simple to drive and seems to do the job decently enough.

    Would that be the paid-for Standard or Pro version chrisjr? I've just started using a NAS myself and I'm making steady progress with it so your comment about using a NAS could doubtless give me yet another challenge!!
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Cholas wrote: »
    Would that be the paid-for Standard or Pro version chrisjr? I've just started using a NAS myself and I'm making steady progress with it so your comment about using a NAS could doubtless give me yet another challenge!!
    Think it was the Standard version.

    Using a NAS should be pretty simple. You just point Macrium at a folder on the NAS drive and let it get on with it.
Sign In or Register to comment.