Lenovo ideacentre aio 300 locked out

[Marc Berry]

Hi all.

I’ve been out of PC stuff for a while and my sister has asked me to check out her daughter’s all in one PC as she said there was a problem but had forgot to tell my sister what it was.

When i first turned it on i couldn’t see the issue as it booted up but while it was sitting there waiting for my sister to check what the log in password or PIN was, it went to a blue screen. Can’t remember the wording as it auto restarted.

She then got back to my sister to say she couldn’t remember either of the login codes so I’m stuck.

Until i can log in i can’t do much so i don’t know where to go next.

Any suggestions welcome

 

Cheers, Marc

[Dave Rice]

No password or pin, no login. The only password recovery I ever had that worked is MBR / IDE not GPT / AHCI.

You can boot from a Linux USB to recover data then it’s reinstall Windows time. If their version of W10 is fairly recent there may be an option to reset Windows and retain the data but all the apps will go. If you can interrupt the boot to a Lenovo Recovery there may be factory reset and other options.

Whatever, my first job would be to get the data backed up as I’m sure it won’t be. Pray they logged in with a Microsoft Account and used One Drive 😀

[Marc Berry]

Cheers Dave

 

They aren’t concerned with the data as she isn’t very old and has been using a laptop for a while so wasn’t too concerned. My sister simply wants it sorted if i can.

I just got into the bios but there isn’t an option i can see for a reset.

[Ed P]

While on the subject of Lenovo, check this out. It looks like they do not have good reliability designed in.

[Dave Rice]

I have noticed a trend towards “no user serviceable parts inside” from all the major OEMs for even business orientated machines.

I had a 2 year old Lenovo B50-50 playing up a few weeks ago, from Event Viewer it looked like a HDD issue causing Windows to timeout and HDD diagnostics confirmed it was shafted. This is described as a High-Value Business Laptop but I had to remove the whole back case to get at the HDD. This also involved prising the keyboard out as to stop complaints of bounce it’s now been secured with double sided sticky pads.

HDD replaced, same error so I suspect the motherboard but the HDD was a dead duck.

I’ve replaced it with the same laptop I’ve been buying all year, the refurbished HP Elitebook 840 G series. They’ve all looked like new.

This one is a G2 and has 1600 x 900 screen and a next generation i5 (over the G1) (doesn’t seem to make much difference). One clip and the whole back is off.

[Marc Berry]

Cheers guys

We finally got in by testing other passwords. I reset back to an earlier date but the only one available was a year ago. It then offered to update to Windows 10 but during i saw the BSOD again. I quickly took a picture before it restarted and it said DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Possibly the HDD?

[Bob Williams]

Dave wrote:

” I had a 2 year old Lenovo B50-50 playing up a few weeks ago, from Event Viewer it looked like a HDD issue causing Windows to timeout and HDD diagnostics confirmed it was shafted. This is described as a High-Value Business Laptop but I had to remove the whole back case to get at the HDD. This also involved prising the keyboard out as to stop complaints of bounce it’s now been secured with double sided sticky pads. ”

Dave my missus has a 3 yo B50-80. The only problem we have with that is ongoing: typing text in doc’s and websites starts jumping about.* I have visited every site I can find, starting with Lenovo UK and Lenovo Community, applied every “fix” posted everywhere and the problem always returns. As soon as I have finished building another system for my son, then removed Freesat and installed Amazon Fire TV, then refitted the DVD player, then recorded the vinyl albums she wants to the NAS for streaming, then the sundry other jobs SWMBO has lined up, I may get around to removing the Lenovo carp from her lappy and carrying out a new Windows install.

*All my fault apparently!🙄😥

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Ed P]

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

In my experience this often means that before updating you should first update the graphics driver and disconnect any usb connected peripherals.

[Marc Berry]

i think that as we were seeing blue screens before any update was attempted the HDD is caput. also, when i tried then fully resetting windows from within windows and wiping everything it was then stuck in a boot loop.

she is now happy for me to keep it so i will look into a new drive.

if i replace it with an ssd i can buy a 3.5 to 2.5 adaptor. however the drive goes into a caddy before installing in the PC. will an ssd fitted in to an adaptor then slot into the caddy? the caddy is a quick release one that you pull the side slightly and the little pins of the caddy come out of the screw holes in the drive. would this work?

the old drive is 1tb but this wouldnt be used for storage or installing large game files so i thought an SSD of poss 240gb – 320gb? would this be a good plan do you think? any suggestions welcome

cheers guys

marc

[Ed P]

Actually I was right in thinking of a driver issue but wrong in suggesting the graphics driver, this looks like a well-known Lenovo issue. I searched on the following:

lenovo windows update blue screen “DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL”

and the top of the list was this.

[Marc Berry]

Yep, as it seems that updating the drivers still doesn’t resolve it for everyone, I’d rather do the ssd upgrade if possible and a fresh install.

[Wheels-Of-Fire]

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-update/driver-verifier-tracking-down-a-mis-behaving/f5cb4faf-556b-4b6d-95b3-c48669e4c983

As Ed says above it IS going to be a driver error 😁

More specifically it is likely to be a driver running an IRQ Level of DPC/Dispatch that has tried to access paged pool memory and found it paged out, that is just not allowed and will cause the error.

Reinstalling Windows is probably easiest but if you fancy a go with Driver Verifier then the link is above.

[Ed P]

Marc according to the thread I linked it is an Intel error and not covered by Lenovo’s own driver updates. (i.e. you will not see any yellow exclamation marks).

[Marc Berry]

Cheers Ed.

I’ve decided if I’m keeping it i may as well shove an SSD in now.

Just not sure on the ssd >adaptor >caddy situation mentioned above and also which is best value for 240 – 320gb.

Thanks mate

[Dave Rice]

Marc, I was looking to do the same with a Lenovo All In One so I know the caddy you’re on about. The problem is you can’t screw it into anything plus lining up the SATA connectors.

In the end didn’t go ahead, but I’d decided to use a “dummy HDD” caddy rather than a frame. Like this https://tinyurl.com/y2hwtv9d but I did wonder if this would work https://tinyurl.com/y32gnt5n

 

[Ed P]

Fine, but it may well throw a wobbly even with a fresh Windows install. I am uncertain if M$ include all low level Intel drivers in their latest pack. A generic driver probably will not work in this case.

[Marc Berry]

Cheers guys

Dave – this one doesn’t need screws at all. The drive goes into the screw holes via pins and the caddy clips into the space. Also, the connector is on a short cable instead of being rigid.

I’ll try to show a picture of the caddy.

Ed – if it then had the issue, at least then i can install an updated Intel driver if that’s it but on to the SSD.

Will i need any drivers to even get started like you’d get on a new installation disc?

[Ed P]

I pass on your last question, but you should be able to install drivers in safe mode (with networking). You probably should read this article on Intel DCH driver updates as they ain’t your normal driver!

[Ed P]

A ps to my last post, although it says ‘Graphics’, the Intel Driver and Support Assistant will identify all Intel devices that need driver updates. I find it an extremely useful tool for my NUCs, and I find new driver updates are released with almost every major Windows 10 update.

[Wheels-Of-Fire]

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/develop/getting-started-with-universal-drivers

Just for information, above is Microsofts explanation of universal windows drivers, including what DCH stands for.

For further information, I hate them and I hope never to be forced to use one on a desktop PC 😁

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