T200T frozen in Desktop mode

[alisonp]

The T200T I bought yesterday is stuck in Desktop mode. Here are all the possibly associated events:

- Was installing various pieces of software. I have a mobile broadband dongle (T-Mobile, USB stick 120 in case that helps) which needed its software installed: I plugged it in and installed the software from there. All seemed to have gone well, and I got the message that the system needed to be rebooted for the software to be fully functional. No indication that I should take the dongle out, so I just told the machine to reboot.

- On restarting, I got some sort of (Advanced?) Repair screen which said that something had gone wrong and I needed to repair, preferably by Restarting (which didn't solve the problem, but offered various options, none of which were viable apart from the one which removed all the programs I'd just carefully installed (I didn't realise System Restore needed to be enabled). So, re-set the machine to factory condition, installed my other programs again and carefully set up a couple of Restore Points. Then tried installing the broadband dongle again in the same way - same thing happened, except this time I was able simply to return to the Restore Point.

Then we actually come to the current problem!

** The next time I went to the Desktop, it was effectively frozen. There was no Start button down the bottom, or any taskbar or anything. Swiping wasn't working, so I couldn't call up my settings; touchscreen wasn't working, so I couldn't call anything up that way, and the cursor wasn't activating anything on the Desktop either. I couldn't see anything I could do apart from forcibly powering off the machine, which I did - pressed the power button for maybe 10 sec, and it shut down.

Then I couldn't get it to boot up again for ages: just nothing happened when I pressed the Power button, not even the battery indicator came up. I eventually got the machine to start working again, but then we repeat from ** - twice. The second time, I barely touched the Power button and the machine powered down, which suggests to me that something is off.

I've tried undocking and redocking the docking station (which was attached when all this was happening), to no avail. Not sure what else to do, so would appreciate suggestions, please. I've already spoken to T-Mobile's technical support, and they don't think there should be any specific problem with using an old dongle with 8.1.

PLEASE NOTE: I'm also a total newbie to Windows 8.1, so am struggling with that at the same time. So it may be that it's something in 8.1 that I've done wrong, or been unable to do because I haven't yet found out how to do it the new way

[fiddle_n]

I would honestly go nuclear on this device. Can you get to the login screen? It sounds like you can since you managed to get to the Desktop (even though you could do no more). If you can, hold Shift on your keyboard whilst clicking Restart. This should take you to a blue screen that says "Choose an option". Click Troubleshoot, then Refresh my PC.

[alisonp]

Sorry, should have said that since I powered it off last time I haven't been able to get it to power up again. Have rung support and they reckon that there's nothing doing - I just need to take it back and get another one. Hoping that one will work, because thus far I like the machine, but I do have a backup alternative if I need one.

[Caster]

The T200T I bought yesterday is stuck in Desktop mode. Here are all the possibly associated events:

- Was installing various pieces of software. I have a mobile broadband dongle (T-Mobile, USB stick 120 in case that helps) which needed its software installed: I plugged it in and installed the software from there. All seemed to have gone well, and I got the message that the system needed to be rebooted for the software to be fully functional. No indication that I should take the dongle out, so I just told the machine to reboot.

- On restarting, I got some sort of (Advanced?) Repair screen which said that something had gone wrong and I needed to repair, preferably by Restarting (which didn't solve the problem, but offered various options, none of which were viable apart from the one which removed all the programs I'd just carefully installed (I didn't realise System Restore needed to be enabled). So, re-set the machine to factory condition, installed my other programs again and carefully set up a couple of Restore Points. Then tried installing the broadband dongle again in the same way - same thing happened, except this time I was able simply to return to the Restore Point.

Then we actually come to the current problem!

** The next time I went to the Desktop, it was effectively frozen. There was no Start button down the bottom, or any taskbar or anything. Swiping wasn't working, so I couldn't call up my settings; touchscreen wasn't working, so I couldn't call anything up that way, and the cursor wasn't activating anything on the Desktop either. I couldn't see anything I could do apart from forcibly powering off the machine, which I did - pressed the power button for maybe 10 sec, and it shut down.

Then I couldn't get it to boot up again for ages: just nothing happened when I pressed the Power button, not even the battery indicator came up. I eventually got the machine to start working again, but then we repeat from ** - twice. The second time, I barely touched the Power button and the machine powered down, which suggests to me that something is off.

I've tried undocking and redocking the docking station (which was attached when all this was happening), to no avail. Not sure what else to do, so would appreciate suggestions, please. I've already spoken to T-Mobile's technical support, and they don't think there should be any specific problem with using an old dongle with 8.1.

PLEASE NOTE: I'm also a total newbie to Windows 8.1, so am struggling with that at the same time. So it may be that it's something in 8.1 that I've done wrong, or been unable to do because I haven't yet found out how to do it the new way

Welcome to the forum Alisonp .

Most likely the plugged in USB dongle, while rebooting caused the system to go into Advanced Startup Options. As I have encountered something similar on my T100 once. Symptoms were quite similar to your's. However since you are going in for a replacement, I do hope that one works better for you. Goodluck & All the best!

[alisonp]

Thank you, Caster, both for the welcome and the good wishes. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have done. I got a new TB yesterday, from a different branch, and am having exactly the same problems. Everything was fine - I was on WiFi and happily listening to radio on the internet, so that was working fine: it's clearly a very nice machine, and I would like to keep it. But then I installed some software which required a restart, and I had the same problem. When it restarted, the Desktop was frozen, swiping wouldn't work, and nor would the Windows button. I couldn't do a thing with it. Pressing the Power button instantly switched the thing off (i.e. without forcing a shutdown), and this morning I can't get the machine to boot at all - it appears to be completely dead. Guess it's back to the helpline, but I'm not holding out much hope

[dflute]

I just had something similar tonight, and I had to hold down the power button for a good 30 seconds for it to start back up. This occurred after I'd turned if off and then realized I wanted to look something up. Sometimes disconnecting the screen from the keyboard will get the mouse working again. My wife has that frozen mouse issue on her Toshiba which detaches like our Asus model. I suspect it's a Window's 8.1 glitch and really hope Windows 10 solves the issue. The only thing I can think that may have caused my problem was changing a few settings in the touchpad control panel. Have you changed any of those?

[alisonp]

I haven't touched anything - hadn't even got that far! Was still installing programs when it went.

It *has* just woken itself up now, with a bit of help from me, but the Desktop is still frozen, so I can't do a thing. Seems to me it ought to be a software problem rather than a hardware one?

[alisonp]

Rang Support again: he's got it working for me again, *but* it involved doing a complete reset, thus losing all the programs I'd so carefully installed. AGAIN. I like this machine, I want to keep it, but I'm trying to run a business here, and can't keep wasting hours reinstalling everything if it's going to prove this unreliable.

[Schatten]

Could have something to do with your programs...if only happens after you start installing. I had some problems with malfunctioning mouse/keyboard and some troubles with waking up after stand-by or screen sleep. So I have now the best configuration I could find:
1. DISABLE Fast Boot - this solved any trouble I had with the trackpad and keyboard
2. DISABLE any kind of sleep/stand-by/turn-off display - this solved the problems with never wake up from stand-by or having to press the power button for at least 30 secs just for a reboot.

[alisonp]

Updating the software seems to have solved the problem ... fingers crossed. I look forward to years of happy working with my Transformer Book (I hope), because it does look like a very nice machine.

Thank you to everyone who's tried to help.