Invalid Recovery Area

Hello experts,
I need urgent assistance. My laptop Samsung RF710 Win7 shows "Invalid Recovery Area". Besides, most of the letters on the keyboard have stopped functioning. Using external keyboard, i first formatted disk C, (a master's suggestion) yet no solution. Then I formatted and joined the whole disk/participion, still no solution. I reinstalled win7 but the notebook still gets stuck at "Invalid Recovery Area" on booting. However, Win7 opens by pressing some keys on the keyboard. Most of the keys still not working. I tried installing Win10 but it got stuck on 1st reboot to continue/complete the installation. I placed the hard disk in another laptop and completed the installation successfully. However, it would not boot completely when I placed the hard disk back to my laptop. It simply booted to the windows 10 logo and would not continue. I read from google that I could solve it with Samsung Recovery Solution. A master also suggested same. I've been trying to get the latest version SRS 6? SRS 7? and step to step guidance but no success.
It's 3rd week now still no solution. Experts, kindly advise solution.

 

A couple of thoughts:

1. If you have a keyboard problem then the BIOS may be reading whatever key combination is triggering entry into SRS. First check that no keys are stuck down. Or did someone tip some drink into the keyboard? You may want to see what happens if you disconnect the internal keyboard.

2. Have you run some diagnostics on the hard drive, preferably using the drive manufacturer's own diagnostic software (eg Seatools for Seagate HDDs)? This may reveal some bad sectors. The drive's SMART data may also reveal if there are problems.

John

 

Thanks, John, for your prompt response.
1. Water poured on the keyboard and affected the left Shift and Caps Lock. The rest worked correctly for some time, until this problem occurred. As suggested, I'll try to disconnect it (the internal keyboard) to see what happens. Any "how to" advice?

2. I had Auslogics installed on my laptop, and it regularly checked for bad sectors and other errors.
Notwithstanding, I will check again if I get the right Samsung software.

 

1. The keyboard is usually connected to the mainboard by a ribbon cable. I don't know this specific notebook and I see that notebookcheck didn't pull it apart for their review. You will have to get the bottom off and look inside. It looks to be a keyboard integrated into the palmrest which Samsung called "unit housing top". You may find one on ebay taken fram a machine which died for another reason while the Chinese may sell the basic keyboard which isn't easy to fit as you have to detach the existing keyboard from the palmrest and then fix in the new one.

2. What make is the hard drive? Samsung sometimes used their own but often other brands. I don't know Auslogics. Is this software any use? Given your boot problems you need something which can create a bootable flash drive but first you need to sort out the keyboard, whereupon your problems may disappear. Or you connect the HDD to another computer with a spare SATA interface.

John

 

1. Keyboard: I'm going to do as you have suggested to try and disconnect the keyboard.
2. The hard drive is Samsung; Model: HM641JI.
Auslogics is a multi-purpose computer maintenance and optimization software. Functions include Boot speed, disk defrag, registry cleaner, hard drive check/fix etc.
From your suggestion, does it imply that the Samsung Recovery Solution is not the solution for the "Invalid Recovery Area"?
ONE MORE INFO:
The "Invalid Recovery Area" did not show up when I placed the hard drive in another laptop to continue the Win 10 installation. And it booted successfully.
King

 

My diagnosis is that the keyboard problem is creating a key combination which the BIOS reads as a command to go into recovery mode. There won't be a recovery area if the drive has been reformatted but, at the moment, that's irrelevant as you need to bypass the command.

Once you have sorted out the keyboard problem there are a couple of SRS threads in the Sticky List.

John

 

Ok. I'm trying to sort out the keyboard issue as recommended. then I'll get back to you. Thanks so far.

 

John, you are right. The keyboard is faulty. I did manage to disconnect it from the motherboard, and the Invalid Recovery Area stopped showing up.
I see that the Keyboard is fixed to the main notebook board from the under side. No easy way of detaching it apart from using hot lid to melt the plastic nails. Therefore, I could not try the keyboard repair suggestion.

Whilst searching how to detach the keyboard, I also learnt that the windows 10 installation problem is common with most Samsung computers with some types of Broadcom wifi hardware installed. As far as I know, Samsung has not yet solved the problem by way of updating the drivers ensbling windows 10 installation. From Google and YouTube finds so far, the work around is to remove/change the wifi hardware. The installation went through once I removed the hardware.

 

Thanks for the update and confirming that the underlying problem was caused by the defective keyboard.

The keyboard fixing is not designed for ease of replacement. If you can find a source for a replacement keyboard (China via ebay?) then you could remove the melted plastic with a Dremel (or similar tool) or possibly a sharp craft knife - damaging the old keyboard isn't a worry. I would then use some epoxy glue to fix in the replacement keyboard. Otherwise just survive with an external keyboard.

John

 

The keyboard is Russian-English so I type in these languages also in French and Ukrainian. I'll try to get one as suggested, from eBay or thru other sources.
Oh but you have given me another clue: First, could the keyboard damage permanently because I powered on the computer when the water fell on it? If not necessarily, then how about trying some of the suggested repair methods - like removing it and briefly washing it gently in slightly warm water then allow it to dry vertically?
And, if it works, it's possible to fix it back using glue, say superglue.

 

I have resurrected a keyboard or two by thorough washing, rinsing and drying but that was some years ago when the keys were more mechanical. However, it is worth trying. The washing can include some liquid detergent and brushing to help lift any deposits. Rinsing in distilled / de-ionised water is recommended so that it leaves no deposits. I would use epoxy resin glue with a drop placed at each of the plastic fixing points. Superglue is more liquid and may easily flow to the wrong places.

John

 

I've noted your washing suggestions. Distilled water, can I use the type used for car battery?

I have a few more questions , before I decide to dismantle the keyboard. I was under the impression that once water falls on a keyboard (and it's switched on), the water would act as conductor of the current passing through the wirings corresponding to the keys and in the process destroy the keyboard internal wiring, similar to what happens when 2 AC positive wires torch accidentally. Am I wrong?

2ndly, how does water falling on the keyboard cause it to malfunction, and how would washing/ soaking it in water revive it? Does it necessarily imply that beside physical damage to a keyboard, internal multifunctions that usually result in the need to replace the keyboard, are normally dirts blocking the keys from functioning?

King

 

I don't think that water damage is inherently catastrophic as you suggest as sometimes keyboards start working partially / ccompletely once dried out. I'm guessing, but I think that modern keyboards sense a change in electrical resistance when the keys are pressed and this resistance can be changed by the deposits left when liquid dries.

Keyboard replacement is the better option. I would put the likely success rate of cleaning at no more than 50%. Some keys are likely to work, but not all.

The distilled water used for car batteries is as good as you are likely to get. Use it for the rinsing - ordinary water is OK for the washing.

John