Windows 10: Complete System Loss After Latest Tech Preview Installation

Hello all,

I wonder if anybody can help me. Last weekend, overnight, my desktop machine apparently downloaded and installed the latest build of Win 10 Tech Preview. All previous builds had worked without problems.

The next morning, when I switched my monitor on, the computer was stuck on the loading screen, i.e. the Win 10 logo and the spinner. And it stayed like it. Restarting the computer got to that point and no further.

Occasionally, upon trying a restart, I got the message "Preparing Automatic Repair" but, again, that went no further.

Attempted Solution 1: create a boot USB using Rufus with the Win 10 ISO image. Change BIOS settings to boot from USB. When started, received the message "Press any key to boot from USB". Pressed key. The Win 10 loading screen reappeared and went no further. Back to square one.

Attempted Solution 2: create a bootable DVD with the Win 10 ISO image. Change BIOS to boot from CD/DVD. Start machine. Received message "Press any key to boot from CD/DVD". Pressed key. After 10 secs of activity from the DVD drive, the Win 10 loading screen reappeared and went no further. Back to square one.

Attempted Solution 3: check if machine can actually boot from CD/DVD. Booted from an old Win 2000 CD. The Win 2000 setup loaded perfectly. Conclusion: machine can boot from CD/DVD.

Worryingly, the Win 2000 setup program reported that the hard disk was either damaged or unformatted. However, this could be something to do with UEFI rather than actual disk damage.

Attempted Solution 4: disable hard disk as boot device. Changed BIOS settings to do this and booted again from CD. Made no difference.

Hypothesis: when trying to boot from a Win 10 ISO image on USB or CD, my machine goes to the hard disk to load (unknown) Win 10 components and fails.

Result: I am left with a system that cannot be started. Does anybody have any ideas of a way around this, apart from installing an earlier version of Windows (like the Win 2000 I have) and starting again with Win 10? I have lots of data on the hard disk I really don't want to lose, so I'd prefer (somehow) to get Win 10 running again if possible. Most of my important data is cloud-stored, but there are a few hundred gigs' worth of data which were too big to put on the cloud and too big to fit on my existing free space on the external disks I have.

My machine is a 6-year-old Medion desktop with 4GB of RAM, NVidia graphics (can't remember which), a Western Digital 500GB disk with just one partition, and an Intel quad-core processor.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated!

Many thanks

.

:)

 

Could install Last tech review after 29 July, even came before or after 29 July?

Running W10Pro on VM...

If want run win 10 pro in VM virtual machine free ,...

I must install preview tech now free.... or can install after 29 July Till September the W10pro tech preview?

Or preview tech should stop after 29 July?

Anyway and MOST IMPORTANT, Could install Last tech review after 29 July, even came before or after 29 July?

 

Is 10.0.10586 build 10586. technical preview

That is indeed the latest version of Windows, not the Tech Preview. Re-running the MCT on a system running Windows 10 will upgrade you to the latest build of Windows.

 

Check in BIOS if anything change (UEFI to BIOS or visa versa).

Try BCDEdit bootrepair.

Reformat your drive and start fresh.

 

Thanks for the reply Cliff. No changes in BIOS - loaded BIOS defaults and no difference. I shall try BCDEdit as suggested. I want to try anything except a reformat!

And what I am really curious to know is: what exactly happened to kill my machine like this. It's a little worrying that the latest Tech Preview version, so soon before final product release, can kill a machine that it had worked fine on before!*Smile

 

I don't know what killed yours, but once when I was making changes, I was re-imaging and did something that lost or corrupted windows boot manager, but thankfully Macrium's WinPE recovery environment has an automatic BCDEdit boot repair.

Another time I was mucking around in BIOS and had 2 windows boot managers and deleted one(the wrong one it turned out*Redface) and first had to re-install fresh, and that gave me my boot manger back, then re-imaged my system back to where it previously was,.

 

Ouch!! *Smile

 

It could also be the copy of the ISO... I made a bootable USB stick and the image was messed up it also got stuck at the loading screen except mine would automatically reboot, so it was stuck in a loop... I downloaded a fresh ISO and it worked fine on the first try So perhaps if the repair doesn't work and if you have another PC get a new copy if the ISO?

 

His system automatically updated, there was no ISO involved, but come to think of it, if there was an interruption or if he's using a 3rd party AV and it got in the way....

 

Very good synopsis of the issue. To help resolve it, members need more information about your machine.

Is the install to a separate partition (dual boot) or are you upgrading an existing Windows install (Win7 / Win8 on C: )?

Do you have a 3rd party AV program (AVG, Norton, Avast, ESET) installed - you could try uninstalling it to see if that's the bottleneck. Use MS Defender until RTM.

Some devices cause a similar issue - hang at install. Members have worked around these by cold starting the machine (press & hold the power button for ~15 seconds) - but you said that did not work for you.

I'll post again after I see the information requested below.
Please post a screen shot of Disk Management.
See: How to Post a Screenshot of Disk Management
Please update the Systems Specs in your forum profile with complete information.

• In the System Manufacturer/Model Number field, manually type Desktop or Laptop adding it to the information already in the field. The specific model number is important - there are often many models of a given series.
  For example, my machine is a HP Pavilion dv6, but there are tens of the dv6 series, so dv6-6c10us is the specific model.
  
  
• Specify Custom Build as the manufacturer if it is not an OEM machine.

The easiest way to do this is to use the information from a PUBLISHED Speccy report.
See: Speccy - Publish Snapshot of your System Specs

Post the link to the report that Speccy gives you and also open the Speccy link.
Then click here to view your System Specs on this forum.

When you have both windows open, put them side-by-side and simply copy the information, field by field, from the Speccy report to your System Specs.

To see what information other members provide in their System Specs, click on My System Specs in the lower left of any post by any member.
Since the Win2000 complained about the disk - it's a good idea to check it for errors.
Type the following command in an elevated Command prompt:

Chkdsk /f <driveletter>:
Example-> Chkdsk /f C:

You might have to restart the machine to check the disk if it's a boot or system partition - go ahead and restart and let it run. It might take a while, so schedule your time accordingly.

 

I would quite happily post exact data about the machine but the problem is that, being unable to start the machine, I cannot get more info at the moment, nor try any repairs, including CHKDSK!

Machine: Medion PC-MT7 Desktop
Disk: one partition only.
OS: failed after installing the latest build of Win 10 (10130), auto-upgrading from the earlier build.
Antivirus: Windows Defender

Many thanks for all your help guys. The ISO image I have tried is the latest one listed on the MS site (10130). I suppose this *could* be corrupt.......seems unlikely though.

 

Andy. do you have a bootable dvd other than W10? either W7 or W.8.1
Can you check Disk Management?

I had a similar problem which turned out to be a locked drive,
Instead of NTFS on the drive it was RAW which locks the drive and shows in Disk Management that there is nothing on the drive, which is of course untrue as it is hidden.

I solved it by dual booting from a GENUINE IE: W7 or W8.1 second hard drive which proved to Microsoft I qualified for the update and this released the locked W10 drive converting RAW back to NFTS.

 

Thanks for this. No, the only other Windows disk I have is my ancient Win 2000 CD. But I presume the disk is not locked, because Win 10 is still trying to boot from it (and even attempting to start "Automatic Repair"). However, I will see if I can track down another disk.....my original Win 8 ISO is...guess where!!! *Smile

That option that MS give you to buy the DVD as well as the ISO.....THIS is when you wish you had!! *Smile

Much appreciated!

.

 

Mine started auto repair exactly as you describe above, I believe that M$ are tightening up on who is and who is not eligable for a free W10.

If you have made a record in writing somewhere of your bought W8 ISO product key, you could always download another from
M$.

 

I see, thanks.

You can boot to the Win10.0.130 USB or DVD. At the first screen, press Shift+F10 - that opens a Command prompt window.
Use Diskpart to identify the volumes, then run Chkdsk on both the System Reserve (if there) and the Boot partitions.
*** are comments, not part of the command set

Diskpart
lis vol
exit *** exit diskpart

chkdsk /f C:
** most likely the System Reserve

chkdsk /f D:
*** possibly your Boot partition

*** the drive letters can be anything, so use what Diskpart tells you.

*** You said you only have one partition, so that should make it easy. Please post whether or not there is a System Reserve partition (Diskpart lis vol will tell you) and how big it is (100 MB ??)