Windows 10: PC will no longer boot after failed installation version 1709

I can no longer boot my PC. I went to work yesterday leaving Windows 10 version 1709 installing, but when I came home, the computer was off (not in standby); I turned it on, and after about 5 seconds it shut down and then restarted. This goes on for about 6 times before it shuts down altogether.
Using Windows Media Creator and Rufus I've prepared a bootable USB, but I haven't been able to get Windows to repair, and I don't want to do a full installation and lose all my programs and data. Can anyone give me some advice?


:)

 

Pc will no longer boot up after installing 8/10/2016 updates for W10 1607 build

Hi Harley,

We would like to know the make and model of your computer? And what did you mean by, "Well then I tried updating again and now it refuses to start or reset again"? Are you able to LOG INTO YOUR ACCOUNT?

In the meantime, please try to do a repair upgrade by following the below link and check if it helps.

How to: perform a repair upgrade using the Windows 10 ISO file

How to: Perform a Repair Upgrade Using the Windows 10 ISO file

Please let us know if the issue is resolved or you need any further assistance.

Thank you.

Have a good day!

 

Pc will no longer boot up after installing 8/10/2016 updates for W10 1607 build

Hi Harley,

Thank you for the update.

We understand that as of this instant you are using Windows 8.1 and you have a Windows 10 ISO and you wish to upgrade to Windows 10. That being said, we would like to state that the free upgrade scheme has expired effective July 29, 2016.

But, if you had previously done a free upgrade of your computer from Windows 8.1(which should be genuine and activated) and then you had activated Windows 10, then in this case, even if you directly upgrade using a Windows 10 ISO your Windows 10 will be
activated for free as your previous Windows 8.1 key now holds good for Windows 10 as well.

In the meantime, please refer the below link and check if it helps.

Upgrade to Windows 10: FAQ

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12435/windows-10-upgrade-faq

Please let us know if the issue is resolved or you need any further assistance.

Thank you.

Have a good day!

 

I posted a message yesterday, but no one replied. Some then, there have been new developments.
Basically, my computer will no longer boot after a failed installation of Windows 10 version 1709. Using the Media Creator tool, I have prepared a bootable USB drive, but this doesn't work either. I have tried diskpart, but at the command 'bootrec /fixboot', I am told that access is denied. Is there a way of getting around this?
Is my OS corrupt?

 

Sorry to hear of your problems.

Do you use disk imaging as we constantly recommend? If so you can restore a disk image of your previous build (E.g. Macrium Reflect (free) )

If not, recovery could be hard or impossible. However you may be lucky and find you can run system restore by booting from the Win 10 boot disk and using Advanced Startup options.

I believe it's also possible to uninstall an update from a non-booting system (providing it's not corrupted in some way of course).

Do you have full backups? (Or a disk image of your Windows partition?)

If not, you could boot from a boot disk such as Kyhi's available from the top of the software and Apps section here, and back up essential data.

Creating a bootable drive: .
Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials

Creating a bootable USB drive.

with thanks to @NavyLCDR
To reliably make a bootable USB flash drive from an ISO file, do this:

Plug the drive into a USB port of a functioning Windows PC.

Open a command prompt.
Run diskpart.

Once diskpart is running, enter the following commands in sequence:

list disk
select disk #
- replace # with the actual disk number of the USB flash drive
clean
- this will erase the selected drive, make sure it is the USB flash drive!
create part pri
format fs=fat32 quick
active
exit
exit

Then mount your ISO file.
(By default you can simply right click the iso file, and click Mount. However, Mount will not be available if iso files have been associated with a different program).

Copy all the files and folders from the mounted ISO file to the USB flash drive.

(If stuck you can open the iso with 7-zip, a free program).

Discussion here:
Reinstall Windows 10 from DVD but no DVD drive
- includes content of flash drive.

OR use Rufus (freeware)
Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10
See Option 2

 

others are having similar problems. see this thread Cumulative Update KB4054517 Windows 10 v1709 Build 16299.125 - Windows 10 Forums

 

Many thanks for your reply, dalchina. I have created a bootable USB device but it will not repair the OS, and I've tried using diskpart in a command prompt to no avail.

Unfortunately I don't have a recent disk image, and cannot run a system restore (I am told that there are no restore points). I realise this is all my own fault, as I've continually put off backing up all my programs and data. I was obviously convinced that nothing like this was going to happen.

Returning to your reply, I don't understand the instructions regarding the USB drive:

Plug the drive into a USB port of a functioning Windows PC.
Open a command prompt.
Run diskpart.
Once diskpart is running, enter the following commands in sequence:
list disk
select disk #
- replace # with the actual disk number of the USB flash drive
clean
- this will erase the selected drive, make sure it is the USB flash drive!
create part pri
format fs=fat32 quick
active
exit
exit

Why should the the USB flash drive be erased?

I've tried most of the Advanced startup options available on the boot drive, and nothing seems to work.
If you think of anything else, please let me know!

 

Hi, if you have a bootable Win 10 drive (your post #1), then clearly you don't need to worry about the instructions for that.

However, if you wish to access your internal drive- for example to copy off/back up data- then Kyhi's boot disk is very useful. (It boots up as Win 10, with a range of utilities, so yo can of course use file explorer as usual).
You can use Rufus or those instructions to prepare the bootable disk, or burn the iso to a DVD if your PC has a DVD drive.

I understand your problem to be a failed upgrade to 1709 from an earlier build rather than as post #4.

Your options are very limited. I don't know of any way to reliably repair a non-booting Windows system in this case. Sure, there are
a. Startup Repair - (which I believe you've tried)
b. Macrium Reflect's Fixboot utility (available if you use Kyhi's boot disk)
but these are really not intended for this scenario, where we really don't know what state your system is in.

Try disconnecting any unnecessary peripherals and reboot.

You could post a screenshot of the partitions using Minitool Partition Wizard.

Search the forum for e.g.
fails to boot after upgrade
and similar for more clues.

E.g.
Search the forum for
automatic repair loop solved
(Your first post mentions this happens)

Check to see if your boot order has been changed
Windows 10 won't boot after using 'Upgrade only' option. Solved - Windows 10 Forums

 

boot out of your USB installer created by Rufus, Repair->Troubleshoot->run Command prompt
copy all your data in c:\users\{your name} with robocopy.exe to a salvation storage
exit get into installation again
install on the ruined windows partition

next time it's better to redirect yours to data partition by junction, after robocopy them all to d:\Data\user;
mklnk /j c:\user d:\Data\user

 

Another idea, much more than you were thinking you'd need to do, but another choice. Obtain another drive, preferably an SSD. You can get a name brand 250G for around $100, probably less with holiday sales.

Install it as the only drive in you box, remove all other drives, use a bootable iso, either USB, or cd, and install W10 1709 on the drive. Once you're up and running, reinstall your existing drive with all your data back into the computer, then transfer anything you might want to the new drive running 1709. This gives the opportunity to weed out things that maybe you don't use anymore, or haven't used in a while. Or even better, leave everything alone on the old drive, delete the old W10 installation, and use it as a storage/backup drive. Then you'll have a backup/image on hand, Macrium is easy to set up to make backups automatically.

Just some random thoughts, you could clear several problems at once and have a clean install on a new SSD. Not sure what you have now, I have a Samsung SSD, cold boot to up and ready in around 30 seconds or so.

Good luck whatever you end up doing *Smile

P.S. IMO the reason for the 'clean' command is to ensure the USB is completely clean. USB's have been around for some time, and many of us have USB's that are still good but have had things on them at one time or another.

 

Hi.
Have a read of this thread (from post #13 on) - maybe it's a possibility for you:

No boot black screen, recovery c: access denied Solved - Page 2 - Windows 10 Forums

.

 

With a Windows 10 iso are you able to boot to the iso advanced troubleshooting menu?
If so which advanced troubleshooting options have you tried and what were the results?
Which command prompt > Administrator X:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe commands have you tried and what were the results?

 

Thanks to everyone who replied. The matter was rather urgent and I wasn't able to fix the problem myself so I handed my laptop over to the technician employed by the university department in which I work. He managed to get the computer up and running, but in the end he had to save all my files, eliminate a large number of programs I'd installed, and do a clean install of Windows 10 (which is now version 1709!!).
He removed my version of Microsoft Office 2010 and installed Office 2016, but I hadn't previously saved contacts and calendar as .pst files, so I have lost of that. Still, much better than losing all of my documents. *Huh

 

Nice to hear that you have a functioning computer.

Perform the following steps:
1) Open administrative command prompt and type or copy and paste:
2) sfc /scannow
3) dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
4) chkdsk /scan
5) When these have completed > right click on the top bar or title bar of the administrative command prompt box > left click on edit then select all > right click on the top bar again > left click on edit then copy > paste into the thread
6) Run HD Tune:
HD Tune website
a) Health scan
b) Benchmark
c) Full error scan
Post images of the 3 scans into the thread using one drive or drop box share links:
Take Screenshot in Windows 10 General Tips Tutorials
7) Open administrative command prompt and type: chkdsk /x /f /r
This may take many hours so plan to run overnight
8) Find the result of the chkdsk scan in the event viewer and post the results into the thread:
Read Chkdsk Log in Event Viewer in Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials
9) Create a backup image using Macrium:
Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect Backup Restore Tutorials
10) Place the backup image onto another drive or into the cloud

 

If you make a practice of routinely use disk imaging (e.g. Macrium Reflect (free) ) you
- will have a full backup of partitions/disks/Windows imaged from which you can extract any files or folders
- can restore those disks/partitions/Windows if they become corrupt, your PC becomes unbootable, your disk fails...

This gives you a second chance in most circumstances and can save the time and trouble of clean installing and reconfiguration.

Videos on this site, on youtube; the program (and others like it) are supported by extensive documentation and forums.