Windows 10: Problem after Win 10 Un-install, laptop errors with Win 7 software

Hi Windows 10 Forum,

I'm hoping this is the right forum and not Win 7 as I have in-installed win 10. I can post in another location if you see fit.

Windows wants to do a startup repair and i'm in a loop. This is on a laptop, where I viewed the on-screen diagostics. It says windows has failed. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause.

I have 2 options which I have already tried without success.
1) Launch startup repair,
2)start windows normally.

When I run the 1st option computer says "Startup cannot repair this computer automatically.

I'm not sure what to do?
I do have a windows 7 repair disk, but not sure what computer it came from.
Any suggestions.

reagrds,
Mark

I submitted thread in Win7 stuck in startup repair loop after Win10 uninstall. - Windows 7 Help Forums
thank you.

:)

 

Win 7 Home > Win 7 Pro upgrade AFTER MS pre-loads my Win 10 stuff

I have a laptop running Win 7 Home Premium and late in July I invoked Get Win 10. Now, I have the notice that Win 10 is ready to install on the laptop.

However, meantime, my son has given me an un-opened new installation copy of

Win 7 Pro. I'd like to install this version of Win 7 on the laptop BEFORE upgrading to Win 10 so I will get the Pro version of Win 10.

If I upgrade to Win 7 now, after having received the notice that Win 10 is ready to install, will I get Win 10 Pro? If not, what do I need to do to be sure that I get Win 10 Pro after I have updated to Win 7 Pro?

 

Win 7 Home > Win 7 Pro upgrade AFTER MS pre-loads my Win 10 stuff

I have a laptop running Win 7 Home Premium and late in July I invoked Get Win 10. Now, I have the notice that Win 10 is ready to install on the laptop.

However, meantime, my son has given me an un-opened new installation copy of

Win 7 Pro. I'd like to install this version of Win 7 on the laptop BEFORE upgrading to Win 10 so I will get the Pro version of Win 10.

If I upgrade to Win 7 now, after having received the notice that Win 10 is ready to install, will I get Win 10 Pro? If not, what do I need to do to be sure that I get Win 10 Pro after I have updated to Win 7 Pro?

 

Hi, I guess you used the 'Go back to the previous build' option via Troubleshooting to revert within 30 days to Win 7.
Windows 10 - Go Back to Previous Windows - Windows 10 Forums

I would suggest looking very carefully at your boot options in your BIOS, and moving what you think is the appropriate one to 1st priority, or perhaps your PC allows you to make the boot management menu visible by hitting a key.. F8 for example.

If your Windows disk configuration is now Win 7, try hitting F8 as you boot and see if you get a useful menu.

Otherwise:

We don't know at what point this failed. Are the options you are seeing Win 7 style?

You can gain some clues by
a. booting from a partition manager disk and inspecting the disk partition structure... does it look like win 7 or Win 10 with the Recovery, EFI (if you have EFI), Windows partitions.
b. whether the Windows partition still contains a Windows.old folder.

I.e. are you trying to boot to a Win 7 config or a possibly broken Win 10 config?

 

Hi Dalchina,
How are you today?
You know, I didn't even recall the 'Go back to the previous build' option .
I just clicked to go back.

I was able to check bios (F2) and the boot sequence is 1st to DVD.

I was also able to use F8 to take me to the advanced options in win 7. But goes to the System recovery menu.
I log in as my wife's admin account,.
Says it could not detect any problems.

So I restarted computer...
It goes to Windows Error Recovery and back to windows repair menu.
Windows looks like it loads the files.

Startup repair says; It can't repair this computer automatically.

So I shut it down for now to recharge battery.
I'm going to try and make a system repair disk from my computer, and use the system recovery stated here;
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...y-options.html

I'm not a computer person, so I'm un-sure as to how to perform your option A: booting from a partition manager disk and inspecting the disk partition structure. If you can point me in the right direction that would be great.

Thank you,
Mark

 

Hi, it seems like you've done the recovery to previous build (Win 7) but now it's failing to boot.. that it responds to F8 (and presumably you recognise the dialogue as Win 7) indicates that.

Hopefully you have a backup of all data- that should be your priority.

I'm afraid I can't advise you on recovering from a failed reversion to a previous build except in general terms as I've never been in that situation.

I can say that I've had experience of startup repair failing, and finding I had multiple entries in the boot manager, and selecting and prioritising that was a solution. However your problem may be different.

If your repair attempt fails, here's (in outline only!) something I've used a couple of times. It assumes your Windows partition is ok.

Before attempting this, make appropriate disk image backups (Macrium reflect free)
Create an image of your Windows disk/partition.
Delete all partitions related to Windows (not other data partitions).
Install your OS
Now restore your Windows image so it replaces the Windows partition created by installing your OS
Now do startup repair.

Note: you need
a. a boot disk for a partition manager (e.g. Minitool - freely downloadable)
b. Macrium Reflect free (program, boot disk, external storage for the images)

==================================================
Otherwise, simply do a fresh install and start again...!

 

Hi dalchina,
my initial idea, since having so much trouble is now to do a fresh install and start again, as you mention.
I have to verify that I have all files, a bit of a problem since its not my computer. The wife had books downloaded for her ebook reader. Anyway, I'll do an inventory if possible.

If I decide to try your repair attempt, how do you delete windows partition if I can't get windows operation? Do I use Minitool or Macrium Reflect ?

I'm not not familiar with these programs.

I will keep you posted.
Thank you,
regards,
Mark

 

Hello, your simplest option is
a. recover your data
b. Clean install Windows (whichever version)

It's unlikely the options available with a Win 7 repair disk you mentioned would help you.

As you are unfamiliar with the set of tools (partition manager, disk imaging) and their boot disks that might give you back a working Win 7 system (no guarantees- depends what happened) it would be a relatively steep learning curve for you.

A clean install means you will need to reconfigure Windows to your liking and reinstall programs.
The path I was suggesting and which I have used in different circumstances might give you back your Win 7 as was. Depends how much work is involved. Or you may prefer to try a clean Win 10 installation (free to download the iso - opportunity to try it).

To rescue your data, I suggest downloading and using a boot disk created by a senior contributor here:
Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums

Using that boot disk you should be able to boot your PC, connect an external USB disk (e.g.) and copy off favourites, personal data etc.

You can then do a clean install.

Now: how do you protect yourself in the future? Use disk imaging.

Please consider using disk imaging regularly. It's a brilliant way to
- preserve your system (and your sanity)
- back up your data
- restore your system to a previously working state in a relatively short time

Recommended: Macrium Reflect (free/commercial) + boot disk/device + large enough external storage medium.

- you boot your PC from the boot disks provided for those programs.

 

Hi DAlchina,

I looked at the page from windows 10 and choose WIN10586PESE_x64.ISO <<----
I hope that the right one? Is it good for win 7 too? i was not 100% sure.

I also downloaded the Macrium Reflect Free, Current Version: 6.1.1225 (29 March 2016), I will give a try.

Right now I'm trying to see if I have all files saved.
regards Mark

 

Hi, I think the PESE version you're referring to is the recovery disk created by Kyhi of this forum.
That will boot a PC and provide a range of tools. Details via the link I gave.

If you want to clean install Windows 10, see
Windows 10 ISO Download - Windows 10 Forums
I used the media creation tool.. depends if you need a language specific version.

Note that if you create a disk image, you can mount the image and extract files and folders from it- so it's also a full backup of what you've imaged. Useful if you've forgotten to back up some obscure bit of data when you've overwritten the disk or partition.

 

Hi Dalchina,
I'm still coping files over to usb stick. Luckily I have 2 dvd's worth of photos saved.
I'll keep you posted.
Thanks
Mark

 

Hi Dalchina,

Hi Copied the remaining itunes and kobo information.
I also used minitool partition wizard boot cd, can you tell me if it looks ok?




I also tried the Macrium rescue disk on the laptop, but cant get it to run, not sure why I get the windows start up loop again.

 

Hi, can you tell me what you're intending to do? Clean install Windows?

If you wish to try to recover Win 7 as was, I think someone else will need to guide you... I've no idea whether that will be easily feasible.

The Recovery partition might be the one you need to restore your PC to Windows 7 as bought.
Did you buy your PC with win 7 pre-installed?

The large undesignated partition is probably your Windows 7 partition.

You could explore that using your partition manager disk to check.

If so, you should be able to get Win 7 up and running again.

 

I may be missing the point here completely, but if booting is the problem, Macrium has a fix boot function.

The built-in windows start-up repair has been broken(for me, anyway) since like forever.

 

Hi, S-FLY,

Yes booting is a problem. Still having difficulty. How can I get Macrium to fix boot function? Do you have a reference link to follow?

regards Mark