Windows 10: Repeated Crashes and Boot Errors Apparently Caused by Driver Updates

I don't have a USB with the 32 gigs required to create a recovery disk on my relative's laptop (Windows 10, 64-bit like mine). Is it okay if I use my spare external hard drive? I can reformat it after this is over to use it normally, right?

 

Sure, as long as you don't need anything from that spare drive, there's no reason why you can't put it to work to run recovery, then reformat and start over again once the recovery is complete. I have a couple of mSATA SSDs that I keep in Sabrent enclosures for this kind of thing, and that works very well (much faster than a USB flash drive, too)

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• Sabrent USB 3.0 mSATA II-III6G SSD Enclosure Adapter UASPEC-UKMS - Newegg.com

HTH,
--Ed--

 

Doesn't need anything like 32Gb- I have Windows boot media on 1 DVD each... the iso is around 4-4.5Gb.
(Doesn't have to be a flash drive of course)

Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

 

1) Please update the specs in the "My Computer" section:
System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums:
System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums Windows 10 Tutorials
In the left corner below in your post you find 'My System Specs'.
After clicking it you can find a link a little below that says 'Update your System Spec', click on this link to get to the page where you can fill in your system specs.
System Info - See Your System Specs - Windows 7 Help Forums

2) Find a flash drive that you can format ( > or = 8 GB )
3) Create a bootable widows 10 iso:
Download Windows 10
4) Insert the Windows 10 iso into any USB port
4) Boot to the BIOS boot menu clicking the applicable keyboard key:
List of PC brands with their corresponding hot-keys
5) Select USB hard drive
6) It may take 5 - 10 minutes for the iso to load while viewing the Microsoft Windows icon
7) Select language, time, currency, and keyboard, or click next
8) Click troubleshoot
9) Disconnect from the internet (use wireless hardware off if available, disconnect, ethernet,/cat5e, LAN, disconnect router if necessary)
10) Use a camera or smart phone camera to take pictures and post images into the thread for additional troubleshooting steps.
11) Click system restore > start with the oldest system restore point and move to the current date > repeat until there are no more restore points. If all system restore points fail or if there are no system restore points move to the next step
12) Click startup repair > if startup repair fails move to the next step
13) Click command prompt > Administrator X:\windows\system32\smd.exe > X:\Sources> type:
14) c:
15) dir
16) d:
17) dir
18) x:
19) bcdedit /enum
20) bcdedit | find "osdevice"
21) diskpart
22) list disk
23) list volume
24) select disk 0
25) list partition
26) select disk 1
27) list partition
28) exit
29) dism /image:G:\ /cleanup-image /revertpendingactions(replace G with the drive letter for the partition displayed in step #20) (there is a space between \ /)
30) reboot
31) reopen command prompt if it does not boot to desktop.
32) chkdsk /f /r G: (change the drive letter G to the partition drive letter from step #20)
This may take time to complete. If the command is able to proceed it typically will display an estimated time.
33) reboot and reopen command prompt if it does not boot to desktop.
32) sfc /scannow /offbootdir=G:\ /offwindir=G:\windows (change the drive letters G to the partition drive letter seen in step #20)
32) bootrec /fixmbr
33) bootrec /fixboot
34) bootrec /scanos
35) bootrec /rebuildbcd
36) reboot
37) Please make sure that images are posted of the commands and results


36) reboot


Report into the thread the results and please post images of the commands and results for additional troubleshooting steps.

 

All right, here's the situation. I've managed to boot using the recovery device (a 32 gig USB stick) created on the other laptop. This is the screen I get for advanced troubleshooting:





If I click system restore, I get these options:





I have tried all three, and in all cases it has come back without finding any system restore points--which is weird, because I have deliberately created a restore point at least once. Startup repair gives me the same three options, and I am uncertain which I'm supposed to choose.

Thank you for taking the time to help me out!

 

Start with step #11 in post #49.

 

Step #11 is where I got stuck. I couldn't find any system restore points, and I don't know which option I'm supposed to choose for startup repair.

 

In the image that you posted in post #50 it displayed each system restore and starup repair.
If there are no working system restore points or no restore points step #11 indicated to move to step #12.
Step #12 indicated to use startup repair.
Which part is unclear or what additional information is needed?

 

It gives me multiple selections for both system restore and startup repair. Does it matter which one I choose?

 

When using system restore start with the oldest restore point and keep trying system restore points until the newest restore point fails. Once all system restore points have been tried or if there are none then move to startup repair. If startup repair fails move to command prompt.

 

I tried all the startup repair options, and they all failed, so I will move on to the next step. Quick question. I used the pre-installed system process to create the recovery drive. Would there be any point in trying some of the other methods (like the downloaded MediaCreationTool or the process zbook outlined), or do they all amount to the same thing?

 

If the computer does not boot to the lock screen /wall paper there are generally 2 methods for troubleshooting:
1) Attempt to boot into the computer's windows advanced troubleshooting menu
2) Boot into the windows 10 iso advanced troubleshooting menu
The options are a little different.
The computer's windows advanced troubleshooting menu offers:
a) reset with save files
b) startup options > safe mode
3) The above two options are not available on the iso.
Unless you had made a backup image the main options on the windows 10 iso are:
a) system restore
b) startup repair
c) command prompt
4) System restore failed.
5) Startup repair is pending.
6) Then there are many command prompt repair options.

7) The additional options or backup plans are:
a) Boot recovery
b) Local computer store or Microsoft store

 

I apologize for being dense.... To be clear, you're saying the options may be a little different, but the restore/repair process will be the same; so there's no point in trying another recovery drive format, and I should go on to command prompt?

 

There are more options if you can open the computer's windows advanced troubleshooting menu.
(There are more click options as there are reset and safe mode options)
When opening the computer's windows advanced troubleshooting is not available another option is to use a bootable drive that has a windows advanced troubleshooting menu.
Clicking the system restore or startup repair is a sit back and wait procedure.
It's an all or none method. It either works or it doesn't.
The command prompt is a command > result method.
Each command and result is reviewed to see if you can get to the desired result.
Some commands get the desired result and some don't. Then if there are other commands you can try various approaches to get more information on and fix the underlying problem.
So when system restore and startup fail the next step is command prompt.

What did you mean by recovery drive format?
If you have a backup image then you have options(for example Macrium, Acronis, Aoemi, Paragon, etc.)

 

I created a recovery drive using the "create a recovery drive" tool through this computer's Control Panel, before you posted your steps. But as you have described, you can also download a tool to create Windows 10 installation media; I just wanted to make sure the results are the same, and there is no point in recreating the recovery drive through the latter process.

I gather not. I'll try the command prompt steps next. Thanks again for all your help and your patience.