Windows 10: Window 10 boot loop unexpected error command prompt disappearing

So I'm stuck on a boot loop. I tried booting from USB image but since I got the free windows 10 upgrade from 8.1, it doesn't recognize my service tag for dell and doesn't move forward for the recovery process to even check my product key.


I cannot access any form of windows 10. I cannot use the recovery management tool because of all that and more. I was able to get a recovery usb to load windows 8.1 and got through part of the process but now it also will default back to the same boot loop when it beeds to restart for recovery. I did see there are recovery partitions on the drive but i don't know how to access them or use them in this case. I also ran the hardware diagnostics in bios and everything checks out 100% fine. I checked for loose wires and they're all fine.


In the boot loop I cannot use f8, shift-f8, f10. I can alt-f11 in order to f12 to get to the bios, it gives me the option for f2 also.


When the message that an unexpected error occurred pops up, I can press the keys to get to the command prompt, but in less than 10 seconds the whole screen goes black, is unresponsive and sits on the black screen indefinitely.

:)

 

Installation media boots to command prompt

I've just booted from known working install media to see exactly what it does when booting. The sequence of events is...

1. Windows logo on a black screen
2. circling dots appear beneath the logo
3. light blue 'Please wait' screen with circling dots
4. a command prompt window (very briefly)
5. the initial Setup page appears

Do you see steps 1-3? If so, it appears you have stopped at step 4, suggesting that something on the disc cannot be read.

Does the disc boot properly in another machine? If so, try cleaning the laptop's drive lens then try booting from the disc again.

If not, make new install media with Microsoft's Media Creation Tool, either as a bootable USB, on an ISO that you can burn to another disc. At Step 8 in Option One of this tutorial you can choose between making a USB or an ISO.

Download Windows 10 ISO File

 

How does Windows boot to advanced recovery option e.g. command prompt?

- that gives me a 454 'Unexpected error' This tells me that the BCD is partially corrupted.

The commands: shutdown.exe /r /o /f /t 00
or: %SystemRoot%\System32\Cmd.exe /c reagentc /boottore&shutdown /r /f /t 00
should boot into Recovery if everything is configured correctly.
FYI, If Windows is configured correctly:

1. If Reagentc is disabled, you still can get into Recovery but with limited options.
2. If Reagentc is enabled, you'll get all options.
3. If you boot Windows using Recovery USB stick, You'll get into Recovery with couple of options missing.

Here's my suggestion if you want to try:
OPTION 1: Will save the trouble of re-install Windows.

1. Download the image of my first 3 partitions (450MB Recovery, 100 MB EFI partition, and 16MB unformatted primary)
   EFI_Boot-00-00.7z - Google Drive
2. Run Macrium and restore the image from step 1, overwriting your existing 1st three partitions, leaving C alone.
3. Delete the 490MB Recovery partition.
4. From Macrium, run fix boot problems.
5. Reboot. Open Admin command prompt then run Reagentc /info to make sure that it is enabled. If not, enable it.
   if failed to enable, reboot and try again.

OPTION 2: Assuming you've already had Windows backup with Macrium.

1. Wipe out the first 5 parttiions. (450MB, 100MB, 16MB, C Drive, 480MB)
2. Fresh install Windows 10
3. Restore C drive from backup image, run fix boot problems
4. repeat step 5 from OPTION 1 above.

 

command prompt will not open in safe mode with command prompt

I am repairing a laptop for a friend and I need to access windows in safe mode and the owner has forgotten the password to the main user. I tried logging on with the administrator profile in safe mode but it is not showing up so I was going to use command prompt in safe mode with command prompt but command prompt will not open when I boot that option. Does anyone have any hints for me to figure this out?