Windows 10: Windows 10 recovery partition X: is corrupted; can't re-install

Hi; I've found a very niche problem in my Asus Zenbook 14.


When I boot it, the automatic repair starts and fails. This laptop doesn't have a backup system image, and whenever I try to reinstall windows from the recovery screen's "Reset" command either by local file or via the cloud it simply tells me "there was an error. No files have been changed". I can access folders and open txt files from the C: drive via the command screen, which is why I haven't just replaced my hard drive as I'd quite like to keep it.


The C: drive passes chkdsk, but the X: recovery partition reports a chkdsk error. I can't do chkdsk /f as the partition is read only. Adding /x doesn't work, and I can't find the recovery partition with DISKPART in order to remove the read-only attribute.


I also attempted to run a few .exe files from the command line, but executables such as Powershell and wuauclt.exe give the error that the windows version is incorrect [Version 10.0.19041.1].


Any assistance would be really helpful: I've already moved my important files onto a usb, so I'm just looking for a way to reset Windows.

:)

 

Download Windows 10 TH/RS

For the convenience of not having to use the installation media for startup repairs. But you should be able to use your installation media to do whatever the recovery partition does(including startup repairs). AFAIK. I could be wrong about that though.

I'm not sure if I follow you there. But if you clean install Windows 10 there will be at least 3 partitions.

• (EFI System Partition)
• (Primary Partition)
• (Recovery/OEM Partition)

If you install from an OEM installation media there might(should?) be 4 partitions. Since there might(should?) be a Recovery partition and an OEM partition.




Back on topic...

Download May 8 CU KB4103721 x64 (326.5MB)

Brings system to 17134.48

List of improvements and fixes found here.

 

How To: Create recovery partition.

it worked when i copied all the files of the disk to the recovery partition i created, but i had to use WinPE tab to add the entry.

Type: WIM Image (Ramdisk)
Name: Recovery
Path: Z:\Sources\boot.wim
and hit Add Entry
I tried it in VirtualBox and it worked.
At first, it would add a second "Windows 7" entry to the list, but when the installation is finished, the old one is deleted. (I formatted only C: partition)

 

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.