WIN10 AU Crashed my Desktop PC - Can't Access Windows OS

[brewbob47]

The AU updated my PC last night. This morning when I went to log on, there was a notice about AU being installed. I was able to log on, and watched the Get Started AU info. Went downstairs and when I came back, the screen was black with this DOS statement: "Reboot and Select Boot Device, or Insert Boot Media in Select Boot Device and Press a Key"

I rebooted and got the same statement again. I tried CTL-ALT-DELETE and it got me into my Gateway system window. Of course, you can't do anything in there except see how the system is set up.

I did the CTL-ALT-DELETE again, and this time I pressed the F12 key for boot devices. AGAIN, it went to the black screen above with the same stupid statement. I can't enter any DOS commands on the line, all it does is loop back to the statement.

What can I do as I can't get into the Windows OS to try any of the fixes I've seen on this forum. I have a backup HDD but can't do anything with it.

What do I do, Microsoft????????? :angry::angry::angry::angry::angry::angry::angry::angry:

 

[AndyCalling]

Not saying I can help, but is it possible you use hardware based Bitlocker encryption on your boot drive? If so, I may be able to lend a hand.

If not, best bet is a clean install. I know, pretty annoying, but that's the AU for you. It did work straight away on some of my devices, but on others it has caused complete mayhem due to the introduction of a selection of interesting bugs. A lot of them due to the fact MS have been messing around with the boot and security processes in this update. I have worked around most things now, but many of the bugs are still present in the OS and need proper fixing.

I still think we were better off when MS used to have a proper QA department. This outsourcing testing to 'insiders' in the general public would be a nice extra in combination with proper QA, but they are just not picking up the issues in time like the old QA approach did and so relying so heavily on insiders is proving flaky. Hence the huge outcry about W10 being a mess in the news at the moment.

Something MS could do is introduce a short online QA training package for potential insiders, which they must pass before being permitted to join. Not as good as proper QA, but better than the current approach of 'do what you feel'.

 

[brewbob47]

Not saying I can help, but is it possible you use hardware based Bitlocker encryption on your boot drive? If so, I may be able to lend a hand.

If not, best bet is a clean install. I know, pretty annoying, but that's the AU for you. It did work straight away on some of my devices, but on others it has caused complete mayhem due to the introduction of a selection of interesting bugs. A lot of them due to the fact MS have been messing around with the boot and security processes in this update. I have worked around most things now, but many of the bugs are still present in the OS and need proper fixing.

I still think we were better off when MS used to have a proper QA department. This outsourcing testing to 'insiders' in the general public would be a nice extra in combination with proper QA, but they are just not picking up the issues in time like the old QA approach did and so relying so heavily on insiders is proving flaky. Hence the huge outcry about W10 being a mess in the news at the moment.

Something MS could do is introduce a short online QA training package for potential insiders, which they must pass before being permitted to join. Not as good as proper QA, but better than the current approach of 'do what you feel'.

Hi Andy,

No, I don't have Bitlocker installed.

Not sure how to do a clean install. I assume perhaps that would imply that I could get access to my Windows or the DOS command line? If so, it's impossible right now as I can't enter anything on what looks like a command line.

I also tried unplugging the PC for a number of hours and then replugging and starting it up cold. It immediately went to the black screen with the damn statement in my OP.

My desktop is a Gateway and I found the keys to get into the boot selection at startup (ALT+F10). Great, so I tried it and it wouldn't show boot devices. It only shows the black screen etc.

At this point I would like to go back to the pre-AU WIN10 OS. I have a Seagate backup HDD that is constantly backed up but I can't figure out a way to access the boot routine.

I would try calling Windows help but think the lines will be tied up totally due to this idiotic "update".

Thanks for replying,
Bob

 

[AndyCalling]

If you go to the 'Windows 7' backup section in your control panel there is an option in there to make a recovery USB stick. On booting from that stick you can restore your Windows backup images. Since you can't boot to make a stick (you really should have made one when prompted to when you made your backup image) you can either use a Windows DVD or make a recovery stick on another PC.

To do a clean install, burn an ISO of Windows onto a DVD or USB stick as per the instruction provided in Windows Central articles or all over the web. You can get an ISO from Microsoft or just use a retail Windows DVD if you have one. The downloaded ISO will be the latest however. Of course, you'll need a mate to let you use his PC to download and burn the ISO now you can't access your PC.

FYI I would do a DISKPART CLEAN before clean installing from the command prompt via the install DVD you made from the ISO. This process is also widely described on the net and in Win Central articles.

One other thing. If you can't easily access your firmware settings or you believe the firmware is acting screwy, clear the cmos by using the motherboard jumper (as described in your motherboard/PC manual) then go into the bios settings (pressing 'del' or 'F2' during boot often does this, but check your manual again) and set it to defaults (often referred to as 'Optimal Defaults' or some such) before making personal adjustments that you prefer (if any). It could be messed up firmware like that, or it could be that your partition info has been completely knackered on your boot drive hence my suggestion of a clean install after a DISKPART CLEAN to remove all partition traces first.

For older (or indeed current) Windows ISOs go here:

http://windowsiso.net/

The links provided are directly to MS so no dodgy downloads. Note that the links may not display correctly in Edge so you may want to open the site in IE instead.