Desktop Won't Start After WinX Update

jmrathbun · 15 Dec 2018

This is normally a very competent system that my wife uses for e-mail, etc. It's been running WinX for a couple of years. Occasionally, a Windows update will cause it to malfunction. It was running well yesterday morning, then a massive Windows update tried to install and it locked up. When I tried to restart, it would get to the Desktop and then go into some sort of endless loop that blocked access to any applications or Windows functions. I couldn't even get the Task Manager to come up! Waiting an hour or more didn't help.

I got out a bootable WinX CD and booted from that. The only thing I was able to access was the Command Prompt, but I wanted some help before trying to use that in this situation. Last I programmed in DOS was more than a decade ago! Specifically, the following options each consumed time and then announced that the requested task could not be completed (reason not given):

Reset and Keep Files
System Restore
Startup Repair
Previous Build
Reset and Lose Files

All data files are backed up as far as I know, and I had antivirus protection enabled from Webroot. If necessary, I'm willing to format the drive and start over. Better ideas would be welcome!

System specs follow:

CPU: Intel Core i7 CPU 930 @ 2.8 GHz

Motherboard: ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel

Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460

Sound Card: Creative SB XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro

RAM: 6128 MB

Hard Drive(s): Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

CD/DVD Drive(s): ASUS Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 24X DVD Burner

Power Supply: CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI

Operating System: Windows 10

BIOS: Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG, 6/30/2010

Direct X: 11

Caledon Ken · 15 Dec 2018

Hi jmrathbun. Welcome to the TenForums @jmratnbun

When you say massive I'm guessing it updated to version 1809. If you can get into windows, without the loop you mentioned, could you right click Start, click run, type winver, enter. This may not work given you said you can't start task manager.

If you use the Advance Startup Option you may be able to restore to a previous build. Boot windows, hold shift key down and click restart. It should boot to the Advance Startup Options.

Boot to Advanced Startup Options in Windows 10

Then Troubleshoot, Advance Options, at bottom of page "See more recovery options", Go back to previous build.

You maybe able to get to these options with your boot disk.

If you are unsure about your backup status you could create a recovery disk (Kyhi's), boot from it and get any necessary files. The restoration to a previous build should leave your files alone but just in case it might be an idea to do this first.

Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk

bro67 · 15 Dec 2018

Are you talking about something else and not Windows 10? Third party antivir/malware/internet security software can cause and has been known to cause Windows issues. Make sure you back up her files on the laptop before formatting and reinstalling. You are best to make sure to have all of the keys for any installed software before reinstalling Windows. Use the actual Windows 10 ISO, not the OEM to reinstall Windows.