Win10 won't boot, no sys restore points, tried SFC /scannow...ideas?

Hi all,

I've got an HP desktop with Windows 10 that I am repairing for somebody. Last night all was fine, but after a WinUpdate overnight, they woke up, booted into the desktop to find all "very, very slow" and then the machine froze. They turned it off by holding the power button but on reboot, machine is now stuck in an endless "Automatic Repair" loop. I've gone into the Advanced Troubleshooting menu and tried sfc /scannow, tried the fixmbr and fixboot commands, and also Startup Repair.

Startup Repair takes FOREVER, then fails. FixMBR and Fixboot complete successfully. SFC /scannow completed and said there were some files that could not be fixed (this was just using Win10's own Recovery options, no external media). Annoyingly, there were are no SysRestore points as that was turned off for some reason, so I imagine I am down to having to Reset the machine...

Anything else I can try before I have to go ahead and do so...? Also, I know you can reset without removing user files but this uninstalls and installed programs (I assume things like Firefox, Windows Live Mail, etc)....HOWEVER......as it "doesn't remove user files" does this mean it also doesn't delete items from hidden folders like AppData? For example, if Windows Live Mail is removed, does that mean this user would lose her e-mail settings/emails unless I back that folder up first...?

Thanks for any suggestions! :)

..................as it "doesn't remove user files" does this mean it also doesn't delete items from hidden folders like AppData?...........

Answer is : yes, it does not.

..... if Windows Live Mail is removed, does that mean this user would lose her e-mail settings/emails unless I back that folder up first ?

Answer is : yes again. Backup (export) her mails, contacts etc first.

Any ideas for other things I can try before I have to do a reset?

Darkstrike said:

Any ideas for other things I can try before I have to do a reset?

You said ....... Last night all was fine........................

And your post did not mention doing system restore.
Will your computer allow you to do this ?..................................

Reboot but do NOT sign in > bottom right is a Power icon, left click at it will show Restart option.
Press SHIFT key and hold > click Restart > if asked, click Restart anyway > wait > click Troubleshoot >click Advanced options > System Restore is on the list.


If you can, then do a system restore and pick a couple of days BEFORE " last night " as your restore point.

My post did mention System Restore twice:

Once in the title: "Win10 won't boot, no sys restore points, tried SFC /scannow...ideas?"

And once in the content: "Annoyingly, there were are no SysRestore points as that was turned off for some reason..."

So SysRestore is not something I can try, unfortunately.

I cannot boot to desktop, or even beyond the loading Win10 Loading screen just after POST - boot past POST immediately brings up "Preparing Automatic Repair." I can get to the Advanced Troubleshooting menu and trying to restart into Safe Mode from there ALSO brings "Preparing Automatic Repair."

Darkstrike said:

My post did mention System Restore twice:

Once in the title: "Win10 won't boot, no sys restore points, tried SFC /scannow...ideas?"

And once in the content: "Annoyingly, there were are no SysRestore points as that was turned off for some reason..."

So SysRestore is not something I can try, unfortunately.

I cannot boot to desktop, or even beyond the loading Win10 Loading screen just after POST - boot past POST immediately brings up "Preparing Automatic Repair." I can get to the Advanced Troubleshooting menu and trying to restart into Safe Mode from there ALSO brings "Preparing Automatic Repair."

My apology.
Somehow I had overlooked them.

Well, I have no more ideas.

Thanks for trying though, I'll have to back up everything tonight and try a Reset....

Will the user files be moved (pics, documents, etc), or do they stay in the folders they were in pre-Reset...?

As far as I know, they stay where they were.