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I've read a number of related questions that aren't quite my question...

My Windows 10 64bit OS was recently 'refresh' (That's "Windows" for the 'Programs' folder is deleted, registry is recreated, and windows is reinstalled without deleting any other files on the machine). After the 'refresh', I've been able to log in and use the PC for a number of days. Then once I was assumably stuck on the blue screen with the dots moving in a circle, etc:

Getting Windows ready
Don't turn off your computer

It was stuck for a number of hours, but I eventually restarted the machine and it booted normally and I was able to use again for the last week.

Some time within the week I remember investigating my windows update, I noticed that I had an update that was getting stuck and wouldn't complete normally. I don't recall if I had been able to reboot the PC after that point.

Last night I rebooted the machine, and this time it has been stuck on the screen mentioned above for over 8-10+ hrs, so I suspect that the PC is now in an erroneous state.

I've now attempted to restart the machine a number of times including into safe mode (by forcing it into 'automatic repair' by hard booting the machine 3 times during the boot process) and it always comes back to the blue screen mentioned above.

How do I recover my machine from this state?

(Ideally least intrusive without a format/reinstall, etc)

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  • 1
    This certainly looks like a duplicate of the other questions that you linked to. It might help us find an answer if you can explain what is different about your problem.
    – Blackwood
    Dec 23, 2017 at 16:13
  • Hi @Blackwood. I've attempted to restate the question above with more details and how it differentiates from the other questions researched and linked to. Thanks.
    – Bret Royster
    Dec 23, 2017 at 17:16
  • Admittedly I'm seeing a ton more questions in the related section that might actually help me out...
    – Bret Royster
    Dec 23, 2017 at 17:33

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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Got it! From another 'licensed' Windows 10 PC...

Boot Windows 10 Installer from a USB:

(There are a number of tools you can use here, but System Restore was the only that worked for me.)

**Screenshots of recovery options from USB Intaller**

Recovery options that worked for me:

  • Restore back far enough to where the system was stable; I had to do it twice to stop the blue screen issue. First time I just stepped one restore point back. The second time I went back as far as possible, which was a "Critical Windows 10 Update" right after my 'refresh'

  • DrMoishe Pippik suggests doing another 'refresh', which likely would have worked as well. Because I just did one of those, I know that a restore point was definitely faster and retained most of my installed apps.

Other tools you can try from the USB Installer that DIDN'T work for me...

  • Startup Repair
  • Startup Settings (for safe mode)

Bonuses:

Here's a strategy to "BLOCK" automated updates to Windows 10 Home Editions:

Here's how to reset Windows Update if it gets into an erroneous state:

Reference: How to install Windows 10 from USB with UEFI support

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Even though you wish to avoid reinstallation, that is probably the safest option, since it appears the refresh process was stuck or interrupted more than once. This ensures that all needed system files are in place. It may well be faster to do the full reinstallation than trying to refresh Windows from the active HDD.

Download the latest Windows ISO and installation media creation tool, create a USB instllation and perform a reinstallation whilst keeping data files.

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  • Thanks @DrMoishe this is essentially what I ended up doing, except that I ended up having a restore point that worked! Thanks for the help! I definitely would have done another 'refresh' if that didn't work (using a USB installer)
    – Bret Royster
    Dec 23, 2017 at 23:48

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