Windows 10 rollback stuck

Anonymous
2018-01-16T17:00:04+00:00

A client of mine has a Windows 10 desktop she bought a couple of years ago. Last week a user (we think her grandson) tried to rollback to a previous version of Windows. But, since Windows 10 is the original OS on the computer, it's stuck. Asks for keyboard language, then gives options to run Windows rollback or Windows 10. When you choose, it reboots and goes right back to the keyboard options. How can I get past this and fix the issue?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows update

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Anonymous
2018-01-16T18:46:36+00:00

Hi Andrea,

Corrupted system files after trying to rollback are one of the possible reasons why this issue is happening. Usually, restarting the computer should resolve the issue.

If the issue still persists even after restarting your computer, we recommend repairing Windows thru Advanced options. Follow the steps below:

  1. Press F8 while booting your computer to access System Recovery options.
  2. Click Troubleshoot.
  3. Select Command Prompt.
  4. Enter the following commands below, then press Enter after each command:
    • chkdsk c: /f
    • bootrec /fixmbr
    • bootrec /fixboot
    • bootrec /rebuildbcd
    • bcdboot c:\windows /s c:
  5. Once done with the above commands, restart your computer and see if the problem is fixed.

Keep us in the loop with the result.

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-05-26T02:48:48+00:00

    (1) I guess you chose the wrong "Windows volume 3", & it has put the computer into even worse shape. Should have chosen the 2nd one as stated in the mspoweruser article that Kyle posted. I think now you will have to do a clean install. But you should be able to get to a Command Prompt first to rescue files. You've got to boot Win 10 Installation media, & select "Repair this computer", which will be on the 2nd screen.

    (2) What is the computer make & model?

    There's got to be a key to press at the manufacturer's logo to go into BIOS Setup & another key that would go to the BIOS Boot Menu...

    https://www.sysnative.com/forums/hardware-tutorials/23010-get-access-bios-settings-boot-menu-f-keys-hotkeys-system-manufacturer-oem.html

    Get access to BIOS settings & Boot Menu: F-keys/Hotkeys by System Manufacturer (OEM)

    Note: I know nothing of downloads or links at that 3rd-party site. The lit looks real good though.

    If you constructed the computer yourself, & there is no manufacturer's logo...

    (a) Is there a black screen with a small spinning circle before the Windows logo screen?

    (b) Try some other choices at the sysnative site, like del & esc.

    (c) What motherboard does the computer have?

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-05-26T03:52:43+00:00

    Thank you so much for your instruction. My husband computer got back to normal after 2 time attempt of 15 and 16 (not sure it took me back to same problem at first attempt, but second time it worked)!

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-05-27T11:58:16+00:00

    That is excellent that you have backed up your important user files & downloads. You are in decent shape should a clean install be necessary. And it could be a good thing to do even unnecessarily to clear off accumulated junk & manufacturer bloatware. (You also have a 30 GB Lenovo partition that could get you back to factory state. It would remove accumulated junk but restore the bloatware.)

    (1) I think that last picture you show is of Rufus that burned your ISO to USB media.

    (a) Where did you get the ISO from? I hope it was from the official Microsoft site...

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

    Download Windows 10 - Currently, this is v.1803

    Make a Windows 10 Installation USB drive or burn an ISO to DVD. As the site says, match it to the Edition (Home, Pro, etc.), Language, & Architecture (x64/64-bit or x86/32-bit) of the computer on which it will be used. I don't know - but I doubt - there is something within the ISO itself that would restrict it to one or the other partition schemes (MBR or GPT). However, if you get it from there, all doubt is removed. And you wouldn't need Rufus either.

    (b) Where Rufus says, "MBR partition scheme for UEFI or BIOS" - it is speaking I think of the partition scheme or style on the USB media - not the one on the HDD in the computer. The partition style on the USB drive will be MBR - that's fine. Also, sounds like it is set to make the USB media bootable whether BIOS is in UEFI or in Legacy mode & whether the boot option chosen is for UEFI or Legacy. All is good with that, I think.

    https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-burn-an-iso-file-to-a-usb-drive-2619270

    How to Burn an ISO File to a USB Drive

    Note: That's a 3rd-party site. Looks smart, but I know nothing of the links or downloads there.

    (2) But the partition scheme on the HDD in the computer is GPT, going by the error message you got, namely "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT style.". Therefore...

    (a) You must set BIOS to be in UEFI mode.

    (b) You must select to boot the USB drive in UEFI mode.

    When the BIOS is in Legacy mode, it will offer just one way to boot the USB media (on the BIOS Boot Menu screen) - Legacy mode. In that case, Windows must install to a HDD that is in the MBR format. Yours is in the GPT format. So, at that "Choose a partition" screen, you'd have to delete all the partitions, including the Lenovo partition & click "Next". Then Windows would reformat the HDD to MBR style automatically & create all new partitions in which to install Windows. (You could do the same with BIOS in UEFI mode & selecting the Legacy boot option for the USB drive. But you will lose all the benefits of a UEFI install. It will be a Legacy install.)

    However, if the BIOS is in UEFI mode, you may see two ways to boot the USB drive. You must select the one that identifies itself to be UEFI mode. Then, the existing GPT style is acceptable. And it will be as I wrote in my prior post. You could delete the top 4 partitions, select the unallocated space created, & click "Next". That's a true clean install, & it preserves the Lenovo partition. You get all new Windows partitions, but no C:\Windows.old that would hold the current Windows version & files.

    Or, you could select the 433.9 GB Primary partition (which is the current Windows partition), & click "Next". This is a clean install too, meaning no apps you've installed or that the computer manufacturer installed will survive. Maybe it asks whether to keep files, I don't know. If not, those are gone too. However, you should get a C:\Windows.old that should hold everything including the files. The existing EFI system & recovery partitions will be repurposed for the new Windows.

    Here is a definitive write-up of a clean install...

    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/clean-install-windows-10/1c426bdf-79b1-4d42-be93-17378d93e587

    Clean Install Windows 10

    See where he says, " (Note:  If you did not rescue files stranded in C using the bootable media step earlier, you can save them here.  Instead of deleting partitions, just click on C and choose Next without deleting or formatting.  This will archive your files in C:\windows.old.  But it is not as clean of an install.)".

    (3) But see what Kyle62 found...

    https://mspoweruser.com/avast-issues-a-fix-for-the-windows-10-april-2018-update-problem/

    Avast issues a fix for the Windows 10 April 2018 Update problem

    It's an excellent write-up of what others have been posting in this thread to achieve a repair-install that keeps everything. Except...

    At step 9, be sure to match Edition (Home, Pro, etc.) & Language as well as Architecture (x64/64-bit or x86/32-bit).

    Thanks for the great detail. I am downloading and again and starting all over with your instructions. Though I believe I was booting in UEFI but who knows!  So I will be mindful of UEFI. 

    Last time I clicked "i do not have a product key" at the activation window since I purchased my computer with windows installed. Hopefully this option is not in issue.

    I hope it makes it through this time and I will keep you posted, thank you again!

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-05-27T20:57:29+00:00

    Apparently Avast (AVG) is the problem or at least one of them. This statement was issued this morning along with the steps to fix the problem at the link below:

    https://mspoweruser.com/avast-issues-a-fix-for-the-windows-10-april-2018-update-problem/

    In cooperation with Microsoft we have had an element of the latest Windows 10 1803 update that is incompatible with the Avast Behavior Shield, causing the aforementioned update to fail in some instances (related to a timing issue, Internet connectivity issue, etc). Luckily, we have found a way to prevent the problem and are now automatically pushing a VPS update to all customers which makes sure that the problem doesn’t happen.

    Vik, Global Moderator, Avast

    My PC (Dell Inspiron desktop) was using AVG and the internet was down at the time the Windows 10 update was being installed.  This may be the combination of circumstances that causes the problem and would explain why most AVG users did not experience the issue. Only those with AVG AND no internet connectivity at the time.

    Prior to this fix being published by AVG, I spoke with Microsoft support yesterday who gave me a case# and said they were working hard to resolve the issue which came to their attention 2 days earlier although the update has been out for 2 weeks with no problem. They said they were blindsided by the sudden reports over the past few days.

    He said MS would be releasing a fix soon that would not require a clean reinstall of the operating system. He said he or his managet would contact me and during the phone call would be able to connect to my system from cmd prompt instructions they would provide me. He urged me not to attempt other recovery steps in the meantime as they are seeing some customers who have tried other fixes in the meantime (cmd prompt /boot commands, reinstalls, etc.) make things much worse and then requiring a clean reinstall with loss of data.  He said while Microsoft does have a fix for most of the identified issues but since it does not have a fix that UNIVERSALLY covers the issues on all computers it is not releasing it yet. He asked me to sight tight and wait for the official fix if possible. He said Microsoft would have a fix today or tomorrow (that was yesterday) and they would be working on it even if its a holiday weekend :)

    In the meantime I saw AVG release this fix in conjunction with Microsoft so I am assuming this is an "official" fix which exactly fits my setting so I am attempting it now. So far I have followed the instructions to the tee and they have worked perfectly. I am at the point where the operating system is installing and about 30% complete and slowly progressing. I will advise on the outcome.

    This worked for me thank you for posting it :-)

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