Copying Program Files doesn't help. After a clean installation all the programs need to be reinstalled because there are references to the program in the registry which will be lost during clean install. You may backup AppData though.
Trying to repair Windows with DISM, but running into Error Code 2.
Recently, I have had my harddrive begin failing to the point where I could only get to the welcome screen, but not to the desktop, after which I tried to repair it, but it begun failing faster, so I quickly used Linux Mint's GDDRescue to copy everything I could, as I didn't get an opportunity to back everything up on the cloud. (Only about 50MBs of data was lost; All previous methods such as Clonezilla and other cloning software have failed.)
Now, I did manage to get everything from the D: drive and the C: drive, which is amazing, but Windows didn't seem to work even after multiple chkdsk with all kinds of handles, such as /f, /r, /x and etc. This disk holds a lot of programs, that are no longer available on the market (Older versions of Photoshop, Games, Vegas Pro and so on), so it is in my best interest to repair Windows to get back to it.
After that, I could reliably get to the same point as before - lock screen (the one with time, that you need to pull up to make it display the pincode part). Although, this time, this is what happened:
- I would try to press buttons and pull the time/date thing up, but it would just drop back down and not allow me to do anything.
- I tried to enter Windows' Recovery Environment, which resulted in a restart and a blue screen saying "recovery" and that my system needs to be repaired, so I created a Windows Installation USB to enter the Recovery Environment from it.
- Automatic Repair was out of the question immediately, it would fail right away.
- I would try to use all bootrec commands (fixboot, fixmbr, scanos, rebuildbcd and so on), but every time I would get to rebuildbcd or scanos, it would ALWAYS recognize that the Windows is installed on the needed partition, but on rebuildbcd question of "Do you want to add this installation to the boot?" (Something along those lines), it would always give me an error of "The requested system device is not found".
- And so begun the gauntlet of troubles.
Things that failed:
- Getting into Windows' own Recovery Mode/Running an Automatic repair. (Upon restarting, it provides yet another error on a blue screen saying "Recovery")
- Running chkdsk. (With any handles)
- Bootrec /rebuildbcd (After confirming, it gives out an error)
- sfc /scannow. (Yes, even specifying the directories)
- Bootedit/BootBCD commands.
Things that are definitely not broken:
-The new drive (It is a brand new Samsung 1TB SSD, checked, in perfect condition)
- Files system (Multiple chkdsks were run to confirm it)
- Registry (Files are completely intact and it boots into Windows lockscreen to begin with)
I've tried almost everything and now I have two options left: Repair Windows by inputting a source image from the USB drive (correct me if I am wrong) or repair DISM Error Code: 2 to be able to repair the disk as many guides and posts on these forums point to.
The main question is, what should I do from this point? Any details - I can provide, I have been trying for 3 days now.
EDIT: I do have my hands on a harddrive, from which I am currently running another Windows instance, WITHIN the same PC, I DO have a bootable USB device and if needed, a DVD/CD.
Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows update
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Anonymous
2024-10-07T08:29:18+00:00 You're welcome.
Regards,
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Anonymous
2024-10-07T08:28:06+00:00 Very well, I will now perform a clean reinstall of Windows. Thank you for your help.
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Anonymous
2024-10-07T08:21:06+00:00 That didn't work either, it just sends me to the same screen as shown in the photo of the post before yours. So then...Should I fully reinstall? I have program files and AppData for them (Such as Photoshop, Vegas and so on) backed up along with everything else from this partition.
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Anonymous
2024-10-07T08:04:29+00:00 - You can backup your files by booting into your parallel Windows installation.
- You can start the reset using this method. Ignore the blog post's title. https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20161206-00/?p=94865