The PC is not starting, and the Windows repair attempt isn't resolving the issue.
The PC is not starting, and the Windows repair attempt isn't resolving the issue.
I powered off the PC and placed it into sleep mode. It had been running for a few minutes with only a black display, which was happening often. I pressed the power button repeatedly to shut it down, even though I was certain it wouldn’t cause any damage. After some time, I returned and tried to start it. The screen remained black, showing no other content. I moved the mouse and saw nothing else on the display. I entered my password without checking and managed to log in successfully. On the second monitor, the taskbar appeared at the bottom, but everything else was dark with no icons visible. I restarted again, and this time a disk check and repair was performed. After a short wait, it reported that it couldn’t fix the issue and suggested troubleshooting steps. My anxiety grew as I searched online for solutions. I found a suggestion about copying files from the config folder in system32, but the process was incomplete because typing "CD regback" triggered an error about the path not being found. I didn’t manage to complete it.
From what I understand, my impatience might have damaged my configuration files (I’m not sure if that’s the main issue). Could there be a way to resolve this without completely erasing everything? I still have my old hard drive, which I left idle after moving all data to the new drive. Could that help?
The last thing I’d like is to reset the PC because losing all my files would take months and my internet plan has a data limit. If there’s nothing else I can do, what price should I expect from a repair service? Also, I’m using what I believe is the latest Windows version, which was updated recently. The old drive contains all previous files, so it can boot normally but will run on an older OS.
This whole situation feels like my fault. I’m sure you’ve helped me before, so please keep offering your support. It would mean a lot to me if you could assist again and help reduce this frustration or cost. Thank you in advance for reading this far.
Learn how to properly clean your Windows 10 installation from this guide.
Have you attempted to restore the installation? This should resolve any issues since the last backup existed before the update. If you still need a fresh start, you can save your files before proceeding. Most applications will need to be reinstalled, though popular services like Steam, Origin, and Battle.net typically only require transferring your files. Simply avoid formatting the OS drive during the reinstallation process. I completed this just last Monday.
I understand this might seem confusing. The process of restoring a Windows installation usually involves using a setup USB to reinstall the OS. However, if you're already on the desktop and the upgrade option isn't working, you may need to boot from the USB and follow the on-screen instructions carefully. If the system becomes unresponsive or shows a black screen after the "regback" repair, it could indicate deeper issues that might require reinstalling from scratch. Make sure you back up important data before proceeding with any restoration steps.
Restoration is carried out via the install USB method. You choose to fix the PC, and these settings are found in advanced options where you can pick restore, startup repair, or run commands. When restoring, you pick any available restore point; if none exist, it won’t work. The alternative would be using an image file for restoration, but I’m not sure that’s what you have.