Aug 14, 2021
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I was trying to do a system restore on my computer. After restarting I received a Blue screen error saying it has to restart.
Upon restarting it says "Your PC did not start correctly" and gives me 2 options [Restart] and [Advanced Options].
Restart always brings me back to this screen.
Advanced Options will only let me do Startup Settings, every other option asks for a password, but even if I type the correct password it will say "The password is incorrect."

Does anyone know ow a way for me to get my PC working again?
 
Solution
Why were you using system restore? how far back did you go? i have always counted it as the last choice if trying to fix something.

If you password doesn't work, you sort of stuck. Is it a Microsoft account? or a local user?
You can change the Microsoft accounts online but whether the PC will recognize change is another thing.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...password-fdde885b-86da-2965-69fd-4871309ef1f1

If you can't change password, you probably need to clean install as I can't help you get around password problems.
I can show you how to save info off PC though.

On another PC, download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB
  • ...

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
Why were you using system restore? how far back did you go? i have always counted it as the last choice if trying to fix something.

If you password doesn't work, you sort of stuck. Is it a Microsoft account? or a local user?
You can change the Microsoft accounts online but whether the PC will recognize change is another thing.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...password-fdde885b-86da-2965-69fd-4871309ef1f1

If you can't change password, you probably need to clean install as I can't help you get around password problems.
I can show you how to save info off PC though.

On another PC, download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB
  • on screen after languages, choose repair this pc, not install.
  • choose troubleshoot
  • choose advanced
  • choose command prompt
  • type notepad and press enter
  • in notepad, select file>open
  • Use file explorer to copy any files you need to save to USB or another hdd

Once its copied off, I would clean install
follow this guide: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/
 
Solution
Aug 14, 2021
38
0
30
Why were you using system restore? how far back did you go? i have always counted it as the last choice if trying to fix something.

If you password doesn't work, you sort of stuck. Is it a Microsoft account? or a local user?
You can change the Microsoft accounts online but whether the PC will recognize change is another thing.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...password-fdde885b-86da-2965-69fd-4871309ef1f1

If you can't change password, you probably need to clean install as I can't help you get around password problems.
I can show you how to save info off PC though.

On another PC, download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB
  • on screen after languages, choose repair this pc, not install.
  • choose troubleshoot
  • choose advanced
  • choose command prompt
  • type notepad and press enter
  • in notepad, select file>open
  • Use file explorer to copy any files you need to save to USB or another hdd
Once its copied off, I would clean install
follow this guide: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/

I tried to update the drivers on my PC to see if it would fix a new issue with After Effects not updating when I moved the camera. It didn't work, so I figured using a system restore made 2 days ago would be best as it was working then.

Thank you for the link and instructions. So far I am able to use it to access Startup Repair, Command Prompt, and the other options.
I have tried using Notepad as you've instructed, however I receive an error no matter what file I try to copy/paste. (0x80004005 )
Do you think it would be better to try Startup Repair?
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
Error code 0x80004005

This problem may occur if a file that the Windows Product Activation (WPA) requires is damaged or missing. This behavior occurs if one or both of the following conditions are true:

  • A third-party backup utility or an antivirus program interferes with the installation of Windows XP.
  • A file that WPA requires is manually modified.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...computer-a15f5b2f-642d-24ac-4912-1570a6bcedec

if that is reason for error, I don't think start up repair will help. I can't remember it ever helping really.

thats a new one. Haven't seen Notepad have errors at that stage before.
Are you running off a USB? As it might work if you boot off a USB.

Another idea is to use a Ubuntu Live USB to copy anything off the drive - https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows#1-overview as it won't have the same problem.
 
Aug 14, 2021
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Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
when you are getting to the blue menus that include start up repair, etc, are you booting off a USB or getting there via the error at startup?

that was my question. I don't think you would get that error if you run notepad off a USB.
 
Aug 14, 2021
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when you are getting to the blue menus that include start up repair, etc, are you booting off a USB or getting there via the error at startup?

that was my question. I don't think you would get that error if you run notepad off a USB.
It's USB as I cannot access the command prompt without a password normally. I'll be trying out Ubuntu next, hopefully it works.
 
Aug 14, 2021
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https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...computer-a15f5b2f-642d-24ac-4912-1570a6bcedec

if that is reason for error, I don't think start up repair will help. I can't remember it ever helping really.

thats a new one. Haven't seen Notepad have errors at that stage before.
Are you running off a USB? As it might work if you boot off a USB.

Another idea is to use a Ubuntu Live USB to copy anything off the drive - https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows#1-overview as it won't have the same problem.
Thank you for reccomending Ubuntu. I'll admit that face that appeared upon starting it sort of creeped me out, but otherwise I was able to use it to copy all of my files over to an external hard drive.
Once done I followed the clean windows install and now have my PC working again. It looks a bit different, I'm guessing it's a newer updated version. I'll have to reinstall all of my programs, which will be bothersome, but I'm hoping this experience may have also solved the crashing issue I have been dealing with as well until now.

Overall, my PC works again, so tha k you for the help.