Can't boot or use recovery USB

May 29, 2018
2
0
10
A little while ago, my computer shut down during an update due to a power outage. Since then, Windows will not make it past the spinning dots screen, and will sit there endlessly.
I have tried using a USB with the Windows 10 installer on it, but it also hangs on the same screen. There isn't any issue with the drive itself, I have been running Linux Mint off it and accessing files from the Windows partition.
I have tried quite a few different things, none of which have helped:

  • - Startup settings, hangs with text "Preparing Automatic Repair".
    - Using a recovery USB instead of an installer.
    - Different USBs.
    - Enabling UEFI boot, gets stuck on a black screen instead.
    - Resetting BIOS settings.
    - Renaming/moving folders in C:\ (Windows, Boot).
I found that somehow, my hard drive keeps the USB from working. Unplugging the cable and booting from the USB finally lets it into the install and recovery menu. I can plug the drive back in after entering the repair menu, but any option I pick that involves accessing the drive causes the recovery to hang on a blank blue screen. Attempting to access the drive through command prompt causes it to hang as well.
I'd like to avoid doing a clean install, since I have a lot of data on the drive I don't want to lose, but I should be able to back it all up if necessary.
Thanks!
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
Is this a brand name PC or Custom? If brand, what make/model? If custom, what motherboard?

You may need to turn off bios features before it will boot off USB, such as Fast boot or secure boot. If you cannot get into windows this way, a fresh install is likely only fix

If you have copied everything off PC, just use linux to wipe hdd and try to boot off USB then, as it sounds like its currently trying to boot off the hdd instead of the USB. You will need to clean install win 10
 
May 29, 2018
2
0
10
It's a custom PC, the motherboard is an Intel DX79SI. I've tried changing similar settings before, but I don't believe they had any effect. I suppose I will have to do a clean install. Thank you.
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
Solution