Question Windows 10 update bricked my system ?

[Zii]

I usually like to supervise my PC while it does an update, but I only update a few times a year. My system is also a server and needs to be online pretty much 24/7.

This latest update happened while I was away for a D&D game (Thursday night, Feb 1st) . Had tons of stuff open that clearly didn't save, since Windows forced the update when I wasn't home. But that's another problem.

I came home to see this. OK whatever, I thought. I'll get this up and running in no time like I've done with the hundreds of blue screens Iv'e gotten with all my other setups in the past.
Boy was I wrong about that. After trying more automatic repairs (no success) a system restore (failed > passed > failed > passed), having no system image, and still can't boot.

WinPE CMD did not allow me to run a bunch of commands (bootrec /fixboot) because of "access denied" issues. I tried sfc /scannow, the whole bcdboot D:\Windows /s B: /f UEFI process, among anything else I could find. CMD tells me there are 0 found windows installations.

Here is a Google drive folder of all the logs I was able to pull off.

If I had to guess, my main drive (disk 5) is an M.2 NVMe SSD.
I have another "drive" (which is a PCIe card with four, 4TB M.2 NVMe SSD's in RAID 0 -- Volume 0 ) that I use to install large games and other applications on.
The Raid 0 array shows up fine in diskpart and in the WinPE environment. Although I did have to go through a full ordeal to install AMD RAID driver in a specific order 1 year ago when I did the initial Windows 10 install. This is what I thought my issue might have been related to, but after following all these steps in this YouTube video, no changes.

Everything points to being forced to do a fresh install. This is insane... There must be a solution.
I had to take PTO at work last Friday because I was not set up anywhere else I could get work done.
Spent the whole weekend troubleshooting. If anything I just screwed over my EFI partition for no reason.

Out of desperation, I ask Mr. ChatGPT 4.
These are the only major points I am able to get from the log analysis...
"The UpdateAgent.log file reveals a recurring error related to the Windows Update process, specifically within the context of deployment sessions post-reboot:"

Error CDeploymentSession::GetPostRebootResult(6417): Result = 0x8007139F: This error appears multiple times, indicating a consistent issue encountered by the Update Agent during or after a reboot meant to complete update installations. The error code 0x8007139F suggests there was a problem applying updates after a reboot, which could be related to your system's boot issues.
Interpretation:
The repeated occurrence of this error suggests that the system is encountering difficulties finalizing update installations after rebooting. This could point to underlying issues with the update components, system files, or even hardware compatibility problems that prevent the successful completion of updates.

And "The analysis of the setupact.log file reveals a series of error and warning entries that could provide insights into the boot issues you're experiencing:"

GetCurrentOsGuid and IsSourceDriveOnVHD Errors: Multiple entries indicate failures with GetCurrentOsGuid and IsSourceDriveOnVHD, with errors 0x2 and 0x00000002. These errors suggest issues with identifying the current OS GUID and determining if the source drive is a Virtual Hard Disk (VHD), which could be critical for boot processes or recovery operations.

No Associated OS / CBootCfg::GetAssociatedOs() Error: The log mentions that no associated OS could be found, with an error 0x2. This directly relates to problems with locating or recognizing a valid operating system installation, which is crucial for booting.

ReAgentConfig Warnings: There are warnings related to ReAgentConfig::ReadBcdAndUpdateEnhancedConfigInfo with GetOsInfoForBootEntry returned 0x2, indicating issues with reading Boot Configuration Data (BCD) and updating configuration information. This aligns with potential BCD issues affecting bootability.

WinReGetConfig and WinReCreateLogInstanceEx Information: While not errors, entries related to WinReGetConfig and WinReCreateLogInstanceEx provide context about recovery environment (WinRE) configuration processes, indicating attempts to access or update WinRE settings without reported errors.

I have terabytes of Applications with tailored settings, MFA processes, etc on this system. It would take me weeks to get my environment set up again, and even then I can't recall where I have all my license files/keys for everything I need.
I'd pay to get this up and running again, but local Tech shops mainly focus on Apple products and I cannot easily haul my eATX system in. It is just over half my weight.

What suggestions does anyone have on moving forward, outside of a clean install or Windows reset?

 

[Zii]

I'll also say I've followed the steps in these articles/posts to the best of my non-admin CMD ability:

https://www.partitionwizard.com/clone-disk/bootrec-fixboot-access-is-denied.html

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...t-stable/f5e4f12c-5aad-4ec1-a7fd-16727558d245

https://www.partitionwizard.com/disk-recovery/total-identified-windows-installations-0-006.html

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...r-update/a5bc7d11-8ae4-4cf5-8fcc-e288d806aea8

...etc.

 

[Zii]

I was also unable to boot into any type of safe mode -- if this helps.

Is there any way I can check which driver exactly is the one causing this failure, so I can at least attempt to address the boot issue?

 

[ubuysa]

Can you boot the WIndows installation media? Not to reinstall but just to check whether the CPU/RAM/etc. is functional enough to boot an OS. A Linux distro would do just as well, it's just to see whether you can boot anything.

 

[Zii]

Can you boot the WIndows installation media? Not to reinstall but just to check whether the CPU/RAM/etc. is functional enough to boot an OS. A Linux distro would do just as well, it's just to see whether you can boot anything.

Yes, was able to boot into WinPE and other recovery tools. I know for a fact that the system (hardware wise) is totally fine, no RAM or disk issues. Fairly new system and been my daily driver for a year.

Just have no clue which update tried to install and failed.

 

[ubuysa]

If you have System Restore enabled then you can back out to the restore point that the recent updates will have saved using the WinRE installation system.

I know from experience that M.2 drives do sometimes become flaky if they';re not seated properly. I have seen two or three niggly issues solved by removing an reseating the M.2 system drive. It may be worth removing and reseating all your M.2 drives....

 

[Zii]

If you have System Restore enabled then you can back out to the restore point that the recent updates will have saved using the WinRE installation system.

I know from experience that M.2 drives do sometimes become flaky if they';re not seated properly. I have seen two or three niggly issues solved by removing an reseating the M.2 system drive. It may be worth removing and reseating all your M.2 drives....

So about that... I tried startup repair, system restore, and they failed.

Now at that time, I didn't know why, I have another theory now... While my RAI0 array was showing correctly in BIOS, it was not showing in WinPE. Or any other bootable media (because AMD raid drivers are not included by default)

So when I ran startup repair/system restore points, they failed as my secondary RAID0 drive was not technically "connected".

So now, I manually loaded those 3 drivers to a flash drive and pulled them into the WinPE environment. Did a restore and startup repair and they still fail. So I think it's because of.. .

My problems overall:
1. Back when I first got this boot issue, within the first few hours of troubleshooting I wiped my EFI partition and tried to recreate it. Says it was a success but I get a BCD boot error when I try to enter it for recovery settings, so I can only boot from a recovery WinPE USB.
2. RAID works fine, but is not recognized during the windows boot process. I haven't the slightest clue how to permanently include those RAID drivers by default upon startup (AFAIK, you can add them during windows install, but I am not doing a fresh install, just trying to repair my existing boot). Sure, I can manually add them via CMD or whatever, but as soon as I restart to try to get into windows... boom, drivers reset, and can't boot.

I believe once I am able to successfully recreate my EFI partition and boot from it into recovery, that is half my problem. The other half would then be getting those AMD RAID drivers into my Windows dir so they are there to be pulled during reboot/startup.

Any tips on that? I have been struggling to do anything via CMD because of access denied issues.

 

[ubuysa]

Why would you wipe the EFI partition?!

Here's a thought: Remove all your drives and get a cheap, smallish, M.2 SSD drive and plug that in as your system (and only) drive. Clean install Windows onto that and then copy the EFI partition from that drive to your real system drive. AFAIK that ought to work for you - at the cost of a small cheap M.2 SSD

 

[Zii]

Why would you wipe the EFI partition?!

Here's a thought: Remove all your drives and get a cheap, smallish, M.2 SSD drive and plug that in as your system (and only) drive. Clean install Windows onto that and then copy the EFI partition from that drive to your real system drive. AFAIK that ought to work for you - at the cost of a small cheap M.2 SSD

Good idea.

1. Had a spare M.2 of the same size as my main boot drive (2TB)
2. Got a same-day M.2 USB enclosure off amazon
3. After a ton of trouble installing Windows to a USB source, I found a tool that would let me install Windows to Go on this M.2 drive
4. Booted into this "portable" M.2 Windows 10 install successfully
5. Copied over the EFI partition from this portable drive to my main M.2 that won't boot
6. Tried booting from the internal M.2 drive. No success, because "A required device isn't connected or can't be accessed" blue screen. I hit ENTER and then get "The application or operating system couldn't be loaded because a required file is missing or contains errors" and mentions File:\\Windows\System32\winload.efi
7. Booted back into the portable and checked these files on both drives. They both exist, and are identical in size and in the correct location. I'm scared to copy over the one from the portable drive to my failed boot drive in case the override screws up even more.

In summary now:
I believe my copied over EFI partition is specifically "set up" to work as if the boot drive was this new portable M.2.
When I copied the EFI to my failed boot drive, it's no longer going through the same boot process and can't boot this way.
I have had zero luck "rebuilding" the MBR. (bootrec /rebuildbcd finds the windows install, but then "The requested system device cannot be found" -- ugh)
And bootrec /fixboot is always Access Denied.

 

[ubuysa]

For this to work you need to be installing Windows to a drive in the same internal M.2 slot as your real system drive. The temporary Windows install has to look exactly like you real system to be sure the EFI partition is the same. Not also that Windows configures itself at install time for the hardware it finds itself on. That's another reason why this temporary install MUST look exactly like the real system.

 

[Zii]

For this to work you need to be installing Windows to a drive in the same internal M.2 slot as your real system drive. The temporary Windows install has to look exactly like you real system to be sure the EFI partition is the same. Not also that Windows configures itself at install time for the hardware it finds itself on. That's another reason why this temporary install MUST look exactly like the real system.

That's what I figured when this didn't work.

Okay, so let's say I take the 2hrs to disassemble my PC and put a fresh M.2 in the same slot the M.2 won't boot is in.
Let's say I am able to install windows and have the correct raid drivers, and recognize the RAID0 array PCIE card.

...Still might have the same problem. Because even though my new Windows install on this donor M.2 drive is seeing the RAID0 array, it won't actually be "linked" in the same way for the boot process, right?
I have applications installed to it which are/were linked from the non-boot drive. I COULD install say, a game or something to this RAID0 array for the donor drive to "link" it during the boot process, but that means I screw this RAID array up when/if I do put my donor drive back in?

Does that makes sense, or am I overthinking this all?

EDIT: Does it matter which version of windows I do a fresh install of? I mean, it will be windows 10, but it's impossible for me to guarantee it will be the same Win10 version (updates) as the non-boot drive.

 

[ubuysa]

I'm not a boot expert, and what I'm suggesting I've never done before, but I don't think it matters which version of Windows, though it would be wise to try and get install media for the same version that you already have. Rufus can apparently download earlier versions of Windows (though I've never tried it) and of course create a bootable USB drive from them. See here.

I would think that if you install Windows, including all drivers and updates, then your RAID array will be 'seen' and included in the EFI partition (if needed there, I'm not sure).

I'm really poking in the dark here, but it's the only way I can envisage to get that EFI partition back.

 

[Zii]

I'm not a boot expert, and what I'm suggesting I've never done before, but I don't think it matters which version of Windows, though it would be wise to try and get install media for the same version that you already have. Rufus can apparently download earlier versions of Windows (though I've never tried it) and of course create a bootable USB drive from them. See here.

I would think that if you install Windows, including all drivers and updates, then your RAID array will be 'seen' and included in the EFI partition (if needed there, I'm not sure).

I'm really poking in the dark here, but it's the only way I can envisage to get that EFI partition back.

Just got done trying this.
Tore the PC apart and put the donor drive in the M.2 slot where the failed boot M.2 was. Installed a clean and working copy of windows, and even installed Blender to the RAID0 array just to have at least one application "linking" them together.

Then rebooted into a partition tool and copied the original OS (from non-boot M.2) partition to the donor M.2 (keeping the efi/reserved/recovery partitions intact per the new Windows install). So it should be identical to my non-boot drive with the other partitions fixed.

Then tried to boot from the donor drive and failed.
Am getting the same "The operating system couldn't be loaded because a critical system driver is missing or contains errors".
My guess, these would be the RAID drivers which are:
- rcbottom
-rcraid
-rccfg

I have loaded these in CMD so many times, tried startup repair, etc. and still "Startup repair couldn't repair your PC". I wish I could boot into safe mode, but as soon as I reboot into recovery, the above RAID drivers I just loaded in CMD are reset and my raid0 array is poof. It's impossible to keep them loaded trying to even get into any sort of safe mode, so that's my other problem.

How else can I go about getting "The operating system couldn't be loaded because a critical system driver is missing or contains errors" addressed? Any way to inject those drivers into the OS without being booted into windows?

 

[Ralston18]

@Zii

Do you have all important data backed up somewhere other than on a RAID drive?

At least 2 x and proven to be recoverable and readable.

RAID is obsolete in many ways and now may be the root of the problem. RAID is not a backup solution and applicable only to certain use environments.

The likely solution would include a clean Windows install (without using RAID) and then recovering your data.

You could try "dism" and "sfc /scannow" to see if either one or both helps.

But be absolutely sure that all important data is backed up and recoverable via a non-RAID environment.

FYI:

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-dism-command-line-utility-repair-windows-10-image

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-use-sfc-scannow-to-repair-windows-system-files-2626161