Question Windows doesn't boot and I can't get DISM commands to work ?

slippyjim

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Feb 28, 2012
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Hi,
So I am trying a fix an Alienware Area 51 R5 computer that will not boot. It has Windows installed on a 256GB NVMe SSD. I do not know exactly what version of Windows 10 is installed, my Windows USB is 21H2.

Initially it was going to a BSOD with the error "Bad system config info"
I got my Windows USB out and tried startup repair but as expected it couldn't fix it, chkdsk found no errors, system restore found no restore points and trying to uninstall updates failed with the usual error as well.

I tried bootrec /fixboot and got "Access is denied"

I formatted the EFI partition and recreated those files and then I got different BSOD's one with error 0xC0000001 and also error 0xC0000098 File: \BCD

I tried sfc/scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows that gave the error "windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation"

Then I tried Hirens Boot USB but that could not see the NVMe drive at all.

Then I tried Sergei Strelec's WinPE USB
I tried sfc/scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows that gave the error "windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation"
and also some DISM commands that I will attach as pictures but nothing worked, is it because the version and image version are different? Do I have the wrong wim file?
Do I have the correct DISM commands?

Here are the errors I received from the DISM commands
View: https://i.imgur.com/gppbpKh.jpeg

View: https://i.imgur.com/nn1SQja.jpeg


I have checked in the RegBack folder and there are no backups there, thanks MS for disabling that feature.......

Any advice most welcome.
Thanks
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
do not know exactly what version of Windows 10 is installed, my Windows USB is 21H2.
that is a problem as the source needs to match the installed version. It won't work all that well otherwise.

anything you want to save on PC?
while in 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

you might find a clean install is faster option, once you copied anything you want off PC
 
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Reactions: Phillip Corcoran
windows version shouldnt matter as long it is windows 10 image
you might need to use /LimitAccess command otherwise dism would fail as windows updates arent running in WinRE and your source command needs a tiny update

Dism /image:C: /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:wim:C:\wim\win.wim:1 /LimitAccess

cmd is not case sensitive

Sfc /Scannow /OFFBOOTDIR=C:\ /OFFWINDIR=C:\Windows shouldnt do anything in recovery mode, just to setup paths, but since its gving you errors, you can try this command:
ICACLS C:\Windows\winsxs
 
Last edited:

slippyjim

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Feb 28, 2012
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Normally by now I would have given up trying to fix it and just backed up everything and reinstalled Windows but they have a lot of programs installed that they have customised over a few years so trying everything to get back into Windows.

I am currently downloading the different ISO files via Rufus so will see how I go with them tomorrow

I remember reading about the index, I tried it at some point but not correctly I think, my brain was a little fried by that point.

I will try everything you guys suggested tomorrow

Thanks
 
not sure, wim = windows image file, it probably includes an index but it isn't one itself. Guess we wait for op :)
older window version without esd had indexed windows versions
image_thumb-96.png
 

slippyjim

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Feb 28, 2012
190
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18,685
I tried everything but couldnt get anything to work, even running a dism command to see what version of Windows was installed didn't work saying the registry was corrupt so I gave up and reinstalled windows

Thanks everyone at least I learnt a bit more about using dism
 

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