After a random restart - Windows fails to boot - Both on Laptop and Desktop

[AngelicCore]

Edit: I checked the MD5 hash for my Windows ISO and it is correct. Also, I have a Windows 7 Laptop that is connected to the network - but is working fine - so that's something at least.

Hi all,

I have a very weird issue.

It started happening on my laptop and then all of a sudden it begins happening on my Desktop.
From the beginning:

I formatted my new MSI laptop because I had some non-relevant issues with it.
When I reinstalled windows 10 (from the official creators x64 English image) and started reinstalling my sources everything was alright.
Windows was up to date and all.

So I restart at some point and for some damn reason it goes straight to Windows PE and tells me that my PC failed to boot.
So I try Startup repair - nothing.
Try to boot in safe mode - nothing as well (both just go into PE saying that it failed to boot)

So as an IT person I investigate this (reformatting and then imaging my boot disc after every major install) until I find that the culprit is most likely a 'hotfix' that MSI's dragon center tries to download and install.

I don't know what exactly is happening yet but all I know is that once I allow it to download, the next restart or sometime down the line it the issue will rear its ugly face.

So I block it from the internet using a firewall and all is dandy.
I thought this might just be a damn MSI issue and I'll just have to live with it.

But now it started happening to my PC! - And it doesn't have any MSI item or driver.
I reformatted it as well as my motherboard died on me last week and I just got one yesterday.
Then installed the same Windows 10 creators edition (again official) and then a few utilities (chrome, WinRAR etc)
I restart after a few installations and voila - I am greeted by the exact same blue screen.

Of course once that happened I thought it must be a virus - so I downloaded Norton 360 on one machine and Kaspersky on the other, updated them and scanned everything....found no viruses.
So I scan my NAS...still nothing.

Now I am stuck thinking it must be the windows ISO I am using but -
1 - It is official - nothing cracked about it
2 - It worked for me for several months before this issue.

And all those utilities I install - I have used them for years now.

I tried boot logging but no log nor text files where created where they are supposed to be.

So at the moment I am stuck with a dead desktop for now (too worked up to install everything and configure it just the way I like it and then having to reinstall windows again at some point)
and a working Laptop with a blocked application (I am not even sure anymore that is necessary)

Has ANYONE seen anything like that or know where I could begin to fix it?

Laptop - MSI GT72VR 7RE Dominator - 128 MB SSD
Desktop - Some replacement Gigabyte H81 mobo - 4670k - Gigabyte 770GTX - 16 RAM - 2x128 SSDs

Thanks

 

[LukeFatwalker]

It's likely the ISO, probably wasn't configured correctly. You can try resetting the MBR. Guide:
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/your-pc-not-start-correctly-windows

Otherwise, you'll have to create a new one or find a better source. Are you downloading off the Microsoft website?

After you boot up either way, be sure to back up your data via a tool like Macrium Reflect or Rollback Rx. If the ISO has issues, it may pop up down the road and you'll need a backup if that's the case.

 

[AngelicCore]

It's likely the ISO, probably wasn't configured correctly. You can try resetting the MBR. Guide:
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/your-pc-not-start-correctly-windows

Otherwise, you'll have to create a new one or find a better source. Are you downloading off the Microsoft website?

After you boot up either way, be sure to back up your data via a tool like Macrium Reflect or Rollback Rx. If the ISO has issues, it may pop up down the road and you'll need a backup if that's the case.

Thanks for the reply Luke,
I am not sure that it is the ISO, because I compared its hash to the Win 10 64bit Creators hash and they are the same.
I am indeed using macrium reflect occasionally before - definitely much more now,
Currently I have it imaging my boot drives every 1 hour and imaging the C every boot - just in case.

It hasn't happened for 2 days now but not sure that I am out of the woods yet.

I'll check that MBR guide though.

Thanks