Infinite system restore loop following failed Windows 10 security updates

[lalsa87]

Hi All

I’m having issues with my home build following the latest Windows 10 security updates.

I download and install the update but during installation it persistently crashes at 33% and the loading circle freezes. I’ve left it for 12 hours overnight and there is no resolution beyond 33% so I’m pretty certain that it has crashed and isn’t just taking a long time to install.

When I force a restart, my PC gets stuck in an infinite system restore loop of:

I’ve been through all the troubleshooting options via USB Windows 10 boot drive but nothing works – e.g. if I try to reset or restore (and opting to keep my files) it just comes back saying it was unable to restore etc. I haven't tried the option to remove my files, although everything I want to keep is backed up to the cloud. I’ve also tried safe mode which hasn’t worked.


The only way I can get to my logon screen and use the computer normally is to select ‘use another operating system’ and select the last ‘Windows 10 on volume 4’ file. If I do this once and don’t remove the USB the system will boot to the login screen as normal. If I remove it the infinite system restore loop starts up again.

Another thing I don’t understand is that on the ‘choose an operating system’ screen there seems to be more and more copies of ‘windows 10 on volume 4’. Previously there were only 2 of these and now there are about 10. The only one that works is the last in the list. If I select any of the others it just goes back into the system restore loop.

I've tried running the Windows update troubleshooter but that hasn't made any difference either.

My Questions are:
1 - Why are all the extra copies of 'windows 10 on volume 4' coming up?
2 - How can I fix this issue so I don’t have to use my USB boot or delete my files (if possible)?
3 - I have three hard drives - drive C for the OS, drive A for games and drive L for back up/photos etc. If I ran a system restore and opted to remove my files would this remove all the games and backups/photos from my A and L drives or just My Documents folders/settings from the C drive?


Spec:
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64-bit
CPU
Intel Core i5 3570K @ 3.40GHz 34 °C
Ivy Bridge 22nm Technology
RAM
16.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 666MHz (9-9-9-24)
Motherboard
ASRock Z77 Extreme4 (CPUSocket) 36 °C
Graphics
DELL U2515H (2560x1440@60Hz)
4096MB ATI Radeon RX 480 Graphics (Sapphire/PCPartner) 48 °C
PSU
XFX 650W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply
Storage
238GB PLEXTOR PX-256M5S (SSD)
1863GB Western Digital WDC WD2003FYYS-02W0B1 (SATA)
894GB SanDisk Ultra II 960GB (SSD) 25 °C

Really appreciate your help

 

[lalsa87]

Classic - In the process of taking photos for this post and doing exactly same thing I've been doing for 1 month I noticed in the first pic that it said the update had successfully installed (even though it still froze at 33%). Now I can get to the login screen with out booting from USB.

If anyone can still answer my other Qs I'd really appreciate it - and if you could shed any light on why this had miraculously resolved I'd be grateful!

 

[Colif]

ouch...

1. Because windows is confused as hell. I expect they are extra partitions on drive created by the updater.
2. fresh install is simplest answer, see below. It will also remove those 10 extra win 10 installs
3. A reset (not restore as you put it) only touches 1 partition on the hdd C is on. It wipes C and only C. the other 2 hdd would be ignored. But you already tried this and it doesn't work?

The easiest answer is, since you have everything backed up on a cloud, do a clean install of the current version of win 10 and bypass all this update stuff

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

change boot order in BIOS so USB is first, hdd second
boot from installer
follow this guide: http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html

when you reach the screen asking for licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue to install and reactivate once finished

On the screen where you choose where to install win 10, if it gives you an error about GPT drives, delete all the partitions on the hdd and press next. If it still gives error, cancel out of the installer and restart PC and start installer again, it will accept next on that screen this time (some PC just need a restart here).

 

[Colif]

which version of win 10 are you on now?
right click start
choose run...
type winver and press enter

Current is version 1709 build 16299

 

[lalsa87]

Hi thanks for responding - I'll have a go at what you suggested.

Version 1607 build 14393.2068

 

[lalsa87]

I've followed the steps above - now everything is running fine but my 2 extra storage drives (one HDD and one SSD) aren't showing up at all. I can't see them in disk management. I disconnected them during reinstall of Windows as the tutorial advised.

 

[Colif]

Did you reattach them afterwards?

are they showing in the bios?

 

[Rocky Bennett]

Hi thanks for responding - I'll have a go at what you suggested.

Version 1607 build 14393.2068

Man, that is an ancient build. I haven't seen that build in many, many months. Time to update.

 

[Colif]

Hi thanks for responding - I'll have a go at what you suggested.

Version 1607 build 14393.2068

Man, that is an ancient build. I haven't seen that build in many, many months. Time to update.

They just clean installed 1709, so that is done. 14393 is so old the updater tends to not work and fresh installs best answer.

 

[lalsa87]

Thanks for everybody's input - system working normally now.
Why doesn't the version update automatically? Is this something I have to keep up to date manually?

Hard drives were recognised after the 3rd or 4th restart, no idea why but they are working fine now.

 

[Rocky Bennett]

What version are you running now?

 

[lalsa87]

10.0.16299 build 16299

I don't really understand how the versions update.

 

[Colif]

Every 6 months Microsoft release a new version of windows 10 via windows update. It should happen automatically but sometimes if your PC is missing drivers, Microsoft won't offer the updates.

 

[Rocky Bennett]

10.0.16299 build 16299

I don't really understand how the versions update.

So you have version 1709 now, that is good because you are up to date, for now.

 

[Colif]

Spring Creators edition (part 3 of the trilogy) should be out soon, I guess. Maybe as soon as the 10th of April. What joy.

https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-10-redstone-4-changelog

 

[Rocky Bennett]

I just installed it this morning. I am currently running version 1803 build 17133.1.

 

[Colif]

i was expecting 1804 given its not out till April. Typical, I just worked out their numbering scheme for win 10 versions and they mess me up.

So far version numbers been made up of First 2 digits being Year of Release, last 2 being month. It had worked so far.

 

[Rocky Bennett]

I made my own "homebrew" ISO from individual UUP files that I downloaded from Microsoft and Github. It is essentially a perfect version of Windows 10 version 1803 because it passes the integrity test sfc /scannow with no integrity issues.

It has some new features but not really anything to speak of. It is fast and stable at this point but I am expecting a point release to bring it up to 17133.100 before it goes public.

 

[microwavedcereal]

Same exact thing is happening to me and I'm about ready to give up since I don't know what to do

 

[Colif]

Did you try my answer?

 

[Rocky Bennett]

Same exact thing is happening to me and I'm about ready to give up since I don't know what to do

Do a clean install.