Windows 10 disaster - any help?

[Craig234]

As some know, my Windows 10 PC has had a problem where after installing updates and rebooting to apply them, the PC would get a hardware hang, and have to be powercycled and it would revert them.

People said 'you need to get that fixed' and they had a point.

My best theory was a cause of bent CPU socket pins.

Finally today I decided to try to get it fixed after seeing a local PC repair shop. I described the problem and left the pc.

They called that it was now unbootable. I went over and they had reproduced the problem and when it tried to revert the upgrade they were worried and interrupted it.

That left Windows totally broken. I tried an os repair from an install drive, it didn't help.

I saw it had also created a Windows.old directory where it put all my files.

With no other options I did a new install after backing up files. Surprisingly it kept data but now I have 1.5tb of programs unusable.

Any ideas for better recovery?

The current condition: When I boot, it comes up with a choice whether to boot from the new OS called "Windows 10" even though it's Windows 10 Pro, or the old OS called "Windows 10 Pro", which if selected spends a while in the boot process before getting a black screen. Once booted on the new OS, it has my desktop without my shortcuts, and all my old files under the "windows.old" directory".

The only option I'm seeing is to manually one at a time re-install each of hundreds of programs, and then try to figure out how to delete the original install taking up space in windows.old.

For each I'll have to try to figure out if I can preserve any information I want from the old install.

That seems nightmarish.

I'd like to get back my old OS repaired recognizing my old desktop and installed programs. If I can't do that I'd like to have the new OS install somehow use the 'windows.old' information to recognize those programs as installed and move them back out of 'windows.old'.

 

[Craig234]

To be clear: I think the only solutions here are to either get the PC to complete the 'revert' process the repair guy interrupted, so the OS is working again, or to somehow 'rebuild' the OS using the preserved information on the system like the registry files so it knows about installed programs.

Absent that as far as I can tell it's just a disaster - having to try to save any data from the windows.old folder I want, and then re-format both the boot SSD and the HD with 1.5tb of programs on it, and just have a new system with every program install lost.

Oh, and still need to fix the original hang problem by trying to replace the motherboard and rebuild. Last night it was sometimes working and sometimes hanging even in the boot or login.

 

[Malogeek]

I'd like to get back my old OS repaired recognizing my old desktop and installed programs. If I can't do that I'd like to have the new OS install somehow use the 'windows.old' information to recognize those programs as installed and move them back out of 'windows.old'.

That isn't going to happen. Start with a fresh OS install and reinstall your programs. I'm not sure why you would possibly need 100's of programs though? Do you have 20 different jobs you swap between daily?

 

[TeeJay1952]

Same situation this weekend. Daughter's PC had interrupted update and kept cycling. I tried to intervene to no avail. Loaded on my machine Windows Media Creator and made usb. Booted from that and same results. Try to blow away partition for fresh install and put Pro on. After same boot loop ordered new drive and waited for Amazon.
Take her box to my house and plug in while waiting for Amazon. It says need to get update to finnish. It does and have pro. Try to activate and it tells me no, I have House licence. Reboot blow partition, Install home and all is good. (I have extra hd on shelf for next time.)

 

[mdram]

agree, new hd, reinstall everything
if you have steam games you just copy the old steam folder into the new, when you install them, it finds the old files and all is good

 

[Craig234]

Why would I need a new HD? Problem is, trying to deal with not wanting to delete everything on the old HD, yet reinstall as well. It just feels terrible to lose everything that way.

It's even harder with the boot SSD because of trying to preserve the old in windows.old while also having a new OS, how to clean it all up.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I'd like to get back my old OS repaired recognizing my old desktop and installed programs. If I can't do that I'd like to have the new OS install somehow use the 'windows.old' information to recognize those programs as installed and move them back out of 'windows.old'.

Eh, Good Luck to that!...

 

[VirtualLarry]

It just feels terrible to lose everything that way.

Image Backup, my friend. Macrium Reflect Free, and a cheap NAS unit with gigabit LAN port(s) (or better).

Edit: Because he has me on ignore, still, can someone else forward that idea to him?

 

[silicon]

As some know, my Windows 10 PC has had a problem where after installing updates and rebooting to apply them, the PC would get a hardware hang, and have to be powercycled and it would revert them.

People said 'you need to get that fixed' and they had a point.

My best theory was a cause of bent CPU socket pins.

Finally today I decided to try to get it fixed after seeing a local PC repair shop. I described the problem and left the pc.

They called that it was now unbootable. I went over and they had reproduced the problem and when it tried to revert the upgrade they were worried and interrupted it.

That left Windows totally broken. I tried an os repair from an install drive, it didn't help.

I saw it had also created a Windows.old directory where it put all my files.

With no other options I did a new install after backing up files. Surprisingly it kept data but now I have 1.5tb of programs unusable.

Any ideas for better recovery?

The current condition: When I boot, it comes up with a choice whether to boot from the new OS called "Windows 10" even though it's Windows 10 Pro, or the old OS called "Windows 10 Pro", which if selected spends a while in the boot process before getting a black screen. Once booted on the new OS, it has my desktop without my shortcuts, and all my old files under the "windows.old" directory".

The only option I'm seeing is to manually one at a time re-install each of hundreds of programs, and then try to figure out how to delete the original install taking up space in windows.old.

For each I'll have to try to figure out if I can preserve any information I want from the old install.

That seems nightmarish.

I'd like to get back my old OS repaired recognizing my old desktop and installed programs. If I can't do that I'd like to have the new OS install somehow use the 'windows.old' information to recognize those programs as installed and move them back out of 'windows.old'.

How did you determine that the cpu had bent pins? don't the latest cpu's have no pins?

 

[UsandThem]

How did you determine that the cpu had bent pins? don't the latest cpu's have no pins?

He has several current threads. It gets a little confusing unless you read them all. His bent pins are on the motherboard socket, not the CPU.

I pointed this out in the past, but he believes they are all separate issues that belong in different sub-forums.

 

[Craig234]

He has several current threads. It gets a little confusing unless you read them all. His bent pins are on the motherboard socket, not the CPU.

I pointed this out in the past, but he believes they are all separate issues that belong in different sub-forums.

Yes, I think these are different topics - for example, it's possible the issue isn't the CPU socket at all and is the graphics card, and a topic about the graphics card went in the graphics card forum.

The confusion here isn't about another thread - I should have said CPU socket pins rather than CPU pins.

The other thread isn't about these issues at all, but the OS being corrupted by a repair shop that made it unbootable and recovering from that situation.

Yes, that topic about the options for recovering the OS from the corruption they caused was put in the Windows 10 forum. Maybe leave moderating to moderators...

 

[UsandThem]

The confusion here isn't about another thread - I should have said CPU socket pins rather than CPU pins.

I still stand by my feelings on multiple help threads when they likely are all related to your bent pins.

But they're your issues and your choice on how to ask for help. For me personally, having to read through so many different posts in different sub-forums is too confusing/time-consuming, and the reason you don't see me in most of them anymore (outside of relaying what VirtualLarry offered/suggested when he was on your ignore list).

Best of luck getting your issues solved/fixed.

 

[Craig234]

Well, thanks for the good wishes, however this thread has nothing to do with bent pins - that as simply background history why the system was taken to the shop.

 

[UsandThem]

Well, thanks for the good wishes, however this thread has nothing to do with bent pins - that as simply background history why the system was taken to the shop.

But you don't think a system would hang/crash/reboot/corrupt itself, or prevent a video card installing from a bent CPU pin? What portion is that bent pin shorting? Until you get that taken care of, you can't trouble shoot anything else. Well, you can but it's a waste of time, in my opinion.

But we were at this same dance when you had the PC layered in dust. We just go about doing things differently.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Well, you can but it's a waste of time, in my opinion.

I agree, Craig. Some of us have enough experience to see that nearly all of these difficulties that you're having, may well be related. I know that you can't / won't / don't believe that, but it seems highly likely to me.

In Networking, before troubleshooting anything else, you need to validate "Layer 1", which is the "physical layer". If that's bad, don't even bother troubleshooting anything else, like application crashes or slowdowns.

 

[Craig234]

Until you get that taken care of, you can't trouble shoot anything else.

I'm not sure the bent pins ARE an issue (that they are 'bent' anymore). A graphics card problem could explain the problems as well. That's why I need to isolate that.

 

[Craig234]

I agree, Craig. Some of us have enough experience to see that nearly all of these difficulties that you're having, may well be related. I know that you can't / won't / don't believe that, but it seems highly likely to me.

In Networking, before troubleshooting anything else, you need to validate "Layer 1", which is the "physical layer". If that's bad, don't even bother troubleshooting anything else, like application crashes or slowdowns.

Actually, I do agree with that - I'm not sure what I've said making you think otherwise. I'm at the point of suspecting that it's either CPU socket bent pins or a bad graphics card, but need to isolate which.

That's new as of last night that I suspect the graphics card, but the system was freezing quickly with the card, and has NO issues with the graphics card removed.

 

[Craig234]

I think there's a lesson here for all of us.

Because there had been an issue with bent pins, and they seemed to so closely match the hang problem, I didn't think there were any other suspects for the cause.

Multiple people here said quite loudly, you HAVE to fix the pins or replace the motherborad, period. They not once suggested another possibility, much less the graphics card.

I agreed with them. That's why I was pursuing doing so. It wasn't until I contacted the motherboard company about getting a replacement and they suggested trying removing the graphics card that I
realized that was even an option and did it, and found that the problems - at least the current ones, but they seem likely all the same cause - ARE closely linked to the graphics card.

I think it's possible the problem is in the graphics card or the bent pins, but either way it's clear that the problem only happens with the graphics card installed.

And that suggests that while it's currently only a possibility the graphics card is the problem, just the fact it is a possibility is a lesson for all of us about the possible causes of these issues.

Hopefully, I'll have it isolated soon, replace the part with the problem and have a stable system for the first time in a long time.

 

[Craig234]

So far the experiences trying to test the graphics card:

One reply on Craigslist, incompatible power supply.
Repair store that broke the PC: hasn't returned call
Fry's: 9 minute hold. "Sure, we do that for $12.99". Transfer to repair, repeat. "All the techs are out, wait for 5 minutes". Tech comes online, hasn't been told anything, start over. No, they don't even do that
service at all, but they test complete systems for $99.
Two other repair stores: $50.
One repair store: $99.

And that is why it's not yet tested.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Two other repair stores: $50.

And that is why it's not yet tested.

That's actually QUITE reasonable, for what might amount to an hour or two of hardware-swap testing and benchmarking labor.

How much did you think that you could get it done for, at a shop? I'm genuinely curious?

 

[Craig234]

That's actually QUITE reasonable, for what might amount to an hour or two of hardware-swap testing and benchmarking labor.

How much did you think that you could get it done for, at a shop? I'm genuinely curious?

I don't think of it as an hour or two, but rather a 30 minute project. The test I described is install card and driver, reboot, run 15 minutes.

I'm not too surprised at the $50, but that's more than I want to spend for that simple test to isolate.