Cannot Access All Advanced Recovery Options

[Ray 8700]

Hi
I have a Dell XPS8700 Desktop running windows 10.

I have 3 problems that I hope someone can help with:

Windows update is trying to install an update, but it is looping because it reports cannot update - although I can see from history that the was installed OK

Because of this I want to go back to a restore point - this reports back to say there was a problem with a file in the recycle bin - but the bin is empty ! So I cannot go back to a previous restore point.

So I need to use advance recovery option to access a System Image file that I can restore from - but this and other advanced options does not show when I select the advanced option in recovery - only 2 options are available !

Please can someone help with accessing the all the advanced recovery options. If the first 2 problems can be resolvev then I will not need to recover from a system imsge.

Thanks

Ray

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Can you start the machine then power shutdown when the Windows logo comes up and do that again and on the next restart will boot to Diagnosing your PC.

This will bring up the Automatic Repair screen - click on Advanced options.

Click on Troubleshoot - Advanced options where you will see the option for System Image Recovery.

After you have restored with the system image, you can boot into the advanced options again to select Command Prompt and reinstate the F8 option to boot into those.

At the prompt type bcdedit and press enter.

Make a note of what it gives for the identifier under Windows Boot Loader.

It can either be {current} or {default}

Using your identifier, type bcdedit /set {identifier} bootmenupolicy legacy and press enter.

Ensure you use the correct brackets.

Enter exit to close the cmd window then shutdown.

Tapping F8 on boot will get you the advanced boot options and pressing enter on the default Repair your computer will get you the same options as you would when you access those normally in Win 10.

To revert that, use standard instead of legacy in the cmd.

[Boggin]

If you still don't see all of the options in the advanced boot options then go Start - type control panel and click on it when it comes up.

Click on Backup and Restore (Windows 7) then click on Create a system repair disk.

Select the Safe to remove option to eject the disk and shutdown.

Tap F12 as you switch on - insert the disk and select to boot from the disk drive.

You may be prompted to press any key to boot from CD/DVD - do that and when it has loaded you can navigate to the restore options.

[Ray 8700]

Hi
Thanks for all the info.. unfortunately they do not seem to work.
I have done a bit more investigating and it appears that the Win Re application for recovery options is not pointing to the correct file. Looks like this may have happened when some partitions were adjusted.
So I need to alter where win re looks to run the advanced options.
Would you be able to help with this ?
I can send you a screen shot if this helps ?

Thanks
Ray

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This is a pic of my Win 10 Disk Management.

The 400MB Recovery partition is a relic from Win 7 so the Win 10 Recovery partition is the 584MB one which has the advanced boot options in it.

Did your machine come with Win 10 pre-installed or has it been upgraded from an earlier version of Windows ?

I'm not sure how you adjusted the partitions - perhaps you can reverse that.

You may have to factory reset your machine to reinstate the recovery partitions.

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I'm not sure if this will put things right for you but you could give it a try.

Create a Win 10 install USB (min size 8GB) after reading - https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

Boot up with the USB and navigate to the Install screen

Click on Repair your computer and select Command Prompt.

At the prompt type bcdedit |find "osdevice"

For clarity that is a Pipe symbol before find and is the uppercase of \

Using your partition letter instead of the X I have exampled, enter -

dism /image:X:\ /cleanup-image /restorehealth

sfc /scannow /offbootdir=X:\ /offwindir=X:\Windows

The sfc /scannow should report no integrity violations.

Enter exit to close the cmd window, remove the install USB, restart then try the advanced boot options again.

[Ray 8700]

Thanks Tom
I will have a go at that - its late here now 23:22, so will try again tomorrow.
Thanks for all your help, I will get back to you and let you know what happens
Thanks
Ray

[Boggin]

Yes, I'm in the UK as well but will be hanging on a bit longer.

I forgot to mention that I've found it best to insert the USB before you download the media creation tool and then it will recognize you are creating a bootable USB.

I don't know how old your machine is but some older machines don't have an option to boot from an USB.

You will find that out when you tap F12 as you switch on to change the boot order.

[Ray 8700]

Hi Tom
Oh yes I see that now - thought you were in the states..
OK did everything - in fact I had a look through my usb sticks and found one that I had made some time ago.
It gave me the option to re install windows and also to keep ALL my apps .. did wonder what would happen, but it loks fine so far.
I have created a restore point and checked the advance options in Recovery and that looks fine too. I see that there are some win updates - I hope that they also install ok now.

I must get my back up system running in case this ever happens again - what would you recommend as the best back up and recovery application - happy to pay to get it - what do you suggest ?

Thanks
Ray

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I wasn't aware that a reinstall kept apps.

There is a Reset option which keeps personal stuff but you have to reinstall any 3rd party programs - unless they've changed it since I last checked out that option after creating a system image.

I use the free version of Macrium Reflect but you can still use Windows own system image creator as found in Control Panel/Back up and Restore.

Normally you would have to create a System repair disk to boot up with but your install USB gives you the same option to restore from a system image.

You may want to create a more recent install USB.

The advantage of Macrium Reflect is that it saves the images separately so you can choose how far to go back, unlike Windows where it overwrites the previous image.

However, I've only had to use the latest back up image.

Anyway, glad things have worked out for you and thanks for the update.

[Ray 8700]

Hi Tom
Thanks for the info. Well when I checked online the info said options to keep nothing or keep personal settings and apps that were originally installed with windows. The options just said apps and so I was also surprised? strange.
Thanks again for the advice on backups
Regards
Ray

[Ray 8700]

Hi Tom
I just checked about re install windows keeping personal files and all apps.. this is the link:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/recovery-options-in-windows-31ce2444-7de3-818c-d626-e3b5a3024da5#bkmk_section1

There are a few different ways to restore - this one uses win 10 installation media.

Hope it is of use
Thanks
Ray

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Did you boot up with the install USB or with the machine switched on, insert the USB - open Windows/File Explorer - This PC and double click on the USB drive ?

This is known as a repair install which won't affect personal stuff or installed programs.

When I've previously performed a repair install, I don't remember seeing those options about which to choose.

[Ray 8700]

Put in usb and navigated to fold ran the exe file. Def was not repair option. It?s the one I mentioned
?Use installation media to reinstall windows 10?
It?s on the link I sent but select win 10 when you get there. Go down the list until you come to the drop down boxes and select the one in quotes above
Ray

[Boggin]

Is your keyboard working okay as you have used ? instead of " as quotes.

Those steps are exactly what you do to perform what is known as a repair install.

I'm performing a repair install on my other Win 10 laptop and while a pane flashed briefly at the start for choosing what to keep, it was otherwise blank.

It quickly went from there to getting updates, but prior to the actual install, I got a page which defaulted to installing Win 10 as well as keeping my files and apps although there was a link below that for Change what to keep.