Win7 won't boot after failed update

[JimLS]

System is dual boot Win7 64 bit and Ubuntu. Ubuntu still runs ok. Win7 update recently didn't complete and now doesn't boot. Tried windows repair disk and it found no failed boot. Tried repair with windows install disk and got a message it was incompatible even though it was the disk used to originally install win7.


I have all the files backed up so could just reinstall or install win10 as I have the install media for it. But if a repair isn't too complicated I though I would do that. Not sure what to do for repair at this point...

 

[iko22]

Hi, JimLS
Welcome to Seven Forums.
Use System Restore. System Restore is a Recovery Option on the Repair Disk. Use System Restore to Restore the System to a point in time just before the Update was initialised.

System Restore (>>OPTION TWO<<) Seven Forums

 

[SIW2]

Either system restore ( if you have recent one ) or Try rolling back the update.

From bootable media >command prompt:

Find the letter of the windows partition ( it might not be C from booted media). D is used in this example - replace it with letter of the windows partition

MD D:\Scratch
(then press enter)
DISM /Image:\ /ScratchDir:\Scratch /Cleanup-Image /RevertPendingActions
(then press enter)

Or you can borrow my boot media - which conatains explorer and lots of tools ( dism++, which is included, is useful for unistalling updates )

17514x64v15.iso

The .iso is best extracted to create bootable usb stick using e.g. View attachment Usb7ice.zip

 

[JimLS]

I should have included that I tried system restore using the windows repair disk. It had several restore points including the latest that failed. When I tried to do the restore for them (tried them all) is gave this error almost immediately:


The instruction at 0xfb5d584d referenced memory at 0x00000008. The memory could not be read. Click on ok to terminate the program

I did get one restore of a removal of program to start but in finishing up it said it failed and didn't make any changes. Command prompt seems to be the only thing that works but I am unsure what to do there.

 

[iko22]

From bootable media >command prompt:

Find the letter of the windows partition ( it might not be C from booted media). D is used in this example - replace it with letter of the windows partition

MD D:\Scratch
(then press enter)
DISM /Image:\ /ScratchDir:\Scratch /Cleanup-Image /RevertPendingActions
(then press enter)

I did not think /RevertPendingActions had any affect on Windows 7?

 

[SIW2]

iko22

You thought wrong. When have you ever seen me post something that wasn't correct?

 

[iko22]

Alas!! The error rebounded back on me! But you do have to be careful, when quoting DISM capabilities on W7, as Bing always finds W8 and W10 threads, even when you add "W7" in search box. And DISM has more features on W8 and W10.

 

[fabri22]

Either system restore ( if you have recent one ) or Try rolling back the update.

From bootable media >command prompt:

Find the letter of the windows partition ( it might not be C from booted media). D is used in this example - replace it with letter of the windows partition

MD D:\Scratch
(then press enter)
DISM /Image:\ /ScratchDir:\Scratch /Cleanup-Image /RevertPendingActions
(then press enter)

Or you can borrow my boot media - which conatains explorer and lots of tools ( dism++, which is included, is useful for unistalling updates )

17514x64v15.iso

The .iso is best extracted to create bootable usb stick using e.g. View attachment 410412

THANKS THANKS THANKS
My Sony Vaio is running fine again

 

[SIW2]

Did you use my boot media?

 

[fabri22]

of course...
and DISM command too

 

[maxseven]

...Or you can borrow my boot media - which conatains explorer and lots of tools ( dism++, which is included, is useful for unistalling updates )

17514x64v15.iso

The .iso is best extracted to create bootable usb stick using e.g. View attachment 410412

If I may ask, not being familiar with your boot media (or the usb7ice which I had to look up): What is the smallest USB stick that you would recommend to use with it? I think I have a bunch of 2GB sticks but I might even have a 256MB laying-around.

EDIT: Oops, sorry now that I see the iso is >512MB I will use at least a 1GB but more likely one of my 2GB sticks.



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