Windows 7 Update Failure caused a lot of issues for me

Somehow, Windows 7 failed to recognize updates for quite some time. About a month ago, they finally appeared. I mistakenly chose to update them all at the same time. And it has been downhill ever since.

First, the updates failed. When trying to enter Windows, I received the message

"Failure to configure updates, reverting changes."

It stayed on that screen for days. So, I restarted the computer, and try to enter safe mode and safe mode with command prompt. It would not open in either. I attempted a system restore, but it failed

"while mounting the registry from the restore point. An unspecified error occurred during System Restore. (0x80070020)"

I tried "Repair your Computer" but accomplished nothing other than realizing there was an X:/ as my active partition instead of my C:/. So I purchased Easy Recovery Essentials from neosmart.com. This again accomplished nothing.

Frustrated and out of patience, I purchased Windows 10 from the Microsoft Website in a hope to be able to install it over Windows 7. Install seemed to be going ok, until I got this message:

"Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix this problem: 1. Insert your Windows installation disc and restart your computer. 2.Choose your language setting and then click 'Next.' 3. Click 'Repair your computer.'..."

So I restarted and this message popped up

"The computer restarted unexpectedly or encountered an unexpected error. Windows installation cannot proceed. To install Windows, click 'OK' to restart the computer, and then restart the installation."

So I did. Then I got the same message as before: ""Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause....."

Restarted.. went into BIOS. Chose something about optimized defaults. Exited BIOS. Got "Windows failed to start" message again. Restarted. Entered Boot Menu. Pressed Esc. Was given a screen:

"Press any key to boot from CD or DVD..."

I pressed a key and Windows 10 installation seemed to start normally again. After an hour, I received the "Windows failed to start" message. This is where I stopped and decided to look for help.


A little more information about they system and things I have already tried:
I am not computer illiterate, but I am not fluent either. My husband and I built our computer. I checked RAM and hardware functionality... all good. Our Windows 7 DVD was scratched and could not be read. Tried a couple update patches Microsoft offered by downloading files, converting to ISO and loading to USB. The computer was never backed up. Scanned for viruses with AVG same day updates occurred and it was fine. Tried "/fix mbr" "/fixboot" "bootrec.exe" etc. All did not work. The BIOS is GIGABYTE dualbios UEFI I believe. I'm worried I messed something up in there.

At this point, I want to format the hard drive and start from scratch to download Windows 10 to it *(since I paid $114 for it) but do no know how to get it done from the limitations I am experiencing. And how I do even do it if my active partition is the x:/

Thanks for reading. Would anyone be able to please help?
More about : windows updates created kinds problems format

Hi Meg,
have a look at this tutorial on our sister W10 site,
Windows 10 Tutorials

note the most important thing is DONT have anything else "plugged in"

Roy

Thank you for the reply, Roy! Unfortunately, after speaking with a tech who told me "due to the operating system not booting up on safe mode and normal mode, it just means that the system have encountered severe corruptions," I think I'm going to need to figure out how to format the drive without access to Windows and then perform a clean install. He suggested I find a local computer tech to do it for me, but I'm stubborn and would like to try to find out how to do it first. :)

Hi Meg,
The X partition is the standard default, So no worries there

Go to safe mode with command prompt
enter sfc /scannow ( note the space)
then when thats completed run
chdsk /r

then try a normal boot

Roy

ooops missed a letter

chkdsk /r

if i didnt make it clear earlier Safe mode is the X partition, dunno what that tech was going on about!!

Roy

That makes a lot of sense about x drive! Thank you! However, I am unable to enter safemode or safemode with command prompt. I tried chkdsk/r through accessing the command prompt from "Repair your computer." I can't remember what the outcome was, but after trying to install 10 over 7, I no longer have any "F8 options" When I turn the computer on, following the options for BIOS briefly appearing on the screen, a black Windows Boot Manager screen comes up with this message:
"Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem: 1. Insert your Windows installation disc & restart your computer..... "

down further, it says

"File \Windows\system32\winload..efi.
Status 0xc000000f
Info: the application or operating system couldn't be loaded because a required file is missing or contains errors"

Extra info

Boot options
When installing a new OS from media ensure the correct Boot option is specified as the first choice
(move it to the top of the list)
A USB install requires a boot loading option on it, prior to install of OS on it.

As you have a Retail licence you could have downloaded a W7 copy from MS, we also provide a link.
MS are still allowing the FREE W10 upgrade from W7.

I suspect something else was causing the W7 windows update failure, malware even if removed makes other system changes, stopping- services/system restore/updates etc, these have to be manually corrected.

Roy

in Bios

is it EUFI or legacy

Hi Meg,
if the error is ........exe
1. Put the Windows installation disc in the disc drive, and then start the computer.
2. Press a key when you are prompted.
3. Select a language, a time, a currency, and a keyboard or another input method, and then click Next.
4. Click Repair your computer.
5. Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
6. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt.
7. Type Bootrec /RebuildBcd, and then press ENTER.
o If the Bootrec.exe tool runs successfully, it presents you with an installation path of a Windows directory. To add the entry to the BCD store, type Yes. A confirmation message appears that indicates the entry was added successfully.
o If the Bootrec.exe tool cannot locate any missing Windows installations, you must remove the BCD store, and then you must re-create it. To do this, type the following commands in the order in which they are presented. Press ENTER after each command.
Bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup
ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old
Bootrec /rebuildbcd
8. Restart the computer.


Roy

note sfc /scannow can be run at option 6

I actually ended up purchasing a copy of Windows 10 and burned it to DVD using Windows' USB DVD Download tool. Im unsure about BIOS, but this is my BIOS screen with the boot options: