Windows 11 Home Not Working After Windows Tweaking

Using Notepad attempt to navigate and save the X:\windows\logs\dism\dism.log to the USB. Attach it to your reply.

 

Your computer is not cooperating so we are going to pivot a bit. Let's see if we can access the hard drive a different way, though I am not confident this will work. This method is more complicated so stop if you have any questions or concerns.

If you do not have a spare USB drive for the below instructions make a copy of the install.wim file on the working computer Desktop in case we need it later.

Please do this.

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Copying Files Using Ubuntu USB

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Warning: You will need a USB device with at least 4 GB of space - Caution this process will remove all your information from your USB drive. Please note we are using an older/smaller version of Ubuntu. Please be sure to use Version 16.04.

• Download Ubuntu Desktop and save it to your Desktop (very large file)
• Download Pen Drive Linux's USB Installer (scroll down to Download Universal USB Installer - click on Download UUI) and save it to your desktop
• Right click Universal-USB-Installer and select Run as administrator
• Click I Agree
• On the drop down list under Step 1 select your USB drive
• Place a check mark in the Prepare this Device? box
• Review the warning screen then click Yes
• Confirm the Windows Explorer screen that pops up shows This folder is empty then close the window
• Click OK on the Success! pop up window
• Under Step 2: Select a Distribution to put on... select Ubuntu
• Under Step 3 PENDING: Browse to your ubuntu*desktop*iso click Browse
• Navigate to the Desktop then locate and double click on ubuntu-16.04.7-desktop-amd64
• Click Create
• On the Process Complete window click Next
• On the Would you like to add more ISO/Distros Now on... click No
• Click Finish
• Insert the USB drive into the target computer
• Boot to the Recovery Environment either from you computer (boot interrupt) or your Windows 11 Media Creation Tool (select Repair your computer)
• Click on Use a device
• Select USB HDD:
• Hit Enter on the Dir [Linux-ISOs] screen
• Using the down arrow on the keyboard scroll down to ubuntu-16.04.7-desktop-amd64.iso then hit Enter
• Select Boot in normal mode then hit Enter
• Select Try Ubuntu without installing then hit Enter
• Click on the File cabinet (Files) icon on the left hand side
• Left click on the hard drive icon and verify the existence of a Windows folder
• On the left hand side of this window verify you see your USB listed which should include Ubuntu in the drive name
• On the right side of the open window double click on Users
• Double click on your User Name folder
• From this screen you can examine the folders and contents to look for files you want to back up
• For any file or folder you want to back up right click on the entry then select Copy To...
• Select your external drive or USB device
• Click Select and your information will be backed up
• Repeat the process as necessary to copy your files
• Review the contents of the external drive or USB device to ensure the items are present
• When completed click on the X in the upper left corner of each window to close them
• Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the Desktop, click Shut Down..., then Shut Down again
• Following shut down remove the Ubuntu USB drive

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Things I would like to see in your next reply. Please be sure to copy and paste any requested log information unless you are asked to attach it.

• Results?

 

Sorry to hear about your traveling troubles.

I am not very optimistic about our chances but as long as you are willing let's keep trying for bit. I want to consider trying to run FRST64 again.

• Download FRST64 onto the E: USB containing the install.wim file.
• Boot to the computer Recovery Environment (boot interrupt method to the X:\Windows\System32 prompt)
• Attach the E: drive USB and verify it is recognized as the E: drive
• Try to run the dism /image:C:\ /cleanup-image /restorehealth /source:E:\install.wim:1 /limitaccess command
• If it doesn't complete type dism.exe /image:C:\ /cleanup-image /revertpendingactions then hit Enter
• If that does not work type in Notepad and press Enter
• Select File then Open
• In the lower right hand corner change Text Documents (*.txt) to All Files (*.*)
• On the left side locate and double click on the USB device containing FRST64
• Right click on the FRST64 icon and select Run as administrator
• Click Yes on the Disclaimer
• Click Scan
• If it completes post the report
• If none of this works, using the Notepad method see if there is a C:\Window\System32\Logfiles\Srt\SrtTrail.txt file with a relatively current date

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Are you able to successfully copy the install.wim file into the Windows 11 Installation USB sources folder?

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You can still try the Ubuntu instructions to see if you can access the documents that way.

 

Thanks for the reminder. I will just say boot to the USB or to the X:\Windows\System32> prompt.

Hope you are doing OK on the road.

 

Glad you were able to run a FRST scan. That gives us something more to work with.

Allow me some time to evaluate and determine our next step.

 

You posted the topic on July 9th. Did this event happen that day? If not, which day, if you can recall.

Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\Config\COMPONENTS file and copy it onto the USB. Zip and upload the file to GoFile or the file hosting site of your choice and post the download link in your reply.

 

Thanks for the update.

On the broken computer navigate to C:\Windows\System32\Config\System file and copy it onto the USB. Zip and upload the file to GoFile or the file hosting site of your choice and post the download link in your reply.

 

Thank you.

Please do this.

• Download System.zip to your Desktop
• Unzip the folder onto the Desktop
• Copy and paste the System file onto your USB
• Repeat the previous process you used to navigate to C:\Windows\System32\Config\System
• Right click on System, select Rename, and rename it to Systemold
• Copy and paste the System file located on the USB into the C:\Windows\System32\Config folder
• Shut down your computer
• Start your computer and attempt to boot into Windows

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Things I would like to see in your next reply. Please be sure to copy and paste any requested log information unless you are asked to attach it.

• Results?

 

Yes you can use that file.

If you have more than one System file rename them to different names so that you do not have any file named system. Once the config folder does not contain any file specifically named system (without the addition of any other letters) copy and paste the downloaded system file into the folder.

 

Just touching base. Hope everything is OK.

 

I understand and didn't mean to pester you. I was genuinely worried things were not going well.

For whatever it is worth, I am very hopeful this latest fix will be more successful than out previous efforts.

BTW, Windows Update just broke my Windows 10 test computer! Wouldn't boot!

 

You copied the file but never got passed the BitLocker part? And you are trying to access the command prompt using the exact same steps as you used to get to the Components file?

 

I had hoped for better. Are you able to boot to the USB with FRST64.exe on it and run a FRST scan?

 

While booting to the USB what Advanced options are you presented with besides Command Prompt?

 

Thank you.

It would be very helpful if we can get FRST to run. Download FRST64.exe onto a separate USB than the boot USB. Attach the second USB and see if it will run that way. If so, post the FRST.txt report.

 

Great, thanks. No need to copy and paste.

I need to do some testing on my end.

 

When you booted to the USB then ran FRST64 did you every have to put in the BitLocker Recovery Key?

 

We do have different results when we attempt things and that is part of the problem. Beyond that, some information is inaccurate. I will spare you all the gritty details but we are working with less than precise information and inconsistent results. Nevertheless, I am in it as long as you are or it is obvious everything has been tried and nothing works.

Disabling Secure Boot does not automatically disable BitLocker. The latest FRST Scan is incomplete and is missing some important information. It may be because BitLocker is enabled.

Please do this.

• At the command prompt type manage-bde -status c: and hit Enter
• If Lock Status: indicates Unlocked run a new FRST Scan
• If Lock Status: indicates Locked, type manage-bde -unlock c: -rp ***Your Recovery Key*** then hit Enter
• If this is successful run a new FRST Scan

 

Try to change to the C:\Windows\System32 prompt then run the command.

If it doesn't work run another FRST scan anyway.

 

This is part of the difficulty. Your initial scan was dated in April, 2024. That report showed you had an old ZeroAccess infection which I haven't seen for years!

Using Notepad see if you can navigate to and copy the below file and folder onto the FRST64 USB. If you are able, attach them or upload to GoFile and post the download links

C:\OfflineRecEnvTrace.etl
C:\RecoveryLogs

While still in Notepad let me know if a C:\FRST folder is present and if so if there are any entries contained in a Hives folder.

Please repeat the System instructions again from Post #172.

Please do this.

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Farbar Recovery Scan Tool Search

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• Launch FRST as you did previously
• Type the following in the Search: box

Code:

explorer.exe;User32.dll;InputHost.dll

• Click Search Files button
• When completed click OK and a Search.txt document will placed on the USB drive
• Copy and paste the contents of that document your reply

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Things I would like to see in your next reply. Please be sure to copy and paste any requested log information unless you are asked to attach it.

• Attached or uploaded file/folder
• Is a Hives folder present?
• System download link
• Search.txt