Windows 11 Home Not Working After Windows Tweaking

Windows 11 Home 2009
System Type - VivoBook_ASUS

My husbands computer... so I am in trouble... again...
I ran windows tweaking as I have done many times before.
He reported that the screen would freeze.
I tried to find a recover / backup in Windows Tweak but I could not find it.
We tried restarting several times.
It has finally went into the recover loop and windows will not open
I have produced a recovery flash drive with Windows Media Creation Tool
It consistently asks me for the extremely long recovery key over and over, I am sure it is something I am or I am not doing.
At this point, I am sure it can be fixed butI am just trying to back up his data, via command prompt notepad.exe
(I have read the read and run me but cannot figure out how to do it all via command prompt)
I can access lots of data, but the all important "documents" folder is empty.
with the flash drive inserted the command prompt only list the recovery drive and the usb drive.
I removed the flash recovery drive and tried navigating via command prompt to the folder.
without the recovery flash drive inserted command prompt I can navigate to c:\users\username\Documents and then ask for DIR and it gives me 3 folders, c:users\username\music (\pictures and \videos) I don't know why they are listed there.
This all started with Tweaking.com so I am a little concerned.
At this point I would like to back up his data, like I should have already done previously... bad I.T. wife...

 

Thanks for your response!! I have the BilLocker Recovery Key and i have entered it several times, it doesn't help with the ssd harddrive access

 

Yes, the recovery key is correct, but I am trying to access the folders on the hard drive, specifically Documents, that shows empty... I will run this FRST as soon as I can and post the results. THANX!!

 

I may have misunderstood, but here is what I did--

I put the FRST64 on the usb drive recovery that I had made with Media Creation Tool on it (the link you gave me expired, tried to download several times but bypassed security warnings and finally found it on another post, got it downloaded on my computer, then copied and pasted onto usb flash drive, so it is named FRST64(4) )

Tried restarting 3 times but would only bring me into the Bitlocker Recovery, entered recovery code, enter to continue, "Preparing Automatic Repair" > Bitlocker Enter the recovery key to get going again > continue > Your PC did not start correctly restart or advanced options > Advanced Options > use a device > UEFI:Removable Device > computer restarted automatically > Choose keyboard layout > troubleshoot > Command Prompt > X:\Windows\System32> notepad > This PC > Devices and Drives 1.) Recovery (C 2.) Boot (X > chose Recovery (C > right clicked FRST64 run as administrator. Nothing happens, but computer did not freeze….

I just forced it to shut down manually
I changed boot order in BIOS to usb drive

restarted > Choose keyboard > options 1. Recover from Drive 2. Troubleshoot 3. Turn off your computer > troubleshoot > command prompt > notepad > Recovery C:\ FRST64 and it does nothing again, but does not freeze.

?? in the command prompt it shows X:\Windows\System32>
?? I changed directories to C:\ in command prompt but will not run notepad, diskpart or several other commands..
?? restarted booting from usb, command prompt, X:\Windows\system32>diskpart>list vol > Volume:0 / Ltr:C /Label Recovery / Fs: FAT32 /Type: Removeable /Size: 32gb / Status: Healthy
SORRY IF I AM NOT UNDERSTANDING! I am SLOW but SURE!

 

I did find it, but it does nothing. After clicking This PC and finding the program FRST64, I right click and run as administrator, but nothing happens. tried it twice. It flickers, then nothing. Maybe it is running in the background? How do I know it is running?

 

Notepad > This PC > Recovery (c > FRST64 (4) > nothing

 

I just went in again and now it shows This PC > Boot C: and Recovery Y:
FRST64 is now listed in Y: - rc to run as administrator and still nothing

 

I have tried system restore. It does not list any restore points... RED FLAG..

 

Can you give me a secure link to download FRST64 ? It was a little tricky to download it earlier when I searched for it... the link you gave earlier had expired.

 

I have tried to download it again from your updated link. It gives me an alert, I tried to by pass it, but I have not been able to get it downloaded. I am going to continue to try. .... I'm not a quitter!!!

 

Yes, Windows will not boot at all. I don't know how to boot into safe mode??? I would love to get into windows any way I can!

 

at command prompt: ( x:\Windows|System32> )
I type x:\sources and nothing changes with no error message.
I type sources and nothing changes.
Not sure what I am doing wrong.
-- My system will not boot if there is some way to get it to boot into safe mode, that would be great.

 

How do I boot into just the x: prompt? it is in x:\Windows\System32 and for some reason I cannot get it to change to X:\ --- I can type c:\ and it goes there, but I don't know how to get to just X:\

I tried using the command you listed - bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal and under both x:\Windows|System32> and c:\> and it says that bededit is not a recognized as internal or external command.

 

I have tried to do what you said with BIOS set to start from usb recovery and changed to boot from hard drive. I can’t get out of the loop. Bitlocker willl not let me change startup settings without entering the Recovery code, but when I do it just starts all over again.

First booting from the hard drive:

Restarted 3 times like you said-

“Choose your keyboard layout >

Choose an Option (1. Recover from a drive 2. Troubleshoot 3. Turn off your PC )

>Troubleshoot > Startup Repair

“Startup Repair couldn’t repair your PC”

>Advanced Options >UEFI Firmware settings
( changed boot to hard drive and restarted)
> Bitlocker recovery entered key >

Diagnosing

Automatic Repair You PC did not start correctly

BitLocker “Enter the recovery key to get going again

> continue

> diagnosing PC

“Startup Repair couldn’t repair your PC”

> Advanced options

> Troubleshoot

> Advanced options

> Startup Settings

>Restart


“BitLocker, Enter the recovery key to get going again”

>Continue

Diagnosing PC

“Automatic Repair Your PC did not start correctly”

>Advanced Options

>Troubleshoot

>Advanced Options

>Startup settings

>Restart

Bitlocker “You must now enter your recovery key to access Startup Settings

Preparing Automatic Repair

BitLocker, Enter the recovery key to get going again

Continue

Automatic Repair, Your PC did not start correctly

>Advanced options

>Troubleshoot

>Advanced Options

>Startup Settings

>Restart

BitLocke “You must enter your recovery key to access Startup Settings, press enter to continue

> Entered key

> continue

> Preparing automatic repair

BitLocker Enter the recovery key to get going again

Soooo I tried booting from usb again


Booted with usb

Chose Language

Navigated to “Startup Repair”

“Startup Repair couldn't repair your PC”

>Advanced Options

> Troubleshoot

Choices are Startup Repair, Command Prompt, Uninstall Updates, UEFI Firmware settings, System Restore, System Image Recovery

>?????

HALP!

 

Had secure boot disabled in bios utility so I tried enabling it.
Restarted

Secure Boot Violation

Invalid signature detected, Check Secure Boot Policy in setup

<OK

Preparing Automatic Repair

BitLocker Enter recovery key to get going again

Entered key

>continue

Diagnosing your PC

Automatic Repair Your PC did not start correctly

>advanced options

Choose an option (Continue,, use a device, troubleshoot, Turn off your pc)

>troubleshoot

Choices Reset this PC, MyASUS in WINRE, Advanced Options

> Advanced Options

>Startup Settings

Restart to change Windows Options such as …..

>Restart

Secure Boot Violation

Invalid signature detected, Check Secure Boot Policy in setup

<OK

Bitlocker “You must now enter your recovery key to access Startup Settings press enter to continue

Computer turned off

Restarted

Secure Boot Violation

Invalid signature detected, Check Secure Boot Policy in setup

<OK

Preparing Automatic Repair

BitLocker Enter recovery key to get going again

Entered key

(Choices are continue, change keyboard layout, skip this drive, additional information)

>continue

Diagnosing your PC

Automatic Repair Your PC did not start correctly

>advanced options

>USE A DEVICE

>UEFI: General UDisk 5.00, Partition 1

Pc restarted

Secure Boot Violation

Invalid signature detected, Check Secure Boot Policy in setup

<OK

Secure Boot Violation

Invalid signature detected, Check Secure Boot Policy in setup

<OK

BitLocker Enter recovery key to get going again


HALP!!

 

Results:
It makes me enter the recovery code.
>troubleshoot
>advanced options
>uninstall updates
>Uninstal latest quality update
We ran into a problem and won't be able to uninstall the latest quality update of windows CLOSE

I then tried to uninstall latest feature update
"We ran into a problem and won't be able to uninstall the latest feature update of Windows. Try resetting your PC instead (Troubleshoot > Reset this PC) CLOSE

 

i changed the boot back to onboard hard drive and did it again --
"We ran into a problem and won't be able to uninstall the latest quality update of windows CLOSE"

 

Results are:

Volume in drive C is OS
Directory of C:\Windows\System32\config\Regback
03/31/24 11:26 PM <DIR> .
06/24/25 8:25 AM <DIR> ..

0 File(s) 0 bytes
2 Dir(s) 284,999,577,600 bytes free

Cannot change Startup Settings at all…

Steps:
>Startup Settings

>Bitlocker “You must now enter your recovery key to access Startup Settings press enter to continue

PC appeared to go off.

Pressed power button

Entered Bitlocker recovery key

Preparing Automatic Repair

“BitLocker, Enter the recovery key to get going again”

Automatic Repair - Your PC did not start correctly

> Advanced Options

>Troubleshoot

>Advanced Options

>Startup Settings

>Restart

>Bitlocker “You must now enter your recovery key to access Startup Settings press enter to continue

>entered

“BitLocker, Enter the recovery key to get going again”

like I am stuck in a loop.
I have secure boot disabled and booting from the hard drive... I will change to boot from usb recovery drive and try it all again..

 

(Booting from usb, secure boot disabled)

Choose keyboard layout

>Troubleshoot

>Command Prompt

>Diskpart > List Volume

Only two usb drives attached are listed, D-Recovery Drive & C (inserted for possible backup)

No operating system listed

 

Windows 11 Home 2009
System Type - VivoBook_ASUS Laptop X521EA_S533EA
Device Name - LAPTOP-32UQS7G2
OS Build - 10.0.26100.4351

 

booted from usb in WINRE I ran the FRST64 and it scanned!! Here is the results!
Should I try to run booting from the harddrive??

 

I don't know if this will help but I ran x:\windows\system32>manage-bde , copied and pasted into notepad.

 

ran
x:\Windows\System32> manage-bde -status
and here are the results..

 

I went through to step 5 and rec'd this message:
"Scanning all disks for Windows installations.
Please wait, since this may take a while...
Successfully scanned Windows installations.
Total identified Windows installations: 0
The operation completed successfully."

Moved onto step 7 entering- attrib c:\boot\bcd -h -r -s
and the result said:
"Path not found - C:\boot"

Diskpart clearly identifies Vol 0 Lrt C as 475 GB and healthy

 

at X:\Windows\System32>bededit
'bededit' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

 

ok, yes I tried resetting, before I reached out here on Maor Geeks. I can try again.
I just booted from usb, ran the bootrec /rebuildbcd now windows installation found, ran attrib c:\boot\bcd -h -r -s and nothing happened, no error message or anything. just back to X:\WIndows|System32

 

Thank you for trying so hard to help! My husband may forgive me if I can get it back right!

 

Hopefully to get his documents backed up then I can reinstall windows??
FINGERS CROSSED!

 

Look at #7 , 9, 10, 11 & 34. I believe I have done that? I am not sure what my hard drive is but I will attach pics shortly from my phone of a few things that might tell you.

 

Did this help? just some snapshots that i have taken along the way.

 

I am a little confused. :/
I have tried the bootrec /rebuildbcd with both booting from the harddrive and the USB. Never have I seen it boot to a command prompt that says X:\sources.

I have tried several things before posting here on MajorGeeks. I am trying to keep track, but its hard for a novice like me.