# Windows won't boot, endless circles, multiple troubleshoots



## misterniceguii1 (Oct 19, 2016)

Hello World! (is not something my computer is saying).

I have computer that I've built that has been functioning properly for the last month. After the last Windows 10 update, the computer has failed to boot. It may be possible the update was interrupted. I am about to try reformatting my hard drive, losing everything and installing Windows again, but I figured I'd ask here first.

The first time the problem was detected, the computer would pass the Gigabyte BIOS boot and then go to a black screen with a "dotted circle" on bottom going endlessly. I left it for an hour, but nothing happened, and even still, based on the build you see below, it shouldn't take that long. I think my attempts to fix have made it worse, including getting rid of my account (which was administrator).

I tried a variety of troubleshooting options using Windows recovery. The order should be relatively close to the real order (working from memory).

1. I tried using the automatic repair, using a system restore. There was an error message and the restore failed. This is no longer an option because one of the following troubleshooting actions I took must have effected it. Now it says I have no restore points.

2. I tried Startup Repair, and it didn't work, it says there was an error, and there is a log for it (I don't know how to access it). 
-However, I can't access this now, it says "You need to sign in as an administrator" and there is no account anymore, for some reason, probably due to one of the next steps. 
-Using the Windows 10 thumb drive does start it, but I get "Startup Repair couldn't fix your PC, press advanced options to try other options to repair." 
--A log file was created previously, but now no log files are created as I try again.

3. I tried restoring to previous build. None existed.

4. At some point I started using the Windows 10 thumb drive to help my recovery. I tried a hodgepodge of the same recovery options, some from the HD, some from the thumb drive, so keep that in mind. Generally when I didn't use the thumbdrive, I was stopped because almost every troubleshooting option says "You need to sign in as administrator but there aren't any administrator accounts on this PC."

5. At some point I reinstalled Windows 10 from the thumb drive. It didn't fix the problem. I think there may have been some sort of error at the end of setup after restart.

6. I used Bootrec.exe commands from the prompt.

7. I tried reinstalling Windows 10 one more time, but now I get errors for 4 disks. The main one, it says cannot be loaded due to it being "GPT partition." Wut?

8. sfc /scannow I believe found no errors first. Now it says "Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation." This remains true after an administrator input (net user administrator /active:yes) and then another sfc /scannow.

9. Chkdsk /f C: says it is NTFS (despite 7's warning, and there are no errors ("Windows has scanned and found no problems, no further action required") although it does have one note at the bottom ("Failed to transfer logged messages to the event log with status 50"). 
-Listdisk also has NTFS

10. Was able to boot into safemode once with command prompt from the thumbdrive, but it only had the command prompt. No explorer no nothing (that was Safemode with command prompt).

11. Tried booting into safemode "Windows cannot complete installation into safemode. To continue installing Windows, restart the computer," error given from BIOS. Restarting gives a longer error from BIOS about installing windows.

12. Debugging mode from the thumbdrive boot (using f8 with a boot from the windows drive into windows 10 64) just launches windows installation. Funny enough, it seems to freeze on "Setup is starting."

13. Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool doesn't find any issues.

14. I tried all the tricks to make/get an admin profile, including changing the registry, but nothing seems to work. I can't use any troubleshooting with the HD, only with the stick.

It also now gives me the option to chose one of two operating systems at startup, which is new.

Choose Windows 10: Black screen, no recovery or a warning saying something along the lines of Windows failed to install, reset. When it resets, it says "Windows failed to load property" and prompts reset or recovery tools.

Choose Windows 10 Home: Computer resets, endless circle at startup, or will give a warning sign (not documented).

Either way, after my thorough attempts to fix using all of this nonsense

Build: 
OS: Windows 10
MB: Gigabyte H170 Micro ATX LGA 1151
HD: WD Blue 1TB 7200 RPM
PSU: XFX 500W
CPU: Intel i5-6600k 3.90 GHz
GPU: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060

Boot options (with windows stick in): 
PS:H-DT-ST DVD RAM
Windows Boot Manager
WDC WD-10E
KDI-MSFTWindows 10 PMAP
UEFI: KDI-MSFTWindows 10 PMAP, Partition 1


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

Have you tested the hard drive with the manufacturer's diagnostics? WDC has a DOS based utility for testing their drives if Windows doesn't boot, the easiest way to get is to use UBCD: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html

Also, you shouldn't loose any data, you have backups right? If not you can boot to the recovery console or a Linux Live Boot disc/USB stick and copy your data off to an external drive.


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## misterniceguii1 (Oct 19, 2016)

I will be trying your troubleshoot today. 

Frankly, I don't mind if I have to reformat my hard drive and start from scratch. I've only had it for a month, and it just means a few downloads. My main concern is that I have to get a new product key for Windows. Would reformatting/wiping the disk at Troubleshoot #7 work?


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

It may fix the problem if the problem is with operating system, if it's hardware than no.


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## misterniceguii1 (Oct 19, 2016)

Okay, this is getting really weird.

The disk passed the WD test, and other tests as well. Nothing wrong with it.

So I tried to reinstall Windows, clicked format to the disk. Formatted it, everything. Got the same error as before "Windows can't be installed on drive 0 partition 4, The selected disk is of the GPT partition style.

What the heck....

I am going to completely wipe it using command prompt diskpart.


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

You don't need to use DiskPart, during the Windows setup delete all the partitions instead of just formatting them.


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