Windows 10 How to force system restore?

Head_The_Ball

Hi, my Acer laptop runs Windows 10 upgraded from the original Windows 7.

Up until yesterday morning it was working fine. When I switched it on again in the afternoon it appeared to boot up as normal but presented me with a desktop in a different aspect ratio to normal and nothing works.

The icons in the Quick Lunch bar are all there but, when I click on them, instead of opening up the application in full screen as usual, they do nothing.

The system icons in the System tray to the right of the taskbar do not appear at all.

I cannot get it do anything. I cannot open up Settings via the Start Button to get to system restore etc. I cannot open up File Explorer. It does not respond to the Windows Key plus F etc. Nothing reacts to mouse clicks. The mouse is fine as I am using it now on my wife's laptop.

I cannot boot it in Safe Mode as that option isn't there on F2 or F8 or F12.

I have removed the hard disk and checked it on another laptop. Windows reported some file system errors and fixed them but that has made no difference.

I am at a loss as to what to do next.

How do I access either System Restore or something else to fix this?

Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

I do have everything backed up so I have not lost any data but I really do not want to reinstall Windows and everything else if that can be avoided.

Thanks

AndyPix

Do you have access to a windows disk/usb ?

Head_The_Ball

The only disk I have is a Windows 7 full installation CD.

If I boot from that, might it give me the option to repair my Windows 10?

Edit:

I have booted from that CD. It is unable to find a Windows Restore Point and is unable to fix the disk automatically.

It does give me the option to open a Command Line if anyone can suggest what commands might work.

Thanks

AndyPix

Unfortunately your W7 disk wont be any use in this case


Download the windows 10 iso (Can you use another pc to do this)
Use rufus to create a bootable usb
Boot from that and do a system repair.

Head_The_Ball

Thanks Andy.

My wife has a Windows 10 laptop that I am typing this on

Can I make a Windows 10 ISO on a USB stick from that?

Or alternatively, if I can find someone with a Windows 10 CD, could I use that?

If not I will download it on this laptop.

debitcardmayhem

try here http://www.howtogeek.com/107511/how-to-boot-into-safe-mode-on-windows-8-the-easy-way/

AndyPix

Yes if you found a W10 disk or USB you can repair from that.
Or you can download the ISO from microsoft and create a bootable USB using the RUFUS tool and then boot from that and repair your machine.

Head_The_Ball

Thanks Andy and DCM for your suggestions. Much appreciated.

I have contacted a friend of mine who runs a local computer club. He should be able to lend me a bootable CD or USB.

DCM, I will give your link a go.

Thanks again.

Head_The_Ball

The mystery deepens.

I downloaded a Windows10 ISO from Microsoft, created a bootable USB stick and booted my Acer laptop with it.

I attempted to fix the broken Windows10 with it but it was unable to do that so I reinstalled Windows10 from that USB stick but I ended up with exactly the same problem as in the OP. Nothing will work. :mad:

So I removed the disk (an SSD) from the Acer laptop and, using my wife's laptop, deleted all the volumes on it so I had an empty disk.

I then put that back in my Acer laptop and reinstalled Windows10.

Despite having a brand new clean install of Windows10 on an empty disk, I have ended up with exactly the same problem as before. :mad:

I am at a loss.

The only things I can think of are 1) my laptop has been affected by some boot level virus or 2) Windows10 is installing a display driver or something else that is faulty.

Could the SSD be faulty? I doubt that as this appears to be a software problem and not a hardware issue.

I am now going to try another fresh Windows10 install on another disk and see if that works.

Does anyone have any other suggestions?