Issue with windows boot: System detected an overrun of stack buffers

Byron Jenkins 0 Reputation points
2026-09-26T08:54:33.6433333+00:00

I had a problem with the Xbox app (gaming UI) not working so I went into the files to see what I could do. However all the files in the folder "windows apps" were managed by SYSTEM and needed permissions. Ended up changing ownership of the entire "Windows apps" folder and deleting the xbox files. This caused my laptop (Acer Nitro 5 running windows 10) to crash and boot with a little message window saying "The System detected an overrun of stack buffers" and something about malicious actors could get access. I've tried getting to recovery options with no luck. Pressing alt + f10 (acer specific) gets me nowhere. Neither does forcefully powering down the laptop multiple times. I plugged in a bootable windows 10 drive but it didn't automatically detect it. I had to go into the bios and manually change the boot order. Now I can get to the "repair your computer" option on the usb drive but none of the options there seem to work. I tried "start-up repair" but that just said it couldn't help me. And the only other thing I have access to is command prompt but I don't know what to type. If anyone has any insight into this please let me know. This is giving me a headache. Thanks

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Recovery and backup
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  1. Thomas4-N 22,380 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-30T08:29:21.1533333+00:00

    Hello Byron Jenkins,

    I’m sorry this has been such a headache. Since Startup Repair has already failed, I wouldn’t try the boot-record or registry commands suggested above without evidence that those are the problem.

    From the Windows USB recovery screen, have you tried Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore? If there’s a restore point from before you changed the WindowsApps folder, that may let you undo the system changes without affecting your personal files. If you already tried it, what happened or what error did it show?

    Before trying a reset or reinstall, please make sure any important files are backed up.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-26T08:54:50.65+00:00

    Changing ownership and deleting files under WindowsApps can break Windows startup. Since Startup Repair already failed and access to Repair your computer from the Windows 10 USB is working, the supported next path is to use WinRE Command Prompt and try offline repair steps in this order.

    Important: some recovery actions can cause data loss. Back up important files first if possible. If BitLocker is enabled, the recovery key is required for most WinRE options.

    1. In the Windows setup USB, select Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
    2. Run an offline system file check:
    SFC /Scannow /OffBootDir=C:\ /OffWinDir=C:\Windows
    1. If disk corruption is involved, run Check Disk:
    chkdsk /f /r
    1. If the problem is in the boot loader phase, repair boot records:
    BOOTREC /FIXMBR
BOOTREC /FIXBOOT
    1. If boot configuration data is damaged, run:
    Bootrec /ScanOS

    If Windows still does not start, continue with:

    bcdedit /export c:\bcdbackup
attrib c:\boot\bcd -r -s -h
ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old
bootrec /rebuildbcd

    Then restart the PC.

    1. If startup still fails and the issue is related to corrupted system registry hives, from Command Prompt:
      • Open a text editor such as Notepad.
      • Go to C:\Windows\System32\Config\
      • Rename the five registry hives by appending .old
      • Copy the hives from the RegBack folder into Config
      • Restart and test

    Warning: registry hive replacement is a higher-risk step. Incorrect changes can prevent Windows from starting. Also, on Windows 10 version 1803 and later, Windows no longer automatically backs up the registry to RegBack, so this method may not be available.

    1. If none of the above works, use other WinRE recovery options. Start with the least disruptive option first.

    Because Startup Repair already reported it could not help, the most relevant manual steps are the offline SFC, CHKDSK, and BOOTREC/BCD repairs above.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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