Hi, i need some help please.

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Hi, i need some help please.

James Bils 20

Today I woke up and turned on my pc as usual. This time it sent me to a screen saying you're device ran into a problem and couldn't be repaired. I clicked enter like it said and went to command prompt after following 2 videos saying the same thing, and I input sfc /scannow. It says "windows protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them." And that the system files repair changes will take effect after the next reboot, but I don't think it did because I'm in the same spot, again. What do I do? I tried resetting it too and it said it ran into a problem.

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Ian-T 13,200 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi @James Bils

I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. The SFC message means it repaired some Windows files, but the startup problem may involve the boot configuration, a recent update, or the drive itself.

From the recovery screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options, then try these options in order:

Startup Repair
Uninstall Updates > Uninstall latest quality update
System Restore, if a restore point is available

Startup Repair is designed to address damaged system files and boot configuration problems.

If none of those work, use another computer to create Windows installation media on a USB drive. Boot the affected PC from it and first select Repair your computer. If recovery still fails, you may need to reinstall Windows. Back up important files first if possible, because some recovery or installation choices can erase data.

Also, if BitLocker appears, you will need the recovery key.

Hope this helps, please feel free to let me know if you need any further assistance

James Bils 20 Reputation points

2026-10-04T01:43:15.6933333+00:00

@Ian-T I appreciate you. I followed chat gpt and did a ton of stuff in cmd prompt but kinda got nowhere. All I do now is install windows on a hardrive on a different computer right
Ian-T 13,200 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-10-04T04:50:27.08+00:00

Hi James

You’re welcome. Yes, since the recovery options have not worked, use another working computer to create a bootable Windows installation USB, rather than installing Windows onto an external hard drive.

You will need a blank USB flash drive with at least 8 GB. Use Microsoft’s Windows installation media page to create it, then connect the USB to the broken PC and boot from it.

On the first setup screen, select Repair my PC to access the recovery tools again. If those still cannot repair Windows, the USB can be used for a clean installation.

Please be aware that a clean installation removes personal files, applications, and settings, so recover or back up important files first if possible
James Bils 20 Reputation points

2026-10-04T04:53:55.7433333+00:00

Alright thanks a lot, again. Is there any particular thing I did to cause this? Like download a virus somewhere?
Ian-T 13,200 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-10-04T05:01:01.87+00:00

I do not think that there's the exact confirmation about what causes it from the recovery screen alone, and it does not necessarily mean you downloaded a virus. Startup failures can also result from corrupted system or boot files, incompatible drivers, registry issues, or other software or hardware problems.

After reinstalling Windows, install all Windows updates and run a full scan with Windows Security. If the problem returns after a clean installation, have the storage drive and other hardware checked, since that would make a hardware issue more likely.
James Bils 20 Reputation points

2026-10-05T00:37:32.4066667+00:00

Am I still able to use my harddrive I used before the problem happened? @Ian-T
Ian-T 13,200 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-10-05T00:46:05.6966667+00:00

Hi James, yes, you can try using the same hard drive. You don’t need to replace it just because Windows won’t start. The USB is only for booting the PC and running Windows Setup. Before reinstalling, please back up any important files from the original drive if possible, because a clean installation can erase them.