UN-Installed Windows 10-stuck in Windows repair loop

[Weenza]

Hello,

I've seen posts about stuck in the repair loop after installing 10 but not my current situation.

1. I'm totally computer illiterate. I can walk through steps but my knowledge unfortunately is minimal.

2. Uninstalled 10 this morning. I believe 8.1 wasn't an option so I might be tryouts my to start 7. I can't get out of the repair loop and I'm not sure where to start.

3. When startup repair "cannot repair this computer automatically" the diagnosis and repair details are:
All checks performed successfully but the root cause found is: "startup repair has tried several times but still cannot determine the cause of the problem."

Any ideas? Thank you.
Christina

 

[Weenza]

Anyone? Should I post in a different forum since Windows 10 has been uninstalled?

 

[ram1220]

You need to get the CD or media for whatever operating system you want to use and reinstall it. If you "uninstalled" Win 10 then you no longer have an operating system installed. You need to install one. In your step #2 there is some kind of a typo I believe. So I'm not sure what you mean.

 

[Trouble]

Hello Christina and welcome to the forum.
Sorry your post has not received any attention, but.....
Your title and

2. Uninstalled 10 this morning

Suggests that you've "uninstalled" Windows 10.
I'm not familiar with how one goes about "uninstalling" an operating system.
How exactly did you go about doing that?

 

[Weenza]

Thanks for your reply and please excuse my lack of correct terminology.

I bought a ZT PC from Costco about 5-6 years ago that came with Windows. I'm searching for the original CD right now because I can't remember which original Windows I had.

Up until three days ago I believe I had 8.1 but I'm not sure. Maybe I just did updates because I have not installed any Windows since my original computer purchase. Three days ago I upgraded to Windows 10. Maybe it was a week. Anyway, I wasn't crazy about it so I wanted to go back to the Windows I had before. When I went through the process of removing 10 it seemed like it was going to be harmless with goodbye messages such as "if you change your mind come on back". Anyway, I had clicked the "restore" "revert" "uninstall" and had to go to work. Honestly, I was in a hurry and figured it would take time but when I came home my computer won't start Windows. I had believed it would go beck to what it was before so am I wrong in that ssumption? Is everything lost?

It keeps looping in a recovery repair and says it can't fix or repair automatically.

Thanks for any help and I apologize for any confusion on my part.

 

[Trouble]

AT any point in time, did you take any steps to protect your critical data by backing it up to an external resource or create a disk image either before or after the upgrade (ideally both)?
Chances are everything is not gone, but....
Without an operating system running it makes it a bit challenging now to recover any critical data.
And without a certain level of skill you may have to call on a local geek to help you.
My suggestion would be either to remove the drive and attach it to a second system that was operational and see if you can locate your files to back them up, or......
Download a Linux Distro
https://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=205
Burn it to a DVD or USB ThumbDrive and boot with that and use it to copy off your important files that way.

 

[Weenza]

I did not. The specific wording of your first question makes me even feel more irresponsible than I know I already was. Not saying that was your intention but I knew better.

I did find an online tutorial that helped me find which drive was my system drive and save some files in dos prompt but no external backup.

I have no problem paying for someone's expertise and services but I have no clue where to start. I have backed up many photos to external drives but not everything I would have liked to save.

At this point I don't have a second operational system and I can't even get the computer to start up so I'm not sure how I could butn anything to a disc at this point?

Thank you.

 

[Trouble]

The drive that is your windows drive is also the drive that will contain your user(s) profile folder(s).
IF you're handy with a command prompt then copying the contents of C:\Users\YourUserName (substituting C:\ with the appropriate drive letter and YourUserName with the name of yours' and anyone else with a User Account on the System) to an external device would probably go a long way to securing your critical data.
There are some rare exceptions where some third party software will save critical data in a different folder but that is fairly rare.

Did you ever locate any installation media for any operating system?
IF so then you might be better off, removing the current physical drive from the computer and purchasing a new one of the same capacity or larger.
Set the old drive aside and use your installation media to get your computer up and running with the new drive.
Then you'll have something to work with at least.