Saturday, November 12, 2022

Fix Windows\System32\config\SYSTEM is missing or corrupt

 

Some Windows may encounter an error where they can not start Windows because an important system file is missing or corrupted. This is the error message you may see:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

\Windows\System32\config\SYSTEM

Windows failed to load because the system registry file is missing or corrupt.

 


 If you are facing the same error, read the entire article to know the best possible fixes for the same.

 


 

Windows\System32\config\SYSTEM is missing or corrupt

The Windows\System32\config\SYSTEM is missing or corrupt error can be because of multiple reasons such as missing or corrupted Registry files.

These are the things you can do to fix Windows\System32\config\SYSTEM is missing or corrupt.

  1. Scan Hard Drive and System files
  2. Restore Registry Files
  3. Repair Windows 10 using Installation Media.

Let us talk about them in detail.

Windows failed to load because the system registry file is missing or corrupt

1] Scan Hard Drive and System files


 

Windows\System32\config\SYSTEM is missing or corrupt error can be because of some bad sectors in your Hard Drive. So, the best option is to try and fix these sectors. You can do that pretty simply by starting the computer with Windows ISO Media.

Now, click Repair your computer > Command Prompt, type the following command, and hit Enter.

chkdsk c: /r

Wait for the process to complete, restart your computer and check if the issue persists.

 


 

 

If it doesn’t work, try running SFC, the System File Checker command. In the Command Prompt, type the following command and hit Enter.

sfc /scannow

Wait for the process to complete, restart your computer and check if the issue persists.

Related: Windows was unable to load the registry.

2] Restore Registry

The problem can be because of Registry files. If it is missing or corrupted, therefore, we need to restore Registry Files in order to fix the issue.

So, launch Command Prompt (as we did in Solution 2) and type the following commands to backup your Registry, in case if something goes wrong.

md tmp

copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak

copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak

copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak

copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak

copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak

Now, delete the current Registry files.

delete c:\windows\system32\config\system

delete c:\windows\system32\config\software

delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam

delete c:\windows\system32\config\security

delete c:\windows\system32\config\default

Finally, use the following commands to repair Registry files.

copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system

copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software

copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam

copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security

copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default

Note: Replace  “C” with the Drive letter in which your OS is stored.

Now, close the Command Prompt and reboot your computer to check if the issue persists.

3] Repair Windows 10 using Installation Media

If Automatic Startup Repair also does not help, then you need to repair Windows 10 using the Installation Media.

Hopefully, we have helped you to fix Windows\System32\config\SYSTEM is missing or corrupt.

 


 

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Windows 11 Update Stuck at 100%/99%/94%/88%/74%/8%? Read this!

 Windows 11 update is a process that assists you in keeping your operating system up-to-date with the latest security patches and features. Sometimes it happens that Windows 11 gets stuck while updating or not loading at all. It may even get stuck at 99%, the remaining 1% is not ending all day. This is commonly called Troubleshooting. If you are experiencing trouble installing the Windows 11 update on your computer, don't worry. The problem is not a big deal and it can be easily fixed. Through this article, we will be able to get a complete idea about the causes and solutions of Windows 11 update stuck issues.

 


 

 

 

Part 1: Overview of Windows 11 Update Stuck

To solve the issue first, you need to know what’s going on, why all these things are happening. Then it becomes easy for you to operate the run to fix it. Some possible reasons for Windows 11 Update stuck are below.

Common Cause of Windows 11 Update Stuck

  • Poor Internet Connection
  • Poor internet connection can give birth to even more reasons. When you have a poor connection to the internet, it can lead to problems with downloading and installing updates. The problem can occur in two ways: the downloaded files may be corrupted and cause your update to get stuck, or there may be an error in the downloading process which causes the update to not run properly, resulting in more problems.

  • Interrupted Power Supply
  • If you're having trouble with Windows 11 updates, it's important to know that they can frequently stall out on your PC, particularly if you have an unsteady power supply. On the off chance that the power supply is temperamental, it might intrude on the establishment cycle and prompt Windows 11 update to stop at a specific level.

  • Corrupted ISO file
  • Sometimes, the update process may get stuck due to incompatible ISO files or corrupt ones. The ISO file is the most important part of the Windows 11 installation process. If it's corrupted, then the installation process will face certain obstacles.

  • Shortage of Storage
  • One of the causes of the Windows 11 update getting stuck can be insufficient storage of your system drive. Windows updates are pretty big, the ISO of Windows 11 is over 4.5GB. so it's important to make sure you have plenty of room on your system drive for Windows 11.

Signal of Windows 11 Update Stuck

The first step in troubleshooting a problem with your computer is usually to determine whether it's a software or hardware issue. And if that's a problem with Windows Update, you need to know the symptoms. With the help of those symptoms, we can easily find out what the problem is.

Few of the signs of Windows 11 Update stuck are below:

  • Update Stuck on 99%, 100%, 0% or Not Responding
  • If you're getting an error message that says "Your Windows Update failed," or your Windows update is stuck at a certain percentage, your Windows updating may stuck. When this update gets stuck for more than five-six minutes even though there is no problem with the internet connection, then it is safe to say that Windows has stopped getting the update.

  • Windows 11 Update Stuck At 100% For Hours, Not Approaching For The Next Page
  • In case your Windows 11 update is stuck at 100% and nothing happens for hours, it's safe to assume that your download is stuck. Usually, once you reach the 100% mark, you'll be taken to the next stage of the process. But if that doesn't happen and your PC stays hung for a long time, you may need to restart the process.

  • Windows 11 Update Completed But Not In Result
  • Updating Windows is a time-consuming affair, but not so much that it will take hours after hours. Thus, it is not the job of any healthy operating system to take updates for a long time. If you are in such a situation, you can find your solution through this article.

     

     

Part 2: How to Fix Windows 11 Update Stuck at 0%/99%/100%?

Fix 1: Wait for Windows Complete Windows 11 Update

Windows 11 updates may be stuck for irregular power supplies or broken network connections, as already discussed. When this happens, the computer should be left alone for a few hours. Just make sure that the Operating System can do its own thing without any interruptions. The update may finish itself.

Fix 2: Check Network Status

It can be frustrating when you try to download an update or new version of Windows, but the Internet connection doesn't seem to be working. In this case, it would appear as if the Windows 11 download is stuck while the actual problem lies with the Internet. So, if you don't want to run into these issues, check connectivity before starting any update, or try restarting your router or modem before downloading any updates again.


 

 

Fix 3: Check Windows Update Process through SoftwareDistribution Folder

If you're not sure whether the update process is still in progress or not, you can check the SoftwareDistribution folder on your computer. The destination of the SoftwareDistribution folder is- C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution. After landing this folder, right-click on the white space and click on ‘Properties' from context menu. Look at the size of this folder. If this size remain same, approach for updating.

Fix 4: Unplug Non-essential Peripherals

A PC usually has a number of external devices connected, such as a pen drive, card reader, printer, microphone, speaker, etc. All of these devices need to be unplugged during Windows updates so that they do not interfere with the operating system.

Fix 5: Use Windows Update Troubleshooter

To fix Windows 11 download stuck problem, it’s recommended to run one of the built-in troubleshooters in Microsoft. The steps are below:

Step 1: Pressing the ‘Windows and I' buttons on the keyboard will take you in Settings page, then click on ‘Update & Security'.

 


 Step 2: A navigation pane will open on the left side of the screen where there is a ‘Troubleshoot' option, then click on Additional Troubleshooters.

 


tep 3: Click on ‘Windows Update'. Then, click on ‘Run The Troubleshooter'.

Mow, just go with Troubleshooter and fix your problem. It’s very common for Microsoft’s built-in troubleshooters to success, especially when it comes to fixing problems that are related to Windows updates. You just need to run a relevant troubleshooter. And obviously, you've many other ways to fix if it does not work.

Fix 6: Run System File Checker

Step 1: Open command prompt, then run DISM command, DISM/Online/Cleanup-Image/RestoreHealth.

Step 2: Wait till 100% then run file checker command sfc/scannow.

Step 3: Once done Restart your PC and check for any updates.

Fix 7: Pause Windows Update and Retry it Again

Step 1: Press ‘Windows + I‘ together. In Settings page, click on Update & Security.

Step 2: Click on ‘Pause updates for 7 days', then restart your PC and go for the same run again.

 


 Step 3: This time click on ‘Resume Updates'.

 


 

Step 4: Click on ‘Check for updates' and get your Windows updating problem be fixed.

Fix 8: Run the BITS and Windows Update Service Again

Step 1: Press ‘Windows + R', to open the Run command and write there services.msc and click on ‘Ok'.

 


 

 

Step 2: Right-click on Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) and stop it through the context menu. 

 


 

Step 3: Again right-click on Windows Update Service and do the same to stop. Then press ‘Windows + E' to open File Explorer.

Step 4: Go for this location through address bar: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution.

Step 5: Select all and delete them from context menu.

Step 6: Come again to Service App and right-click on Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) and start it through the context menu.

Step 7: Same process for Windows Update Service and do the same to start it again.

Now you can go for your Windows Update. This time, Windows 11 download should not get stuck anymore.

Fix 9: Remove Conflicting Drivers

Step 1: 1.Press ‘Windows + R', to open the Run command and write there devmgmt.msc and click on ‘Ok'.

 


 Step 2: It will open Device Manager page. Now, select the device you want to stop. Then right clicking on selected device will let you uninstall it to avoid error while updating Windows.

 


 

Fix 10: Reinstall Incompatible Applications

Step 1: Press ‘Windows + R', to open the Run command and write there appwiz.cpl and click on ‘Ok'.

 


 Step 2: It opens ‘Programs & Features' window, after selecting the program you want to stop, do Right Click on the file and uninstall it.

 


 

Fix 11: Use Bootable USB Install Windows 11

Step 1: Keep connected your USB flash drive to computer.

Step 2: Restart your computer and press specific keys like functions key, del, Esc, etc.

Step 3: Come to Boot tab to select your USB flash drive pressing the arrow key.

Step 4: Save it, and continue to boot your computer through bootable USB flash drive.

Step 5: It will open Windows setup interface, set time, language, currency format and keyboard, then click on ‘Install Now'.

Step 6: Click on ‘I don’t have any product key' and then select Custom to install Windows only.

Step 7: Select partition and start installing.

Fix 12: Restart your Windows in Safe Mode

Step 1: Click on Start and then Settings.

Step 2: Click on Update & Security.

Step 3: Click on Recovery, then look on the Advanced Startup section where you find Restart Now, click on it.

 


 

Step 4: After restarting the computer a ‘Choose an Option' screen will appear, from there click on Troubleshoot and choose ‘Advanced Option'. Then click on ‘Startup Settings'.

Step 5: Finally, press F5 to restart your Windows in safe mode.

Fix 13: Run Windows System Restore

Step 1: Type ‘Recovery' on the search bar of Windows, then ppen ‘Advanced Recovery Tools' in Control Panel then select ‘Open System Restore'.

Step 2: Click on ‘Next’, among the results select ‘Restore Point' and then ‘Next’. Finally, click on ‘Finish.

Fix 14: Download the Latest Update Manually

If you're still having trouble installing the update, try downloading and installing it manually.

Step 1: Go to Microsoft Update Catalogue.

Step 2: Type KB number of the security update on the search bar that was unfinished.

Step 3: Save it and after downloading, run it as administrator.

FAQs:

Windows 11 update: how long should it take?

On a fast PC with a high-speed SSD and little data, feature upgrades will install quickly in about 15-20 minutes. But on a slower PC with an HDD and a lot of data, these upgrades will take hours. The upgradation process includes copying all your settings, data, and apps from your old operating system to the new one. This means that if you have a slow computer, there's more time spent downloading files and waiting for them to transfer over the network—and more time spent waiting for those files to be copied onto the hard drive!

What's the Meaning of Windows 11 Update Stuck at a Certain Percentage?

Here’s how you will find out what’s going on seeing percentage:

Stuck at 0%: It means your device has gone out of storage.

Stuck at 99%: It can happen for poor internet connections.

Stuck at 94%: It means all the programs, applications, games, drivers of your PC freeze the upgradation process.

Stuck at 100%: It indicates a problem with the software distribution folder.

Stuck at 88%: Hard drive and ROM are responsible for the freeze.

Stuck at 85%: It happens usually for external devices or drives connected to your PC.

How to Update to Windows 11 Correctly?

There are some common practice before starting Windows 11 upgradation process:

Step 1: Creating backup.

Step 2: Signup in a Microsoft account.

Step 3: Check stability of power and internet.

Step 4: Enough storage.

Conclusion

Here was some of the ways to fix Windows 11 update stuck. And if you're still having trouble updating Windows, or losing files, there's Tenorshare 4DDiG Windows data recovery software to help you most with any Windows-related recovery. It’s time to go with no problem with Windows 11 and its updates.

 


 

 

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How to Enable Diagnostic Startup in Windows 10

 To let your Windows 10 PC load basic devices and services only during startup, you can enable Diagnostic startup, following the steps below.

 

 

Steps to enable Diagnostic startup in Windows 10:

Step 1: Open Run by Windows+R, type msconfig and tap OK to open System Configuration.

 


 

 Step 2: In the General settings, choose Diagnostic startup and click OK.

 


 After these two procedures, a prompt dialog shows up, requiring you to restart your computer to apply the setting. Thus, you can select Restart or Exit without restart in it according to your need.

 


 


 

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Friday, November 11, 2022

Windows 11 Start menu not working? Here's the fix!

 

When the Windows 11 Start menu is not working, it is a common issue. The causes are manifold, from simple problems like a hung-up system process to more complex ones like corrupted systems files. We’ll go through all the possible reasons and fixes in order, from the most promising and easy solutions to more profound ones. One of them will fix your Windows 11 Start menu.

Before trying any of the tips below, save your work first, as you’ll need to restart Windows.

 

 

THE QUICKEST FIX

The easiest way to fix most Windows issues is to reboot your computer. The next best thing you can do to resolve issues with the Windows 11 Start menu is to restart Windows Explorer. Right-click the Windows Start button (or press Ctrl + Alt + Del) and select Task Manager. In the Processes tab, right-click Windows Explorer and select Restart. If that doesn't work, try killing the process with End Task instead. To restart the process, go to File  > Run new task, enter explorer.exe, and click OK.

 

 

Restart the Windows Explorer

 

To fix issues with the Windows Start menu and Taskbar, restarting Windows Explorer is almost as good as rebooting your computer. And it’s much less hassle as all your open windows will stay put.

  • Right-click the Start button (or press Ctrl + Alt + Del) and select Task Manager.
  • Find the Windows Explorer process within the Processes tab. If it’s not listed under Apps, you should find it under Windows processes; be sure to sort the list by name.
  • Right-click Windows Explorer and select End Task, though Restart should work, too.
  • To restart the task, navigate to File > Run new task, enter explorer.exe, and click OK.
 
 

Restart Windows background services

 


 

Several Windows services that run in the background can affect the Start menu. To restart a Windows background service:

  • Head back into the Task Manager (via a right-click of the Start button or pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del).
  • Switch to the Details tab, and track down the respective service, starting with StartMenuExperienceHost.exe.
  • Right-click it, and select End task. A warning message will pop up.
  • Click End process to confirm.

Typically, the process will restart automatically. If it doesn’t, you can start it via File > Run new task as we did with the Windows Explorer above. As a last resort, press Ctrl + Alt + Del, select the power button in the bottom right, and click Restart.

 

If restarting the StartMenuExperienceHost.exe failed to fix your problems with the Start menu, repeat the process with the following background services:

  • SearchIndexer.exe
  • SearchHost.exe
  • RuntimeBroker.exe
 
 

Update your graphics drivers

 



 

To update your graphics drivers:

  • Right-click the Start button (or press Windows key + X) and select Device Manager.
  • Expand the Display adapters branch, right-click your graphics card, and select Update driver.
  • From the dialogue, select Search automatically for drivers and wait until this process completes. If you already installed the best drivers, click the Search for updated drivers on Windows Update option.
  • Close the window if your driver was updated successfully.

If you have more than one display adapter, repeat the above process for each of them.

 
 

Re-register the Start menu Shell experience packages

 

This sounds more complicated than it really is. The Shell experience handles all universal apps and graphical elements of the Windows interface. What we’ll do here is re-register the packages that are responsible for displaying the Start menu.

 

 

Right-click the Start button (or press Windows key + X) and select Windows Terminal (Admin). Paste the command below into the Windows Terminal window:

Code
Get-appxpackage -all *shellexperience* -packagetype bundle |% {add-appxpackage -register 
-disabledevelopmentmode ($_.installlocation + “\appxmetadata\appxbundlemanifest.xml”)}

This tip goes back to Windows 10 and was first shared on the Microsoft Community forum. I have adjusted it for the Windows 11 interface. If you can’t open the WinX menu to access the Windows Terminal, follow the steps listed in the forum article to open the PowerShell window instead.

 

 

Search is a core feature of the Windows Start menu. If you’ve come this far, you’ve already restarted the search-related Windows background services. Next, let’s try to rebuild the search index entirely.

Press the Windows key + R, paste the text below, and hit Enter.

 
Code
control /name Microsoft.IndexingOptions
  • This will bring up a window titled Indexing Options. Click Modify, which will open a new window.
  • In the Indexed Locations window, click Show all locations, uncheck all locations, then click OK.
  • Back in the Indexing Options window, click Advanced, which will open yet another window.
  • In the Advanced Options window, click Rebuild.

Windows will notify you that while it’s rebuilding the index, which can take some time to complete, some views and search results might be incomplete. Click OK, and the rebuilding will commence. You can also close the Indexing Options window. When Windows is done rebuilding the index, reboot and check your Start menu again.

Many people dislike the new Windows 11 Start menu and have tried to customize or replace it. Meanwhile, some hacks, such as bringing the old Start menu back, have stopped working and might have come back to haunt you. If you have dabbled in Start menu hacks, I recommend that you retrace your steps and roll back those changes; below are the most common ones.

Disable the Start menu XAML process

This is a catch-all fix for issues with the Start menu caused by messing with the registry.

 


 

 

Press Windows + R to launch the Run menu, enter regedit, and press OK. Copy the destination below, paste it into the Registry Editor’s address bar, and hit Enter:

Code
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Right-click into the void on the right in the Advanced folder, select New > DWORD (32-bit value), and name it EnableXamlStartMenu. Double-click the new value and ensure the Value data field is set to 0, which should be the default setting. Restart Windows Explorer or Windows to test whether this worked.

Remove Windows registry entry to bring back the classic Start menu

While we’re in the registry, let’s also remove one specific hack that no longer works. In the same location as outlined above, right-click the Start_ShowClassicMode value, and click Delete. If you can’t find this value, you’re good. After you delete it, also restart Windows or Windows Explorer.

Uninstall third-party Start menus

Open the Settings app (press Windows key + I), go to Apps > Apps & features, find the third-party Start menu app, click the three-dot button on the right, and select Uninstall.

Common Start menu alternatives include:

  • Open-Shell-Menu (aka Classic Start)
  • Start11
  • StartAllBack
  • StartIsBack++
  • Start Menu X

Try one of these generic Windows fixes

The tips above were more or less directly related to the Start menu. If your Windows 11 Start menu still isn’t working, we’ll have to dig a little deeper. The following fixes are basic but might do the trick.

Boot into Safe Mode

If you’re hesitant to uninstall anything, boot into Safe Mode instead. In Safe Mode, Windows runs only essential apps and services. If this resolves the issue, it’s very likely that a third-party app is interfering with the Start menu. In that case, go back and uninstall suspicious third-party apps, such as alternative Start menus, or perform a malware scan.

To boot into Safe Mode:

  • Go to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Recovery and click Restart now. Windows will remind you to save unsaved work.
  • Click Restart now again, which should bring you to the Recovery screen.
  • Click Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings and press F4 to boot into Safe Mode.

Uninstall a recent Windows Update

 

 

If the issue occurred right after you ran a Windows Update, roll it back. Head to Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates. This will launch the Control Panel. Select the most recent one from the list of updates and click Uninstall. If you have more than one update from the same day, rinse and repeat.

Update Windows 11

Sometimes, a Windows Update really fixes things. Head into Settings > Windows Update, click Check for updates, and apply any that are pending.

Sign in to Windows with a local admin account


 

There’s a chance that the issue is with your account. An easy way to check this is to create a new local admin account.

Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users and select Add account under Other users. You want this to be a local account, so click I don’t have this person’s sign-in information in the window that pops up. Microsoft really wants you to create an account, but you can get out of this by clicking Add a user without a Microsoft account. Finally, set a name and password for the new user, set security questions, then click Next.

You’ll have to sign out of your current account and into the new account to test whether the Start menu works there. If it is, you can either switch user accounts or repair your Windows installation.

Run the System File Checker (SFC)


 

SFC is a Windows tool that can detect and repair corrupted files. Press Windows key + X, select Windows Terminal (Admin), and run the command below:

Code
sfc /scannow

When the process has been completed, restart Windows and see whether the issue persists.

Repair the Windows System Image with DISM

If SFC failed to fix your problem, try the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool, which repairs the Windows system image. Enter the following command into the Windows Terminal with admin privileges:

Code
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Wait for the process to complete, then restart Windows.

Reset Windows 11

The brute force solution to all Windows issues is reinstalling the operating system from scratch. Fortunately, you can reset Windows 11 without losing everything.

  • Launch Settings, go to Windows Update > Advanced options > Recovery, and click Reset this PC.
  • In the next window, choose Keep my files, which will remove apps and settings but won’t delete your personal files. Follow the on-screen instructions and cross all your fingers and toes; this must work.

If all else fails, you can always fall back on a third-party Start menu. Many will argue it’s the best thing to do in the first place. My recommendation is Start Menu X because it’s free and fully customizable.

 


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