How To Fix Windows 10

How to Fix Windows ten with a thirty-Minute Repair Install

(Epitome credit: Shutterstock)

Whether you lot're trying to fix a BSOD such equally a IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL or a CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED error, serious Windows 10 troubleshooting is like plunging down the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland. At some point you may feel like you've taken on more than you lot can handle, you're in a foreign place, and the ultimate upshot is far from certain. That'south why I ever keep track of the time I spend on troubleshooting, with a definite get out strategy in heed. Should the weeds get too thick to hack through, or the circumstances become also vexing or dire, that exit strategy will piece of work to solve most problems that crave troubleshooting in the first identify.

For me – and I would suggest for most readers – the natural time limit on Windows troubleshooting is half an hour (30 minutes). Why? That's most how long it takes to perform a special-purpose operating arrangement repair that shoots most forms of Windows problem. Especially if your problem (or problems) are software-related, this repair is quite probable to set up them. Simply put, it replaces ALL of the Os files on a Windows 10 PC but leaves other files, installed applications, and most (only not all) settings and preferences lonely.

The In-Identify Upgrade Repair Install

It's little-known and underappreciated, but one can install the same version of a Windows 10 Bone onto an existing copy. This uses the Windows installation files in ISO format.

Creating a Windows Install ISO

There are several ways to get a Windows 10 install ISO, but the easiest comes direct from Microsoft'southward download folio.

1. Download the Media Creation Tool by navigating to Microsoft'southward Download Windows 10 (opens in new tab) page and clicking the button labeled "Download tool now" under the "Create Windows 10 installation media" heading.

In-Place Upgrade Repair Install — (Paradigm credit: Tom's Hardware)

The proper noun of the software tool is MediaCreationTool.exe. I ordinarily rename information technology to identify the version of Windows x it downloads. At any given indicate in time, the MCT grabs whatever version of Windows 10 is most current – right at present that'southward 21H1. So I renamed that file MediaCreationTool21H1.exe.

2. Launch the Media Creation Tool. Information technology shows up in a window labeled "Windows 10 Setup" and makes y'all wait while it gets "a few things set."

iii. Approve the license terms when prompted.

4. Select "Create installation media…"

5. Select the linguistic communication, Edition and Compages (ex: 64-bit) when prompted.

6. Select ISO file when asked to choose the media you want to output to.

By default this creates a file named Windows.iso; every bit before I proper noun mine Windows21H1.iso and then I can identify the version later. This process takes a while. On my 2016 vintage i7 Skylake PC, it takes around five minutes to download and procedure the necessary data, and leave the ISO file behind in its designated storage location. Subsequently the download is complete, the MCT verifies the file structure (this is included in the 5-minute timeframe). When it's complete information technology will prove you the full path where the new ISO file now resides, like this:

7. Click the "Cease" button and MCT volition tidy upwardly after itself and so shut (this happens in less than 5 seconds on my PC: YMMV).

Performing the In-identify Repair Upgrade Install

Established best practise dictates a scrap of preparation earlier you starting time this operation. You'll want to relieve any work, and close all open applications. If you accept external storage devices fastened to your PC, you'll want to "safely remove them" so they can't impact or interfere with repairs.

If your issues are related to the kicking/system drive, many experts think it'due south useful to disconnect or dismount all other internal storage devices also. I've never bothered with this when performing this repair on well-nigh of my PCs, and information technology hasn't affected the outcome as far every bit I can tell. Merely if you are dealing with boot or start-up problems, this could be helpful. You'll need your mouse, monitor and keyboard, though, so delight leave all of them attached equally usual.

One more thing: earlier making major arrangement changes (and this maneuver DEFINITELY counts equally such) it'southward e'er a expert idea to make an image backup of your PC if yous don't accept a recent copy. I make one every morning at 9:00 AM as a scheduled task in Macrium Reflect so I don't usually do this (unless information technology'southward tardily in the twenty-four hour period). Be sure to take a bootable recovery deejay handy that can restore your PC in case the Os bulldoze goes due south, and know how to utilize it for that purpose

1. Navigate to your newly-created ISO file in Explorer.

2. Correct-click the file and select "Mount" from the resulting popular-up carte (if Mount does non appear, click Open, and so open with File Explorer). Either way, a new virtual device labeled "DVD drive" will appear in Explorer. It should wait something like the particular labeled DVD Drive (P:) ESD-ISO shown next.

After all this effort, starting the in-place upgrade repair install is dead simple.

3. Double-click the setup-exe file on the mounted ISO.

This starts an upgrade to its local version of Windows. It volition systematically supersede every operating system file (and move the previous version to a Windows.onetime binder to which you lot can roll dorsum if yous like (Get-go 🡪 Settings 🡪 Update & Security 🡪 Recovery 🡪 Go back to the previous version of Windows x/click the "Go Started" button).

Notice that my PC was last updated more than ten days ago, and so it doesn't have that option (but and so, I have this morning time'due south paradigm fill-in and my Rescue Media handy).

One time you burn off setup.exe, it's simply like all other Windows upgrades. It starts off with downloading and manipulating a gear up of files for the new Bone version, while the old OS keeps running. Then yous're asked to reboot your PC, afterward which a Windows Preinstallation Environment, aka WinPE, takes over to handle the rest of the install process, during which at least 2 more reboots will occur. Eventually, you'll have a repaired Bone at your disposal. Hopefully, the trouble you've been trying to shoot will also be cleared away, equally if by magic.

What Can't an In-Place Upgrade Repair Install Fix?

This process takes such a short amount of fourth dimension to complete, I've made information technology a part of my standard troubleshooting sequence. Unless I'k troubleshooting hardware or device commuter issues – which this repair may non fix if information technology's commuter related, and can't fix if information technology'due south hardware-caused – I've institute this repair to be as close to a "silver bullet" for handling pesky or complex Windows problems every bit information technology always gets. And because it doesn't take too long to give it a attempt, y'all won't be that far behind the curve even if it doesn't work. My own experience is that this repair handles ninety-plus percent of the problems I run into and can't fix in less than half an hour. Hopefully, your experience will be the aforementioned!

Ed Tittel is a long-time IT writer, researcher and consultant, and occasional contributor to Tom's Hardware. A Windows Insider MVP since 2018, he likes to encompass Os-related driver, troubleshooting, and security topics.