Reinstalling Windows 11 on Lenovo AIO pc

Oldun · Sep 10, 2023

My system, comprising a Lenovo AIO pc running Windows 11, was working fine until I downloaded a program to update drivers and then the whole system was taken over by some very invasive software that used a Chinese/Japanese(!) script for all its instructions. The computer was beyond my control.

So I got onto the computer without using the OS and deleted the C partition.

Now I have several different means of getting going again.

1. I have a bootable USB stick with a boot system for the Lenovo created in Macrium Reflect.
2 I have a bootable USB stick with Windows 10 Pro
3. I have a bootable USB stick with Lenovo's own Restore software
4. I also have a recent backup clone of drive C which I can rinstalllate.

I also tried using the recovery boot, achieved by holding down the shift key while rebooting. I got into the correct boot mode but nothing worked.

I also changed to boot priority to Legacy.

What happens is that when I try to boot with one of the bootable USB sticks inserted, the boot gets just beyond the first splash screen and then sticks with a flashing cursor, top left, in an otherwise blank window.

How do I get the Windows 11 back up and running?

At the moment I cannot access the computer by any means.

Berton · Sep 10, 2023

Did the Lenovo originally come with Win11 or was it an Upgrade from Win10? I have reinstalled Win10 on 2 Lenovo Notebooks [they won't properly run Win11] using the download from Microsoft's Media Creation Tool. The Product Key used in Win7 and earlier is different and built-in on the OEM motherboards, will pick up and activate during install of Win10 or Win11 if Online and can be done later if Offline [I like offline as I can set as a Local Account instead of Microsoft Account].

EDIT: Left out some words, the line about "The Product Key used in Win7 and earlier is different and built-in on the OEM motherboards" should be:

The Product Key used in Win7 and earlier was different and on Win10/Win11 is built-in on the OEM motherboards, can't say about motherboards used in Custom computers, haven't had to work with those yet.

glasskuter · Sep 10, 2023

Oldun said:
So I got onto the computer without using the OS and deleted the C partition.

Now I have several different means of getting going again.

1. I have a bootable USB stick with a boot system for the Lenovo created in Macrium Reflect.
2 I have a bootable USB stick with Windows 10 Pro
3. I have a bootable USB stick with Lenovo's own Restore software
4. I also have a recent backup clone of drive C which I can rinstalllate.

I also tried using the recovery boot, achieved by holding down the shift key while rebooting. I got into the correct boot mode but nothing worked.

I also changed to boot priority to Legacy.

What happens is that when I try to boot with one of the bootable USB sticks inserted, the boot gets just beyond the first splash screen and then sticks with a flashing cursor, top left, in an otherwise blank window.

Product key for Windows 10 will be stored in UEFI bios. This has nothing to do with why you can't use any boot media.

Important questions need answering before we can even begin to guide you..
When you say "backup clone" are you saying your cloned your hard drive to another drive or did you make an image of your system with Macrium and stored that image on an external drive? Backup and clone are 2 entirely different things. Was this image/clone created before May?

You should not have deleted the C: partition.

You should not have changed to legacy in bios. It must be UEFI.

It was not necessary to change anything in boot priority. Boot menu can be access by tapping F12 at boot.

Is secure boot on or off? If ON, Have you manually applied any of the secure boot revocations MS released in May or July addressing the Black Lotus bootkit? None of your boot media will work if you applied those revocations.

Report back and we can better assist you.

Scott · Sep 10, 2023

glasskuter said:
None of your boot media will work if you applied those revocations.

Not so. MS updated Media Creation Tool to build boot media that will boot with revocations applied. I just test booted with both Win 10 and Win 11 boot media successfully.

/hijack

Megahertz · Sep 10, 2023

Oldun said:
So I got onto the computer without using the OS and deleted the C partition.

Now I have several different means of getting going again.

1. I have a bootable USB stick with a boot system for the Lenovo created in Macrium Reflect.
2 I have a bootable USB stick with Windows 10 Pro
3. I have a bootable USB stick with Lenovo's own Restore software
4. I also have a recent backup clone of drive C which I can rinstalllate.

If you only deleted the C: partition, the fix is quite simple.
As you have a recent backup clone of drive C: (partition image or entire drive image) you can boot from the Macrium rescue drive and restore only the C: partition.
As already mentioned, set BIOS as it was before you change it, insert the Macrium rescue drive and during POST press F12 to launch the boot menu. Select the rescue drive as UEFI and let it boot. Under Macrium Reflect, select as the source the C: partition image or entire drive image and as target the Lenovo drive. Drag and drop only the C: partition from the source to the space that was with the C: partition you deleted on the target.
It should boot .

glasskuter · Sep 10, 2023

Scott said:
Not so. MS updated Media Creation Tool to build boot media that will boot with revocations applied. I just test booted with both Win 10 and Win 11 boot media successfully.

Yes, you are definitely correct. The latest iso will boot with revocations applied but this user said he had Macrium media and Lenovo media which probably won't.
He stated he also has Pro install media, but he did not say it's version. If it is an old iso, it won't boot. That's why I asked so many questions since we can't assume what he has. If he currently has secure boot turned off, the issue of bootable media is moot anyway, at least it is for me. Secure boot is off in my machine and has been off since this revocation mess started..

TechnoMage2021 · Sep 10, 2023

The moral to this story is NEVER use any so-called Driver Update software.
finis

Dru2 · Sep 11, 2023

TechnoMage2021 said:
The moral to this story is NEVER use any so-called Driver Update software.
finis

I'll somewhat agree (desktops), although for laptops with vendor specific software as in Lenovo's Vantage, they DO work and work well. It's how my 2017 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga stays up to date - driver and BIOS wise. Zero issues.

With that, no one can account for an end user downloading and running questionable software...

Oldun said:
... until I downloaded a program to update drivers and then the whole system was taken over by some very invasive software that used a Chinese/Japanese(!) script for all its instructions. The computer was beyond my control.

TraderGary · Sep 11, 2023

@Dru2 @TechnoMage2021 Add to the good list both Dell SupportAssist and Dell Command | Update. These two Dell utilities have been invaluable over the years for my Dell XPS 15 laptops. Dell support engineers always keep them up to date.

jimbo45 · Sep 12, 2023

Query here about boot revocations and latest boot media.

Are these automatically enabled on latest isos if you create those from UUPDUMP. I use vhdx and dism /Apply-Image rather than the classical setup.exe so that could make a difference as the setup.exe may incorporate more customising stuff than just applying an image with dism.

I've installed a few Windows builds using these and havent had any trouble booting the install media either on a Windows host or in a VM on a Linux host. So from what I can see if there's no encryption enabled (why would you want encryption on a home / private computer anyway - just store important stuff either in the cloud or off the computer) or bit locker stuff so running this thing is just transparent to "standard users".

Sometimes there's just TOO much security paranoia on basic computers - and it starts getting seriously bonkers -- for example why on earth require TPM's (although get aroundable) which is hardware from about 10 years old - a geological era ago in terms of modern computing both in hardware and software terms.

Any half baked mickey mouse OS should be able to protect itself reasonably securely unseen by the normal user who should only have to make simple changes if any for specific security customisation.

Some of the nonsenses that current 3rd party security software goes through are just mind boggling. WD for home computers is basically good enough but even then Windows makes it more complex than it should be in running or even finding all the options :

One should really go through a basic set of "wizard" queries to set it up. After all Ms has a great way of asking simple questions -- those silly security questions on password retrieval for example are just so lame that I can't even laugh at them any more.

cheers
jimbo

reece · Sep 12, 2023

Just to summarize @jimbo45 post: it's all rubbish, absolute rubbish, just rubbish

jimbo45 · Sep 13, 2023

reece said:
Just to summarize @jimbo45 post: it's all rubbish, absolute rubbish, just rubbish

What's rubbish --I can say definitely if there's too much security people just ignore it or get round it.

please explain what the rubbish is -- or have you never heard of constructive criticism. Maybe you can provide some sensible and salient points to support your argument but I somehow rather doubt it.

cheers
jimbo

Megahertz · Sep 13, 2023

reece said:
Just to summarize @jimbo45 post: it's all rubbish, absolute rubbish, just rubbis

@jimbo45 is free to express his opinion. Same for @reece. But why this aggressive attack?
This is a kind of post that don't contribute to the thread, to the forum or to anything at all.

reece · Sep 15, 2023

Gawd it's not an attack I actually liked @jimbo45 comments. Jeez I actually thumbed up his post. Guess only vets have any free speech here. Talk about elitism.

glasskuter · Sep 15, 2023

reece said:
Gawd it's not an attack I actually liked @jimbo45 comments. Jeez I actually thumbed up his post. Guess only vets have any free speech here. Talk about elitism.

Everyone calm down. It's nothing more than a misinterpretaion of how it was worded. @jimbo45 was only expressing his frustration about how MS has handled all the BS revocation stuff. Most here agree MS has made a mess of it. @reece followed up with a remark that I read to be done jokingly (He did include the "laughing so hard I'm crying" emoji and he did like Jimbo's remark.)
There is no personal attack nor is there any elitism.