Solved Windows 11 update failed. Boot up loop

bimfi · May 16, 2026

Recently my PC automatically updated and failed, causing my boot process to continue to fail. I've tried all the youtube posts about rebooting, but still no luck. I used to be able to fix these problems, but recently my brain isn't cooperating. My BIOS/UEFI is by American Megatrends, but it won't allow me to boot from a USB flash drive. I downloaded windows media creation to make a windows ISO, but don't have any blank DVDs to burn it in yet. When I get them tomorrow I will make the iso disc. Aside from that, is there anything else I can do to get it up and running? I tried restoring to an earlier time, but the only restore points are the day of the update. If I can make the iso disc, should I run windows recovery? any bit of help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

NormanF · May 16, 2026

You'll have to do a clean install. A boot loop happens when a Windows installation or update fails.

allan · May 16, 2026

Moving forward, I strongly urge you to begin using disc imaging software on a regular basis.

bimfi · May 16, 2026

Just so I am sure, a windows reinstall will not delete any files on my C: drive except for the actual OS files, right?

bimfi · May 16, 2026

Thanks! I will definitely start using imaging software again.

glasskuter · May 16, 2026

bimfi said:
but don't have any blank DVDs to burn it in yet.

I hope you bought dual layer dvds because the iso won't fit on single layer one. Most people create install usb drives rather than using dvds.

bimfi · May 16, 2026

Yes, I bought double layer 8.5gb discs. I tried using USB but I couldn't find a configuration in UEFI for booting with USB.

Jorgen E · May 16, 2026

bimfi said:
Just so I am sure, a windows reinstall will not delete any files on my C: drive except for the actual OS files, right?

It will delete ALL a clean install !!
Only a repair install is able to save your personal files etc.

I see you have a desktop - consider removing all but systemdrive.

Fix issues by reinstalling the current version of Windows - Microsoft Support

Learn how to reinstall Windows using Windows Update.

support.microsoft.com

zbook · May 16, 2026

Consider the following steps:

1) Create a bootable Sea Tools flash drive:

SeaTools | Seagate US

SeaTools - Quick diagnostic tool that checks the health of your drive.

www.seagate.com

2) Run the Sea Tools Long generic test > take pictures > post images or share links

3) Create a bootable Windows 11 Media Creation Tool (MCT) / iso

Download Official Windows 11 ISO file from Microsoft

This tutorial will show you how to download an official Windows Server or Windows 11 64-bit or ARM64 ISO file from Microsoft. Microsoft provides ISO files for Windows Server and Windows 11 to download. You can use these ISO files to clean install or in-place upgrade Windows 11. The Flight Hub...

www.elevenforum.com

Download Windows 11

Create Windows 11 Bootable USB Installation Media

This tutorial will show you how to create a bootable USB flash drive used to install Windows 11 with UEFI support. You can use a Windows 11 installation USB flash drive to clean install, upgrade, reset, or repair Windows 11. The installation USB can also be used as a recovery drive to boot to...

www.elevenforum.com

4) Perform a Custom install:
( a custom install saves important files to Windows.old and installs a fresh version Windows)
(drivers and applications need to be reinstalled)

Custom Install Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to do a custom clean install of Windows 11 on your PC. When you perform a custom install of Windows 11, a clean install of Windows 11 is performed only on the same partition as the current installation of Windows to replace it. The previous installation is moved...

www.elevenforum.com

Restore Files from Windows.old Folder in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to manually restore files from the Windows.old folder in Windows 11. When you upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10, repair install Windows 11, custom install Windows 11, or update to a new version of Windows 11 (ex: Windows Update), a copy of the previous...

www.elevenforum.com

List of PC brands with their corresponding hot-keys

How to get to your Boot Menu or your BIOS settings? Use different hot-keys that go to these settings.

www.disk-image.com

Celery · May 17, 2026

bimfi said:
I tried using USB but I couldn't find a configuration in UEFI for booting with USB.

Manual boot order adjustments are not required to boot from a Windows installation USB; use the one-time boot menu instead (e.g. for desktop motherboards: ASRock F11, Asus F8, Gigabyte F12, MSI F11).

bimfi said:
I've tried all the youtube posts about rebooting, but still no luck. I used to be able to fix these problems, but recently my brain isn't cooperating.

Try the bcdboot command. It may fix the boot loop issue (though not always).

- Boot from a Windows 11 installation USB flash drive.
- When you reach the "Select setup option" screen, press Shift + F10 to open Command Prompt. On some laptops, you may need to press Shift + Fn + F10.
- Alternatively, click "Repair my PC" > "Next" > "Troubleshoot" > "Command Prompt".
- Run the following commands:

diskpart
list volume (find the EFI partition number)
select volume # (use the EFI partition number)
assign letter=z
list volume (find the Windows partition letter)
exit

bcdboot x:\windows /s z: /f uefi

- replace "x" with the Windows partition letter

The bcdboot command copies the required UEFI boot files from the Windows partition to the specified EFI partition and creates a new Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store on it.

dalchina · May 17, 2026

Recently my PC automatically updated and failed

Once you are back up and running, you should consider using a simple measure to prevent any unexpected update occurring, and give you a chance to review people's experience with it e.g. from comments under the relevant thread for that update in the News section.

You have Pro, so this is easy.

Use group policy (gpedit.msc) and set updates to Notfiy.

Then, when an update becomes available you are - yes- notified. Nothing is then downloaded until you approve it.

There are other options described in the tutorials, including when your PC is allowed to restart for an update, and of course, Active Hours. But using Notify is the most secure in requiring your approval.

===============================
Notes:
a. An in-place upgrade install is only possible if you can boot normally.
b. Considering a clean install, should you decide to do that: you will of course need first to back up or recover any data that is not already backed up.
When you clean install, you will delete all partitions comprising your existing O/S and install to unallocated space.
c. You should, as a matter of course, check your disk is ok. E.g. zbook's post (1,2).

bimfi · May 17, 2026

Thank you for the advice and steps to take. I will update when it is all completed.

Megahertz · May 17, 2026

Use the boot menu (F8 during POST on Asus MB) to select to boot from the Win 11 USB installation drive to recreate the Boor manager.
I would format the EFI partition before creating a new Boot manager.
To rebuild the Boot manager on the EFI partition:
- Insert the Win 11 USB installation drive on a USB port
- Start the computer and during POST, press F8 to launch the boot menu. You will see two options for the USB drive. USB UEFI (Name) and USB (Name). Select USB UEFI (Name) to boot as UEFI.
- Boot from a Win 11 installation drive and at the Windows Setup screen, press Shift+F10 simultaneously to open a command line prompt and type:
diskpart
list vol <- note which drive letter your Windows partition is assigned (it may not be C)
list disk <- note the disk number of the drive containing your EFI system partition
select disk # <- replace # with the drive identified above
list par <- note which partition is the EFI System partition
select part # <- replace # with the partition number identified above
format fs=FAT32 quick
assign letter=S
exit
bcdboot W:\Windows /s S: /f UEFI <- note change W: to the drive letter identified above
diskpart
select vol S
remove letter=S
exit

If it fails to boot the problem is with Windows OS
You probably have all your previous Windows under Windows.old folder.
There is a way to restore it, so don't do a clean install

glasskuter · May 17, 2026

Megahertz said:
You probably have all your previous Windows under Windows.old folder.
There is a way to restore it, so don't do a clean install

This is only true if the the system UPGRADED. If what broke the system was a monthly cumulative or security update, there will be no windows.old folder.
Even after an upgrade, the windows.old folder is automatically deleted after 10 days.

Megahertz · May 17, 2026

glasskuter said:
This is only true if the the system UPGRADED. If what broke the system was a monthly cumulative or security update, there will be no windows.old folder.
Even after an upgrade, the windows.old folder is automatically deleted after 10 days.

You're right.
What is also true is that if OP does a "clean install" WITHOUT cleaning the partitions and pointing to install on the windows partition (drive must have at least 30G of free space), it will create an new windows but the old one will be saved under windows.old so important user files could be transferred to the new Windows.

bimfi · May 17, 2026

I do have a question. I really don't want to lose some important files on my c: drive. I know I need to do a clean install, but is it possible to remove the c: drive from my PC, put it in an external drive docking station and open it up on my laptop? Then I could possibly locate and copy those files onto my laptop? Then, do a clean install on that c: drive?

glasskuter · May 17, 2026

Megahertz said:
What is also true is that if OP does a "clean install" WITHOUT cleaning the partitions

Fair enough as I've never custom installed windows. If I have a problem so severe that the OS has to be 100% rewritten I go whole hog.

bimfi said:
is it possible to remove the c: drive from my PC, put it in an external drive docking station and open it up on my laptop?

Yes, it is posssible to see the drive that way BUT BE AWARE you will not be able to open those files on another windows device or copy them. In order to access the files you will have to take ntfs permission of them FIRST.

Back when I was attempting to do just what you mentioned to recover files for other people, I got tired of dealing with permissions. My solution was to create a live linux distro usb (Mint Cinnamon or Ubuntu), booted from that usb and used live Linux to copy user files to an external drive.. Linux removes all permissions during the copy process.

bimfi · May 17, 2026

Okay, thanks! I will look into ubuntu. I've used it before but was not too adept at mastering it.

Does that apply to only c: drives, or any internal HD that I remove from my PC?

zbook · May 17, 2026

bimfi said:
I do have a question. I really don't want to lose some important files on my c: drive.

See post #9 to save files.

bimfi said:
I know I need to do a clean install,

A clean install is only required if a custom install fails.

glasskuter · May 17, 2026

Very important - I forgot to ask: IS THE DRIVE BITLOCKED? OR DEVICE ENCRYPTION ENABLED?This makes a big difference to how file recovery is handled..

To answer your last question, NTFS permissions apply to any drive or partition formatted with the NTFS file system, not just your C: drive.
IMO handling a situation like yours is far easier and straightforward (for me) than changing permission on the folder/files you are wanting to copy because I always keep a live Linux usb handy just for this purpose; whereas you have to go to the trouble of creating the usb.

I have another solution you can try but before I give it , answer the above question.

Solved Windows 11 update failed. Boot up loop

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