To summarize, the writer’s attempt to upgrade from Windows 10 1803 to 1903 resulted in their system partition being destroyed. Their computer won’t boot, and attempts to restore the system image on a second drive have failed. They’ve tried various solutions, but none of them have worked.
In addition, running diskpart list vol shows that the system partition has a RAW format. The writer is unsure if there is any way to recover the system partition or if they need to do a clean install of Windows and hope that their system image will restore properly.
2 Answers
Introduction
The Windows 10 1903 update has caused issues for some users, including the destruction of the system partition. This can be a frustrating and stressful experience, as it can render your computer unusable. In this blog post, we will discuss the potential causes of this issue, as well as some solutions that may help you recover your system partition.
Possible Causes of System Partition Destruction
There are several potential causes of system partition destruction, including hardware issues, software conflicts, and user error. One possible cause of system partition destruction is a faulty hard drive or SSD. If your system partition is stored on a failing drive, it may become corrupted or inaccessible. Similarly, if your system partition is stored on an SSD, it may suffer from wear and tear over time, which can cause data loss or corruption.
Another possible cause of system partition destruction is a software conflict or incompatibility. If your system partition contains incompatible software or drivers, it may become corrupted or inaccessible. Additionally, if your system partition is upgraded to a new version of Windows that is not compatible with your existing software, it may cause issues.
Lastly, user error can also be a factor in system partition destruction. If you accidentally delete or modify critical system files, it can cause your system partition to become corrupted or inaccessible. Similarly, if you attempt to install or upgrade software improperly, it can cause issues with your system partition.
Recovering Your System Partition
If your system partition has been destroyed, there are several things you can try to recover it. One option is to use a system image backup to restore your system partition to a previous state. If you have a recent system image backup, you can use it to restore your system partition to a working state. However, if your system partition has been completely destroyed, this may not be an option.
Another option is to use the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to repair your system partition. You can access WinRE by booting your computer from a Windows installation disc or USB drive. Once you are in WinRE, you can use the Command Prompt to run various commands to repair your system partition. For example, you can use the chkdsk command to check for and repair any file system errors on your system partition. You can also use the bootrec.exe command to repair the Master Boot Record (MBR) or Boot Configuration Data (BCD) on your system partition.
If these options do not work, you may need to reinstall Windows from scratch. This can be a time-consuming process, as you will need to reinstall all of your software and drivers. However, it may be the only option if your system partition is completely unrecoverable.
Preventing System Partition Destruction
To prevent system partition destruction in the future, there are several steps you can take. First, make sure to back up your system regularly. This can help you recover your system partition in the event of a failure or corruption. You can use built-in Windows tools like System Image Backup or third-party backup software to create regular backups of your system partition.
Second, make sure to keep your software and drivers up to date. This can help prevent software conflicts or incompatibilities that can cause issues with your system partition. You can use Windows Update or third-party software to keep your software and drivers up to date.
Lastly, be careful when installing or upgrading software. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully and avoid making any changes to critical system files or settings. If you are unsure about how to install or upgrade software, consult the software’s documentation or contact the manufacturer for assistance.
Conclusion
The destruction of a system partition can be a frustrating and stressful experience, but there are solutions available to help you recover your data. By understanding the potential causes of system partition destruction, as well as how to prevent it in the future, you can help protect your system and data. If you are experiencing issues with your system partition, try using a system image backup or WinRE to repair it. And remember to back up your system regularly, keep your software and drivers up to date, and be careful when installing or upgrading software.
That doesn’t look good! I think bootrec.exe /scanos is failing right now because of this description I found in the documentation:
/ScanOs This option scans all disks for installations that are compatible with Windows Vista or Windows 7. It also displays the entries that are currently not in the BCD store. Use this option when there are Windows Vista or Windows 7 installations that the Boot Manager menu does not list.
Although the documentation mentions Windows 7 and Vista, I believe bootrec is still a part of Windows 10, so I’m not too concerned about the differences.
Given that my installation partition now appears as RAW, I suspect that bootrec is not working because the partition is not in a format that bootrec can read.
My first step in this situation would be to create a bit-for-bit backup of the entire drive using a Linux live CD like Ubuntu, or any other similar tool, along with the utility dd. However, I would be extremely cautious when using dd since it’s just as easy to erase everything on the drive as it is to make a backup.
If you prefer not to take the risk of using dd, you can try using a tool like Clonezilla.
Once I have a backup in place, I would attempt to recover the NTFS partition using a utility like TestDisk. Although there are many options available, TestDisk is the one I would probably use.
Afterward, I would retry bootrec.exe /scanos to see if Microsoft’s normal tools can restore my system and get me back up and running.