🧰What You'll Need Before We Start This Digital Exorcism:

• A working PC
• An empty USB drive (8GB+)
• Internet access
• Your patience (good luck)

🛠️Part 1: Create Windows Installation Media (You’ll Need This, Don’t Skip It)

Step 1: Get the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft

1. On a working computer, go to:
   Windows 10 Microsoft’s Download Page
   Windows 11 Microsoft’s Download Page
2. Click "Download tool now".
3. Run the Media Creation Tool, accept the terms:
   Then select: "Create installation media for another PC".
4. Select your language(your choice), edition(Windows 10), and architecture(64bit(or both)).
5. Select USB flash drive → Insert your USB drive → Choose it → Let it burn (figuratively).

Now you’ve got a bootable USB that can breathe life back into your trash-fire PC...🔥 🖥

⚰️Part 2: Boot from the USB and Access Recovery Tools

Step 1: Boot into BIOS/UEFI

1. Plug in the USB to your corrupt PC.
2. Power it on and press the BIOS/UEFI key repeatedly: Usually F2, F12, ESC, or DEL (depends on manufacturer).
3. Set the boot device to the USB drive.
4. Save and exit.
5. Boot into Windows Setup > Click "Repair your computer".

Step 2: Enter Windows Setup

1. Windows will load. Click Next on the first screen.
2. Click Repair your computer(bottom-left).

💥Boom — now you're in Recovery Mode!

🧹Part 3: Startup Repair (For When Windows Is Dramatic)

1. In Recovery Menu → Choose Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Repair
2. Choose your Windows installation.
3. Let Windows scan and try to repair itself. Windows will attempt to fix startup issues.
4. If it fails, move to Part 4.

If it works, you’re golden. If not? Keep reading... 👀

💀Part 4: Command Prompt Kung-Fu (Because GUI Is for Wimps)

Click Troubleshoot → Advanced Options → Command Prompt

Now you're in command-line land. Type these like a digital necromancer...

Step A: Run CHKDSK: Check Disk (Hard Drive Self-Therapy)

chkdsk C: /f /r /x

What this does:

• /f – Fixes errors
• /r – Finds bad sectors and recovers data
• /x – Forces the drive to dismount

📌 This can take hours. Don’t panic. Go do something unproductive while it works... ☕ 🍪

Step B: Run SFC: System File Checker (Your PC’s Internal Therapist)

sfc /scannow

Let it run until it says: No Integrity Violations were found. If it says different, move on to the next Step C...

If it says “Windows Resource Protection could not perform…” then run:

sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows

This digs deep and tries to replace corrupted system files!

Step C: Run DISM: Check Windows Image (The Big Gun 🔫)

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

If you're running this from a recovery USB, use:

DISM /Image:C:\ /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:D:\sources\install.wim

(Replace C: and D: with actual drive letters for your Windows partition and USB drive)

After you've run the above DISM command, run the SFC command(about x2) again, until it says the system is 100% or No Integrity Violations were found, or something close to that.
If not... keep on reading!🙄

The above steps actually fixed my Windows 10 system yesterday! 🥳 🤗 🤩

Related Articles...

• The Fight against Microsoft's Monopoly on browser Control.
• Embracing the Digital Age: Get Rid of That Paper Printer and Go Full Digital!
• Activating Windows Without a Key Using Power Shell: A Comprehensive Guide.
• How to run an application on Windows startup that also has administrator rights.

Won't hurt to also try the following, IF... all of the above was successful:

dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup

🧹 Main Purpose

• Removes outdated versions of Windows Update files.
• Frees up disk space in the C:\Windows\WinSxS directory.
• Helps improve system performance and reduces clutter.
• Does not remove needed files or affect currently installed updates.

🧨 Important Notes

• It’s safe to run and does not require a reboot.
• It may take a few minutes to complete.
• It won't remove updates needed for rollback unless used with /resetbase.

✅ Pro Tip (More Aggressive Clean)

To prevent rollback of any existing updates and make more space:

dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup /resetbase

⚠️ /resetbase

Makes all current updates permanent — you cannot uninstall them after this!

🐢Part 5: System Restore (If You Actually Set That Up, You Legend)

If restore points exist, go to:

1. Recovery Menu → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → System Restore
2. Choose a restore point before everything went to hell.
3. Let Windows rewind time... ⏪ 🕗

🔁Part 6: Reset This Dumpster Fire🔥 (Soft or Hard Reset Options)

Option A: Keep Your Files (Yay!)

Reset Windows but keep your stuff:

1. Troubleshoot → Reset this PC
2. Choose Keep my files
3. Let Windows reinstall itself without deleting your documents.

Option B: Remove Everything → Nuke Everything (Clean Slate) 💥💣

Full wipe and reinstall:

1. Troubleshoot → Reset this PC
2. Choose Remove everything
3. Follow the prompts. Poof💨, your system is reborn... 🖥🐣

💣Part 7: If Your Hard Drive Is Actually Dying (Like Physically Dying)💀

Run this in Command Prompt:

wmic diskdrive get status

• If it says "OK" — you’re fine.
• If it says anything else — that drive is toast! 🔥

If not "OK", use the following to run a full Diagnostic:

Tools to Diagnose with:

• CrystalDiskInfo – free, graphical tool
• HD Tune or HDDScan
• Or grab the manufacturer’s diagnostic tool (Seagate SeaTools, WD Data Lifeguard etc.)

What to Do If It’s Dead: Clone the drive or replace it with a new SSD.

• Clone the drive with Macrium Reflect or Clonezilla
• Replace it. SSDs are cheap(ish).
• Reinstall Windows using your bootable USB.

🔚 Final Notes (Now Take a Nap, You've Earned It)

• Always back up your stuff. This entire mess is avoidable with regular backups.
• If your drive is on life support, replace it before it takes your data with it.
• Keep your drivers and Windows updated so your system doesn’t flip out again.

☠️Bonus: Full List of Useful Command Line Cheats