I own a Surface Pro 3 tablet and today installed a Windows Update that rendered my SDXC card slot useless. I decided that the best thing to do was to roll back the update to a restore point from the day before. This seemingly routine process has now bricked my computer since there’s nothing I can do to complete the restore or to revert back this morning’s post-windows update state.
Only did I encounter a failed restore did I realize that I had to change the AVAST settings so that a restore can be completely successfully. Unfortunately at this point, I cannot boot into Windows.
I’ve also tried the following unsucessfully:
boot into safe mode
refresh the PC to original settings (wipes out my installed apps but at least saves my critical documents)
automatic repair
Errors encountered:
"System Restore did not complete successfully. Your computer’s system files and settings were not changed.
Details:
System Restore could not access a file. This is probably because an anti-virus program is running on the computer. Temporarily disable your antivirus program and retry System Restore.
An unspecified error occurred during System Restore. (0x80070005)"
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When I run an automatic repair, I get:
“Windows 8 critical process died” blue screen.
When I start refresh:
It does its prepping and copying and then continues in a loop after that (I’ve let it run for 2 hours and it does not come out of the Surface logo screen with the spinning circle icon
PLEASE HELP! I wish I can just go into command prompt mode and UNINSTALL or DISABLE Avast so I can just rebuild the computer!
There’s no way for me to run the uninstall utility from command prompt or outside of Windows gui (unless there’s a way to do it). I can’t boot into SAFE MODE. I can’t get past the windows boot screen!
The removal tool is run in regular mode and it is then allowed to boot the system into safemode where the removal happens.
Once done, reboot your system.
I would first try disabling the Avast Self defense module (avast settings under troubleshooting uncheck "enable self-defense module)
Once disabled, try system restore again.
If you really tried that you would not get a message from system restore, because that is a factory restore.
If you have a backup of your documents, pictures or whatever you want to keep…
I would simply do a factory restore, it is the fastest way to get everything working again.
If you don’t have a backup,
and still want to do this you can boot from a Linux live cd, make the backup and then do a factory restore.
Eddy, Essex is perfectly capable of restoring the system back into a functional mode again with reinstalling/Refreshing Windows.
One could argue reinstalling would take longer then Essex methods.
(a fixlist only takes a minute or two to run, reboot and work again)
Insert the USB into the sick computer and start the computer. First ensuring that the system is set to boot from USB
Note: If you are not sure how to do that follow the instructions Here
Windows 8 screen shots
When you reboot you will see this.
Select the language on this screen and keyboard on the next
The notepad opens. Under File menu select Open.
Select “Computer” and find your flash drive letter and close the notepad.
In the command window type e:\frst64.exe and press Enter Note: Replace letter e with the drive letter of your flash drive.
The tool will start to run.
When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
