Windows 7 fails to start after updates installed.

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SuperCell

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 24, 2005
Messages
314
Briefly says "starting Windows", but then the screen flashes and displays "Windows failed to start".

If I select "start normally" the cycle just repeats and repeats and I never get to the log-in page.

Startup repair fails every time and can't fix the problem.

If I go into advanced boot options and use last good configuration, it will sometimes start. I then do a system restore and everything works fine again.

Problem is, when I shut down it starts applying updates again and then the problem resurfaces.

Does anyone know what could be going on?

MSI H81, Pentium G3258, R7 260X
 
Apparently the latest "cumulative update" has been causing problems for a small percentage of Windows 10 users.
I was able to restore it as you did, however I also decided to delay installation of the updates for now.
Seems to be the only fix I know of as of now....maybe someone else may chime in if they have further.
 
My wife's computer is having the same problem. It's a MSI Z97 PC Mate with Pentium G3258 running Windows 7. I ended up just installing a fresh Windows 7 on another drive, and since it's a fresh install she's migrating to Windows 10. Might as well.
 
try booting to last known config or restore to a previous version point.
 
jedigeorge said:
My wife's computer is having the same problem. It's a MSI Z97 PC Mate with Pentium G3258 running Windows 7. I ended up just installing a fresh Windows 7 on another drive, and since it's a fresh install she's migrating to Windows 10. Might as well.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I just did the same thing, except the upgrade to 10.

I've been holding off as I'm reluctant to give up 7. However, I do have multiple legit copies of 7, so maybe I will sacrifice one for the free upgrade to 10.
 
P.S. Boot up on a stick or disc, system restore, Windows Update and deselect half the updates and try again. If you figure out which update is causing problems let us know.
 
YeuEmMaiMai said:
try booting to last known config or restore to a previous version point.
Click to expand...

From the op

SuperCell said:
If I go into advanced boot options and use last good configuration, it will sometimes start. I then do a system restore and everything works fine again.

Problem is, when I shut down it starts applying updates again and then the problem resurfaces.
Click to expand...
 
It's probably KB3064209, it's an Intel microcode update and it breaks compatibility with the G3258.

If you disable 1 core in the BIOS you should be able to boot.

Then you can uninstall the bad update or delete/move mcupdate_GenuineIntel.dll in the System32 folder.

There also may be a BIOS update for the motherboard to fix compatibility but you may lose the ability to overclock the Pentium.
 
Turn off auto update, apply updates one at a time to find culprit. Hide update. Retry in 2 weeks.
 
SuperCell said:
Briefly says "starting Windows", but then the screen flashes and displays "Windows failed to start".

If I select "start normally" the cycle just repeats and repeats and I never get to the log-in page.

Startup repair fails every time and can't fix the problem.

If I go into advanced boot options and use last good configuration, it will sometimes start. I then do a system restore and everything works fine again.

Problem is, when I shut down it starts applying updates again and then the problem resurfaces.

Does anyone know what could be going on?

MSI H81, Pentium G3258, R7 260X
Click to expand...

This just happened to me 2 nights ago, with almost the same setup but a different video card. Exact same mobo and CPU. Ended up doing a backup restore image from a week prior. I did all of the updates EXCEPT the most recent updates from 2 days ago. PC has been fine since.

Something in the updates screwed up W7.
 
Aibohphobia said:
It's probably KB3064209, it's an Intel microcode update and it breaks compatibility with the G3258.

If you disable 1 core in the BIOS you should be able to boot.

Then you can uninstall the bad update or delete/move mcupdate_GenuineIntel.dll in the System32 folder.

There also may be a BIOS update for the motherboard to fix compatibility but you may lose the ability to overclock the Pentium.
Click to expand...

I can confirm this. When I tried Windows 10 from an ISO, it hung at the blue windows logo. When I tried an upgrade from 7 to ten, it failed and rolled back, with an error code. Searching google for that error code led me to a reddit thread that had that info. The BIOS update for my MSI Z97 PC Mate let me use Windows 7 again, as well as install Windows 10. Since it's my wife's work PC, it doesn't get overclocked anyway. Only bought it because at the time with Microcenter's bundle the G3258 was free and the PC Mate was about half off.
 
Aibohphobia said:
It's probably KB3064209, it's an Intel microcode update and it breaks compatibility with the G3258.

If you disable 1 core in the BIOS you should be able to boot.

Then you can uninstall the bad update or delete/move mcupdate_GenuineIntel.dll in the System32 folder.

There also may be a BIOS update for the motherboard to fix compatibility but you may lose the ability to overclock the Pentium.
Click to expand...

Yes, you were exactly right!

Disabled 1 core and it booted up. Found KB3064209, uninstalled it, restart, activated both cores, and now boots up fine.

Many thanks.
 
Apparently this is also a known issue with Windows 10 and anyone running a G3258. Tons of threads online about this.

Whereas with W7 you can simply uninstall the update, the code is apparently built in to W10 and many are reporting they can't even install the OS.

The only solution I am seeing so far is what Aibohphobia said about deleted or moving the mcupdate_GenuineIntel file in Windows 10. You have to initially install the OS with a core disabled.

Crazy stuff.
 
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