MWB removal stops Win 10 restarting/booting..help

[plato]

I ran MWB and it told me I had some 3000 items of Malware/PUPS so I quarantined them. Told me I had to restart and that's where the trouble started. That's the second time something like this has happened. The first time it restarted and I found half my programs missing though I could access MWB to restore the quarantined files. So I got back to normal, uninstalled MWB and installed another Malware program. Thought I'd give MWB another go an re-installed. Now this time it wouldn't restart and I can't reboot. I've googled and done all the chkdsk C: /r /x and restore MasterBootRecord all to no avail. I'm using Win 10 and not liking all the trouble working in the Advanced Settings... have tried Fix/Repair Startup, Restore to previous version, it won't boot into Safe Mode. MWB has caused this issue so I'd like to know how I resolve it without losing everything on my computer. I've tried everything I can think of or google, with the exception of trying to boot from a USB but for some reason stupid Win 10 only offers a HDD option, don't know why. I'm sure I'm not the only one this has happened to so asking if there is a solution or is there a Command Prompt that will restore all the quarantined files to their original place?

[dcollins]

So just to be clear, the second time this happened, you ran a scan with Malwarebytes and it detected items. You quarantined those items, rebooted, and now you can't get back into Windows at all? What do you see on the screen?

[plato]

When it restarted it just spooled for ages and ages...nothing happened. After turning the computer off and on again all I see is the spool, nothing else.

[bdg2]

How long is ages and ages?

Is it possible you really did have loads of malware and it's just taking a long time to finish disinfecting?

[dcollins]

Can you please clarify what the "spool" is?

[plato]

It was on Restarting for around 30 minutes before I thought something was wrong and turned the computer off. What the spool is (seriously) it is a circle of dots that goes around and around - usually something happens after it but in my case it doesn't i.e. the computer won't boot. I can only presume that one of the files that MWB quarantined was a system file of something that has stopped windows from restarting.

[dcollins]

Thanks for the clarification. You said you can't boot into safe mode, does the same thing happen when you try to get into safe mode, or do you get a different issue?

[plato]

Sadly I can't go anywhere at the moment, can't reset computer even, have access to command prompt that's it....frustrating.

[Firefox]

13 hours ago, plato said:

Sadly I can't go anywhere at the moment, can't reset computer even, have access to command prompt that's it....frustrating.

If you can access the command prompt window they put this in the command prompt window and it should restart your computer...

C:\WINDOWS\system32\shutdown.exe -r -t 05

 

[plato]

Thanks. Yes I can restart the computer OK but it won't boot into Windows. I have done all the mbr fixes and the sfc/scannow etc., but it appears ( I think) that the windows system files or some of them have either been corrupted or removed/quarantined. I'm presently trying to repair windows via a usb drive as it wouldn't reset from the advanced win10 option...I'll get there...

[Telos]

@plato One way to get to Safe Mode from the administrator command prompt is to type BCDEDIT /SET {DEFAULT} BOOTMENUPOLICY LEGACY command and press Enter.

This command enables the legacy Advanced Boot Options menu that you can access by pressing the F8 key during the computer startup. From there ou can select Safe Mode.

To disable this, from the administrator command prompt type BCDEDIT /SET {DEFAULT} BOOTMENUPOLICY STANDARD command instead and press Enter.

Maybe once you're in Safe Mode, you can work on releasing quarantined items OR go to System Restore and select a restore point prior to your MBAM activity.

[plato]

OK, not sure if I am in the right place to do this. When I go into Advanced Options and go to the command prompt it opens in:

Administrator:X:\windows\system32\cmd.exe

However I think my computer boots from D:\windows\system32....(I don't know).

BCDEDIT /SET {DEFAULT} BOOTMENUPOLICY LEGACY

returns

The element data type specified is not recognized, or does not apply to the specified entry.

I was always hoping I could get into Safe mode and undo everything to see what happened.

 

[Telos]

30 minutes ago, plato said:

The element data type specified is not recognized, or does not apply to the specified entry.

You should enter the command while at :X:\windows\system32

(bcedit.exe should be at that location)

x:\windows\system32> bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy

IF you were using the command while logged into window, you would run from your OS drive letter,

The response should be "The operation completed successfully"

[plato]

OK yes I did get 'operation completed successfully. Then went to where I could restart and select Safe Mode. However, on selecting that the computer just keeps running with a blank screen i.e. it doesn't reboot into safe mode. If I turn it off and back on I'm just back to where I started with a small white spooling circle.

[Telos]

There should be another option on the screen by which you selected safe mode to repair Windows. I would use that. If that is unhelpful, I would hope that an MB staffer could suggest an alternative to get your system back up.

[plato]

Hey Telos, that was always my first option to be able to get into safe mode and unquarantine the mwb files and restore the recycle bin and reboot. Alas no I cannot even get into safe mode via the advanced options. I'm now looking at reinstalling windows. cheers

[AdvancedSetup]

Please see if one of these articles helps.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12415/windows-10-recovery-options

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2294-boot-advanced-startup-options-windows-10-a.html

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/system-restore-factory-reset-work-windows-10/

https://www.howtogeek.com/220986/how-to-use-all-of-windows-10’s-backup-and-recovery-tools/