Restart loop after unsuccessful Windows 10 update

I know my Z64 is an old box but it's been fine as a tv streamer until now. I got a message the other evening that it needed to update Windows 10 security. In the past, updates have been unsuccessful but afterwards, it was rolled back to the previous version and i continued as before. This time, after booting up it shows the Minix screen, then i get a message that it is uninstalling updates but then it just goes into a loop and restarts again. I can't even get it into safe mode to try to solve the problem. Any ideas, please??
 
I know my Z64 is an old box but it's been fine as a tv streamer until now. I got a message the other evening that it needed to update Windows 10 security. In the past, updates have been unsuccessful but afterwards, it was rolled back to the previous version and i continued as before. This time, after booting up it shows the Minix screen, then i get a message that it is uninstalling updates but then it just goes into a loop and restarts again. I can't even get it into safe mode to try to solve the problem. Any ideas, please??

If applicable, you could try removing all peripherals & any type of external/additional storage to the eMMC just in case there's an IRQ conflict etc. See if that at least gets you booted. As you've noted, the Z64 is an older device so it's not inconceivable that this could happen but it's more than likely a deeper issue.

Give it a go.
 
If applicable, you could try removing all peripherals & any type of external/additional storage to the eMMC just in case there's an IRQ conflict etc. See if that at least gets you booted. As you've noted, the Z64 is an older device so it's not inconceivable that this could happen but it's more than likely a deeper issue.

Give it a go.

Thanks very much for responding but that didn't help. I should add that i tried attaching a physical keyboard to try to get into safe mode by pressing F8 repeatedly, unsuccessfully.
 
Thanks very much for responding but that didn't help. I should add that i tried attaching a physical keyboard to try to get into safe mode by pressing F8 repeatedly, unsuccessfully.

Can you still access the BIOS and/or double check the boot order while you're in there? (Spam delete key.)

OK, so this loop won't even stop at the Win recovery screen after 2 consecutive failed boot attempts? (Just let it continue to loop 2 or 3 times & see if Windows automatically gives you the recovery option.)

Did you create a Win 10 recovery USB flash drive? If yes, plug that in & give it a try.

If no & you're completely stuck, & you have access to another Win 10 system you may even be able to create one that'll work with the Z64 but there's no guarantees there depending on the differences between the 2 separate systems.

Give those a try for the meantime & hopefully more suggestions might be added.

Otherwise, you may be looking at a system wipe & a fresh reinstall of Windows but hold off on that option for now!!
 
I'm afraid the answer to everything is negative, and i don't have a Windows version to reload since it stopped updating at least a year or two ago. Thanks for trying to help.
 
I'm afraid the answer to everything is negative, and i don't have a Windows version to reload since it stopped updating at least a year or two ago. Thanks for trying to help.

You can download the official MINIX Win 10 image for the Z64 at the following link, (instructions included in the first post).

https://theminixforum.com/index.php?threads/neo-z64-w-windows-10-os-image.53/

The licence key is already hard coded into the BIOS so it's completely free ;)!!

Just follow the instructions & you'll at least be able to recover the device. Although, you will obviously lose all data currently on the device itself.

Strongly suggest creating a recovery USB flash drive for any Windows device at a minimum in the future. Better still, take a full system image every now & again should something like this happen so you can recover the device straight back to the previous image.
 
Hello I had the irq conflict too, I then repaired the file system, deactivated the virus protection, could not install the iso update from October, then did it online via win update, now it is running again.
 
Alao I've read that you can only always do the six-month successor update. It is no longer possible to skip a build in the system. Only if you reinstall, you can install Windows over the old installation partition, the new one then creates an extra folder win old on the c drive. For me it is so that you can no longer use it, but you still have access to your old user folder .. I think you do update to update, then you can still use the new install variant.
I think you have to have every update before the build is released. Unfortunately, it was the same for me. That was maddening.
But you can also flash a BIOS without losing the partitions then maybe win old c possible?
But you can also boot live with a Linux stick if F11 can still access all data?
Maybe this can help you further?
 
With linux live, you could make a backup of your things and upload them again. Flashing the bios has already happened to me. If you should come to the bios, reinstallation at microsoft via media creation tool download iso october 2020 build then the updates will be included until october
 
You can download the official MINIX Win 10 image for the Z64 at the following link, (instructions included in the first post).

https://theminixforum.com/index.php?threads/neo-z64-w-windows-10-os-image.53/

The licence key is already hard coded into the BIOS so it's completely free ;)!!

Just follow the instructions & you'll at least be able to recover the device. Although, you will obviously lose all data currently on the device itself.

Strongly suggest creating a recovery USB flash drive for any Windows device at a minimum in the future. Better still, take a full system image every now & again should something like this happen so you can recover the device straight back to the previous image.

Arctic Wolf, thank you so very much! I have spent a while downloading the file and before i try what is described in the instructions, is there anything i have to do to 'wipe' the old windows before installing the new?
 
No, i accessed the BIOS easily. I wonder why that worked but not safe mode

Corrupted system after the failed updates in all likelihood.

I asked about the BIOS before but you originally said negative to everything I asked, but at least we've now established that you can access that :).

Arctic Wolf, thank you so very much! I have spent a while downloading the file and before i try what is described in the instructions, is there anything i have to do to 'wipe' the old windows before installing the new?

Nope, the installation process will handle all that for you with a fresh install. Just follow the instructions as they're written :).
 
No, i accessed the BIOS easily. I wonder why that worked but not safe mode
Corrupted system after the failed updates in all likelihood.

I asked about the BIOS before but you originally said negative to everything I asked, but at least we've now established that you can access that :).



Nope, the installation process will handle all that for you with a fresh install. Just follow the instructions as they're written :).

AW, I've spent all day trying to get it to start the reinstall. I formatted two different sticks and followed the instructions but i couldn't get Minix to boot from the sticks. I saw the tutorial someone posted about this problem and used "rufus" to format bootable sticks. No luck. I am fed up but don't want to disappoint you! Any more ideas or should i just get a mibox?
 
In Bios, try clicking efi shell in boot.
Try to start from there. bootia32.efi search for the correct drive blk ...: with ls.
Via EFI \ BOOT \ bootia32. efi you can possibly start the stick
 
AW, I've spent all day trying to get it to start the reinstall. I formatted two different sticks and followed the instructions but i couldn't get Minix to boot from the sticks. I saw the tutorial someone posted about this problem and used "rufus" to format bootable sticks. No luck. I am fed up but don't want to disappoint you! Any more ideas or should i just get a mibox?
Try with Ventoy:
https://www.ventoy.net/en/index.html

Instructions:
1-put BIOS with default settings
2-download ventoy
3-download latest windows ISO 20H2 from microsoft:
use windows media creation tool (for example)
4-follow ventoy instructions
5-when the installation is successful (install drivers, if you need)
https://theminixforum.com/index.php?threads/neo-z64-w-all-drivers.79/

Some keys:
enter bios - del
boot menu key - f11
 
AW, I've spent all day trying to get it to start the reinstall. I formatted two different sticks and followed the instructions but i couldn't get Minix to boot from the sticks. I saw the tutorial someone posted about this problem and used "rufus" to format bootable sticks. No luck. I am fed up but don't want to disappoint you! Any more ideas or should i just get a mibox?

You're not disappointing me dude ;)!! It's you that we'd ideally like to get back up & running again :).

You definitely formatted the USB stick to NTFS & changed its name to WINPE before dropping the Windows files onto the stick, yes? (Sorry to question you on what seems like a simple procedure but others have missed this in the past who apparently knew what they were doing ;)!! I'm just checking, not being condescending :).)

Otherwise, certain USB sticks can sometimes work fine on one device but have issues on another! (I certainly have a couple that do this. One will work fine with Android but has never worked with Windows regardless, another is the opposite way around.)

Are all of your sticks the same brand and/or model?
 
This time, i can respond yes to everything. The sticks i used were both SanDisk but different models and capacities. That's why i have (almost) concluded the Minix is the weak link. Is it reasonable to say it's not too late to revive it?
 
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