windows-recovery

Quick fix: System Restore enforces a 24-hour minimum between restore points by default. Your “just created” restore point may have been auto-merged with an earlier one or skipped because it’s too close in time. Adjust via registry: set HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore\SystemRestorePointCreationFrequency = 0 (DWORD) to allow unlimited points. You created a System Restore point manually before … Read more

Quick fix: PNP_DETECTED_FATAL_ERROR after adding hardware means the USB hub or device’s driver enumeration triggered an unhandled exception in the Plug-and-Play manager. Disconnect the new hub, boot to Safe Mode, run verifier /reset to clear any debug verifier flags, and reconnect through a different USB port (preferably a direct one, not through a hub). You … Read more

Quick fix: “Keep my files” reset preserves data but removes all installed apps and resets settings. To see exactly which apps will go, before resetting, open Settings → System → Recovery → Reset this PC → Get started, pick “Keep my files,” then click View apps to be removed — Windows shows the full list … Read more

Quick fix: Open Terminal (Admin) and run dism /online /export-driver /destination:"D:\driver-backup". DISM copies every installed third-party driver (INFs, CABs, SYS files) to your specified folder. After reset, restore with pnputil /add-driver D:\driver-backup\*.inf /subdirs /install. You’re about to reset Windows 11 or do an in-place upgrade. Microsoft’s reset preserves Microsoft-supplied drivers but discards third-party ones — … Read more

Quick fix: Boot from a Windows 11 install USB, open Command Prompt from Repair your computer → Troubleshoot → Advanced options, and run bootrec /fixmbr, bootrec /fixboot, and bootrec /rebuildbcd. If fixboot reports access denied, run bcdboot C:\Windows /s S: /f UEFI using the actual EFI partition letter. Reset This PC starts cleanly, gets to … Read more

Quick fix: Reset This PC checks for pending Windows Updates before starting. If one is stuck partially-installed, Reset refuses to proceed. Clear it by running Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup, then wuauclt /resetauthorization /detectnow, and finally check Windows Update for the pending item — install or uninstall it before retrying Reset. You click Reset This PC, … Read more

Quick fix: Open System Properties (Win + R, sysdm.cpl) → System Protection tab → select C: → Configure. Increase Max Usage slider to 10-15% (typically 50+ GB). Larger shadow storage retains more restore points before auto-eviction. You create restore points manually. A week later they’re gone. System Restore says no restore points exist. Or you … Read more

Quick fix: Open System Properties (Win + R, sysdm.cpl) → System Protection tab → select C: → Configure. Slide Max Usage to 10-15%. On a 500 GB drive this gives 50+ GB for restore points — enough to retain weeks of history. Windows’ default System Protection allocation is small — about 1-3% of drive space, … Read more

Quick fix: Boot to Safe Mode (Settings → System → Recovery → Advanced startup → Restart → Troubleshoot → Startup Settings → F4). Once in Safe Mode, run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. The BSOD is usually corrupted system files; running these from Safe Mode lets them complete without competing services. Windows 11 … Read more

Quick fix: Open System Properties (Win + R, sysdm.cpl) → Advanced tab → Startup and Recovery → Settings. Under Write debugging information, choose Automatic memory dump or Small memory dump (256 KB). The dump file is created at C:\Windows\Minidump\ on next BSOD. Your PC BSODs occasionally. You want to identify the cause but Reliability Monitor … Read more