If your Windows 10 to Windows 11 upgrade failed and the PC now boots straight to the blue repair screen every time, your files are usually still fine. If you can open Command Prompt from that screen and still see your files on C:, Windows just didn't finish the upgrade. Our fix is to roll back to Windows 10, make sure everything is healthy, update the BIOS and drivers, and then upgrade again from the Windows 11 ISO instead of through Windows Update.
Why it happens
Out-of-date BIOS and drivers aren't the only thing that can stop a Windows 11 upgrade, but they're the most common cause we see. Windows 11 depends more on the computer's firmware than Windows 10 did, so an old BIOS or an old storage or chipset driver can stop it mid-upgrade. Unless there's a hardware problem underneath, like a failing drive, the process below has worked for us most of the time.
Windows only keeps the rollback option for about 10 days after an upgrade, so don't sit on this one. If any step doesn't match what you're seeing, stop and call us. Guessing at this point is how files get lost.
Step 1: Get your files somewhere safe
Do this first. Rolling back usually keeps your files, but "usually" isn't good enough for family photos. You have two options.
Option A: a rescue USB from backup software (easiest if you have another computer)
Your PC won't boot, so you can't install backup software on it. Most backup programs can make a rescue USB on a working computer, and you start the broken PC from that.
- On a working computer, install a backup program that can make a rescue USB. Good choices are AOMEI Backupper Standard (free), EaseUS Todo Backup (free version), or Acronis True Image (paid).
- In the program, use the option to create rescue media (some call it bootable media or an emergency disk) and put it on a USB stick of 8 GB or more.
- Plug that stick into the broken PC, turn it on, and press the boot menu key. It's usually F12, F11, F9, or Esc, depending on the brand. Choose the USB stick.
- The backup program starts from the USB. Plug in an external drive and back up your files, or the whole C: drive, to it.
Option B: copy from the Command Prompt on the repair screen
No second computer? You can copy your files from the repair screen. It looks intimidating, but it's only a few commands.
- Plug in a USB or external drive with enough room for your files.
- On the repair screen, open Command Prompt (Advanced options, Troubleshoot, Advanced options, Command Prompt).
- Type
diskpart and press Enter, then list volume and Enter. Find your USB drive by its size and write down its letter, say E. Type exit and press Enter.
- Type
dir C:\Users and press Enter to see your user folder's name.
- Type
robocopy C:\Users\YOURNAME E:\Backup /E /R:1 /W:1, swapping in your folder name and drive letter, and press Enter.
- Wait for it to finish. A big photo library can take a while. Leave Command Prompt open for the next step.
Step 2: Roll back to Windows 10
- In Command Prompt, type
dir C:\Windows.old and press Enter. If it says "File Not Found," the rollback isn't available anymore. Stop and call us, because the fix gets more involved from here.
- Type
exit to close Command Prompt.
- Back on the repair screen, click Advanced options, then Troubleshoot, then Advanced options again.
- Click Uninstall Updates, then Uninstall latest feature update.
- Pick your account and type your password if it asks. If you normally sign in with a PIN, it wants your actual Microsoft account password here.
- Let it run. It may restart a couple of times. You should land back in Windows 10 with your files and programs where you left them.
Step 3: Repair Windows and check the drive's health
A failed upgrade can leave damaged system files behind, even after a successful rollback. Windows has two built-in tools to find and fix them. Run them in this order.
- Click Start, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator. Click Yes when it asks for permission.
- Type
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter. This checks Windows against a clean copy from Microsoft and repairs anything that doesn't match. It needs an internet connection and takes 10-20 minutes. It can look stuck at 20% or 62% for a while. That's normal, so let it keep going.
- When it says the restore operation completed, type
sfc /scannow and press Enter. This one uses the repaired copy to fix your actual system files. Give it another 10-15 minutes.
- Restart the computer when both are done.
If either tool says it found damage it couldn't repair, stop and give us a call.
Next, check the drive's hardware health. A drive that's on its way out will make the upgrade fail again no matter what else you fix.
- Click Start and open Microsoft Store.
- Search for CrystalDiskInfo and pick the one from Crystal Dew World. Click Get (or Install).
- Open it and look at the box near the top labeled Health Status.
- If your computer has more than one drive, there will be a tab for each one across the top. Check them all.
What the colors mean:
- Good (blue): the drive is healthy. Keep going.
- Caution (yellow): the drive is starting to wear out. Stop and call us before updating the BIOS or upgrading.
- Bad (red): the drive is failing. Stop, make sure your backup from Step 1 is safe, and call us. The drive needs to be replaced.
Step 4: Make a full backup
Now that Windows is running and healthy, take a complete backup to an external drive before you touch the BIOS. Good options:
- Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows (Free): backs up the whole computer, and can make a recovery USB so you can restore it even if it won't boot.
- AOMEI Backupper Standard: friendlier to use, and also free for home use.
- EaseUS Todo Backup: has a free version that covers this.
- Acronis True Image: paid, and a solid choice if you want ongoing backups.
Any of them means that if the next steps go wrong, you can put everything back exactly as it was. If you want backups that run on their own and get checked by someone, that's part of our backup and recovery service.
Step 5: Update your BIOS and drivers
This is the step that keeps the upgrade from failing again.
- Plug the computer into the wall. If it's a laptop, don't do this on battery.
- Click Start and look for your manufacturer's update program (list below).
- Open it, check for updates, and install everything it finds. The ones that matter most are anything labeled BIOS, firmware, chipset, graphics, or storage.
- If you can't find the program, go to the manufacturer's support website, enter the serial number from the sticker on the bottom or back of the computer, and download the latest BIOS and drivers from there.
- While the BIOS is updating, don't turn the computer off or unplug it. An interrupted BIOS update is one of the few things that can turn a working computer into a paperweight. Let it restart on its own.
- When that's done, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, install whatever's left, and restart.
Manufacturer update programs:
- Dell: SupportAssist or Dell Command Update
- HP: HP Support Assistant
- Lenovo: Lenovo Vantage
- ASUS: MyASUS
- Acer: Acer Care Center
Step 6: Make sure the PC can run Windows 11
Download Microsoft's free PC Health Check app and click Check now. If it says your PC doesn't meet the requirements, that's probably why the upgrade failed in the first place. Stop here and talk to us about your options before trying again.
Step 7: Upgrade again, using the ISO this time
Don't use the upgrade prompt in Windows Update. Download the full installer from Microsoft and run it yourself. It's more reliable, and if something goes wrong it gives you a clearer error.
- Go to microsoft.com/software-download/windows11.
- Scroll down to Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO), choose Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO), click Download, pick your language, and click 64-bit Download. It's about 5-6 GB.
- While it downloads, unplug any USB devices you don't need (printers, external drives, and so on), and make sure the C: drive has at least 30 GB free.
- Find the file in your Downloads folder, right-click it, and choose Mount. It shows up as a new drive.
- Open that drive and double-click setup.exe.
- When it asks about updates, click Change how Setup downloads updates and choose Not right now. You can install updates once you're on Windows 11.
- Accept the license. On the "Ready to install" screen, check that it says Keep personal files and apps, then click Install.
- It restarts several times. Leave it alone until you see the Windows 11 desktop.
Need a hand?
If you get stuck anywhere along the way, or you'd rather not do it yourself, call us at 520-304-8300. We do this repair all the time. For businesses, planning upgrades like this one is part of our managed IT service.
