Question:

What are the possible causes and solutions for a failed Windows 10 update that prevents the system from booting and prompts a BIOS reset? I encountered this issue when I attempted to update my Windows 10 computer to the latest version and had to reinstall Windows as a last resort. I have not experienced any similar problems before.

Answer:

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> Windows 10 updates are meant to improve the performance and security of your system, but sometimes they can also cause unexpected problems. One of the most serious issues that some users have reported is that their PC won’t boot after a BIOS update, and they are prompted to reset the BIOS settings. This can be a frustrating and scary situation, especially if you don’t have a backup of your important data. In this article, we will explain what are the possible causes and solutions for this issue, and how to prevent it from happening again. >
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What are the possible causes of a failed Windows 10 update that prevents the system from booting and prompts a BIOS reset?

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> A BIOS update is a process that updates the firmware of your motherboard, which is responsible for the basic input and output operations of your system. A BIOS update can improve the compatibility and stability of your hardware, but it can also introduce new bugs or conflicts. There are several reasons why a BIOS update can fail or prevent your system from booting, such as: >
> – An incompatible or corrupted BIOS version. Sometimes, the BIOS update that you download from the manufacturer’s website may not be compatible with your specific model or configuration, or it may be corrupted during the download or installation process. This can result in a verification error or a broken boot operation. > – An interrupted or incomplete BIOS update. If your system loses power, shuts down, or restarts during the BIOS update process, it can damage the BIOS and make it unusable. This can also happen if you force the system to shut down or restart manually, or if you encounter a system error or a blue screen of death (BSOD). > – Incorrect or faulty BIOS settings. Sometimes, the BIOS update may change some of the settings that are essential for the system to boot, such as the boot order, the SATA mode, the secure boot, or the fast boot. If these settings are not configured properly, your system may not recognize your boot drive or your operating system, and it may prompt you to reset the BIOS settings to the default values. > – A damaged or corrupted Windows operating system. In some cases, the BIOS update may not be the direct cause of the boot failure, but it may trigger or reveal an existing problem with your Windows operating system. For example, if your Windows files are corrupted, missing, or infected by malware, the BIOS update may make them inaccessible or incompatible, and prevent your system from booting normally. >
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What are the possible solutions for a failed Windows 10 update that prevents the system from booting and prompts a BIOS reset?

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> Depending on the cause and the severity of the issue, there are different solutions that you can try to fix a failed Windows 10 update that causes boot and BIOS issues. Here are some of the most common and effective ones: >
> – Reset the CMOS. The CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) is a small battery that stores the BIOS settings and the system clock. By resetting the CMOS, you can clear the BIOS settings and restore them to the default values. This can help you solve some of the BIOS configuration problems that prevent your system from booting. To reset the CMOS, you need to shut down your system completely, unplug the power cord, and remove the battery if it’s a laptop. Then, you need to open the case and locate the CMOS battery, which is usually a round silver coin-like battery on the motherboard. You need to carefully remove the battery and wait for a few minutes, then put it back in place. Alternatively, you can also reset the CMOS by removing and reconnecting the jumper pins on the motherboard, if your system has them. After resetting the CMOS, you need to power on your system and set the correct BIOS time and date, and check if your system can boot normally. > – Boot into Safe Mode. Safe Mode is a diagnostic mode of Windows that loads only the essential drivers and services, and disables any third-party software or hardware that may interfere with the system. Booting into Safe Mode can help you troubleshoot and fix some of the Windows problems that prevent your system from booting normally. To boot into Safe Mode, you need to have a bootable Windows installation media, such as a USB flash drive or a DVD. You need to plug in or insert the media and restart your system. Then, you need to access the boot menu by pressing the F8 key or another key depending on your system, and select the bootable media as the first option. This will start the Windows setup process, where you need to select your language and preferences, and click on Next. Then, you need to click on Repair your computer, and select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart. This will reboot your system and show you a list of startup options, where you need to press the 4, 5, or 6 key to boot into Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, or Safe Mode with Command Prompt, respectively. Once you are in Safe Mode, you can try to uninstall any recent updates, drivers, or software that may have caused the issue, or run a system scan or a system restore to fix any Windows errors or corruption. > – Tweak the BIOS settings. If resetting the CMOS or booting into Safe Mode does not help, you may need to tweak some of the BIOS settings manually to make your system bootable. To access the BIOS settings, you need to restart your system and press the F2, F10, F12, Del, or another key depending on your system, before the Windows logo appears. This will open the BIOS setup utility, where you can navigate using the arrow keys and the Enter key. Some of the BIOS settings that you may need to check or change are: > – The boot order. This is the order in which the BIOS looks for a bootable device, such as a hard drive, a CD-ROM, or a USB drive. You need to make sure that your boot drive, which contains your Windows operating system, is the first option in the boot order. If it is not, you need to move it up using the + or – keys, or drag and drop it using the mouse, depending on your BIOS interface. Then, you need to save and exit the BIOS settings, and check if your system can boot normally. > – The SATA mode. This is the mode in which the BIOS communicates with the SATA devices, such as your hard drive or your SSD. There are two main SATA modes: AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) and RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks). AHCI is the standard mode that supports most of the SATA features, such as hot swapping and native command queuing. RAID is a mode that allows you to combine multiple SATA devices into one logical unit, to improve the performance, reliability, or capacity of your system. You need to make sure that the SATA mode in your BIOS matches the SATA mode that your Windows operating system was installed with. If you change the SATA mode after installing Windows, it may cause a boot failure or a BSOD. If you are not sure which SATA mode you have, you can try switching between AHCI and RAID, and see which one works. Then, you need to save and exit the BIOS settings, and check if your system can boot normally. > – The secure boot and the fast boot. These are two features that are designed to improve the security and the speed of your system, but they can also cause some boot problems. Secure boot is a feature that prevents unauthorized software or malware from loading during the boot process, by verifying the digital signature of the boot loader. Fast boot is a feature that reduces the boot time by skipping some of the hardware initialization steps and resuming from a hibernation file. However, these features may not be compatible with some of the older or non-standard hardware or software, and they may prevent your system from booting normally. If you have any boot issues, you can try disabling the secure boot and the fast boot in your BIOS settings, and see if that helps. Then, you need to save and exit the BIOS settings, and check if your system can boot normally. > – Reflash the BIOS. If none of the above solutions work, you may need to reflash the BIOS, which means to reinstall the BIOS firmware on your motherboard. This can help you fix any corruption or damage that may have occurred during the BIOS update process, and restore the functionality of your system. However, reflashing the BIOS is a risky and complex procedure, and it should be done only as a last resort, and only by experienced users. If you are not familiar with the process, you may want to seek professional help, or contact your manufacturer’s support. To reflash the BIOS, you need to have a working computer, a USB flash drive, and the correct BIOS file for your motherboard model. You need to download the BIOS file from the manufacturer’s website, and copy it to the USB flash drive. Then, you need to insert the USB flash drive into your non-booting system, and power it on. You need to access the BIOS settings, and look for an option that says Flash BIOS, Update BIOS, or something similar. You need to select that option, and follow the on-screen instructions to locate and load the BIOS file from the USB flash drive. The BIOS flashing process will start, and you need to wait until it is completed. Do not interrupt the process, or turn off your system, or remove the USB flash drive, until the process is finished. Once the BIOS flashing is done, your system will restart automatically, and you need to check if.