Windows 11 > 10 Restore BSOD Boot Loop

[JackGeeza]

24 hours ago, I attempted to downgrade my Windows 11, back to 10. But my pc is stuck in a loop of;

 

• Showing "Restoring Your Previous Version of Windows..."
• then Bluescreening with a "System Service Exception - Nfts.sys Failed"
• The computer then restarts, and this cycle begins again.

 

I've left it doing this loop for the last 24 hours and nothing had changed. I can't access windows at all to get any of the diagnostics required for a BSOD post.

 

What I've already done to try and fix it:

• Booting into Automatic Repair. It cant repair my PC.
• Reset This PC, returns with "there was a problem resetting this PC"
• Running CHKDSK on my hardrives, no errors returned. Although my C & G drives have swapped letters.
• I can't change the startup settings, or boot using an ISO because it puts me back into the Restoring your previous version of Windows loop
• Apparently there are no System Restore points available 

I'm stumped, the last resort is starting with a completely fresh version of Windows. But, I really don't want to lose the data on this PC. Thanks in advance.

 

SPECS:

• OS - Windows 11 
• 64 bit
• OS originally installed from USB drive, licence attached to Microsoft account
• Age of system: ~4 years old
• Age of OS installation - have you re-installed the OS? I have not, although I have reset it once or twice
• CPU model: Intel 8600k
• Video Card model: GTX 1080
• MotherBoard - Gigabyte

 

 

 

 

 

[Light-Yagami]

1 hour ago, JackGeeza said:

24 hours ago, I attempted to downgrade my Windows 11, back to 10. But my pc is stuck in a loop of;

 

• Showing "Restoring Your Previous Version of Windows..."
• then Bluescreening with a "System Service Exception - Nfts.sys Failed"
• The computer then restarts, and this cycle begins again.

 

I've left it doing this loop for the last 24 hours and nothing had changed. I can't access windows at all to get any of the diagnostics required for a BSOD post.

 

What I've already done to try and fix it:

• Booting into Automatic Repair. It cant repair my PC.
• Reset This PC, returns with "there was a problem resetting this PC"
• Running CHKDSK on my hardrives, no errors returned. Although my C & G drives have swapped letters.
• I can't change the startup settings, or boot using an ISO because it puts me back into the Restoring your previous version of Windows loop
• Apparently there are no System Restore points available 

I'm stumped, the last resort is starting with a completely fresh version of Windows. But, I really don't want to lose the data on this PC. Thanks in advance.

 

SPECS:

• OS - Windows 11 
• 64 bit
• OS originally installed from USB drive, licence attached to Microsoft account
• Age of system: ~4 years old
• Age of OS installation - have you re-installed the OS? I have not, although I have reset it once or twice
• CPU model: Intel 8600k
• Video Card model: GTX 1080
• MotherBoard - Gigabyte

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you can't get it to reinstall windows and keep the data, take the drive to a data restore centre and let them fish it off for you. And install a clean image of windows. I had a similar issue where it would fail to update windows 10 after a certain point and boot loop until I restored previous stable instance. I just reinstalled from the disc and then it updated just fine. 

 

I hope you get it sorted. I ran out of patience with Windows a long time ago. If it starts spitting out errors and crashing on updates and what not.. I don't even bother anymore. It's clean reinstall immediately. Much better for my nerves. 

[Cyberat]

What purpose does this PC serve ?

If it's non-gaming, may I suggest Linux Mint Cinnamon ?

(you can get themes that change the app. bckgd. color)

Linux has equivalent apps. to professional ones in Windows, all Free.

It's just a different folder arrangement for the advanced user & different file formats of the system itself.

As for getting your files out first, run a Live OS and copy to your backup drive.