My ASUS TUF F15 HN116W stopped booting normally after I force-shut it down and now repeatedly enters Windows 11 Automatic Repair with SrtTrail.txt errors. I have already run CHKDSK, Startup Repair, System Restore checks, update removal, online and offline SFC, and several DISM commands. SFC repaired some corrupted files, but the system still would not boot. DISM reports that the component store is repairable, yet /RestoreHealth fails with error 0x800f0915 because the repair source cannot be found, while /RevertPendingActions fails with 0x800f082f. The package list contains several Install Pending and Uninstall Pending entries, including RollupFix 26100.9168.1.19. I also temporarily changed the BCD recovery settings, which caused a 0xC000021A loop, but I restored recoveryenabled and bootstatuspolicy to their original settings and can access WinRE again. The Windows image reports version 10.0.26200.8972. I do not currently have another computer or a USB drive. My priority is preserving my personal files and coding projects; reinstalling applications would be acceptable. Is there anything else worth checking before using Reset this PC with Keep my files, and is that the safest remaining option?
3 Answers
Reset this PC with Keep my files is a reasonable last resort when the repair environment can no longer fix the component store. It normally preserves files in the user folders but removes installed programs and resets many settings, so it is not a substitute for a backup. If WinRE lets you open Command Prompt, Notepad's File > Open dialog can sometimes be used to copy important documents and project folders to another drive before resetting. Also check for crash dumps in `C:WindowsMinidump` if you manage to boot Windows or Safe Mode; they could help diagnose the original BSOD, but they are not required to perform the reset.
Before running more repairs, verify the actual Windows partition letter in WinRE. The installed Windows volume is not always C: there; use `diskpart` followed by `list volume`, or check each drive with commands such as `dir C:` and `dir D:` until you find the Windows folder. Run CHKDSK, offline SFC, and DISM against that volume. For example, offline SFC would look like `sfc /scannow /offbootdir=D: /offwindir=D:Windows`, replacing D: with the correct letter. DISM image commands also need the correct `/Image:` path, and `/RevertPendingActions` should target the offline Windows installation.
The repeated pending-package errors and missing DISM repair source suggest the Windows installation is badly damaged. If you cannot provide DISM with matching installation media, there may not be much more that can be repaired from the current WinRE environment. A bootable installer or recovery source made from another computer would give you more options, but booting directly from installation media generally leads to a clean installation unless you can start setup from within a working Windows session. Cloud recovery may be another possibility if the laptop's recovery environment offers it, but back up important files first if you can.
I eventually had to reset the PC. I chose to keep my files, and my documents and projects were still there, although my applications and settings had to be restored.