Before you begin
Recovery is a set of different tools, not a single “fix everything” button. Begin with the last successful startup and the most recent change: an app, driver, update or power interruption. If Windows opens, back up your files while you can. Include locally stored game saves, documents and anything outside your usual cloud folders.
Locate your BitLocker or Device Encryption recovery key on another device before changing startup settings. Keep it private. A recovery prompt does not mean the drive has been wiped, but without the key an encrypted drive may remain inaccessible. Work or school PCs should be handled with their administrator.
“Keep my files” is not a backup. A reset removes applications and changes settings, and a failed recovery or faulty drive can still put data at risk. Do not choose an erase option when you need files recovered first.
Work through the checks
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Enter recovery using the working interface
In Windows 11, open Settings → System → Recovery and use Advanced startup → Restart now. You can also hold Shift while selecting Restart from the power menu. If Windows already displays Automatic Repair, use its Advanced options. If none of these are accessible, a Microsoft installation USB can open recovery tools. Avoid repeatedly forcing shutdowns, especially during updates or a firmware update.
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Try the option suited to startup failure
For Windows that will not load, look for Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Repair. Read any result and record the message. This targets certain startup faults; it cannot reconnect a missing SSD or repair a broken power supply. If the failure started immediately after a Windows update, the recovery environment may offer an option to uninstall the recent update.
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Use Safe Mode to narrow the cause
Choose Startup Settings and restart, then select Safe Mode from the displayed list. This starts Windows with a limited set of services and drivers. If the fault disappears, compare recently installed drivers and startup software. It does not prove the hardware is healthy. Some sign-in methods and network connections are unavailable in Safe Mode, so have your account password available without sharing it with anyone.
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Consider System Restore
If an appropriate restore point exists from before the fault, use System Restore and review the affected programs. It rolls back system changes rather than acting as a personal-file backup. A restore point is not guaranteed to exist for yesterday. If a restore fails, save its error and try a different supported recovery route; do not take ownership of protected folders or delete their contents using an old online workaround.
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Understand reset choices
If lighter repairs fail, Reset this PC can reinstall Windows. “Keep my files” retains personal files by design but removes apps and resets settings; “Remove everything” is destructive. Cloud download and local reinstall are installation-source choices, not different backup guarantees. Read the final summary, including which drives are affected, before confirming. Stop if any part of the scope is unclear.
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Check the recovered installation
Allow the selected process to finish without interrupting it. After Windows starts, review updates, install the correct component drivers and confirm activation. Restore only the files you need, then install and test applications gradually. If the same crash returns before additional apps are installed, report that distinction. It is valuable evidence that another reset is unlikely to be the best next step.
What the results tell you
Works in Safe Mode
Investigate the differences in drivers and startup software. Safe Mode is a diagnostic comparison, not a permanent way to run games.
No restore points are offered
Use another recovery option. Windows cannot roll back to a point that was never created or no longer exists.
Recovery repeatedly fails or the drive disappears
Stop trying resets and check storage detection, power stability and your backup. Ask support before writing more data.
Common questions
Are System Restore and a full-PC snapshot identical?
No. Different Windows versions may offer additional recovery features with different effects on files. Read the exact option shown; do not assume every feature containing “restore” preserves personal data.
Will resetting fix every blue screen?
No. Failing hardware, unstable memory settings and cooling faults can remain after a clean installation. Use the symptom history to choose the next check.
What if I cannot find my recovery key?
Check the Microsoft account or organisation that manages the device using a trusted device. Microsoft and ElitePCS cannot recreate an unknown encryption key. Discuss data implications before erasing the drive.
When to contact ElitePCS
Contact us before a reset if you have no backup, the drive may be failing or the recovery screen is asking for something you do not recognise. Send the option names and error messages, with any keys covered.
Contact ElitePCS support. Include your order number, the exact symptom and the checks you have completed. Keep passwords, licence keys and recovery keys out of screenshots.
Technical references: Microsoft recovery options · Microsoft recovery tools. Reviewed 27 September 2026.