A Patch Is Preventing the System from Starting on Windows 7

“A patch is preventing the system from starting” is one of the common errors you may encounter after installing operating system updates. System patching refers to the timely installation of software or operating system updates to fix potential vulnerabilities, improve performance, or introduce new features. Now, let’s see how to fix the issue.

Fix 1: Uninstall the Recently Update in Safe Mode

Since your PC can’t boot normally, you should boot it in Safe Mode. Then, uninstall the recently installed update. Here is how to do that:

Step 1: Restart your computer.

Step 2: Repeatedly press the F8 key until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.

Step 3: Then, choose Safe Mode with Networking.

Step 4: Go to Contro Panel > Programs > Programs and Features > View installed updates.

Step 5: Find and right-click the recent update to choose Uninstall.

Fix 2: Use CHKDK

If the issue persists, you may try the following steps:

Step 1: Type the following command with the partition driver letter and press Enter.

chkdsk/r c:

Step 2:  When you prompted by the Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by … Would you like to force a dismount on this volume? (Y/N) message, type Y and press Enter.

Fix 3: Rebuild BCD

Boot Configuration Data (BCD) is crucial for a successful system boot. If your Windows faces booting issues, try the following steps to fix it.

Step 1: Connect the bootable CD/DVD/USB flash drive you prepared to your computer. Then boot your computer from the bootable media.

Step 2: After language, time, and keyboard selection, choose Repair Your Computer.

Step 3: Select the OS to be repaired and click Next. Click Command Prompt.

Step 4: Input diskpart.exe and press Enter to run as administrator.

Step 5:Type the following commands one by one and press Enter after each one.

• bootrec /fixmbr
• bootrec /fixboot
• bootrec/rebuildbcd

Fix 4: Boot into Last Known Good Configuration

Last Known Good Configuration is a recovery option integrated into Windows 7. You can boot into it to fix a patch is preventing the system from starting on Windows 7.

Step 1: Restart your computer.

Step 2: Repeatedly press the F8 key until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.

Step 3: Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to select Last Known Good Configuration (advanced).

Suggestion: Back up Your System

After fixing the “a patch is preventing the system from starting” issue, you can back up the system in advance to prevent something bad from occurring again. Once the issue happens, you can directly restore your system to the previous normal state. Now, I will introduce a piece of free backup software for you – MiniTool ShadowMaker.

MiniTool ShadowMaker provides a one-click system backup solution. It supports backing up your system drive completely, including system partition, system reserved partition, and EFI system partition.

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Here are some useful solutions to fix the “a patch is preventing the system from starting” issue. Now, you can choose the proper way to fix this error. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us via [email protected].