how do I enable system protection to drive c in windows 10 from the command prompt

Type the following then hit Enter:

Rstrui.exe /offline:C:\windows=active

Hi Paul. I'm Greg, an installation specialist and 8 year Windows MVP, here to help you.

Unfortunately it's too late to create a System Restore point to roll back to a point before the problem began.

I will give you steps to access the Repair Mode to try all repairs to get Windows started, and if not to do the automated Reset or the superior Clean Install after rescuing your files. These steps don't cover possible hardware failure which might become apparent while performing the steps, so please report back as you go:

1. Use whichever method works in this link to access Advanced Startup Options: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2294-advanc.... Easiest may be to restart PC three times to trigger the Startup Options.
2. If none of the other methods work it may be necessary to Create Windows 10 Installation Media on another PC: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/m...

Insert media, boot it by powering up PC while pressing the BIOS Boot Menu Key: https://www.sysnative.com/forums/hardware-tutor...

Choose the boot device as a UEFI device if offered, then on second screen choose Repair Your Computer. If the media won't boot you may need to enter BIOS/UEFI Setup (pressing key given in chart in link above) to turn off Fast Boot or Fast Startup first.

3. In the Advanced Troubleshooting options try again to System Restore to a point before the problems began, Startup Repair, then if necessary from Startup Settings try to get into Safe Mode with Networking, or lastly Safe Mode.

If Startup Settings aren't available you can force Safe Mode from Command Prompt using the command to unhide F8 Advanced Startup Options here: https://www.digitalcitizen.life/4-ways-boot-saf.... Try Last Known Good Configuration and then Safe Mode with Networking.

4. From Safe Mode w/Networking work through the Windows 10 Install Integrity Checklist to make sure the install is set up correctly, optimized for best performance, and any needed repairs get donehttp://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki/windows_10-performance/windows-10-performance-and-install-integrity/75529fd4-fac7-4653-893a-dd8cd4b4db00: If it doesn’t fix Windows enough to start it normally, then try a Windows 10 Refresh: https://www.howtogeek.com/265054/how-to-easily-...

Update your drivers from the PC's Support Downloads web page. Compare the latest drivers with the ones presently installed in Device Manager reached by right clicking the Start Menu. Make sure you have the latest BIOS, Chipset, Display (Video), Sound, USB3, Bluetooth, Network and all other drivers, or else download and install the latest now.

5. If Safe Mode doesn’t work or help stabilize things then return to Advanced Troubleshoot options. Next try Command Prompt to run through Windows 10 Install Integrity Checklist (above link) repair commands including sfc /scannow, DISM, a full Disk Check, or return to Troubleshoot options to Reset Your Windows 10 PC.
6. Better yet do the vastly superior Clean Install Windows 10 following the steps in this link to delete all partitions down to Unallocated Space to get it cleanest: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...
7. There is a step to Rescue Files from the booted media Command Prompt first: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

These steps are excerpted from my tutorial that compiles everything possible for Troubleshooting Windows 10 Failure to Start: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki.... You can continue with the other steps there.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and let us know how it goes. I will keep working with you until it's resolved.

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Standard Disclaimer There are links to a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

We can provide media and a tutorial for you to reinstall Windows 8.1 on that PC. Do you know for sure it came with Windows 8.1 embedded with the key in the Bios?. You can run Produkey to see if it detects an OEM BIOS key.

but if you know for sure Windows 10 was upgraded on the PC as you were told to do, and it activated, then it has permanent digital entitlement to reinstall it as often as you want. There is no product key for this. As far as I know Windows 8 product keys will no longer work to activate free upgrade because that offer ended 3 years ago.

Thanks Greg.

as you can see, I answered Andre's response and got something.

To clarify, I wasn't trying to create a restore point I'm trying to restore to points that are there.

This problem started with the first update after running for 4 days at Ver 1803 Build 17134.1, update 2018-05 for KB4103721 on restart went into boot loop, forced auto repair and restored to build 17134.1, then every startup results in stop code.

Answers to your points so far:

1)Every startup now produces blue screen with stop code Critical_Process_Died and goes into automatic repair.

  Can't start in safe mode.

  Can't reset pc

  Can't go back to previous version

  Don't have a system image

  Restore points fail, see reply to Andre's suggestion

  Command prompt works:

      Did SFC /VerifyOnly, found Integrity violations

      Ran DskChk, no problems reported

2)Created USB, changed UEFI settings, tested usb media in Use a Device option,

   Cannot do Repair option,

   did NOT do Install. I have issues with Microsoft and Dell about Product Key, I can   

   I can elaborate if you wish.

3)some can't(s) mentioned in 1).

   will continue from here and update.

3b...

   followed the option 5, usb, repair, command prompt,

   x:\Sources>bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal

       operation completed successfully

       closed cmd prompt (exit)

       selected Continue

       pc restarted but not in safe mode, blue screen with stop code.

Startup settings are available but after clicking restart neither 4,5,6 get safemode

4. No safe mode
5. SFC /scannow ran 100% then said could not perform requested operation.

   SFC /Verifyonly found Integrity violations, said details in CBS.log

later....

5)

Thank you for your response Andre.

I saw and tried a variation of this instruction and the results are similar (but read on).

The instructions bring up a System Restore window that has no choices other

than "Next" (which is highlighted) or "Cancel". Next brings up a window showing my available restore points. In my case there are two; the oldest is May 4 (type = manual) which I created after my successful update to 1803 from 1709 build 16299.402, the second is May 8 (type = Critical Update), I assume this was created by update 2018-05 for KB4103721. It was that update that started my problems as it went into boot loop on restart and had to be forced into automatic repair, and was then able to restore the system using the first restore point. The only proof that I can see now that the restore worked is the top line of the command prompt that shows version 10.0.17134.1.

Now (with your instruction), selecting the May 8 restore point and selecting Next brings up a System Restore window asking to confirm disks to restore but has a yellow triangle with a warning "you must always restore the drive that contains windows". There are 6 choices, only one has status "Ready to restore" the drive has a check mark, OS (C) (System).

I highlight and click Next and get a screen to Confirm your restore point, clicking "Finish" asks if I want to continue and I click Yes.

In my first line I said results were similar, but your instruction allowed the restore to start and I'm pausing here until I see the results, it has been restoring files since I started the previous paragraph. approx time restore started 06:10 AM.

20 minutes into restore and I'm looking at a red circle with a white X in it, saying;

System restore did not complete successfully. Your computer's system files and settings were not changed.

Details:

System restore failed while restoring the registry from the restore point.

An unspecified error occurred during the system restore. (0x80070002)

You can try System Restore again and choose a different restore point. If you

continue to see this error, you can try an advanced recovery method.

Closing the restore window restarted the computer yielding my current situation, a blue screen with the sideways not-so-happy face, collecting data and showing "Critical_Process_Died" then into automatic repair.

I was hopeful for 20 minutes,

what to do next?

07:00 doing your instruction again and selecting first restore point.

07:25 EXACTLY same results, An unspecified error occurred during the system restore. (0x80070002) etc.

I will start following checklist provided by Greg