After installing August 2015 updates, Windows 10 endless loop - light blue BSOD "BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO" - that cannot be repaired, reverted, or reset

Question

I made a dumb decision and opted to accept Microsoft's offer to upgrade from Windows 8.1 Pro to Windows 10 "for free," which is only true if you don't consider your time or ability to start your PC worth money.

This all started after I did the following:

• Purchased a Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 laptop about 2.5 years ago preloaded with Windows 8
• Installed Windows 8.1 about 1.5 years ago
• Accepted an offer to upgrade to Windows 10 about one month ago
• Enabled automatic updates about one month ago
• Restarted after an automatic update was applied around August 10 2015
• Hard shut down after computer stopped responding for several hours during the update (I know this is bad, but there was no choice.)

From this point on, the following happens:

• Turn on PC (it's UEFI boot)
• See Lenovo logo
• See spinner appear below Lenovo logo
• See light blue screen of death - BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO - and accept offer to troubleshoot (Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. We'll restart it for you.)
• Restarts
• See Attempting to Repair message and Starting Repairs for about 15 to 20 seconds (This is with the LENOVO logo showing)
• Get the troubleshooting screen with all the icons (none work, as detailed below)

Here are the troubleshooting routes I have tried (every available route):

• Startup repair using the icon results in another reboot and back to endless loop
• Startup repair triggered by previous configuration icon
• Reset this PC doesn't work (cannot be reset at this time) - although I have only tried the "keep my files" option
• Revert to previous build (cannot revert, no further information)
• Previous configuration icon after attempting startup repair - can never go to the next option because it always asks for a reboot
• Command line - bootrec /fixmbr and bootrec /rebuild and the other common bootrec command - run instantly almost but nothing changes
• Command line - chkdsk and scandisk and sfc /scannow (sfc never runs)

I'm out of options I believe but with all these new troubleshooting options I feel like I want to try them before I do a complete wipe. Maybe that's stupid though and perhaps I should just bit the bullet and wipe it out.

Looking for any help I can get at this point.

Answer 1

I was just about to "bite the bullet" as @moab suggested and do a full reinstall. This is after trying quite a few things and seeing all of them fail, likely for the same reason looking back on it. I intended to, but in the end did not have to, reinstall Windows 10. Here are the key steps.

Note: I believe that at least some of my pain, and the particulars of these steps is integrally related to the manufacturer's "recovery partition" configuration. I have no evidence to prove this, and it's not even the right terminology, but if you can point out the problem with the terminology I think you know enough to know what I mean. Anyway, the point is that I think that the "repair' icons were opening things that were preloaded with the PC and therefore specific perhaps to Windows 8, the OS it came with - or at least were running off the same partition that was the problem. This is borderline superstition so take with a large grain of salt, but I don't think it is entirely meritless.

Create a bootable USB drive to reinstall Windows 10

• Download latest Rufus
• Download ISO of Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB
• Run Rufus
• Choose USB stick device
• Choose ISO
• (IMPORTANT FOR LENOVO or at least my Lenovo IdeaPad Y500) Chose "GPT" scheme (NOT the one that is supposedly compatible with both UEFI and MBR)
• Choose a volume label with a short name (WIN10)
• Choose FAT32 file system, NOT NTFS
• All others leave as default
• Start and wait and then pull out your stick

Open BIOS settings and reorder to boot from USB

• Shut down your PC
• Insert stick
• Start and vigorously press F12 on your keyboard
• Boot from the USB stick - it will be labeled according to the manufacturer of the stick

Restore from a system restore point

This was previously NOT WORKING until I actually ran it from outside the tools, ie FROM THE BOOT USB, that were on the OS partition. Once I did, it worked!!!!!1one

• Don't install
• Choose Repair this PC on bottom left
• Troubleshoot yada yada whatever icons you have to press to get to...
• System Restore Point icon
• Follow instructions

After I did this, it worked. The first boot was quite slow but subsequent boots have been terrific. I feel like I've just received a new lease on life.