--- title: "How To Fix Undoing Changes Made To Your Computer" canonical: "https://gadgetguides.org/how-to-fix-undoing-changes-made-to-your-computer/" author: "Arian" published: "2026-09-10T16:12:35+00:00" modified: "2026-09-10T16:12:35+00:00" language: "en-US" site: "Gadget Guides" description: "You boot up, watch the spinner, and the screen lands on \"Undoing changes made to your computer.\" It sits there for an hour. This guide shows you how to…" categories: "Help Guide" attribution: "Gadget Guides (https://gadgetguides.org/)" --- # How To Fix Undoing Changes Made To Your Computer You boot up, watch the spinner, and the screen lands on "Undoing changes made to your computer." It sits there for an hour. This guide shows you how to break that loop safely, whether your PC can reach the desktop or it's stuck in a boot cycle. In our research, the most common trigger is a Windows Update that failed partway through. Microsoft's rollback process takes 15 to 45 minutes on a healthy machine. Cross the hour mark, and the system is probably stuck. As of 2026, the fix depends on one thing: how far Windows can actually boot. ## Quick Answer To fix "Undoing changes made to your computer", reboot into Advanced Startup. Run Startup Repair first. If that fails, use System Restore. As a last resort, reset Windows and keep your personal files. Back up before you start. ![How To Fix Undoing Changes Made To Your Computer](https://gadgetguides.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/how-to-fix-undoing-changes-made-to-your-computer-mtvq73xl.webp) Image source: Bing (Web (fair-use with source credit)) ## Why It Happens Windows doesn't just drop update files onto your drive. It stages a full system state change, then restarts to apply it. If anything interrupts that transition, Windows flags the install as failed and starts rolling back. A bad driver, a corrupt catalog, or a failing SSD can all trip this. The biggest culprit is disk space. Microsoft's own specs say you need at least 10 GB free for a feature update. On smaller laptops, it's easy to fall below that. The update engine gets halfway through, then realizes it can't commit the changes. Third-party antivirus is the second most common trigger. It locks system files while Windows tries to replace them. That forces a rollback, and the rollback itself can hang if those same files stay locked. Power loss, forced shutdowns, and pending driver updates round out the usual suspects. Per Microsoft documentation, "undoing changes" is the update engine's safety net. When the net hangs, the system itself is usually hurt. That's why you need to repair things before you retry the update. If you see Event Viewer errors 0x80070070 or 0x80240034, they mean "not enough space" and "update component damaged." The full repair command reference lives in the [official DISM documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/dism-windows?view=windows-11). ## Before You Start: What to Know About Your Situation Before you run any commands, answer three questions. Can you boot to the desktop? Do you have a system restore point? Is your laptop plugged into the wall? Those answers decide which fix you use. ### Can You Reach the Desktop or Safe Mode? Try a normal boot. If Windows loads, move to Branch A below. If it spins on a black screen, force a restart once. Holding the power button for 5 seconds is safe here because the update isn't actively writing files anymore. If you never see the login screen, skip straight to Branch B. ### Do You Have a System Restore Point? System Restore is your best safety net. Open Control Panel, then System, then System Protection. Look for restore points from before the failed update. If one exists, you're in good shape. If not, recovery will take longer and you'll rely on DISM, SFC, or a full reset. ### Plug In and Back Up If this is a laptop, plug it into the wall. The rollback can easily run past an hour, and losing power during recovery can corrupt your user profile. Back up any files you can access to an external drive or a cloud folder. Do this even if you think you're fine. It costs ten minutes and saves hours. ![System Restore](https://gadgetguides.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/system-restore-mtvq75ht.webp) Image source: Web (Bing) / researchgate.net (Web image (fair-use with source credit)) ## The Main Decision Tree: Pick Your Path Your next step depends entirely on what still boots. We'll walk each branch in order. Start with the one that matches your current screen. ### Branch A: You Can Boot Normally or Into Safe Mode This is the easiest path. First, run the Windows Update Troubleshooter from Settings. If it finds nothing, open Command Prompt as administrator and clear the update cache. Run these commands one at a time: - `net stop wuauserv` - `net stop cryptSvc` - `net stop bits` - `ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old` - `ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old` - `net start wuauserv` - `net start cryptSvc` - `net start bits` Those commands reset the update download folders. After that, run `DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth` first, then `sfc /scannow`. DISM repairs the system image, and SFC fixes the file-level damage. Let both finish completely, then restart and try the update again. ### Branch B: You're Stuck in a Boot Loop or Can't Reach Desktop Boot into Advanced Startup by forcing the shutdown twice. Turn the PC on, and when the Windows logo appears, hold the power button until it cuts off. Do that twice. The third boot should drop you on the recovery screen. A Windows installation USB also works. From Advanced Startup, choose Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options. Run Startup Repair first. It's automatic and fixes the most common boot problems. If it doesn't work, run System Restore to a point from before the failed update. Both tools are guided, so no command line needed. ![Advanced Startup Options](https://gadgetguides.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/advanced-startup-options-mtvq75w7.webp) Image source: Bing (Web (fair-use with source credit)) ### Branch C: Safe Mode Won't Load Either This is the deep-end scenario. You'll need a bootable Windows USB drive. Boot from it, choose your language, then click "Repair your computer." That takes you to the same Advanced Startup menu. From there, open Command Prompt and remove the failed update manually with `wusa /uninstall /kb:KB_number`. Replace KB_number with the update number from your error history. If you don't know the KB number, run DISM and SFC from the recovery Command Prompt. Still stuck? Go back to the recovery menu and choose Reset This PC, then "Keep my files." As of 2026, that keeps personal files but removes installed apps. ## Mistakes to Avoid & Safety Rules One wrong move can turn a recoverable problem into a full data reset. Avoid these common errors. ### Don't Fight the Rollback Force-shutting down during an active update can corrupt system files. The rollback screen isn't frozen just because the progress bar moves slowly. Give it at least 30 minutes of uninterrupted time before you touch the power button. ### Don't Skip the Backup Even the "Keep my files" reset can fail when the system is corrupt. It usually preserves personal data, but not always. Back up anything important before you start recovery. The ten minutes you spend now can save your entire document folder later. ### Never Use Third-Party "Fixers" Search results are full of update repair tools that claim to solve this instantly. Many are malware in disguise. Stick with built-in Windows tools and Microsoft's own recovery environment. They're free, official, and work without risk. ### Run DISM Before SFC SFC can only fix files it can read. If the system image itself is corrupt, DISM needs to go first. Running `sfc /scannow` alone will usually fail. Follow the order: DISM, then SFC. ### Don't Ignore Error Codes Event Viewer tells you exactly what failed. Check it before you run random commands. If the log shows a space issue, clear disk space first. If it shows a locked file, disable your antivirus. Knowing the cause turns guesswork into a targeted fix. ### Know When to Stop There's a fine line between persistence and wasted effort. If you've been at this for two hours, or a branch hasn't worked after three tries, stop. Choose Reset This PC with "Keep my files." It takes under an hour and preserves your documents. That's the smarter move. It beats turning a single failed update into a full reinstall because you kept re-running the same commands. Know when to stop, and you'll be back on your desktop before you know it. ## Decision Guide: Which Fix to Try Based on Your Situation This table matches your symptoms to the right fix. Find your situation in the left column, then follow the recommended action. | If you see this… | Try this first… | If that fails… | | --- | --- | --- | | Boots to desktop but update fails | Clear update cache, run DISM then SFC | Run Windows Update Troubleshooter | | Black screen, never reaches login | Force shutdown twice, run Startup Repair | System Restore from Advanced Startup | | Stuck in boot loop after update | Boot from USB, run Startup Repair | Remove update via wusa command | | Safe Mode won't load | Boot from USB, run DISM from recovery | Reset This PC with Keep my files | | Error code 0x80070070 | Free up 10 GB disk space | Move files to external drive, try again | | Antivirus blocking update | Disable antivirus temporarily | Uninstall, run update, reinstall | ### When to Give Up If you've tried two branches and neither worked, stop. Reset This PC with "Keep my files" is the fastest path to a working machine. It keeps your photos, documents, and desktop files. It removes installed apps, but you can reinstall those later. ### What to Do If Nothing Works You need a clean install. Download the Windows Media Creation Tool from Microsoft's site. Create a bootable USB drive. Boot from it, choose "Custom install," and delete all partitions on the main drive. Windows will install fresh, and you'll have a clean system. This is the nuclear option. It takes about an hour. You'll lose everything on the drive, so back up first. But it fixes every problem, including damage that DISM and SFC can't touch. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How long should "undoing changes" take before I intervene? Give it 30 to 45 minutes. If the spinner doesn't move at all, wait another 15 minutes. After that, force a restart. If it loops back to the same screen, move to Branch B. ### Will I lose my files if I reset the PC? Reset This PC offers two options. "Keep my files" keeps personal documents and photos. "Remove everything" wipes the drive. As of 2026, the keep option is reliable, but back up first anyway. ### Can I prevent this from happening again? Keep 10 GB free on your boot drive. Run DISM and SFC once a month. Don't shut down during updates. Disable third-party antivirus before major updates. Those four habits prevent most failures. ### What does error code 0x80070070 mean? It means "not enough disk space." The update needs more room to stage and apply changes. Free up space by uninstalling apps or moving files to an external drive. Then retry the update. ### Do I need a Microsoft account to use recovery tools? No. All recovery tools work with a local account. You only need a Microsoft account if you choose the cloud download option during a reset. The local recovery tools are fully offline. ### Can I undo the "undoing changes" process? No. Once the rollback starts, you can't stop it or reverse it. If it hangs, you have to force a restart and use the recovery tools. The rollback itself is designed to protect your system.