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Windows 10 impossible to recover

Anonymous
2021-01-29T15:54:31+00:00

Hello,

I'm having nightmares with Windows 10 on an HP Compaq Elite 8300 SFF.

A few days ago, Windows 10 crashed and would not reboot. I've since tried a dozen processes to try to recover the boot, e.g.:

  • hardware checks: Memtest86, HDD validation
  • attempt to repair from USB rescue media: error code 0xc000000f
  • with rescue disk, attempt to restore system to 15/01/2021: error 0x8007025d
  • BOOTREC /FIXBOOT access denied
  • BOOTREC /REBUILDBCD no installation found
  • SFC: no issue found
  • bootrec /rebuildbcd ok, but afterwards still no installation found with bootrec /scanos
  • reinstall without deleting files: error
  • reinstall full: error because disk/partition is detected as MBR and requirement is GPT (how come Windows 10 was well installed before???)
  • from setup, remove partition from setup and attempt to recreate it: error 0xd0f82e20

Besides the non allocated space (1.8TB) there are still the 350 MB system partition and 2 partitions OEM at the end of the disk.

What should be done to be able to reinstall Windows 10? Already when I upgraded Windows 7, the computer would not reboot and I lost 2 or 3 days to manage to make it boot again... Seems the story is repeating again! I'm beginning to think that Windows 10 cost me much more time than a potential virus in Windows 7...

Regards,

Gauthier

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Install and upgrade

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Anonymous
2021-01-29T17:10:22+00:00

Hello,

This appens often when you try to install Windows 10 on an older machine that was set in the old MBR partition table.

To resolve the issue we are simply going to convert the disk from MBR to GPT.

Beware ! This manipulation will erase completely all the data from the selected disk.

To do that, after booting from your windows 10 support of installation don't touch anything and press SHIFT + F10.

A command prompt will appear :

type DISKPART

then LIST DISK,

after that type SELECT DISK X.

Replace X by the number that you see next to your disk (the one that you want to install Windows on).

type CLEAN

Wait until its finished

then CONVERT GPT

Wait until its finished

then type EXIT 2 times

You can now install go on with the installation and install Windows.

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-01-29T22:40:38+00:00

    Thanks for your quick reply. Unfortunately I had already tried this process, and the issue in step 4 is that the setup request me to select which version of Windows 10 Pro I have from list of dozen of versions which I do not understand...

    If your machine is a standard PC then you need to select Windows 10 Home.

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-01-29T20:50:24+00:00

    Thanks Alexis, at first I wanted to keep the system and hidden OEM partitions (no idea what these are used for), but I mourned them and followed your process. Let's hope Windows setup won't throw any other unexpected errors now!

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-01-29T20:46:44+00:00

    Thanks for your quick reply. Unfortunately I had already tried this process, and the issue in step 4 is that the setup request me to select which version of Windows 10 Pro I have from list of dozen of versions which I do not understand...

    PS: thanks also for the SHIFT+F10 shortcut, very handy!

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  4. Anonymous
    2021-01-29T15:59:57+00:00

    A fresh installation of Windows 10 is far superior to an upgrade from a previous version which has collected lots of flotsam and jetsam over the years. You can do this:

    1. Create a bootable installation disk from here:
      http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/media-creation-tool-install
    2. Boot the PC with this disk
    3. Follow the prompts
    4. When prompted, click "I do not have a product code". You won't need it.
    5. Re-install your applications
    6. Restore your data from your backup medium

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