Clean Windows Installation Problem

Question

I'm stumped. I have a 6-year old hp Notebook 17ak012cy with 8 GB RAM and a fast CPU. Recently, it became slower and slower to boot and finally it just froze at the hp Logo and now does not boot at all. The hhd passed S.M.A.R.T. but FAILED the Short Disk Self Test, so I replaced it with an identical new hhd. Both drives were receiving power and I could hear them spinning. I then planned to complete a clean install of Windows 10, which I have done many times before. However, I have not been successful.

I downloaded the Windows ISO via the Windows MCT and burned it to a bootable flash drive using Rufus. I have done this twice. First, burning the ISO to Partition Type GPT, File System Fat32, and setting the BIOS to disable Legacy and enable Secure Boot. When I boot from there, the hp logo appears and freezes.

I downloaded the Windows ISO via the Windows MCT a second time and burned it to a bootable flash drive using Rufus, this time with the Partition Type set to MBR, the file system NTFS, Legacy enabled and Secure Boot disabled. This only leads to a frozen Windows logo. In neither case is the Windows installation process initiated.

In both instances, the fan spins up dramatically, as though the CPU is stressed; then calms down at the frozen logos.

The BIOS uses InsydeH20 setup software, and it has limited configuration options.

I can boot successfully from a flash drive, using Ubuntu, Linux Lite, gParted and other Linux distributions without problem. I installed a new CMOS battery, re-seated the RAM, initiated a hard shut off and boot; all to no avail.

this is the flash drive that contains Ubuntu (bootable)

This is the flash drive that contains the Windows Installation files

This is the new intenral hhd where I hoped to install Windows 10

I believe the manual Windows installation process will set the size, partitions of the disk need for Windows. So what am I missing? Does the new hhd need to be mounted first? Can it be a MB or CPU problem? I have not found any Linux-based hardware testing tools that I otherwise could use via Ubuntu to test this hp machine hardware. Do such things exist? Can you help diagnosing my problem here, and offer any solutions. I have to believe it is a simple solution. Thnaks

Answer 1

Clean Windows Installation Problem: Update

Thanks for your detailed and excellent tutorials on clean installs of Windows for installation on a new Toshiba 1 TB hard drive.. I have followed them, but no luck so far. To update the steps I have taken since then:

• I followed your 'gold standard' Clean Install steps to the letter (I had already been familiar with this process before)
• I downloaded a new copy of Windows Installation iso via the MCT and burned it to a bootable USB flash drive with Rufus, settings Partition Type GPT and file system NTFS. I tested this drive on another computer and it DOES BOOT into the Windows Setup window (which I then quickly cancelled!)
• I also created a bootable Install DVD but have been unable to test it on another computer
• I set the hp BIOS settings to Disable Legacy, Disable Secure Boot and revert the BIOS to its default settings, which put the operating system boot manager as the 1st boot device in EUFI mode
• I used DISKPART to clean the new hard drive, and set (convert) the Partition Type as GPT and file system as NTFS.
• I ran several commands in Linux by booting the Ubuntu/Linux Live USB, with the following results:

                                    Fdisk -l                        cannot open /dev/sda (the new Toshiba hard drive): Permission denied. This may only mean this drive is not yet accessible in Linux (but may be so in Windows)

                                    Lsblk                           /dev/sda shows NO MOUNT POINT (again, this may be applicable only to Linux)

                                    Lsblk -a                       /dev/sda disk size 931 GB (the new Toshiba drive)

                                                                        /dev/sda1 NTFS partition size 878 GB (which I created on this drive)

                                    Lsblk -f                       /dev/sda1  NTFS file system

                                                                        SATA drive; AHCI mode

                                    Gdisk /dev/sda            Partition table scan:

                                                                                    MBR protected

                                                                                    BSD not present

                                                                                    APM not present

                                                                                    GPT present.  Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT

• In Windows command prompt (using a Windows Recovery Drive), using DISKPART command and found 'auto mount' is ENABLED

            These are the results which I try to install Windows now, on the target hp Laptop:

• Using the bootable flash drive, the screen briefly displays the message below several times for a second each, then returns to the hp Logo where it eventually freezes. The fan speeds up in likely response to experiencing a stress on the CPU to load the Disk  but when the hp Logo freezes eventually, the fan then naturally quiets down

• Using the bootable DVD, I get the familiar message that asks 'Press any key to boot from the DVD', and of course when I do, it reverts back to the hp Logo, frozen.
• I ran the Windows command MOUNTVOL, and got the following results:  

So, at this point am stumped, and have several questions:

1. Do you think this is a software, a settings, or a hardware problem?
2. Why is it I can boot easily using the bootable Ubuntu Live USB Flash Drive and the Windows Recovery USB Disk, but cannot boot into the bootable MCT Windows Installation USB Flash Drive, even though it boots into another computer? Do they take separate 'hardware paths' to boot?
3. Must the new Toshiba 1 TB hard drive be mounted (in Windows) first before the Windows Installation Files can be installed? I noticed an error message 'Cannot find a bootable device', but I'm not sure if this is because the hard drive is not mounted/recognized, or because no boot files are loaded onto it.

In the end, I may have to remove and connect this Toshiba drive to another computer, load Windows, and then return it. But I'd like to avoid that if at all possible. I look forward to your suggestions and recommendations going forward. And thanks for your detective work

Answer 2

Hi Joey. I'm Greg, 10 years awarded Windows MVP, specializing in Installation, Performance, Troubleshooting and Activation, here to help you.

The new internal drive shows it has an MBR using the Linux tool - I'd use Windows tools. But that's wrong, you want GPT format for a UEFI install. Normally you can change the format simply by deleting all partitions during install, this alone will change the format to GPT providing you've booted the media as a UEFI device. However I'll give you a command to run to force convert it just in case.

I will give you all possible steps to troubleshoot Windows installation failure that I've given to thousands of others in this situation and which work in about 90% of cases. If not we'll go from there:

Follow the gold standard Clean Install steps in this tutorial which compiles the best possible install that will stay that way as long as you stick with the tools and methods given: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

I am the author of this Clean Install tutorial which has been used by millions of consumers in Windows 7 and 10, and helped popularize Clean Installs with consumers over the past decade. In addition I've helped troubleshoot tens of thousands of cases of install failure and never had one fail to get installed if there is close cooperation. So let's get started:

Make sure all other drives and peripherals are unplugged. Update the BIOS or UEFI firmware to latest, or reset to Defaults, making sure (if you have it) UEFI is enabled, CSM or Legacy BIOS disabled, Windows Boot Manager set first to boot, if necessary disable Secure and Fast Boot until after install, set SATA controller to AHCI, Save changes and Exit. Access BIOS/UEFI Setup as shown here: https://www.mydigitallife.net/comprehensive-lis... https://www.groovypost.com/howto/reset-pc-bios-...

Create the latest Windows 10 Installation Media by installing Media Creation Tool and following the directions here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/m....

If you're using another PC to do this uncheck the box for Recommended Settings to choose the exact version and bit rate for the target PC only. Insert media, boot it by powering up PC while pressing the BIOS Boot Menu Key: https://www.sysnative.com/forums/hardware-tutor...

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. If you can start Windows enter UEFI firmware here: http://www.isunshare.com/windows-password/four-...

The media may also be bad, so confirm it boots and queues up per these steps in another PC, or else recreate it. You can also try a DVD, or the alternate download site from MS TechBench here: https://tb.rg-adguard.net/public.php. Burn to DVD using WIndows Image Burner or create bootable flash using one of the options here: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2376-create...

Choose the boot device as a UEFI device if offered, on first screen press Shift + F10 to open a Command Prompt, type the following commands, each followed by Enter key:

DISKPART

LIST DISK

SEL DIS # (replace # with the disk # of the Windows disk from list in previous command)

CLEAN

CONVERT GPT

EXIT

Close Command Box, on second screen choose Install Now, then Custom Install, then at the drive selection screen choose Unallocated Space, click Next to let it create needed partitions and start install - this makes it foolproof.

Make sure to follow the setup steps in the first link tutorial to complete your install. Drivers are important enough that those steps are printed in red. If installation stalls or won't complete, try disconnecting from the internet. You will get and keep the best possible install to the exact extent you stick with the steps, tools and methods in the first linked tutorial. It's a better install than any amount of money could buy and a great learning experience that will make you the master of your PC.

Failures and errors during the Setup phase can often be overcome by disconnecting from the internet, e.g. unplug router.

If all else fails you can move the hard drive to another PC to do the install with it plugged in alone. Windows 10 is remarkably adaptive to new hardware without needing adaptive restore. If it will start it will swap out all drivers requiring several restarts. You can also try applying a same-version System Image to the intact SSD/hard drive.

Please report back the results of each step so I know what else to suggest.

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