Can't install or update windows

Question

I have an old laptop (acer ferrari 4000), and even though I set boot priority in bios it just skips the dvd and boots up into windows. I can't update it because it is stuck in audit mode, but it says oobe error on every stage in oobe and can't complete it. Booting thru usb is not an option because the laptop doesn't support usb boot.

Answer 1

Did you work through all the steps in the Troubleshooting Install tutorial I gave you? These lead up to if necessary pulling the hard drive out and installing it alone in another PC to install Windows, then moving it back. Windows 10 is remarkably adaptive to different hardware without needing adaptive restore. If it will start it will swap out all drivers, requiring several restarts. You may need to run Startup Repair or in rare cases a Repair Install to work out kinks, but usually not.

If you are able to navigate at all in the BIOS Setup I would scour all of the settings to try to find USB boot, or if it's not to be found, try booting USB anyway. I haven't seen any PC that doesn't boot USB for 10 years. You also need to have the UEFI settings correct: UEFI enabled, CSM or Legacy BIOS disabled, Secure and Fast boot enabled, Windows Boot Manager set first to boot. If you cannot navigate these settings given how important they are to installing Windows, then try resetting the CMOS to see if you can salvage the PC: https://www.maketecheasier.com/how-to-reset-cmo...

The days are gone when we can ignore the BIOS. Modern UEFI BIOS should be fully interactive and all of the Settings understood just like a car. Installing to Legacy on a modern UEFI system is like buying a new car and disabling all of the safety and performance features. You not only need to know and use them, you need to master them.

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

Answer 2

Thing is, it detects the DVD and says to press any key to boot from cd/dvd, but after a few minutes it just gives up and boots into windows 10 that is already on it. I have tried with different DVDs, all do the same. I can't install windows 8.1 which I know works because I don't have a valid license key. The bios is impossible to find (if there is any bios update at all), so most likely it can't be updated.

Answer 3

Hello, I'm Greg, here to help you with this.

It sounds like the media is bad. Did you use only the Media Creation tool and burn a double-layer DVD using the Windows Image Burner which is offered after it's downloaded? http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/m...

If that doesn't work save the ISO file and burn with ImgBurn at 4x speed:

http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=Download (use Mirror 7)

Then follow these troubleshooting steps that overcome 90% of installation problems in thousands of installs they've been compiled since Windows 7:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

If a laptop is too old for USB boot it may not be able to run Windows 10. Did you comb through all the settings in BIOS? Does it have the latest BIOS? Some BIOS don't have USB boot, it just works when you plug in a bootable flash stick and look for it in the BIOS Boot menu.

Feel free to ask back any questions. Based on the detailed results you post back, I will have other suggestions if necessary.

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