Refusal to boot

I first tried to install Windows 10 to a new ssd in a system with a hard drive that already has windows 8.1 on it. After the install it booted to the flash drive that had the install on it again. I removed that and it failed to boot. I cannot select the ssd in the boot device menu so I choose the hard disk. Sometimes it gives a black screen with text, and other times it says windows needs to be repaired and lets me choose windows 8.1 or 10. I then tried to install windows 10 on the hard drive and now that won 't boot either. I've tried resetting the pc in windows recovery, and that doesn't work, nearly all of the features for repair your pc in the install media, but nothing. Now I'm going to put 8.1 back on the hard drive and try to upgrade from that and then clean install over the new install of windows 10 upgrade. Does anyone have any suggestions before I do that?

Although that sounds like the hard way, it might actually be the best way. Good luck.

The problem is that Windows 8.1 now does the same thing. It gets through its first installation part, tells me to remove the installation media, reboots, and then cannot boot back into windows to complete the installation.

Can you actually see the ssd at all?

Are you sure it is properly connected?

Can't quote remember how, but when you boot from installation usb, go to a command prompt and type

diskpart

list disk

This should show you if ssd is being seen.

The ssd definitely shows up in the bios and in diskpart. The hard drive I used before is having the same problem so I don't think it's an ssd issue.

I think that this tool will work;

Wizard - Restore Grub with Super Grub2 Disk