trying to install Win 10 after earlier installation failed

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

  1. Posts : 9
    PCLinuxOS right now--Win10 crashed!
       #1

    trying to install Win 10 after earlier installation failed


    Had Windows 10 working on a dual-boot disk with PCLOS. Something happened to Win 10 and it would not connect to
    the Ethernet anymore. Tried several times to "reset" it, finally gave up. Looked at disk with GParted and whole partition was empty! The original Win 10 was an upgrade from W7 thru W8 thru W8.1. There was no boot partition. After a lot of messing around, decided to create a boot partition (sda1) of 100MB (using GParted) , set a boot flag on it, the made an sda2 partion following that, and, because of the Linux partitions later in the disk, made a smaller partition after sda2 which GParted calls sda4. Formatted sda1,2,4 to ntfs. Booted system on disk made from iso download and told it to install from scratch, not trying to save anything (since GParted said there was nothing on the partition anyway). Inserted the Windows key code from the old win 10, without complaint. The install went thru all (most?) of the normal things, like asing if I want to make the LAN accessible, asking my name and a password, etc. For a while there was a panel with Cortina on it, now there is a panel with just 6 little icons on it, there is no mouse cursor, the screen shows a big windows with light rays streaming from it, and after a while it wall time out to a black screen. Should I just remove the disk and power down for a restart, or what? I would have thought that the thing would tell me to remove the disk and restart, but it doesn't.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,983
    Windows 10 x86 14383 Insider Pro and Core 10240
       #2

    I always distrust GParted on Windows partitions - for instance, you may need to repair Windows after resizing with GParted, and a few of the settings are inconsistent with NTFS. I'd use Minitool, Easeus or another Windows-based partition manager even for looking around messed up partitions.

    For a bootable Windows PE toolkit, you could try:

    Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums

    has a good set of tools on board - I prefer the Windows 8 version.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 9
    PCLinuxOS right now--Win10 crashed!
    Thread Starter
       #3

    [QUOTE=Fafhrd;615450]I always distrust GParted on Windows partitions - for instance, you may need to repair Windows after resizing with GParted, and a few of the settings are inconsistent with NTFS. [UNQUOTE]

    Thanx. I have downloaded both the 8.1 and 10 varieties, and I will try one--the 8.1 first, on your recommendation.
    However, I have used GParted in the past to shrink Windows partitions without any problems, and it does recognize
    NTFS and can format to that specification. It would certainly help if Windows were less unfriendly to _real_ repair,
    rather than the fake repair routines that are part of the system and 100% of the time fail to do anything useful at all.

    I'll post back if I have any luck, but I have basically consigned that machine to be Windows-free. I have already spent the
    better part of about three days trying to resuscitate the Windows 10 install on that machine with no success at all. The
    reinstall never terminates.

    --doug
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 1,983
    Windows 10 x86 14383 Insider Pro and Core 10240
       #4

    I am afraid that the partition(s) may be unrecoverable now anyway, but if any partition suddenly appears to be empty, there is usually a problem with the Master file table, and it may be recovered by a number of different tools like Easeus, Recuva, Spinrite and others, but once a disk has been messed about with there may be little chance to recover anything.

    With Windows 10 it is my experience that whereas upgrades from a prior Windows OS may install successfully, there may be a few machines that fail to clean-install Windows 10 afterwards (or in the first place.)

    If there are problems of this kind, you are probably wise to consider the machine as non-Windows only.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 3,367
    W10 Pro x64/W7 Ultimate x64 dual boot main - W11 Triple Boot Pending
       #5

    I think you are going about it the wrong way and this is where you are running into problems. The original Windows partition likely lost the PT information and became invisible. A partition recovery tool would be the first thought as far as finding out just what happened to make the primary simply vanish! Besides the free MiniTool partitioning program Fafhrd mentioned along with easeUS both also offer partition recovery programs. The Mini Tool version is found at Free partition recovery software - MiniTool Partition Wizard.

    As for GParted I have used that extensibly(on cd-r or flash drive if not in a live distro) over the years for both Linux and Windows install to rid the System Reserved partition as well as partitioning and formatting drives for both OSs. As for wanting a Windows Free system but still wanting to try 10 out you have the option of running 10 in a VMware Workstation 12 Player for Linux version of that software free of charge for home use leaving the physical drive to Linux distros. Or as the alternative wipe the drive clean and put a fresh NTFS primary on for 10 and run the distros in the Windows version of same.

    While the free programs for use in Windows already suggested are also effective but generally for in Windows use another bootable option for repair tools would be the Recovery Drive option found in the Backup & Recovery section of the Control Panel requiring a larger then 4gb flash drive 8gb or even 16gb preferred by some.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 9
    PCLinuxOS right now--Win10 crashed!
    Thread Starter
       #6

    I have given up. I am in the process of wiping the drives of Windows and Linux and I will try to install Windows on /dev/sda and
    Linux on /dev/sdb. I will format /dev/sda with ntfs and /dev/sdb with two partitions (for now) with ext4 and put pclos on the
    second drive, and set pclos grub to boot everything, assuming Windows actually does install. I will have to put 8.1 on first, because
    I'm not certain that the install key I have for Win10 is correct, altho I thought it was. If I can't install Windows I will give up on that
    machine. (I will expect Windows to make whatever partitions it wants on /dev/sda.)

    Thanx for you assistance and insight.

    --doug
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 1,983
    Windows 10 x86 14383 Insider Pro and Core 10240
       #7

    You would be better allowing Windows to manage the disk partitions.

    Install Linux and leave unallocated space for Windows.

    Boot from the Windows 10 setup disk and install to the unallocated space - windows will partition and format as it requires. Use the 8.1 product key for Windows 10 - if not accepted during setup, setup without entering a key and try to activate with the 8.1 key later. May require a telephone support call to activate.

    You may need to later boot from a Linux live disk and repair Grub 2 so that both Windows and Linux appear on the boot menu
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 13,895
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #8

    dougmack said:
    I will have to put 8.1 on first, because I'm not certain that the install key I have for Win10 is correct, altho I thought it was.
    If you get Win8.1 installed and Activated you can do the Free Upgrade to Win10 without having to enter a key, I've done more than a couple dozen Upgrades and not needed to enter the key, just Skip that particular thing. Depending upon the computer and version of Win8.1 [OEM or Retail, Home or Pro] you may or may not actually enter the key, some factory restore processes are called OEMAct or pre-activated, depends upon the brand and how they do it.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 9
    PCLinuxOS right now--Win10 crashed!
    Thread Starter
       #9

    I believe you are telling me not to make any partition at all for Windows, is that correct? I am in the process right now of using "Darik's
    Boot and Nuke" to wipe the disks. Then just try and isntall Windows on the first drive wtth no partition at all?

    --doug
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 1,983
    Windows 10 x86 14383 Insider Pro and Core 10240
       #10

    If you put a Linux installation on, you can limit how much space Windows will take. If the disk is empty, it will try to take it all, and you will have to shrink partitions to make room for Linux.

    IMO DBAN is overkill, but that's up to you :)

    Forgetting to read from the first post you have already had Windows 10 on the PC, it will not need activating if it has been activated already - the machine has a digital entitlement - so no key needed on installation.
      My Computers


 

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:56.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums