Partition table problem with Windows update

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  1. Posts : 57
    Windows 10 home
       #1

    Partition table problem with Windows update


    I've been trying to upgrade (not a fresh install) a Gateway desktop from Win7 to Win10 for weeks now, but the stumbling block is that SP1 is required, but I don't have it. I've been told that I can upgrade without SP1 using a DVD with the win10 iso (from the media builder tool). However I tried that and it seems that this only works for a fresh install. When I try to do an upgrade it eventually fails for an unknown reason but likely due to SP1 missing. I don't know why microsoft thinks this service pack is so important if the OS is going to get overwritten anyway. Perhaps they wouldn't require SP1 if the knew how extraordinarily difficult it can be to get. After the SP1 update failed many times I ran a separate standalone version of the service pack that I downloaded but this too also failed. I also ran the windows update trouble shooter which said that it fixed some things and that the update should now work. However it fails the same as before (even after clearing the update cache). The error I get is "error 800F0A12". Really ... how informative! I think any other company would get laughed out of business which such an error message, and I couldn't find anywhere that Microsoft even says what this error message means. The consensus from the few threads on this error seem to indicate that it doesn't like something about my partition table. So if this is the case I thought I would include this information here:

    1.) 22GB Healthy Recovery Partition
    2.) 100 MB Healthy (System, Active, Primary)
    3.) Drive C: 909.41GB NTFS Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary)
    4.) Drive M: 2794.49GB NTFS Healthy (Primary Partition)

    Drive C contains the OS. No other operating system has ever been installed.

    One poster on this issue suggested that Drive C must be Active.
    So I marked it as Active which then rendered the computer unbootable.
    I had to go to another computer to create a boot repair disk which automatically fixed the problem (by marking the second partition Active again). I don't know how the repair disk knew to do this or why Drive C shouldn't be active ... but I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of partition tables.

    Does anyone have any idea what is wrong with the partition table (if anything).
    I only have a month left to take advantage of the win10 upgrade offer, and at this rate I may not be able to make it.

    Thanks
    ~Paul
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #2

    Your Windows 7 installation is too corrupted to upgrade to SP1 or Windows 10. Looks like it is time to start with a clean, fresh install...or just stay stuck with a corrupted OS that you can't upgrade.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 3,502
    Win_8.1-Pro, Win_10.1607-Pro, Mint_17.3
       #3

    There are a few things that MIGHT help

    Info on error code: Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) installation error: 0x800F0A12

    Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

    There shouldn't be any need to install Win7 SP1 ... but, your System Reserve size might cause Win10 update issues
    A Clean Win10 install makes the System Reserve 500 MB - you have 100 MB - that means the upgrade tries to find space elsewhere on the disk.

    I'd like to see your Disk Management.

    Step 1: Download this zip file (contains dmDskmgr-vd.mmc)


    Step 2: Double click dmDskmgr-vd.zip to open the compressed folder
    Double click dmDskmgr-vd.mmc to launch the custom Disk Management console

    You'll get an output similar to this:


    Press Alt+PrtScn to grab a snapshot of just the Disk Management window
    Open Paint and Ctrl+V to paste it, then save the image
    Attach the image to a new post.


    Option 2: Use Disk Management in the x-Menu (right click the Windows logo, select Disk Management)
    Select View > Bottom > Disk list
    Maximize the window and grab the screen shot.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #4

    Slartybart said:
    your System Reserve size might cause Win10 update issues
    A Clean Win10 install makes the System Reserve 500 MB - you have 100 MB - that means the upgrade tries to find space elsewhere on the disk.
    Really good point. I don't think that would keep Windows 7 SP1 from installing, but that will definitely be a Windows 10 upgrade killer.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 3,502
    Win_8.1-Pro, Win_10.1607-Pro, Mint_17.3
       #5

    NavyLCDR said:
    Really good point. I don't think that would keep Windows 7 SP1 from installing, but that will definitely be a Windows 10 upgrade killer.
    Two separate issues running into each other - the SP1 error seems indicate a corrupted boot, hence Repair three times.

    Won't know until pmennen tries it.

    I think the next step, after three Repairs should be to grow the SysRsv part and try the Win10 upgrade with a mounted ISO.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 57
    Windows 10 home
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Slartybart said:
    There shouldn't be any need to install Win7 SP1 ... but, your System Reserve size might cause Win10 update issues
    A Clean Win10 install makes the System Reserve 500 MB - you have 100 MB - that means the upgrade tries to find space elsewhere on the disk.
    I should have mentioned that I haven't tried a clean install. I agree that a clean install would be better, but I'm helping my father out with these problems and he doesn't want to reinstall his many applications again. (In which case I think he would be better off sticking with windows 7 ... but it is hard to tell a man what he wants). If a clean install is absolutely necessary, probably he will do it, but first I would like to understand why an upgrade install is not possible.

    We haven't yet tried the system repair (3 times) that you suggested, but we will do that if it still looks like this is the correct path to follow. Many thanks for your reply (as well as all the other replies).

    Slartybart said:
    I'd like to see your Disk Management.
    Ok thanks. I have attached it to this reply.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Partition table problem with Windows update-diskmngmnt.png  
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #7

    If it were my computer, this is how I would proceed:

    Install Macrium Reflect Free:
    Macrium Reflect Free


    Use that to make a backup image of the entire Disk 0 (which should contain 3 partitions) to your USB hard drive (Disk 1). Also either make the Macrium Reflect Free rescue disk (USB flash drive or CD/DVD), the program will prompt you to do it, or you can do it later under the menu options - or make Kyhi's Recovery drive on a USB flash drive or CD/DVD:
    Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums

    Install MiniTool Partition Wizard:
    Best Free Partition Manager for Windows | MiniTool Partition Free

    Use MiniTool Partition Wizard to shrink the C: drive (Windows 7) partition by 100 GB, remove the 100 GB from the front of the partition, not the back of it. Add 400 MB (not GB!) to the system partition making it 500 MB total in size. In the remaining empty space, create a primary, NTFS partition. Don't forget to click the Apply button in MiniTool.

    Capture the genuineticket.xml file from Windows 7 by doing the first 6 steps here:
    Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First - Windows 10 Forums

    Continue that tutorial but be sure to install Windows 10 to the new, blank, almost 100GB partition that you created.

    After you get Windows 10 running along with Windows 7 - try to figure out if you can fix the Windows 7 and upgrade it. Or figure out if you want to just copy over data files and re-install programs in the clean install of Windows 10. After you decide what you are going to do, you are going to have to delete one of the Windows installations because keeping both of them violates the End Users License Agreement. You would delete one of the Windows installations be using MiniTool Partition Wizard to delete the partition it is installed on and expanding the other Windows partition to fill the empty space.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 57
    Windows 10 home
    Thread Starter
       #8

    NavyLCDR said:
    If it were my computer, this is how I would proceed:
    After you get Windows 10 running along with Windows 7 - try to figure out if you can fix the Windows 7 and upgrade it.
    Why would fixing windows 7 be easier after getting windows 10 running in a new partition be any easier than just fixing it now?

    In general your suggested plan sounds good, although I'm actually helping him remotely (via teamviewer), so the repartitioning stuff I would have to talk him thru ... which could be somewhat challenging.

    It would be a bit more expensive, but it might be easier on me just send him a new computer, and migrate his applications and data over to it for him :)

    ~Paul
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 16,325
    W10Prox64
       #9

    Hi.
    Partitioning should be easy to do via Teamviewer. You would do everything, then reboot for the changes to be made. He wouldn't have to do anything. I've even done upgrade installs via Teamviewer, with no one on the other end.

    You could make a Macrium image of his C partition, then clean install W7 without the SP1, get the partitions right that way, then boot to the rescue media and drag the OS image over to the new C partition. All would be as it was, and hopefully the new partitions would take the SP1. You'd need a W7 disk without SP1 to do this. This would require a lot of work on his part though, and therefore not recommended.

    Just a thought - since we're getting close to crunch time, you could install a new HDD, clean install W10, use the W7 key to activate, and then pull it out and put the W7 drive back in. That way, you've got the digital entitlement for the system, and can take your time on what needs to be done for the migration. But, running 2 OSs off one key at the same time would violate the EULA.

    Personally, I have seen so many carry-over problems with W7 upgrades, I would recommend against it. A clean install of W10 is really the best way to go, IMO.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 16,325
    W10Prox64
       #10
      My Computer


 

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