Win 10 Anniversary fails to install

roving · 26 Aug 2016

My anniversary update failed near 80% complete showing: 0x80070017-0x2000c...failed in SAFE_OS phase...error APPLY_IMAGE operation. I suspect a hard drive problem as it makes noises. I have a new hard drive that I would like to replace the old one with. It is new (WD 1 TB WD10EZEX) and not formatted and has no OS on it, of course. How can I install the new drive and install Win 10 on it and then upgrade it to the Anniv Edition? I know how to physically put the drive in and remove the old, but don't know what to do after that. I have my original Win 10 Pro ISO on cd and a Macrium bootable rescue disk on cd to work with. What do you suggest?

SonicBlue · 26 Aug 2016

First I would run a diag on it, I see in your specs it's a HP so to do that.
Turn on the computer and immediately press the F2 key repeatedly, about once every second. If the HP PC Hardware Diagnostic UEFI screen is displayed, go to Testing using HP PC Hardware Diagnostics (UEFI).

TrustMe · 27 Aug 2016

Remember to backup all your personal files documents, pictures, music, and videos.

If you would like to upgrade your present OS, I suggest you try this fix, and then try the upgrade again. Read the comments below, one guy said you can not just copy and paste the commands. This fix was posted by torre, a member of our forum.

Windows 10 Build 10122 Upgrade Stuck or Failed with Error 0x8007057 - 0x20007 - Tech Journey

If that does not work, or if you just want to do a clean install on the new hard drive, the first thing I would do is open Device Manager. Click the little + sign next to every device. Next, get out your cell phone and take pictures of all the devices. After the clean install of Windows, if you have any Unknown Devices in Device Manager, just compare the pictures to the new Device Manager and see what's missing.

I would also suggest you go to HP's website and download the wifi and Ethernet drivers for your laptop. If Windows don't have a driver for them, at least you will be able to get on the Internet.

Here is a guide on how to download the new Windows 10 ISO (Anniversary Update). Just burn it to DVD or exract it to a USB flash drive and install Windows. It matters which ISO you download. Here in the U.S., it's probably just Windows 10, with no letter after it. You'll see what I'm talking about when you look through the guide. You also have to install the same version of Windows (Home or Pro) you have installed now. If you use the correct ISO, and install the right version, Windows will automatically activate once you go on the Internet.

Windows 10 ISO Download - Windows 10 Forums

The Win 10 iso will contain Home and Pro. If your laptop came with Windows 8 or 8.1, during the installation of Win10, it will look into the BIOS for your Win 8 key and automatically install the correct version. Windows will know to install Home or Pro from your Windows 8 key. If your laptop came with Home and you upgraded to Pro, use the method below during installation.

If your laptop came with Win 7, you have to tell Windows which version to install. You do that by inputting the generic Win 10 Home or Pro product key during installation. Here are the generic product keys.

On the screen where you input the product key, if you click Skip or Continue, sometimes on the next screen, it will give you a choice to install Home or Pro, but other times it did not. I always just input the generic key, it has never failed me.

Generic key to install Windows 10 RTM

EDIT
Don't worry about formatting or partitioning the new hard drive. Windows should automatically do that for you during installation.

roving · 27 Aug 2016

Many thanks for your attention and suggestions. My laptop upgraded without a problem. It is my desktop that has the squealing drive on startup. It was originally Vista, but has gotten every upgrade offered, and was running Win 10 for the past year. Then the drive started its noise, and now fails to install the Anniversary upgrade. I have mostly identical files on both computers as I travel 6 months with the laptop and prefer the faster desktop when home. My most critical stuff is on One Drive and backed up elsewhere. I will probably leave my old drive in the desktop case as it might be good to have it as sort of a backup, until it quits completely. I think I will proceed with the clean install on my new HD, so will follow your instructions on how to do this. I really appreciate both of you for your interest and time in helping me out. Hope I don't have to bother you again, but will ask if I need more help. Thanks, Roving

roving · 31 Aug 2016

SonicBlue said:

First I would run a diag on it, I see in your specs it's a HP so to do that.
Turn on the computer and immediately press the F2 key repeatedly, about once every second. If the HP PC Hardware Diagnostic UEFI screen is displayed, go to Testing using HP PC Hardware Diagnostics (UEFI).

Sorry I am late in replying. I ran the test suggested and it verified that the HD has problems just as I expected. Thanks for your help.

Sorry I am late in replying. I ran the test suggested and it verified that the HD has problems just as I expected. Thanks for your help.

deeaa · 01 Sep 2016

I have similar problems, a 2 month old clean installation of w10 fails to update completely. I have tried a couple dozen times and no go. Sometimes it gets to final update phase, I think the record was 80 something per cent after a couple of reboots, but most often it fails right at the first boot, and doesn't give any kind of errors. Just reboots back to w10.

This is extremely annoying since I just got the system built and up proper early this summer, and I have a LOT of settings in my audio programs and everything that took weeks to build and hone and I really hate the idea of having to start from scratch.