"IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL" when trying to re-install Win10 Pro x86

Fafhrd said:

From an elevated cmd in Windows 10 on your main computer you just need to type

bcdboot D:\windows /s D:

Attachment 251546

When I booted up today, I had disconnected an external hard drive, so drive letters were assigned differently:

- D: is now the source of install.esd
- E: is now the Acer laptop HDD connected to my main computer via USB

Attachment 251594

I still get Operating System not found ​ when I transfer the Acer HDD back to the laptop and boot up.

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zbook said:

Find a camera or smartphone camera to take pictures and post images of commands and results into the thread.

Open windows RE command prompt > title bar: Administrator:X:\windows\system32\cmd.exe with prompt X:\sources>
Type:

Code:

bcdedit /enum
bcdedit | find "osdevice"
diskpart
lis dis
lis vol
sel dis 0
det dis
lis par
sel par 1
det par
sel par 2
det par
sel par 3
det par
sel par 4
det par
sel par 5
det par
sel par 6
det par
sel dis 1
det dis
lis par
sel par 1
det par
sel par 2
det par
sel par 3
det par
sel par 4
det par
sel par 5
det par
sel par 6

Are you sure the forum has the bandwidth for all those images?

Before I undergo that anointed task, let me be clear what you are asking:

- Do this on my main computer (a Surface Pro 6) with the Acer laptop HDD attached via USB?

Update the computers in the specs (two computers can be included in the "My Computer" section:

System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums
In the left corner below in your post you find 'My System Specs'.
After clicking it you can find a link a little below that says 'Update your System Spec', click on this link to get to the page where you can fill in your system specs.
System Info - See Your System Specs - Windows 7 Help Forums

Include PSU. cooler, case, peripherals and anything attached to the computer by wired or wireless (mouse, keyboard, headset, printer, xbox, USB wireless network card, etc.)

For boot failure: boot using the windows 10 iso > command prompt > run the commands in the prior post > post share links using one drive,drop box, or google drive

There are tools that you can make to backup any important files, test drives, run troubleshooting commnds, perform reset save files equivalent, etc.

They are: Windows 10 iso, Kyhi boot rescue, Ubuntu flash drive

I'll be checking in to see the steps and progress as per Fafhrd

Thanks. I didn't realize two computer configurations could be stored. I'm updating that now.

I don't have one drive, drop box or google drive, nor am I motivated to investigate getting one/any/all of them, though.

I'm awating Fafhrd's next comments, as well. I'm 12-hours from USA Central Time, so I usually need to wait.

Yes, that's an accurate description of my Acer's BIOS. It does recognize the HDD, it gives the model number & serial number (?). BIOS is currently set with hard drive at the top. When I press <enter> on hard drive, it lists the HDD and USB drive in their boot priority order. To put USB at the top I press a Fn key. then F10 to save settings & reboot. When there is no USB attached, the hard drive priority setting only lists my HDD.

(I'm not at home, so those comments are from memory.)

Fafhrd said:

I have to ask about the Acer BIOS settings. The latest version for your Acer is from 2008/12/08 Version: 3B14 Vendor: Acer Size: 4.2 MB

Is it set to boot from the hard disk? (or is it still looking for the USB drive?)

Does it recognise the hard disk? On the opening page of the BIOS it should show the HDD model details. Here's mine:

Attachment 251694

Attachment 251695

My Acer's BIOS is v.S3B09. I googled for 3B14 and couldn't find it. Do you have a link to a download site?

BIOS definitely recognizes the HDD, and the Boot tab has it in the #1 position. When I insert a USB thumbdrive, by default it places it beneath the HDD, but with <F5>/<F6> I can move it above the HDD.

There is little the user is able to do - is yours similar?

Since your processor is the same age as mine, and possibly came off the same production line - yours is better specified in a couple of ways, and I guess your HDD is IDE not SATA, our systems are probably quite similar.

Mine is SATA, or or at least it has SATA data/power connectors and connects to my Surface with a SATA-to-USB adaptor.

If you attach the Acer HDD back as an external drive, what can you see in file explorer? Is there any way you might be able to try to boot your main system off that drive? It would set up as a "Windows to go" usb drive and should be able to run on any PC, as long as the BIOS can, and is set up to boot from a USB drive.

With the Acer HDD connected to my Surface via the USB adapter I can see the file structure in Windows Explorer:

Attachment 251696

After I post this, I will see what happens while trying to boot off the Acer HDD via USB on my Surface. Stay tuned.

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PS: The Acer booted into Win10 Pro before I started messing with its file structure and deleted the boot partition, so I don't think it's a driver issue, but at this point everything is on the table.

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No, the Surface wouldn't boot off the Acer HDD with "USB Device" at the top of the boot order, even with Safe Boot disabled.

I think the problem is that the Acer HDD is not bootable. i.e. the bcdboot D:\windows /s D: command isn't doing what we want it to.