Can't delete partitions for clean install of Windows 10

However, Windows 10 uses a different "Compact OS" method than WIMBOOT and does not require an image or recovery partition for it.

NavyLCDR said:

Looks like you install to the 21.9 GB unformatted space.

I get Error: 0x80070057

JodieLThi said:

I get Error: 0x80070057

K. So you can't delete all partitions. Can you delete only the 100MB EFI system partition?

NavyLCDR said:

K. So you can't delete all partitions. Can you delete only the 100MB EFI system partition?

No. None of them.

jimbo45 said:

If all else fails download any LINUX live CD disto -- probably Linux Mint is the easiest for beginners and then delete the partition using Linux PARTED command -- just GOOGLE for Linux PARTED command.

You apparently did read the whole message, Jimbo.

I used two other tools, Gparted and Partition Wizard, but Gparted can't delete the partitions either,

JodieLThi said:

Well it did boot for me but Partition Wizard and the other tool couldn't delete the partitions either.
Attachment 71980Attachment 71979

Causes aside, all of the drives are hidden, GPT type and report differently in Aomei or Minitool whether they are empty or full. And nothing seems to be able to delete the partitions. Ergo there's something corrupted in the partition tables or whatever GPT uses - maybe a single GUID is wrong somewhere.


What else can be tried?

Attempt recovery using Recuva?

Attempt to assign drive letters?

Convert disk from GPT to MBR?

Use a low level editor to examine what's actually present below the apparent empty structure, a hex editor, or perhaps tools like RWEverything or Spinrite?

If you look for causes, is this damage viral? Could an antivirus discover something lurking that is corrupting the low level format of the storage medium?

Fafhrd said:

Causes aside, all of the drives are hidden, GPT type and report differently in Aomei or Minitool whether they are empty or full. And nothing seems to be able to delete the partitions. Ergo there's something corrupted in the partition tables or whatever GPT uses - maybe a single GUID is wrong somewhere.


What else can be tried?

Attempt recovery using Recuva?

Attempt to assign drive letters?

Convert disk from GPT to MBR?

Use a low level editor to examine what's actually present below the apparent empty structure, a hex editor, or perhaps tools like RWEverything or Spinrite?

If you look for causes, is this damage viral? Could an antivirus discover something lurking that is corrupting the low level format of the storage medium?

I attempted recovery with Recuva and it didn't allow it.
I tried converting to MBR but it just goes back to GPT after I've applied it.
It does allow me to change the drive letters:


Malwarebytes got this:

I removed it, but it comes back after restart.

The only thing I can suggest is make an image of a minimal Windows 10 install from another computer (same version you want on the tablet), just the Windows partition, then restore that image to the large space on the tablet. Macrium Reflect Free would be good for that. Hopefully the boot partition on the tablet will boot the Windows 10 once it is copied over from the image. Then you can run the command to compact the OS - and you should be able to use showkey to retrieve the Windows 8 product key from the bios and use that to activate the Windows 10 you copy over.

NavyLCDR said:

The only thing I can suggest is make an image of a minimal Windows 10 install from another computer (same version you want on the tablet), just the Windows partition, then restore that image to the large space on the tablet. Macrium Reflect Free would be good for that. Hopefully the boot partition on the tablet will boot the Windows 10 once it is copied over from the image. Then you can run the command to compact the OS - and you should be able to use showkey to retrieve the Windows 8 product key from the bios and use that to activate the Windows 10 you copy over.

I'll try that, and if it doesn't work I'll see if I can have the drive replaced. Thank you.