Trying to clean install Win10 using bootable USB, error 0xc000000f

jmj2298 · 08 Jul 2018

Hi, I actually need to install Windows 10 on two computers: a pretty new (Sept 2017) Dell XPS 13 that already has Windows 10 Pro with all the bloatware, and a Lenovo Thinkpad X220 from 2011 running Windows 7 Enterprise (updating to Windows 10 home with a new license).

I'm clean installing on the XPS because all of a sudden this computer does not shutdown. I've tried various simple suggestions from the Microsoft Community but none work so I just want to do a clean install at this point.

I create a bootable USB with the Media Creation tool using a 16 GB PQi USB I got for free from some event. When I go into the Dell BIOS and try to boot from the USB, I get an 0xc000000f error (attached screenshot).

I then tried the same process using the Lenovo X220 but get the same error, with the same error screen.

I formatted the USB using diskutil in CMD and retried but got the same error message. What is going on? I can only assume it's some problem with the install on the bootable USB. I appreciate your help.

Trying to clean install Win10 using bootable USB, error 0xc000000f-untitled.jpg

Berton · 08 Jul 2018

I formatted the USB using diskutil in CMD and retried but got the same error message.

What format did you use?

If using the MCT/Media Creation Tool process to create a bootable USB Thumb drive it will be formatted as FAT32, not NTFS or other type. Best to use an 8GB USB Thumb drive, I use a 16GB to put both 32-bit and 64-bit on the same drive plus have room for the ensuing offline updates from the Windows Update Catalog.

As for that drive you got, I've seen lots of failures of those handouts, most are quite cheap. I'd try a brand-name such as SanDisk, Lexar, Verbatim, PNY, etc.

jmj2298 · 08 Jul 2018

Berton said:

What format did you use?

If using the MCT/Media Creation Tool process to create a bootable USB Thumb drive it will be formatted as FAT32, not NTFS or other type. Best to use an 8GB USB Thumb drive, I use a 16GB to put both 32-bit and 64-bit on the same drive plus have room for the ensuing offline updates from the Windows Update Catalog.

I don't own an 8GB USB and would prefer not to buy a smaller USB just to do this. Any other way to do this? Seems like this would be a glaring oversight on Microsoft's part if you can literally only create a bootable USB with an 8GB drive.

jmj2298 · 08 Jul 2018

Berton said:

What format did you use?

If using the MCT/Media Creation Tool process to create a bootable USB Thumb drive it will be formatted as FAT32, not NTFS or other type. Best to use an 8GB USB Thumb drive, I use a 16GB to put both 32-bit and 64-bit on the same drive plus have room for the ensuing offline updates from the Windows Update Catalog.

As for that drive you got, I've seen lots of failures of those handouts, most are quite cheap. I'd try a brand-name such as SanDisk, Lexar, Verbatim, PNY, etc.

Sorry somehow missed a lot of the stuff you posted. I tried it once with FAT32 and another time with NTFS after reformatting with diskutil. Yea I just purchased a 32 GB Samsung USB on Amazon. Think that will be better?

Ztruker · 08 Jul 2018

I've used 4GB, 8GB, 16GB and 32GB with no problems so the size is really not important.

No idea what diskutil is as it's not a command availabel to me in Command Prompt mode?

Here are a set of steps provided by @axe0, one of our BSOD analysts. Simple, straight forward and works evry time:

============================================
Here are the steps to create a standard Windows 10 USB flash drive:

1. Use the Media Creation Tool to download and save the ISO file to your hard drive.
2. Insert the USB flash drive.
3. Open a Administrator Command Prompt and enter: diskpart (if it isn't an administrator command prompt, it will ask for administrator permission).
4. list disk
5. select disk # <- replace # with the actual disk number of the USB flash drive
6. clean <- this will erase the disk selected above, make sure you selected the USB flash drive!
7. create part pri
8. format fs=fat32 quick
9. active
10. exit
11. exit - and if the first Command Prompt was not an Administrator Command Prompt, exit that one too.
11. Mount the ISO file saved by the Media Creation Tool. If you are using Windows 8 or 10, you only have to right click on it and click on mount. If you are using Windows 7, then you must use a program like WinCDEmu to mount the ISO file:
WinCDEmu - the easiest way to mount an ISO. And more...
12. Copy all the files and folders from the mounted ISO file to the USB flash drive.

That's as simple as it gets. Between steps 7 and 8 you can enter: "select part 1" without quotes - but it should not be necessary.
Between steps 8 and 9 you can enter: "assign" without quotes - but it should not be necessary.
============================================

Bree · 08 Jul 2018

Ztruker said:

I've used 4GB, 8GB, 16GB and 32GB with no problems so the size is really not important.

The current ISO or USB made by the MCT for installing x64 1803 is 3.50GB, so any of the above will do. In fact, if you ask the MCT to only make x64 (or only x86) media, then it asks for a 4GB or larger usb. It's only if you want dual 32/64 bit media that it asks for 8GB or larger. The dual media is 6.12GB.

Bree · 08 Jul 2018

As for the 0xc000000f error shown in post #1...

...it's mostly because Windows cannot find the system files used for booting.

[Fix] A required device isn't connected or cannot be accessed with error - EaseUS

Meaning that while the bootmgr could be read from that usb (else you wouldn't even be seeing that screen) the system files it tries to load are unreadable. That usb is faulty, a new one should have no such problems.