Win10 x86 installation on clean HDD is stuck in a loop

Sweet holy mother. After being stuck in a loop three times, *after* posting the below novella, I tried again. So, this fourth time it proceeded on to "installing features," and all is well in the world. AAARGGH.

(Mods: if appropriate, please feel free to delete this thread.)

This is a continuation of a journey to update my Acer laptop (specs in "My Computers" below) to the current version of Win10 Pro v.1903. It started in the "IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL" when trying to re-install Win10 Pro x86 thread in the BSOD forum section, after trying to do an in-place upgrade from the original Win10 x86 Pro version and mucking it up by deleting the C:\ partition.

I've created a bootable USB drive from a July 2015 version of Win10 x86 .ISO file. (A bootable USB drive from the v.1903 Win10 x86 .ISO would not boot on my Acer laptop.)

At this time, I'm just trying to get a functional Win10 Pro system on the laptop. After that, I'll tackle updating to v.1903.

When I boot from the USB thumb drive:

- it boots to the Windows Setup screen where you choose language, time format & keyboard.

- The next screen has Install and Repair options, so I choose Install.

- To start fresh, I deleted the single NTFS partition that spanned the entire disk.

- Then I proceeded to install Windows on "Drive 0 unallocated space."

- Things proceed through "Getting files ready for installation." It slowly gets to "100%" and then returns to the initial Windows Setup screen where you choose language, time format & keyboard.

It's stuck in that loop.

How do I get it to move past the "Getting files ready for installation" part of the process?

- - - Updated - - -

Here's how the Acer's HDD is shown in Disk Managment when I connect the HDD to my Surface Pro via a SATA-to-USB connector:



Here's how the top level of the "E:" partition looks in Windows Explorer: