"Something Happened" What Next?

Steve C said:

Thanks for your advice.

I'm going to try fixing the boot configuration issue first. I've listed the repair process below based on 'googling' the issue. There are some options - please advise the best approach:

1. Boot from Windows 8 CD (presumably in UEFI mode with secure boot off?)
2. Goto command prompt option
3. Run DISKPART and select the EFI volume
4. Assign letter z: to the EFI volume
5. cd /d z:\efi\microsoft\boot
6. attrib z:\efi\microsoft\boot\bcd -h -r -s
7. ren z:\efi\micr bcd.old\microsoft\boot\bcd bcd.old
8. Optional step: bootrec/fixboot (is this needed?)

There then appear to be 2 repair options - which is most appropriate?:

9a. bootrec /rebuildbcd

OR

9b. bcdboot c:\windows /l en-gb /s z: /f (for UK)

I will get some help on this - I'm not too familiar with the procedure to advise.

Steve C said:

If that fails, I'll do a clean install using this procedure Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First

I don't even think this is necessary anymore. The most recent v1511 (November update) will grab the key from your BIOS and should activate that way. If for some reason it doesn't, you can always select "Change Product Key" in Settings>Activation, and activate it that way with your original OEM key.

Steve C said:

I think I have two valid Windows 8.1 Home product keys. The original one I guess is the one embedded in the BIOS supplied with the new laptop last year. However, a while ago Microsoft did an in place repair install which didn't activate initially. Microsoft then gave me a new product key / licence code ending J426G which I'm currently running on - this is different to original BIOS key and is reported by Showkey as a retail key.

When I do a clean install, will Windows 10 activate automatically using the BIOS key or will I need to use the gatherosstate.exe file method in the above post to effectively use the second key given to me by Microsoft?

The keys are reported as:

Product Name: Windows 8.1
Product ID: 00259-60602-32092-AA084
Installed Key: *****-*****-*****-*****-J426G (Showkey says this is a retail key)
OEM Key: *****-*****-*****-*****-BG8JQ
OEM Edition: Win 8.1 RTM Core OEM DM

Just let it install using the key in your BIOS. Save the other one.

Steve C said:

Thanks for your advice.

I'm going to try fixing the boot configuration issue first. I've listed the repair process below based on 'googling' the issue. There are some options - please advise the best approach:

1. Boot from Windows 8 CD (presumably in UEFI mode with secure boot off?)
2. Goto command prompt option
3. Run DISKPART and select the EFI volume
4. Assign letter z: to the EFI volume
5. cd /d z:\efi\microsoft\boot
6. attrib z:\efi\microsoft\boot\bcd -h -r -s
7. ren z:\efi\micr bcd.old\microsoft\boot\bcd bcd.old
8. Optional step: bootrec/fixboot (is this needed?)

There then appear to be 2 repair options - which is most appropriate?:

9a. bootrec /rebuildbcd

OR

9b. bcdboot c:\windows /l en-gb /s z: /f (for UK)

Okay, I've requested additional help from our members, but, in the meantime, I've done a little research as you did. The two pages I am referencing are here:

How can I repair the Windows 8 EFI Bootloader? - Super User

Fixing a Corrupted UEFI Partition in Windows 8 or 8.1


Based on what I'm reading, this is what I would do:

1. Make a Macrium image of your entire W8.1 HDD, create Rescue Media, verify the backup and also the Rescue media.
2. Copy/paste your personal files to an external HDD
3. Grab the appropriate W10 install media from MS TechBench
4. Backup your current W8.1 drivers (you can use Driver Magician Lite Free)
5. Grab the W10 drivers specific to your system from the Dell support site
6. Locate all your install media and keycodes for any "paid" software
7. Write down your 2 Windows keycodes
8. Grab @Kyhi 's custom bootable recovery media for W8.x + W10 here, just in case
9. Boot to advanced options>command prompt

(caveat here - I have never done this and I hope someone can chime in and confirm these instructions)

Identify and assign letter to partition:
Enter

Code:

diskpart

Once in diskpart, enter

Code:

select disk 0

Disk 0 is now the selected disk
Enter

Code:

list vol

Identify which volume is FAT32
Enter

Code:

sel vol X

where X is the volume that's FAT32
Volume X is the selected volume
Enter

Code:

assign letter=b:

Diskpart successfully assigned the drive letter or mount point
Enter

Code:

exit

to exit Diskpart utility

Now fix the BCD:
Enter

Code:

cd /d b:\EFI\Microcoft\Boot\

(or cd /d b:\Boot\ or cd /d b:\ESD\Windows\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\)
Enter

Code:

ren BCD BCD.bak

Enter

Code:

bcdboot C:\Windows /l en-gb /s b: /f ALL

Enter

Code:

bootrec /rebuildbcd

Enter

Code:

attrib bcd -s -h -r

(not sure if this attrib is needed at all)
Enter

Code:

bootrec /fixboot

Now, again, I am no expert on this stuff. I don't *think* you need to turn Secure Boot off, but I could be wrong. You might want to wait and see who else replies about this.

If it totally borks your machine, then you can re-image the W8.1, or clean install the W10.

Needless to say this has all gone horribly wrong...

Copy (backup) any files you wish to save to another drive
(if you have no access to the current OS - boot from my PE and then copy the files you wish to save..)

Clean Install Windows 10 build 10586

Turn off legacy / CSM support in your bios setting.. to force EFI/GPT installation

boot from your setup media

delete every partition and allow windows 10 to install to the unallocated space..

It will correct itself..

Kyhi said:

Needless to say this has all gone horribly wrong...

Copy (backup) any files you wish to save to another drive
(if you have no access to the current OS - boot from my PE and then copy the files you wish to save..)

Clean Install Windows 10 build 10586

Turn off legacy / CSM support in your bios setting.. to force EFI/GPT installation

boot from your setup media

delete every partition and allow windows 10 to install to the unallocated space..

It will correct itself..

Thanks Kyhi

Steve,
what is it that is wrong ?? or what are you trying to fix ??

/export

Exports the contents of the system store to a specifiedfile, which can be used later to restore the state of the system store:
bcdedit /export filename
Parameters

filename
The name of the file that is to contain the exported store. If filename contains spaces, it must beenclosed in quotation marks (""):
· If you specify just the file name, BCDEditcreates the file in the current default folder.
· To have the file placed in a specific folder,set filename to the fully-qualifiedpath. The path must end in a valid file name, such as c:\temp\mystore. If thepath ends in the name of a folder (such as c:\temp) or the name of an existingfile, the command fails.
· You can use valid environment variables in thepath. For example, if %TEMP% is defined as c:\Temp, setting filename to %TEMP%\MyStore creates anexported store named MyStore in c:\Temp.
Example

The following command exports the system store to C:\Data\BCDBackup:
bcdedit /export"C:\Data\BCD Backup"
Remarks

This command can be used only to export data fromthe system store. The system store itself is not affected.

it appears you are trying to export the BCD into a Backup file..
then renaming and recreating the BCD store...

Marcuim reflect and easybcd both have this option..

Do not see how recreating a working EFI BCD store will help with a windows 10 upgrade..

In EFI mode you need the EFI partition, The system reserve partition, the winre partition and the OS partition..

the upgrade should automatically add the additional winre partition..