Boot from flash drive wants to install. Clean install or upgrade?

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  1. Posts : 8
    Windows 10 Pro
       #1

    Boot from flash drive wants to install. Clean install or upgrade?


    My PC won't boot because it says it can't find the hard drive. I booted from a flash drive, but it wants to do an install. Is it going to wipe everything or just do an "upgrade"?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 8,057
    windows 10
       #2

    Dont understand that what cant find the HD the bios or other if its trying to install its finding a drive I assume?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 8
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Apparently, yes, must be finding the HD. But which will it do - clean install or upgrade?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 8,057
    windows 10
       #4

    What was saying it couldnt see the drive what happens when you try a normal boot?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 8
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Like I said initially, with a normal boot it doesn't find the hard drive.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 8,057
    windows 10
       #6

    so to be clear the bios reports this its not windows starting if you go into the bios it doesnt show it there?
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #7

    Booting from a Windows 10 USB flash drive will do a clean install and wipe everything in at lease the Windows OS partition.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 31,467
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #8

    Klaus said:
    My PC won't boot because it says it can't find the hard drive. I booted from a flash drive, but it wants to do an install...
    That's the default option, and it will wipe the disk and do a clean install. But you can also boot from the install USB to get to the Advanced Startup options.
    https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/...a.html#option5
    You may also be able boot to the repair options without using the USB with Option Six from the above link.

    Either way, one of the advanced startup options is Startup Repair. This may be able to fix your 'missing' hard drive problem and leave the original system intact.
    Startup Repair - Run in Windows 10
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 7,606
    Windows 10 Home 20H2
       #9

    NavyLCDR said:
    Booting from a Windows 10 USB flash drive will do a clean install and wipe everything in at lease the Windows OS partition.
    It will not touch the data partition.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 4,594
    Windows 10 Pro
       #10

    That`s exactly what Navy said, re read what he said.

    He never said it would wipe a data partition.
      My Computers


 

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