Win 10 clean install on a new SSD - Activation Questions

With some difficulty and a lot of trial and error, I was able to boot from the USB. Or rather, I was able to make the bootable USB drive the priority boot device. This was only possible after I removed and replaced the CMOS battery.

However, when I try to install with the USB (on new SSD), I get stuck with a blue windows logo in the center of a black screen - no spinning dots. My PC has a G41 mobo with an L775 chipset. The BIOS has no option for secure boot, no UEFI, and no AHCI option. Is there anything I can do to get it to install Win 10 from the bootable Windows 10 media creation USB?

Though I thought the windows license for this PC was linked to my MS account, turns out it isn't - it's not showing under the linked devices in my MS account. I do remember receiving calendar/time alerts that I set on my laptop, though. Still can't believe it isn't linked. Whatever be the case, if I can't boot and activate win 10 on my PC, the license is pretty much gone with it. Or is it? Any help would be great.

Note: The earlier Win 10 installation (obtained as a free upgrade from Win 7) is not accessible anymore. Either the HDD is dead, or the installation itself has become corrupted.

dalchina said:

Hi, exactly how did you create your bootable USB drive?
Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10 Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials
Any of those options will create one compatible with legacy BIOS.

I used Option 1 - created a bootable Win 10-32 bit USB. The earlier version on my PC was Win 7-32 bit, which got upgraded to Win 10-32 bit.

I understand you have installed a new SSD in your laptop.
Can you confirm you are sure your PC is correctly seeing that disk?

Yes, it's a new SSD. I am able to see the SSD in BIOS, and switch from/to it in Boot Device Priority. I was having trouble seeing the USB drive in boot device priortiy, but I resolved that issue. Both the SSD and USB drives are visible in boot device priority. They are also both visible under Hard Drives in Boot configuration.

Did the installation procedure get as far as allowing you to select where to install Win 10?Could you can say exactly what stages in the installation process you see happening when you boot from the USB disk?

I saved and exit BIOS after setting the USB priority and disabling fast boot. The USB LED light began flickering, the HDD LED light flickered twice and went off, the screen showed the blue logo in the center, no spinning dots, and it stayed that way thereafter. The USB LED kept flickering for about 15-20 minutes, then it went off, with the logo still there on the screen. Waited for 10 minutes for any change, but nothing - logo on screen, USB light off. Switched off and retried, no luck.

I assume you mean you put that disk back into the PC and tried to boot from it without success.

Yes I did try to boot from it. Rather, I thought I'd see if I can get to the Install Now (and Repair Your Computer) screen. Nope. It went to the windows logo (no spinning dots, USB LED flickering) and remained there for a while (about 10-15 minutes). Then the PC shutdown and restarted on its own, but got back to the same screen, with the USB LED flickering once again. I didn't wait much longer thinking it would perhaps keep repeating that process over and over.

I'm tempted to suggest you try downloading and using Kyhi's boot disk (top of the Software and Apps section), and see if you can boot from that into its version of Win 10, and see if you can access a disk in your laptop.

Haven't heard of that disk before, but what is it primarily used for? I don't mind trying it, if it gets things going. I just don't want to brick a brand new SSD, or completely wreck a mobo that is clearly old and struggling. It may be an old hag, but it holds a precious Win 10 license.

Kyhi's Recovery Tools:
Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums

NavyLCDR said:

Kyhi's Recovery Tools:
Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums

Thanks, NavyLCDR. Not so sure how to use it at first glance. Do I just download the x-86 (32 bit) version on a USB and install it like I would a media creation tool?

Also might be worth mentioning that I do have the original Win 7 CD (with external recovery media etc.) along with the driver DVD for the mobo. Would it be worthwhile to load Win 7 (and the drivers) on the new SSD, and then upgrade/clean install to Win 10 via a bootable USB? Since I have already activated Win 10 on this system before, shouldn't it accept the new install and allow me to link to an MS account?

So, I've started downloading Kyhi's recovery tool. It is about 1 GB. Do I simply copy the downloaded file onto a USB and then plug it into my old desktop? Might sound kinda noobish, but all the talk about 'burning to USB' and 'rufus' and 'FAT32 partition' on that thread is very confusing.