Crashing at "Getting Devices Ready 25%" -- Need your help troubleshooting new install

[bobcvn65]

I've built the following PC and need your help figuring out why Windows 10 won't load.

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor
Motherboard: Asus Z170-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case
Storage: Samsung 850 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive & a
Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory
OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit
Power Supply: Corsair CSM 650W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WDN4800 PCI-Express x1 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi Adapter
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler

While loading the OS, I get to "Getting Devices Ready XX%" where the XX% would be either 16, 25 or 41. I've been through several configurations to prove out hardware. I thought I had the smoking gun when I found that I could connect an old HDD with Ubuntu loaded and operate that just fine. I sent the disc back to Amazon and received the new one today, loaded it up and it froze at the same "Getting Devices Ready" screen.

Intermittently, the "Getting Devices Ready" screen will last for only a couple seconds and then I get a blue screen of death with one of two error messages: WHEA_Uncorrectable_Error or clock_watchdog_timeout. Google has nothing positive to say about these errors.

I'm not overclocking.
My fans and other hardware seem to operating appropriately - nothing seems to be working overtime.
I've tried disconnecting ALL peripherals except for the monitor.
I'm not online.
This is a new install, not an upgrade.
I've reseated the memory.
I have tried disconnecting the optical drive when the automatic restart occurs prior to "getting devices ready".

I also tried to load the OS on a different drive to no avail.

Again, I am running Ubuntu on this machine. This was an old drive to begin with and the root psswd is long been slept out of my head. I'll load Ubuntu again and attempt to install mobo drivers, but this seems like the wrong path.

 

[viveknayyar007]

Hello bobcvn65

It looks like the installation media you are using to install Windows 10 is faulty.

Can you please try downloading a new ISO image, using the correct method to Create a Bootable Windows 10 USB Drive or DVD, and then try Installing Windows 10 on Your Computer following the right procedure?

Feel free to report back if further assistance is needed.

Cheers!!

 

[bobcvn65]

Thanks for the response, viveknayyar007. I can try using a USB drive to boot from instead of the disc. So you think it might be the disc drive? Hard to believe they might send two faulty discs in a row. I'll try the new disc on a different machine and see if that proves it out. Might this have anything to do with it being "Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit"?

 

[viveknayyar007]

Thanks for the response, viveknayyar007. I can try using a USB drive to boot from instead of the disc. So you think it might be the disc drive? Hard to believe they might send two faulty discs in a row. I'll try the new disc on a different machine and see if that proves it out. Might this have anything to do with it being "Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit"?

Hello again bobcvn65

I would recommend that you first try installing Windows 10 from a USB stick. This way you can easily and even quickly analyze if the installation files from the source media are corrupt. You can download the ISO image of the operating system from the link I gave in my previous reply, and then use the image to create a bootable USB drive.

As for Home OEM 64-bit, most of the PCs nowadays support 64-bit operating systems and because the configuration of your computer is pretty decent, it is highly unlikely that the variant of the OS you are installing is the issue.

I cannot guarantee about the faulty installation source but as per the symptoms, the chances are high.

Good Luck!!