[SOLVED] PC with Win10 doesn't boot

[Matt1983]

I was ask to help fixing a laptop that doesn't boot. When in UEFI it goes into Win rescue environment (blue interface) when in Legacy it displays that there is no bootable media.
I tried so mann things already. Startup Repair doesn't work, there are no previous backup points. I tried command line and bootrec. Fixmbr and fixboot both go successfully. ScanOs finds an installation but when I try to rebuildbcd and type Y to add it to storage it says it can't find the path specified. Instead of using inbuilt repair environment I also tried using Windows ISO discs (various builds - including the older ones)
I'm running out of ideas. I was told it was running Windows 10. After some research I start to think it could have been installed as Win 8 upgraded to Win 10 later on.
I started it off an Ubuntu live CD and ran boot repair tool. I could present some logs if needed. Does anyone have a clue what else can be done. Is there any way to retrieve license key from such "not booting" system so I could install a fresh OS under the same License Key?
Kind regards,
Matt

 

[Deleted member 14196]

Using windows 10 format the drive and reinstall windows

 

[_Cosmin_]

On Windows 10 you do not need the key. It will re-activate once connected to internet. Just remember to back-up files before reinstall OS.
If windows was installed with uefi you will not be able to boot in legacy mode no matter what you try!
You need to mount the small partition 100mb on win8 and 350mb on win10 where boot files reside....if you want to try keeping the system. Also look in logs/minidumps for whatever causes the bluescreen. It could be so simple as "dirty" partition so you should start with a checkdisk on all partitions and normal reboot.

 

[Matt1983]

I don't have original installation disk and there's no recovery partition. My intention was to repair installation so I don't have to worry about the license key and the activation. If I format the drive and reinstall Windows, which can be easily done, I'll loose all the licensing information stored in the system.
What do you mean by "On Windows 10 you do not need the key. It will re-activate once connected to internet"? If so, how will it know the system is legit and not just installed illegally?
The error code was 0x00000098 and I already tried chkdsk and sfc - nil fix though.

 

[onespeedbiker]

Follow this link to reinstall Windows 10. https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/ During the install, when you input your internet provider, MS will check if the computer had Windows 10 installed before and it will self activate if the system was "legit".

 

[Matt1983]

Follow this link to reinstall Windows 10. https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/ During the install, when you input your internet provider, MS will check if the computer had Windows 10 installed before and it will self activate if the system was "legit".

Ok, so as I'm helping someone else to fix this PC, it means this PC after Win10 reinstalltion should go online exactly where it was used before, and that's all? Is it in fact simple as that? Thank you for all your help. I might have lost a lot of time for no reason.

 

[onespeedbiker]

I've done this about half a dozen times and it worked as I explained. Worse case scenario you will have to call the MS automated activation number to get your install activated, but even that is unlikely. And yes, it's usually that easy.

 

[Matt1983]

Great, thanks guys!
Do I close this thread somehow or just leave it like this?

 

[onespeedbiker]

If you want you can choose to pick the best answer clicking the up arrow left of the post that helped you the most.