USB WILL NOT BOOT! Help please

[Codfunnyhill]

Hi, basically I have run into some trouble with purchasing a SSD. I was told from memory express that I would just need to clone my hard drive over to the SSD and format the HDD. I used a software for that I forget the name and it all seemed to work until I turned off the computer to boot onto the SSD. That is when it said automatic repair on the boot and went to windows recovery, this was booting from the SSD. So I thought maybe the software I used didn't work so I went to boot onto my old hard drive which then said it was missing some files to boot and just redirected me to the BIOS.

Now the problem is that I don't have windows it came installed on the hard drive and the key is long gone. So I tried using a pirated version of windows and made a bootable usb using Etcher from my MacBook (only computer that works now) but when I put the usb in and tried to boot it said it to insert a bootable device on the black screen. I then tried to use Unetbootin which actually got me to the install screen but said I was missing drivers. so I thought that was a bust.

Now I thought maybe I will just install Sierra onto the pc and use bootcamp to get windows because you can no longer use bootcamp to make a bootable usb on sierra. So I when and followed some instructions for Unibeast for installing mac on pc. I got to the apple logo screen when the loading bar just wouldn't move at all. I decided to go to sleep after this.

So today I went and downloaded a different windows and tried using unetbootin and etcher but they both bring me to blue windows menu saying I was missing some files with errors. I then thought maybe the windows I was downloading was bad so I went to the windows site and downloaded windows and was just going to buy it after all this trouble. So I tried to make a bootable usb using the legit windows and I got to the installation screen saying I needed drivers it didn't say what kind it just said drivers.

Things I have tried:
I reformatted the usb every time to ExFat(16gb)
I tried installing windows on both the hard drive and the SSD
I tried several different combinations of setting in the bios for usb booting.
I know the usb works as I used it for making a bootable usb before, and it is new.

Honestly I just need step by step instruction on how to make a bootable usb on mac to install windows I will purchase windows if I need to. I have google many things and every thing I do doesn't work. the computer specs are
CPU - I5-6500
MOBO - GA-Z170-HD3p
12GB DDR 4
GTX 1070
HDD 1tb WESTERN DIGITAL (2 weeks old)
128gb patriot SSD
I have no disk drive.

If you guys can help me it would be very appreciated

 

[Autocrat]

Well. You probably need to purchase Windows.
To rule out any hardware issues, try creating a Linux bootable USB.

 

[ko888]

Which Windows version is being installed?

If it's Windows 7 then there are special instructions that you need to follow:
http://gigabytedaily.blogspot.ca/2015/09/having-trouble-installing-windows-7-by.html

 

[Shaun o]

Basically your doing it all wrong.

First of all if you want to create a boot able version of windows from a Iso image and put onto a usb flash drive for install.
Use either Rufus. or the Microsoft iso Image to flash drive program found on the Microsoft web site.

If you have not formatted the mechanical hard drive in any way and just cloned the drive, to an SSD drive.
Once you have cloned it and connected the SSD drive to the System via Sata.

You must disconnect the mechanical drive Cod.
Because both the drives if the SSD has been cloned right, will be C: drive assignments.
You cannot have two drives with the same drive designation or drive letter when trying to install windows it will get confused and cause a hardware conflict.

So disconnect the Mechanical drive via removing the data cable and the power to the drive.

In your bios of the motherboard.
Make sure the setting of enable detection of usb legacy devices is enabled.
Check that the sata ports of the motherboard as set to Ahci mode, or set them to that mode in the bios.
Go to the boot menu of the bios.
Set the SSD drive as the second boot able media to boot from.
Make sure if the bios is Uefi capable that you select the advanced bios option to enable you to see all options and sub menus.

You should see a mode that says CSM. make sure it is enabled.
And for the hardware detection, and drive booting the option of Legacy op rom / uefi detection and booting is set.

Save all the changes you made in the bios before you exit it Codfunny.

Now your two options here are to try. !
1. You can remove the Usb flash drive and see if the SSD drive starts to boot windows Os and makes it to windows login or the windows desk top.

2. Or you can leave the Usb flash drive, making sure it is only placed in a Usb 2.0 spec port, this is important BTW.
a usb 2.0 port will have a black colored plastic tab inside the port looking at it.

If you connect the Usb flash drive to a usb port with a blue tab on it it is usb 3.0 spec and because most rely on windows to have a driver to get 3.0 ports working right it may produce errors when connecting a flash drive to do a fresh install of windows on Codfunny.

Follow the instructions as they are typed, and you should be able to boot from the cloned SSD drive from the existing HD.
Or do a fresh install of windows via the usb flash drive.
Without any error messages.

Once you have loaded windows up from the SSD drive.
Shut windows down and connect the HD back up.

Then you need to use disk manager of windows to format the old HD so it allocates the drive letter Assignment to D: drive if you intend to use the HD as data storage or to install games on Codfunny.

 

[Codfunnyhill]

Basically your doing it all wrong.

First of all if you want to create a boot able version of windows from a Iso image and put onto a usb flash drive for install.
Use either Rufus. or the Microsoft iso Image to flash drive program found on the Microsoft web site.

If you have not formatted the mechanical hard drive in any way and just cloned the drive, to an SSD drive.
Once you have cloned it and connected the SSD drive to the System via Sata.

You must disconnect the mechanical drive Cod.
Because both the drives if the SSD has been cloned right, will be C: drive assignments.
You cannot have two drives with the same drive designation or drive letter when trying to install windows it will get confused and cause a hardware conflict.

So disconnect the Mechanical drive via removing the data cable and the power to the drive.

In your bios of the motherboard.
Make sure the setting of enable detection of usb legacy devices is enabled.
Check that the sata ports of the motherboard as set to Ahci mode, or set them to that mode in the bios.
Go to the boot menu of the bios.
Set the SSD drive as the second boot able media to boot from.
Make sure if the bios is Uefi capable that you select the advanced bios option to enable you to see all options and sub menus.

You should see a mode that says CSM. make sure it is enabled.
And for the hardware detection, and drive booting the option of Legacy op rom / uefi detection and booting is set.

Save all the changes you made in the bios before you exit it Codfunny.

Now your two options here are to try. !
1. You can remove the Usb flash drive and see if the SSD drive starts to boot windows Os and makes it to windows login or the windows desk top.

2. Or you can leave the Usb flash drive, making sure it is only placed in a Usb 2.0 spec port, this is important BTW.
a usb 2.0 port will have a black colored plastic tab inside the port looking at it.

If you connect the Usb flash drive to a usb port with a blue tab on it it is usb 3.0 spec and because most rely on windows to have a driver to get 3.0 ports working right it may produce errors when connecting a flash drive to do a fresh install of windows on Codfunny.

Follow the instructions as they are typed, and you should be able to boot from the cloned SSD drive from the existing HD.
Or do a fresh install of windows via the usb flash drive.
Without any error messages.

Once you have loaded windows up from the SSD drive.
Shut windows down and connect the HD back up.

Then you need to use disk manager of windows to format the old HD so it allocates the drive letter Assignment to D: drive if you intend to use the HD as data storage or to install games on Codfunny.

Anyway to make a bootable usb on mac, its the only computer I have access to currently. I tried using unetbootin and when I tried booting to the usb I get a blinking white dash on the top left corner. I tried to boot to the SSD without anything plug in except it and I get a blue windows screen saying Recovery your pc needs to be repaired a required device isn't connect or can't be accessed 0xc0000225.

 

[Shaun o]

Power, sata data cable missing.

Or the wrong type of interface mode selected in the bios for the Sata ports.
Try each listed mode, if you have them of IDE, Ahci, or Sata.

 

[Codfunnyhill]

Power, sata data cable missing.

Or the wrong type of interface mode selected in the bios for the Sata ports.
Try each listed mode, if you have them of IDE, Ahci, or Sata.

in the bios I pick Peripherals>Sata Configuration>Sata Mode Selection>AHCI
I cannot selected AHCI for each individual sata slot.

when I boot off the HDD I get a error saying EFI/Microsoft/Boot/BCD and to use recovery tools if I have them.
I get the same error booting from the usb. When trying to boot from the SSD I get a require device isn't connected or can't be accessed Error code 0xc0000225
I tried connecting the SSD using the same cords from the hard drive but I still get the same error 0xc0000225.

 

[hypogogic]

I know this is a little late and might not solve your subsequent problems but if you ever buy a computer with Windows OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) ie Windows already installed on the hardware you purchase you can download a tool called jellybeans key finder

https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

Just download the free one and run it and it will tell you your windows key. In future I would always recommend a fresh install when you are creating a new C: Drive.

The process I use is to take all of the set up files and put them in another storage space so that when I install windows and put in my key I got from key finder I can just click through the programs I had installed and reinstall everything one by one. On an SSD this will take 40 minutes maximum and will save you hassle in the future.

I don't know who told you to copy your entire C: drive but I personally wouldn't recommend doing that.

To solve your above problem I would just buy Windows again and write down the key from keyfinder (if its not on the packaging ie download) and reinstall windows. Making a bootable on MAC would probably involve using Wine (something I've only encountered on Linux) and it was always a little problematic. The theory would be that it would run the Windows 7 USB/DVD tool and allow you to make your bootable for Windows.

I know this isn't a great solution and its costing you money but in my experience its just the best thing to do. If you have such trouble making a bootable for Windows on a MAC perhaps you have a friend or family member who would let you make the bootable. It only take ten or fifteen minutes to do.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool < You can see instructions Even though I assume you're familiar with this

http://wudt.codeplex.com/ < the Windows 7 USB/DVD tool which will work with any version of windows including Windows 10

I know this might not present the greatest solution but hopefully it helps you out for future encounters of the same problem. Good luck fixing your system