[SOLVED] Will this work for me

[Novel8]

My Notebook with Win 10 has the latest version . Somehow, it lost all my network info, my email client is not working, and even future windows updates are not possible, nor getting into the Bios. My Win 10 was accomplished since the beginning of the free offer. It seems the only solution would be to reinstall it, unless informed otherwise. How do i go about this? I would hope to install up to the latest update.

 

[Rokinamerica]

If you have system restore on you can go back to the last restore point before the update.

 

[Lafong]

Generally....

For a clean install.

Go to Microsoft web site. Find source for "media creation tool">

Get a USB flash drive of at least 8 gb.

Download the media creation tool to turn that flash drive into an installer for Win 10.

Disconnect all drives except the one to get Windows.

Boot from the USB stick.

Delete all existing partitions early in the installation process.

Follow the prompts.

Back up anything you need before you begin.

 

[USAFRet]

For a clean install....

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[Novel8]

For a clean install....

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

Thank you! I will try system restore first and even doubt I could the way the pc is acting, but its worth a try, and if no success there, then I will do as you suggested. I still have the usb drive with the 'tool' on it. BTW, will i lose all my files by doing the reinstall? This is an edited post....from this point on. System restore was not able to and while there i came across where windows told me to do the Reset mode, that i will lose some apps and listed them, but when i clicked on it to begin, it came with a message to the effect that it cannot continue...no reason was given. So it seems my last resort is to try with the tool, as suggested.

 

[USAFRet]

Thank you! I will try system restore first and even doubt I could the way the pc is acting, but its worth a try, and if no success there, then I will do as you suggested. I still have the usb drive with the 'tool' on it. BTW, will i lose all my files by doing the reinstall?

The best thing to do is to copy any personal files off to somewhere else.
External drive, USB, cloud, wherever.

 

[Novel8]

Thank you! I will try system restore first and even doubt I could the way the pc is acting, but its worth a try, and if no success there, then I will do as you suggested. I still have the usb drive with the 'tool' on it. BTW, will i lose all my files by doing the reinstall? This is an edited post....from this point on. System restore was not able to and while there i came across where windows told me to do the Reset mode, that i will lose some apps and listed them, but when i clicked on it to begin, it came with a message to the effect that it cannot continue...no reason was given. So it seems my last resort is to try with the tool, as suggested.

The best thing to do is to copy any personal files off to somewhere else.
External drive, USB, cloud, wherever.

It seems I am not having much luck....when I used the 'tool program', i was given an error code: 0x8000706D9-0x20000... Researching that code says to make sure that my Firewall is ON....but that is my problem. ..the on/off is not working for Firewall because of the original problem I got with this Notebook...like I said in my OP, no internet, no emails, no system restore, no windows update, all i get is the basics with windows explorer...sometimes i do get to the point of doing something, but it had to be done in the internet. Am I doomed? BTW, it has been awhile, but wasn't the "tool' program had to be setup in the Bios to work? If so, guess what? I cannot get into the Bios either.

 

[USAFRet]

Not sure what "tool program" is.

I just meant to copy your personal files to some other device.

 

[Novel8]

It seems I am not having much luck....when I used the 'tool program', i was given an error code: 0x8000706D9-0x20000... Researching that code says to make sure that my Firewall is ON....but that is my problem. ..the on/off is not working for Firewall because of the original problem I got with this Notebook...like I said in my OP, no internet, no emails, no system restore, no windows update, all i get is the basics with windows explorer...sometimes i do get to the point of doing something, but it had to be done in the internet. Am I doomed? BTW, it has been awhile, but wasn't the "tool' program had to be setup in the Bios to work? If so, guess what? I cannot get into the Bios either.

Not sure what "tool program" is.

I just meant to copy your personal files to some other device.

How about Media creation tool for win 10 installation?

 

[USAFRet]

How about Media creation tool for win 10 installation?

For the Windows reinstall, yes.

Follow this:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[Novel8]

I read that article before i OP...that's fine when things go well, but it says nothing if one runs into a snag, and i am running into many snags reading up on all ways to get network back, and they all failed me. I can't believe that I can not reinstall a system.

 

[Lafong]

wasn't the "tool' program had to be setup in the Bios to work? If so, guess what? I cannot get into the Bios either.

You should be able to boot from the Media Creation Tool without using the BIOS.

Can you do that?

Or not?

 

[Novel8]

You should be able to boot from the Media Creation Tool without using the BIOS.

Can you do that?

Or not?

I tried both ways. As i recall, the first time I used it successfully, I had to setup my Bios. Today, cause I cannot get into my Bios, I just plugged it in my usb drive and explorer sees it, but it does not run. I see the file "autorun", tried to open it with no success, though i have no idea if that file would have started it. Do u have any ideas?

 

[Lafong]

Today, cause I cannot get into my Bios, I just plugged it in my usb drive and explorer sees it, but it does not run.

Not sure what that means.

You don't mention what you did to try to get it to "run".

Normally.....

You would use access a boot menu and choose the USB stick from the list shown on that boot menu.

Did you do that or not...use a boot menu?

What choices did you see on that boot menu if you used it at all?

It's also possible you did not use the Media Creation Tool properly and therefore the stick wouldn't work even if you chose it from the boot menu.

I haven't used the bootable installer in several years, but I don't recall dealing with "autorun" at all. Rather, my PC booted from the stick and I was presented with a plausible screen with instructions of how to proceed....at which point I deleted all existing partitions.

Not much else I can think of offhand.

 

[Novel8]

I tried both ways. As i recall, the first time I used it successfully, I had to setup my Bios. Today, cause I cannot get into my Bios, I just plugged it in my usb drive and explorer sees it, but it does not run. I see the file "autorun", tried to open it with no success, though i have no idea if that file would have started it. Do u have any ideas?

Not sure what that means.

You don't mention what you did to try to get it to "run".

Normally.....

You would use access a boot menu and choose the USB stick from the list shown on that boot menu.

Did you do that or not...use a boot menu?

What choices did you see on that boot menu if you used it at all?

It's also possible you did not use the Media Creation Tool properly and therefore the stick wouldn't work even if you chose it from the boot menu.

I haven't used the bootable installer in several years, but I don't recall dealing with "autorun" at all. Rather, my PC booted from the stick and I was presented with a plausible screen with instructions of how to proceed....at which point I deleted all existing partitions.

Not much else I can think of offhand.

Can you remind me on the boot menu? Tell me, its been a couple of years since I did use MCT....what do you mean by using it "properly". I just inserted it into my usb drive, restarted the pc and nothing appeared like that screen you mentioned. I checked windows explorer to even see if it was acknowledged and it was there.

OK...i do not mean any disrespect, but some of us are not tech savy as the moderators. All someone had to ask me if I see 'setup" in the list of MCT. I did, and clicked on it and eureka its finally on its way installing it keeping my personal files. For some reason I thought it had to be setup in Bios as the first to boot. Right now its in its 6% install mode. Thank to all.

 

[Lafong]

Can you remind me on the boot menu? ............................eureka its finally on its way installing it keeping my personal files. For some reason I thought it had to be setup in Bios as the first to boot. Right now its in its 6% install mode. Thank to all.

Normal procedure:

1; make the installer on a USB stick via the Media Creation Tool

2; After that is complete, attempt to boot from the USB stick, not from your hard drive. You'd normally choose the USB stick by accessing a boot menu.

The boot menu is typically accessed by an F key held down in the earliest portion of a boot attempt. You would choose the USB stick from a list of several items listed.

Which F key depends on which motherboard you have.

I am guessing you did not do that or have not yet gotten to that point?

If you are attempting a clean install, your personal files will NOT be kept....nothing from your Windows drive will be kept. Unless you deliberately copied them to some other drive beforehand.

But I'm not sure if you are attempting a clean install. At least, not yet.

So, confusion; at least on my part.

 

[Novel8]

No it asked me if i wanted to keep my personal files and i said yes. My knowledge of the MCT was limited, so i knew nothing about a F key...regardless, its being installed at this moment at 69%...

 

[USAFRet]

No it asked me if i wanted to keep my personal files and i said yes. My knowledge of the MCT was limited, so i knew nothing about a F key...regardless, its being installed at this moment at 69%...

While is says "keep", it is ALWAYS a good idea to have your personal stuff elsewhere and offline during this process.

Additionally, this is not a full clean install. That would involve actually deleting all existing partitions and data.

 

[Novel8]

While is says "keep", it is ALWAYS a good idea to have your personal stuff elsewhere and offline during this process.

Additionally, this is not a full clean install. That would involve actually deleting all existing partitions and data.

My version is now 21H1...Would updating to 21h2 be the final version? I'm leery about updating, which got me in this mess. I now have internet and yet i do not see the network icon down in the task bar. I had no partitions other than the system.

 

[USAFRet]

My version is now 21H1...Would updating to 21h2 be the final version? I'm leery about updating, which got me in this mess. I now have internet and yet i do not see the network icon down in the task bar. I had no partitions other than the system.

It will update itself to 21H2 when it gets around to it.
Don't force the issue.

(and then there will be a 22H1, and on and on)