Windows 10 installation failure

[pjmartin]

Have 8.1 Pro installed on a 250gb hdd and on a Samsung EVO850 SSD. Keep the hdd unplugged as a backup. When
I migrated 8.1 from the hdd to the ssd the migration software resized the system reserved partition from 350mb on the hdd to only 100mb on the ssd.
Tried Win10 update using media creation tool on a usb drive but it told me it couldn't update the system reserved partition.Figured this was because 100mb wasn't big enough. Tried making the windows npartition on the ssd active and win10seemed to install ok, got past the update stage and started to install. Next thing I know it switches to a win8.1 installation and asks me for the product key. Can't go back to previous version and can't do anything else to get bact to win8.1. I retransferred win8.1 from the backup hdd and tried to install win10 on the hdd. I
didn't get a system reserved partition error and everything went normally until it got to the installation stage when it , again, switched to installing 8.1 asking for a product key, and the hdd is now useless. I am now back on win8.1 pro on the ssd. Updating to win10 on my laptop was a breeze from usb media. Guess I'll have to buy some cloning software to get 8.1 back on the backup hdd so I can try again because I'm not trying on the ssd without a backup. Anyone have an idea what could be causing this.

 

[Zyb3r]

Hello

Are you trying to do a clean install of Windows 10 or trying to save your data and programs by just upgrading the OS? I tried to save my data and programs by just doing the upgrade, it corrupted everything, also asked me to reinstall Windows 8.1 and after that it corrupted my boot manager. I formatted, reinstalled Windows 8.1, did all the updates (not installing new software) and the used the media creation tool to do a fresh install where it does not try and save your data.

This worked for me, hope it helps

 

[pjmartin]

Hello

Are you trying to do a clean install of Windows 10 or trying to save your data and programs by just upgrading the OS? I tried to save my data and programs by just doing the upgrade, it corrupted everything, also asked me to reinstall Windows 8.1 and after that it corrupted my boot manager. I formatted, reinstalled Windows 8.1, did all the updates (not installing new software) and the used the media creation tool to do a fresh install where it does not try and save your data.

This worked for me, hope it helps

 

[pjmartin]

I'm trying to do the upgrade from usb media. I managed to get rid of the System Reserve Partition and tried again. This time it got to the installation stage and failed halfway thru. this time it brought me back to 8.1 and didn't corrupt anything. I'm going to try and delete some drivers and look for a bios update and try again. Maybe there's a new bios that isn't beta. My mobo is a Gigabyte Z77x. My HP laptop, where I expected a problem, upgraded without a hitch from usb media.

 

[pjmartin]

Well, after trying with the media creation tool on usb and failing miserably several times, I decided to try using windows update and it worked. So far so good, and everything works!!!

 

[Zyb3r]

Well, after trying with the media creation tool on usb and failing miserably several times, I decided to try using windows update and it worked. So far so good, and everything works!!!

Geez, for your sake I hope it finally works now

 

[Zyb3r]

Did you format everything before do the update route? Or are you going to preserve the data?

 

[pjmartin]

I did the upgrade via windows update. It didn't ask me if I wanted to keep anything, it just did it.

 

[Zyb3r]

Yes but during the installation it should ask you how you want to install it. A fresh install or something like that, cant remember the exact terms they used

 

[pjmartin]

I don't remember it giving me the choice. It did when I tried using the media creation tool. Maybe it's because it's an upgrade to windows 10 and not an install of windows 10.