Windows 10 Recovery Media not booting

[OcifferAction]

Windows 10 has messed up on me again making me have to clean install. Problem is my Recovery Media on my USB drive refuses to load. I get the Windows logo and the annoying dots continuously spinning. I’ve tried different USB drives as well and different methods of creating the tool. Any ideas? I can’t get into a cmd prompt or anything due to no OS at all.

 

[mazboy]

If you made any changes at all in the hardware setup in your system, the Windows Recovery Disk/Drive usually won't work. Sometimes it just doesn't work at all. Go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 and use the "MediaCreationTool" to create a bootable Win10 installation USB drive. Works like a charm. When it's all done, immediately after the install completes, go to "settings->Update & security->Windows Update->Check for updates" and get all the latest stuff downloaded and installed.

 

[OcifferAction]

It finally loaded after leaving it alone for an hour and then for 10 minutes I had a purple screen with a cursor. Then finally the option to repair my computer came up. After another 10 minutes of it thinking I was able to get into the recovery options and select command promopt. Then after loading it and typing diskpart it took another 3 minutes to load. Then after a few mins of it loading list volumes I’ve noticed that my drive that had my OS on it is listed as Raw

 

[mazboy]

Interesting. Can you get into BIOS? I'm wondering if the computer is still trying to boot off the C:\ drive (it's almost always the first selection in BIOS) instead of the USB stick. Get into either the BIOS (change the boot order to put the "external USB device" or equivalent into the first position) or the Boot Menu (select the USB device and hit "enter"), then see what happens.

 

[OcifferAction]

It doesn’t seem to have a problem getting to the BIOS at all

 

[mazboy]

OK, can you confirm that it is booting to your USB Win10 Install stick, and not the HDD?

 

[OcifferAction]

That’s correct. It just seems like it’s taking a ridiculous amount of time to load. About 30 mins to get past the initial load screen

 

[mazboy]

OK, the process for loading the OS is 1) the language screen 2) Install Now screen 3) Setup is starting screen 4) Eula Screen 5) "Upgrade" or "Custom" screen 6) chose drive screen 7) Installing Windows screen


Has your computer gone through all these steps?

 

[OcifferAction]

The main problem is the extremely long time it takes to load anything on the Recovery Media. The Recovery Media works, but takes nearly 30 mins to load anything

 

[mazboy]

I though you said you were using the Win10 USB install media?

 

[OcifferAction]

Yea the media creation tool from windows that will let you troubleshoot or install windows.

 

[mazboy]

yeah...about that. The troubleshoot/repair/upgrade is probably going to fail. If it doesn't, I suppose you're that far ahead, but if it does fail, when you go back to reload the OS, you chose the "custom" install, not the "upgrade

 

[OcifferAction]

My issue, I believe, was due to my SSD reaching the end of its life. I've had the SSD for 6 years and it's been my OS drive for that long. Once the hard drive in question is removed I no longer have issues with the extremely long loading times for the Recovery Media. My SSD refuses to do anything through diskpart (clear, format, partition, etc.) in cmd, but has no bad sectors while being scanned. I've been trying to completely wipe the drive through Darik's Boot and Nuke, but I've been running into errors as well.