XP to Windows 10 using usb issue

TerryMag

Commendable
Dec 29, 2016
5
0
1,510
Hi, bought Win10 usb mem stick but cant install as my BIOS to reboot dont' list the USB. Mobo is Pheonix Technologies ASUS Striker Extreme rev 1305 date 22/08/2007 Cant find a fix.
 
Solution


No, two different things.
Running the Setup.exe from inside the existing OS is different that booting from that.
The USB (or DVD) may or may not be 32bit. Generally, it will know the existing OS...

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


Where did you buy the Win 10 USB stick from?
 


Can you log into XP and use the USB stick? It should be able to load up.

But there are something that concerns me. If your machine is running XP, it's possible that it is very old. Also, which bit did you get? 32 or 64? What are your current specs?
 

TerryMag

Commendable
Dec 29, 2016
5
0
1,510


My machine started as an old Gateway but rebuilt overtime. Dont think BIOS was ever updated seems to date from 2007, USBs I think came later hence no option in the BIOS for a reboot to do an install. BIOS give options only for HD / CD Rom / Removable Device which is shown as a Floppy drive, and no USB option. Is this what you mean by 'Legacy Mode'
Also tried to copy mem stick to Dvd using Nero but one file was too large, over 2 Gb it cant handle.
Or could I do a download install from MS website using my Key?

I tried 2 USB ports didn't do the others on the back of the PC as reckon BIOS reboot requirement is the issue.
 


DVD could not handle it? What DVD disc is under 4.7GB? Unless you mean CD-R. But you could download it. Again, your specs concern me, and machine may be too old to even run Windows 10...properly. You should not have to download it. Just log into Windows as normal. Pop in the USB, and click on Setup.exe.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


You can create your own DVD, here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
 

TerryMag

Commendable
Dec 29, 2016
5
0
1,510
What's the specs of your machine, though? Also did you try multiple ports? [/quotemsg]

My machine started as an old Gateway but rebuilt overtime. Dont think BIOS was ever updated seems to date from 2007, USBs I think came later hence no option in the BIOS for a reboot to do an install. BIOS give options only for HD / CD Rom / Removable Device which is shown as a Floppy drive, and no USB option. Is this what you mean by 'Legacy Mode'
Also tried to copy mem stick to Dvd using Nero but one file was too large, over 2 Gb it cant handle.
Or could I do a download install from MS website using my Key?

I tried 2 USB ports didn't do the others on the back of the PC as reckon BIOS reboot requirement is the issue.
[/quotemsg]

DVD could not handle it? What DVD disc is under 4.7GB? Unless you mean CD-R. But you could download it. Again, your specs concern me, and machine may be too old to even run Windows 10...properly. You should not have to download it. Just log into Windows as normal. Pop in the USB, and click on Setup.exe.[/quotemsg]

Tried to boot it by popping it in USB port and clicking Setup.exe - got a dialogue message saying 'Setup.exe is not a valid Win32 application' the package says its 32-Bit /64-Bit. tried other ports too and get the same message.
My pc is 32 Bit - from System Properties it lists it as follows:
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU
Q6600 @ 2.40GHz
2.40GHz, 3.25 GB of RAM
Physical address extension.

 
Is there two setups? You could try to change the compatibility of the Setup.exe, doubt it will work though. You cannot use x64 apps on x86 OS'es. If you have another USB, I would recommend re-downloading the ISO from the creation tool mention above. The tool will choose the right 32-bit based off your current specs.
 

TerryMag

Commendable
Dec 29, 2016
5
0
1,510
On verge of giving in and getting a new PC at this stage, however I tried running setup.exe from stick but failed with a dialogue message 'Setup.exe is not a valid Win32 Application'. I also downloaded the Media Creation Tool and it too gave a similar message '...not a valid Win32....'
Still think the BIOS is the issue where it has no option to make the UBS as a boot priority. It could be that my Motherboard -ASUS Striker Extreme (Socket 775) BIOS cant' be updated.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


You're trying to start the exe on the USB, from inside the currently running 32bit Windows instance.
This will not work. Ever.

Same with the MediaCreation tool. You cannot run a 64bit application from inside a 32bit OS.
Won't work.

You need to find a way to cause this motherboard to boot directly from the USB stick you purchased.
 


I didn't know that. I thought the Creation Tool choose which version of Windows to install based off the system it was on. So I figured it would have chosen the 32-bit, and once the system restarted, he could have formatted properly. But thanks for the heads up.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


No, two different things.
Running the Setup.exe from inside the existing OS is different that booting from that.
The USB (or DVD) may or may not be 32bit. Generally, it will know the existing OS and download the correct one to install with.
However...it is ALWAYS advisable to boot from that and install.

And trying to go from XP to Win 10...no go.
Boot from that and install.
 
Solution


Got it now. Then again, it's been years since I saw the blue taskbar.