Windows 10: Access denied to C: drive serious issues

My internet speed is about 5MB. I downloaded the file to burn to a DVD this morning and it took about 2 1/2 hrs. It took a few more hours to burn to a DVD but failed the verification test so I thought I would use a the USB method. I downloaded the Media Creation Tool and started the download about 5hrs ago. The trouble is that I don't know what to expect. There is no indication whether anything is progressing. Just a blue window with a small rotating dots and a message that says @getting a few things ready'. Not at all helpful.

Do I leave it running?

I have just looked at the USB using Explorer and it says it is empty!!!! This is hopeless.

Please help.

 

I am now so tied and confused that unless things get done soon I will have to abandon all and start again tomorrow. I have been at this problem for three days now and got absolutely nowhere.

 

Doesn't sound like it's working for some reason. *Sad I'm sorry for all the trouble you're having.

What size is the flash drive?

What operating system do you have on the laptop?Your desktop is basically un-usable with all the permission issues.
You use Windows Live Mail (WLM) as your email client.
You have access to a laptop (that's how you got the ISO downloaded).
-Can you do the data export from WLM to an external drive, for importing later, on your desktop?

Perhaps you can start the download over while you're sleeping? Or, is it possible to go to the local library or someplace with a fast internet connection tomorrow to download the media?

 

I am now so tied and confused that unless things get done soon I will have to abandon all and start again tomorrow. I have been at this problem for three days now and got absolutely nowhere.


I have decided to quit the USB set up and try again tomorrow. Good nite.

 

Okay Jeff, get some rest. We can start again tomorrow. We'll get you through this, one step at a time. Not to worry. Good night.

 

How big is the iso file? Fat32 formated drives have a 4 GB file limit.

 

Windows 10 ISO files will extract to FAT32. In fact the Media Creation Tool makes a FAT32 drive when you let it create the drive for you.

 

Good morning All,
Thank you for your patience & help, this is just a brief update on the problems of yesterday. My laptop did not download the ISO file at all, it seemed to be hung up during the set up. It took me another hour to clear the laptop and shutdown!
I cleared the laptop this morning and started again with the Media Creation Tool and this time it worked OK. It took about 90 mins and now I have the ISO on a USB.

I am now ready to reinstall Windows 10 into my PC. There still a couple of questions outstanding:
1. Will this action of reinstalling W10 completely clear everything from my C: & D: drives?
2. If everything is cleared can I re-partition my hard drive so that I have more room in C: and less in D: ? Or even not have a partition at all?

I have just noted the time of my posts and realise that my laptop was showing the wrong time. It is now 12:05 Tuesday 14th June.

 

The answer to all your question is YES.
So make sure that you have all your important data backep up to an external drive before doing a clean install.
Goog luck.

 

Afternoon Jeff,
So glad you got that USB version downloaded! As Badrobot says, the answer is Yes to all your questions.

So, back to my question:
Here is information on backing up/exporting your WLM info.
How do I import and export email, contacts, and calendars with Windows Live Mail? - Windows Help

-Can you do the data export from WLM to an external drive, for importing later?

When you are ready, boot the desktop to the USB, and select custom installation. Then delete all your existing partitions. You want to install to an unallocated drive.





See the tutorial here for more information:

Windows 10 - Clean Install - Windows 10 Forums

If you have any questions, please ask. Someone will be able to answer you here.
Good luck! *Smile

 

I have got to a part of the set up where I want to change the partitions and install Windows, but don't know how to progress at this point.



I can see that Partition 3 and 4 are both about 450GB . I presume 3 equates to C: and 4 to D: but how do I change the ratio and which one do I install Windows in?

 

I have got to a part of the set up where I want to change the partitions and install Windows, but don't know how to progress at this point.



I can see that Partition 3 and 4 are both about 450GB . I presume 3 equates to C: and 4 to D: but how do I change the ratio and which one do I install Windows in?
Whatever partition I select it says windows can,t be installed?

 

Now I seemed to have changed the size of partition 3 (to 901GB) at the expense of 4 but Still cannot install windows because it says that the selected disc has an MBR partition table. It says that on EFI systems Windows can only be installed to GPT disks.

What's all this about? What do I do now?


Now my PC is totally not working, either to load new W10 installation nor go back to the damaged W10 operation.

Might give up altogether with all time I have wasted.

 

Please someone help! I am now completely stuck. I followed all the instructions and now my PC is screwed.

 

At that point, you have to delete all the partitions and create new.