Windows 10: Can't install Windows 10 or Windows 7! because of MBR issues

I had two idle Windows computers, both with SSDs. So I combined their parts, booted up the mongrel without problems, and attempted to do a "delete all and reset" so I could start with a clean slate. I told it to wipe all disks. Big mistake. The computer froze up completely partway through. When I restarted, I had no bootable partitions.


"No problem," I thought. "I'll just go ahead and reinstall from a Windows 10 recovery USB." The first five times I tried that, I got a black screen after the initial booting animation. Then I went into BIOS and changed the boot order to prioritize USB. Now it booted to the media, but then I got the dreaded "Unable to Reset Your PC. A Required Drive Partition Is Missing."


Next, I tried installing an old Windows 7 DVD. But that, too, complained that a partition was missing.


So then I tried all of the following:


- using bootrec to repair the MBR

- using diskpart to mark the partition as active, and subsequently to try to wipe the disk entirely

- plugging the disk into another computer a Mac, reformatting it as FAT32 with an MBR, and trying again this also proves the disk itself works

- setting my BIOS boot order back to the order it was in

- setting my BIOS to boot in UEFI

- setting my BIOS to boot in legacy mode


One strange thing is that diskpart shows two disks, one only 7mb, even though there is just one. So does my BIOS. So I wonder if this has something to do with it.

Giving up on installing from that SSD, I tried the SSD from the other computer, which happened to have a recovery partition before I started this disaster. I tried to recover from it using the Windows 10 bootable USB. It got partway through the recovery, then said that it could not continue because "there was a problem." Gee, helpful.


I'm trying to do the most failsafe thing possible: completely wipe a hard disk and install from original media. I am failing anyway. How do I get out of this mess?

:)

 

Installing Windows 10 using Windows 7 key

Nope, you need to install Windows 10 first and make sure the Windows 7 key is transferred to your Windows account after you've installed Windows 10 (not quite sure how that works). I missed the last step and I could not activate Windows 10 after a re-install... Microsoft seem to have done everything they can to make it a PITA. Also, it's technically too late to do this now anyhow, as the upgrade offer has expired. But KMSPico works quite well...

As for getting rid of Windows, delete the Windows folder.

 

Issue with Windows 7 installing

On the second step of installing Windows 7 it just locks up and won't continue with installation. I talked to my friend in town (Urbklr on Techpowerup) and he believes it's my chipset. I can't get a hold of him to find out how I could update my bios and such.

 

New install Windows 10 (issue solved)

It's good that you're not experiencing any issues. Unfortunately many folks are, a quick Google search will show the same info im offering the OP.

Heres a couple examples:

Here

Here

It's basically what I mentioned above, small issues here and there ,but nothing to end your day.. for the most part.

I know it's anecdotal, but for my experience 95% of the time it's perfectly fine. The issues I've run into wouldn't be enough for me to roll back , but they would be enough (had I not installed it yet) ,to avoid it for another couple weeks which is why I'm suggesting it to the OP

Windows 10 Fall Creators Update problems and complaints

• Installation problems with the Fall Creators Update
• Microsoft Edge problems with the Fall Creators Update
• Drivers problems with the Fall Creators Update
• Experience problems with the Fall Creators Update

keep in mind, as of recently, the FCU is installed on 5% of devices roughly.....