Windows 10: Can't Update to Windows 10 1903 on System with Unique Bootloader Setup

Hi folks,

Got a problem with updating a machine to Windows 10 1903. It's kind of an unusual situation, though.

This particular machine has a cheapo RAID card in it along with two 2 TB hard drives configured in a RAID 0 array.

Because it is a 4 TB volume, it had to be configured as a GPT partition. However, this is an older machine that does not have UEFI; it is BIOS only. Which means that Windows 10 did not support booting from a GPT partition and there was no room to add a third hard drive with an MBR boot partition.

Following some instructions I found online (see below), I moved the Windows bootloader to a USB flash drive that has an MBR partition. This has worked flawlessly in allowing Windows 10 to boot properly and still be housed on a GPT partition even though this is a BIOS system.

Recently, however, I have been trying to do the update to version 1903, since the current version (1803) goes unsupported as of November 12th. Every time, whether through automatic updates or through the manual installer, the update appears to download and install. But then when it goes to reboot, there is no indication that it is actually doing any work, and when it reboots, it is still on 1803. The attempted update does not show in the update history, nor are there any errors in Event Viewer related to the update attempt. It's as if it just never happen.

Here are the instructions I referenced:
Booting Windows 7 / 10 from GPT Disk on BIOS (non-UEFI) systems | Windows OS Hub

I know that there was a known issue updating to 1903 on systems that have a USB flash drive or SD card attached, and that Microsoft had put a safeguard hold on updating those systems earlier this year. However, according to Microsoft, that issue was resolved as of July 11th and the safeguard hold was removed. So I am assuming that is not the issue in play here.

Does anyone have any idea what's going on? Could this be some problem due to the unique setup with the bootloader? Or do you think it is some other issue? How can I begin troubleshooting this?

Thanks.

:)

 

Windows 10 USB boot

Hi there, am not a windows 10 expert. I have a pc in the bedroom on windows 10, I messed up the bootloader trying to fix the xp on that system.

System wont boot, trying to repair via win 10 usb installer.

Downloaded the media creation tool to install windows 10 installer on usb stick. Not compatible with a host of usb sticks I have. Tried the usb sticks that others use, but I think they use rufus; as the media creation tool by win 10 does not detect the usb stick.

So quick question, the win10 machine i am trying to repair the bootloader is a win7 upgraded to win10.
If i were to use the usb win10 installer to "repair installation" does the version of the iso downloaded via the media creation tool matter?

There is three options:
Windows 10
Windows 10 Home
Windows 10 N

Also is there a step by step instead of using rufus as I want to try an alternative method of creating a usb win 10 installer. Preferably with more compatibility.

System is a asus sabertooth 990 (r2?) with AMD phenom X 6.

Also is there any other software I can load onto the usb that can repair the bootloader easily?
That would be the ideal alternative. Thanks

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

How To Fix The Windows 10 Bootloader

THANK YOU. This solved it. I think this was mentioned earlier by you or someone else perhaps but I've messed around with it enough now where I vaguely understood what the commands were doing. I actually had to delete the partition, recreate it, and re write the BCD as you suggested in Step 3.

Shoutout to @topgundcp I'm sure that last method you suggested would have worked too, but now I understand how to do it manually, so I learned something.

Also, thank you @NavyLCDR for your help as well.

I have ONE last question, any SAFE way to remove the old ubuntu EFI entries that are present in my UEFI as boot options?

edit: Nvm, figured it out. For anyone else wanting to know how to remove old EFI boot entries, use "EasyUEFI" it is super easy. Took like 10 seconds after install. I DID have two identical looking EFI's for my samsung ssd, one of them, in the details, showed that it had no file path. I assumed that was my old broken one and deleted it, must have been correct bc my computer boots up perfect.

Thanks!!!