Windows 10: Could not complete Win10 installation from USB

Ken - thanks for your help.
All those jobs are for tomorrow now - my head has had enough of PCs for one night *Sleepy
Will get back to you later.

 

One issue I see frequently with booting and USB devices is the BIOS has support for USB 2.0 devices and ports but usually not USB 3.0 [my 2-month-old is that way]. USB 3.0 has to happen with the OS providing drivers so I always make sure to use the USB 2.0 ports, usually black innards while USB 3.0 is usually blue.

 

Check out this thread:

[Build Help] Installing Windows 10 from USB "Windows could not complete installation" : buildapc

Essentially, you should install windows 10 Pro and then upgrade to windows 10 education when you input your key. This worked for me too.

 

Ken

How long should memtest take? Its running now and its taken over 2 hours for just 2 passess. No errors though (yet).

 

I did this before starting memtest.
Im still unable to install Win 10 via USB ( tried 2 different USB stick in both USB 2 and 3 slots) - each time boots up - get the twirly dots , then a flash of BSOD with a sad face, sometimes with an error code that is too fleeting to read and then the system reboots and repeats with BSOD etc.

Therefore I tried installing my old Win 7 DVD to the HDD and the SDD separately.

Each time it boots via the DVD drive but before I get a screen asking about where to install win 7 etc I get another BSOD but this it stops with an error code :

HDD error




SSD error




They mean nothing to me but can anyone help.

 

Ouch. Memtest will run as long as you let it. I usually just let it run overnight. You did to full passes, lets move on.

Please confirm you download new Windows 10 media and either created a new disc or usb key.

Assuming you have another computer please attach both disks one at a time. On HDD run chkdsk. If not errors delete all partitions. On SSD run chkdsk, and again delete all partitions.

Please confirm you have no overclocks in place, you deliberately set BIOS to not perform and switches on board have been confirmed.

If you can't boot these in Win 10 or 7 using a clean install something serious is wrong. DIMMS are in right slots?? Try installing with just on dimm?

The HDD error indicates a problem with drive. You can google yourself and read. The stop code on SSD can also indicate same.

 

Thanks again.

But why should 2 different storage media fail simultaneously? seems very odd to me.

I got 4 passes over 8 hours using Memtest in default mode.
I also tried the F2 "multithreading " mode and it locked up after some time with a "W" in the last core. Does this indicate a CPU core fault.

Ive also tried the intel IPDT - it runs fine on my laptop but the GUI wont start on the PC.

Ive also tried running xubuntu from bootable USB - works fine on laptop but wont start on the PC.

Could this indicate a CPU fault too.

I cant get hold of another PC till the weekend Im afraid, so things will have to wait before I can start swapping components.

 

Not sure how to test CPU for specific fault. W is not an error code they list.

I agree that two shouldn't fault together unless maybe large electrical storm and a real electrical surge.

There is some definitely wrong with PC.

Asus provides LED's to indicate faults, are any of them lit? Page 1-34 of manual. There is a specific led for CPU.

 

To summarise:
All POST LEDs (CPU, RAM, VGA, HDD) function normally - no fault indicated.
The XMP and TPU switches are set to disable.
BIOS overclocking is set to manual and left at normal.
CSM is disabled.
Secure boot is set to "other OS" ( cant find a way to disable it)
Fast Boot is disabled.
USB, DVD, HDD and SDD are all seen in BIOS when connected.

System crashes early during:
Win 10 clean install from bootable USB,
Win7 install from DVD,
Xubuntu OS run from iso on bootable USB

Memtest: ran 8 passes over 15 hours - no memory errors. (Im not sure if I am correct but in default it appeared to run 1 CPU core, If set to multi-threading with 4 cores in use system hung after about 1 hour with "cores 0 1 2 3 \ \ \ W"

No difference to above if I remove the graphics card and run monitor from onboard DVI

I still dont know what the problem is but I dont think its RAM (Memtest OK), nor the SDD or HDD (although they may be damaged - the problem with boot failure crash still exists if no drives are connected. Its not the graphics card so that leaves the CPU and MB. The MB is brand new but the CPU is not and was running when the previous MB died during start up. So im thinking that maybe its the CPU after all.

I will swap components around from son's PC at the weekend and see what happens.

 

Sorry, did you test the storage drives on another machine. I would do that as my first item.

Good luck and post back. Want to hear what you found.

 

I wont have access to another PC till the weekend - should be able to swap the storage devices and CPU

 

Latest update.
Tried a new SSD - no better - exaclty the same issues.

Contacted Aria from whom I bought the i5 - they dont do RMA for processor - have to go direct to Intel.
Contacted Intel - are arranging a RMA and hopefully a new CPU in return. Unfortunately the CPU has to go to the Netherlands via DHL - another 4 day wait before DHL will pick it up. So could be weeks before I get a result.

All rather frustrating.

 

On the positive side the manufactures are standing behind their products.

 

When you have failed upgrades you sometimes can get useful information running the panther command and viewing error codes and log files.
Using control c then control v enter this command into administrative command prompt: C:\$Windows.~BT\Sources\Panther
Then see if you get an error code and/or log files:
setupact.log
setuperr.log
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...file-locations

 

Just to close this thread from my end.
Intel were great - my CPU was bust and they got a brand new CPU to me within days. The SSD and HDD were also kaput. So when the MB died, so did the CPU, SDD and HDD. What caused all this damage I'm afraid I dont know but Ive bought a new power supply as well, just in case. All working now and Win 10 installed without an issue.