Windows 10: Installing Windows 10 using SD card

It is an extremely good idea to create a recovery image anyway. Case in point: when I did a clean install of Windows 10 on my Nextbook tablet, when I installed the driver to enable screen rotation the screen was either 90 or 180 degrees off depending on orientation. I had to restore the Windows 8.1 image I had made and retrieve the registry entry from it that corrected the screen orientation. With the low cost of SD cards and/or USB flash drives now it is well worth it to have an image of the original software - especially when it is only a 32GB device to begin with.

 

Well, I just tried to create a recovery image - to start with the tick box for opy the drive recovery partition was greyed out, and when I hit 'next' it came up with the message that a recovery image could not be made as some files were missing!! Not sure what I'm doing wrong here.

 

I prefer to just make an image of the entire 32gb memory using Macrium Reflect Free.

 

Okay, I see. I'll try that.

 

Hi all, I've tried every conceivable installation combination - and every time it gets to 100% install from the micro sd card, then I get a black screen with the message "Please insert the external storage media and press OK" - no matter what I do it doesn't go any further. I have tried a clean boot, uninstalled anything unnecessary to no avail. When I cancel the operation the tablet reverts back to win 8.1 which is good at least, and then give the following windows 10 error:



Any idea where I'm going wrong?

 

The Windows 10 upgrade will only use a USB flash drive for the extra storage space it needs to do the upgrade, not an SD card. When you get the message to "insert the external storage media" only a USB flash drive will be accepted for that (possibly an SD card in a USB adapter plugged into a USB port).

I suppose a USB hard drive might work - not sure about that.

 

Well, I did some googling and found a MS help thread by someone in the same predicament as me http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/windows-10-upgrade-error-please-insert-the/788763e9-5ae5-4ceb-84ef-1fbf0dc3ddd6

So it would appear that it is possible using an SD card, but no luck for me so far. I've tried suggestions like disabling AV etc..but still no joy. Will keep digging I guess.

 

Hoorah! Sorted at last. I copied the iso to a ext hdd, charged the tablet to 100%, switched off all wireless, dimmed the screen etc.. and crossed my fingers. All installed now, running like a dream. Many thanks NavyLCDR, Superfly and cereberus for your help.

 

Glad you got it sorted...!

So the Lt was right - the lack of SD boot must have been the issue? (even though it was not installed there.. strange tho')

 

Yep, guess so - worth knowing, would have saved me several days of head-scratching and cursing...