Windows 10: Missing operating system

OK, thanks. It's just that I haven't seen anyone with the "Missing operating system" failure actually having got Windows 10 properly installed yet. I think I'll try to install 8.1 clean, then upgrade. I'll format the drive first. Will post back (hopefully from Win10) when I'm done.

 

Don't format first. Delete all partitions during the 8.1 install then click Next without creating or formatting any partitions. Let the 8.1 installer create what it needs.

 

Good tutorial for 8.1 here: Clean Install with Windows 8 Upgrade

 

Hi people. I'm in the same problem. Try any kind of reformating disk by win setup, by g-parted, upgrade over a clean install of 8.1, and the same but with USB setup (upgrading). Try to uncheck the write cache of the SSD, but always the problem is the same. The only way I can install w10 is clean install , but then the key don't work, of course. I'm waiting to solve.

 

Did exactly that and everything worked and I did restarted the system many times but next day ... missing operating system error again...
by yhe way I have a 3 years old SSD hard drive

 

I also tried all the above mentioned methodes; no succes.
The only way i can think about at the moment is: (i have a SSD and a harddisk in the laptop)
Backup and empty my harddisk. Copy my SSD imasge to my harddisk. Start from it and see if it works and still is activated.
If so, then disconnect or hide my SSD. Perform the upgrade (in any way) on the harddisk. See if it works and if it gets activated. If so then put the image back on the SSD (or perhaps do a clean install on the SSD).

I have no time the coming days to try this, but at the moment it is the only way i think is left to try.

 

Yesterday installed Windows-7, did all the updates so I had Windows-7 Service Pack 1, and today tried to update to Windows 10, using the MediaCreationtoolX64. All looked alright, till after restart again "Missing operating system". What can I do more?
Is this what Microsoft ment when talking about a great upgrade experience? *Smile

 

Just to try to find something in common. Every one here had a laptop with SSD?

It's really strange because I updated without problem my desktop that was windows 7 professional with ssd.

But the laptop had windows 8 pro with ssd and gave "missing operating system" the two times I tried. Now it's with the Windows 10 Pro not activated from clean install, waiting for some solution...

 

How about boot mode? I've only recently found out about UEFI mode, and know very little about it, so maybe a stupid idea, but really want to find a solution. I've only installed booted to Legacy bios mode, did any of you with the same problem install windows having booted to UEFI mode?

 

I tried both, same problem

 

Breakthrough! *Smile I updated my bios firmware (not important, I assume), but changed to UEFI mode. Then installed a clean Windows 8.1 from UEFI-booted USB key drive (created with Rufus). Didn't install any updates, BTW. Once I made sure W8.1 was activated I put another key drive in, with Win10 on (also having used Rufus), started the setup and installed, checking the option to keep nothing from the 8.1 installation.

To my surprise everything went smooth and I've now got Windows 10 activated! I'll make a partition image and then try to clean install W10. I'll report back when that's done, and update this post if anything is unclear (writing this from phone while walking).

Hope this helps.

Note: I have no idea whether the UEFI settings or the suggestion by Ztruker to clean install 8.1 actually made the difference... But Win10 works for me, which is what's important...

Another report: I've now clean installed Windows 10 with no problems and it's activated.

 

I'll try again telling to not keep nothing. But before I'll clone my current win10 not activated installation to fast restore in case of trouble.

 

So, people had these problems when doing a fresh installation (=format) on their SSDs, right? I used the upgrade method on my laptop (with SSD) and it worked. Maybe changing the boot mode from UEFI to legacy helps some people, in case WIn10 deletes the MBR and wants to use GPT.

 

No, this problems happens with the updgrade method, a fresh/clean installation of windows 10 works, but we can't activate because win 7/8 don't work directly.

 

UEFI is required for windows 8 and 10, this is why they wont run in emulators like virtual pc or virtual box, at least the last time I tried. glad the bios update allowed you to install, if a bios update does not allow this mode the pc will simply just not run windows 8 or 10