Windows 10: Problems immediately following Windows 10 clean install

I recently began having issues with Windows 10 (problems with the start menu not opening, the troubleshooter not being able to start, indexing repeatedly turning on and off, etc.), so I decided to do a clean install of Windows. I had some issues with the installation at first (kept getting BSoD from CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED"), but I was eventually able to complete the install without this problem. The new Windows 10 installation, however, had the exact same problems as the old one. So, I tried a few things to perhaps fix the installation:

1) Recreating the USB installation media
2) Using a different USB for installation
3) Trying install on a different hard drive

All of these attempts resulted in the same problems as stated above immediately after install (first login). I get an error on startup related to Windows Defender. I can't troubleshoot anything because the troubleshooter won't load. Windows also can't/won't update, and it also won't allow me to do anything with activation (it thinks I'm not connected to the internet, but I can use internet explorer just fine. I've tried using the sfc /scannow command, and it finds corrupt files but can't replace them (happens in safe mode as well). Dism will run, but nothing is fixed.

i wanted to go into device manager to attempt to just reinstall all of the drivers for my hardware in case something just got screwed up, but I keep getting the message that "an administrator has blocked access to this app..." even after using the command prompt to make sure my account had admin privileges. So no luck there.

I'm kind of out of troubleshooting ideas, as simply reinstalling Windows on any hard drive puts me back in the same place. Any input would be appreciated.

:)

 

Windows 10 clean install

If the HP Spectre came preinstalled with Windows 10, exit out setup immediately and follow the appropriate instructions to perform a clean install:

How
to: Perform a clean install using Reset this PC in Windows 10

 

Windows 10 activation - following clean install (caused by hardware fail)

Does anyone from Microsoft have an idea how to solve this?

 

Hi, start by checking your disks. If you can use your installed Windows sufficiently, download and run Crystal Diskinfo (free, also available as a portable program so you could run it from a USB disk).

Post the result.

Similarly do a surface test with Macrorit Diskscanner (free).

Post the result.

Suggest you also run further hardware checks including a memory test as you mention you tried installing Windows on 2 different disks.
Keep it stable, stupid! How to stress-test your PC hardware | PCWorld

 

Where did you get your install media (ISO) from?

 

Clean Install Windows 10
- which includes a link you can follow to get an iso.

Have you overclocked your PC?

And was it originally supplied with Win 10?
And is all the RAM a consistent type?

 

@dalchina, I ran the tools you recommended. I can post copies of the results, but both CrystalDiskInfo and Macrorit found absolutely no problems with my hard drive.

I tested my RAM with the Windows memory diagnostic tool, which came back with no errors. My RAM is all consistent type, and I'm only using one stick (8GB) at the moment while I troubleshoot these problems (though I have used the memory diagnostic tool on all the RAM I have, just to make sure it all works). I also ran Intel's processor diagnostic, and my processor passed that.

My PC (CPU and GPU) has been overclocked, but I reset everything to default prior to the clean install of Windows. I will note that the overclock I did was very, VERY minimal. I removed my GPU prior to reinstalling Windows as well, and I have not put it back in since.

Windows wasn't originally supplied for my PC as I built it. I purchased a license via Microsoft's store.
@alphanumeric, I got my ISO from Microsoft's website:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10

I will note that, interestingly, in the process of restarting my computer over and over again, my start menu and search bar now "work" (they actually do something when I click them, though the search tool isn't really working). Going to go down the route of troubleshooting Windows, but any additional input would still be appreciated.

 

I would run Diskpart and clean the drive. Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command - Windows 7 Help Forums

The reinstall 10 to unallocated space.

If you still have issues then I would think it`s the drive, no matter what any software tells you.

What make and model is the drive and how old is it ?

If you want to try another Iso file, get it from here and use Rufus to put the Iso on the stick.

Microsoft Windows 10 Anniversary Update ISO 1607 Download • Windows ISO

Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way

 

@AddRAM, it's a Samsung 960 EVO NVMe SSD, and it's about a month and a half old. I don't think it's an issue with the drive, as I attempted the same Windows installation on a brand new hard drive and had the same problems (also tried troubleshooting the second drive as well).

 

*Ditto To re downloading your ISO file. Just in case the first one is corrupt. I just wanted to make sure you were getting it from a reliable source.

 

OK then, most people are having success installing to an M.2, people who do have trouble are saying that the installer just doesn`t see the drive, obviously you`re not having that problem.

So I would say the next logical step would be to create a new installer, yes again *Sad

 

@alphanumeric, I re-downloaded the ISO and ran the installation off a few different USBs to make sure that wasn't the issue (I wanted to before I started looking at potential hardware problems).

 

Option 2 here, diskpart, is my preferred method for creating my bootable install thumb drive. UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows Has never let me down and works for both legacy and UEFI. Just mount the Windows 10 ISO instead of the Windows 8 one.

 

But the Iso could be bad ??

Try the link I posted, Microsoft is piling all the versions in 1 Iso, maybe something`s up with that.

Ya that hasn`t been mentioned, are you installing UEFI ? Is the M.2 setup as GPT ?

I have no knowledge yet of installing on a M.2 drive. I assume it looks just like any other ssd in the Bios and to Windows ?

Did you delete the entire drive down to unallocated space before reinstalling ?

Since you have a new 960, I think you could rule out the drive being bad and concentrate on the software. *Smile

 

Alright, going to try to wipe it and reinstall. I'll use a different ISO as well without all the updates.
@AddRAM, yes, M.2 works like any other SSD now. Windows 10 has built in driver support for M.2 (unlike past versions). I did delete the entire drive down to unallocated space prior to reinstalling.