Windows 10: "Something Happened" What Next?

True. And if it does complete? Then he has to go to the bother of transferring files, installing programs, removing W8.1, extending partitions, getting rid of the dual-boot, etc., or another clean install over top, removing all partitions.

I think, after all the time he's spent already, one clean install, and if it doesn't work, he reimages to W8.1.

 

Thanks for your advice.

I'm going to try fixing the boot configuration issue first. I've listed the repair process below based on 'googling' the issue. There are some options - please advise the best approach:

1. Boot from Windows 8 CD (presumably in UEFI mode with secure boot off?)
2. Goto command prompt option
3. Run DISKPART and select the EFI volume
4. Assign letter z: to the EFI volume
5. cd /d z:\efi\microsoft\boot
6. attrib z:\efi\microsoft\boot\bcd -h -r -s
7. ren z:\efi\micr bcd.old\microsoft\boot\bcd bcd.old
8. Optional step: bootrec/fixboot (is this needed?)

There then appear to be 2 repair options - which is most appropriate?:

9a. bootrec /rebuildbcd

OR

9b. bcdboot c:\windows /l en-gb /s z: /f (for UK)

If that fails, I'll do a clean install using this procedure Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First

I think I have two valid Windows 8.1 Home product keys. The original one I guess is the one embedded in the BIOS supplied with the new laptop last year. However, a while ago Microsoft did an in place repair install which didn't activate initially. Microsoft then gave me a new product key / licence code ending J426G which I'm currently running on - this is different to original BIOS key and is reported by Showkey as a retail key.

When I do a clean install, will Windows 10 activate automatically using the BIOS key or will I need to use the gatherosstate.exe file method in the above post to effectively use the second key given to me by Microsoft?

The keys are reported as:

Product Name: Windows 8.1
Product ID: 00259-60602-32092-AA084
Installed Key: *****-*****-*****-*****-J426G (Showkey says this is a retail key)
OEM Key: *****-*****-*****-*****-BG8JQ
OEM Edition: Win 8.1 RTM Core OEM DM

 

Activate automatically with the key in bios.

 

I will get some help on this - I'm not too familiar with the procedure to advise.

I don't even think this is necessary anymore. The most recent v1511 (November update) will grab the key from your BIOS and should activate that way. If for some reason it doesn't, you can always select "Change Product Key" in Settings>Activation, and activate it that way with your original OEM key.

Just let it install using the key in your BIOS. Save the other one.

 

Okay, I've requested additional help from our members, but, in the meantime, I've done a little research as you did. The two pages I am referencing are here:

How can I repair the Windows 8 EFI Bootloader? - Super User

Fixing a Corrupted UEFI Partition in Windows 8 or 8.1


Based on what I'm reading, this is what I would do:

1. Make a Macrium image of your entire W8.1 HDD, create Rescue Media, verify the backup and also the Rescue media.
2. Copy/paste your personal files to an external HDD
3. Grab the appropriate W10 install media from MS TechBench
4. Backup your current W8.1 drivers (you can use Driver Magician Lite Free)
5. Grab the W10 drivers specific to your system from the Dell support site
6. Locate all your install media and keycodes for any "paid" software
7. Write down your 2 Windows keycodes
8. Grab @Kyhi 's custom bootable recovery media for W8.x + W10 here, just in case
9. Boot to advanced options>command prompt

(caveat here - I have never done this and I hope someone can chime in and confirm these instructions)

Identify and assign letter to partition:
Enter Code: diskpart[/quote] Once in diskpart, enter Code: select disk 0[/quote] Disk 0 is now the selected disk
Enter Code: list vol[/quote] Identify which volume is FAT32
Enter Code: sel vol X[/quote] where X is the volume that's FAT32
Volume X is the selected volume
Enter Code: assign letter=b:[/quote] Diskpart successfully assigned the drive letter or mount point
Enter Code: exit[/quote] to exit Diskpart utility

Now fix the BCD:
Enter Code: cd /d b:\EFI\Microcoft\Boot\[/quote] (or cd /d b:\Boot\ or cd /d b:\ESD\Windows\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\)
Enter Code: ren BCD BCD.bak[/quote] Enter Code: bcdboot C:\Windows /l en-gb /s b: /f ALL[/quote] Enter Code: bootrec /rebuildbcd[/quote] Enter Code: attrib bcd -s -h -r[/quote] (not sure if this attrib is needed at all)
Enter Code: bootrec /fixboot[/quote]

Now, again, I am no expert on this stuff. I don't *think* you need to turn Secure Boot off, but I could be wrong. You might want to wait and see who else replies about this.

If it totally borks your machine, then you can re-image the W8.1, or clean install the W10.

 

Needless to say this has all gone horribly wrong...

Copy (backup) any files you wish to save to another drive
(if you have no access to the current OS - boot from my PE and then copy the files you wish to save..)

Clean Install Windows 10 build 10586

Turn off legacy / CSM support in your bios setting.. to force EFI/GPT installation

boot from your setup media

delete every partition and allow windows 10 to install to the unallocated space..

It will correct itself..

 

Thanks Kyhi *Thumbs

 

Thanks to simrick for that detailed reply. I'll just remind you all that the PC boots fine in Windows 8.1 but the command bcdedit /export fails to complete. Several others had this problem and once corrected Windows 10 would install.

I used Partition Wizard to explore the EFI volume and can confirm the BCD file is in the directory \EFI\Microsoft\Boot.

I'm not sure I need both the bcdboot C:\Windows /l en-gb /s b: /f ALL and bootrec /rebuildbcd commnds. Most references use one or the other commands. I was planning to investigate this a bit further so I understand what I'm doing.

My understanding is that bootrec /fixmbr doesn't apply to a UEFI boot configuration.

I'll wait a day or so to see if someone else has advice then try the fix.

 

Steve,
what is it that is wrong ?? or what are you trying to fix ??

 

The problem is that the upgrade from Windows 8.1 Home to Windows 10 on my newish Dell laptop consistently fails at the point where the PC is about to restart for the first time. I've tried all of the common fixes as discussed on this thread.

I mentioned in a previous post above that I saw a possible fix in this thread https://www.tenforums.com/installatio...ll-doesnt.html. I get the same error mentioned in Post 8 of that thread -when I try to run "bcdedit /export <file>" I get an error message "The store export operation has failed. The handle is invalid". Several people report sucess in upgrading to Windows 10 once this boot configuration issue is fixed.

The discussion from post 26 onwards in this thread is about fixing this boot configuration issue (even though Windows 8.1 boots fine) before having to do a clean install of Windows 10 instead of the planned 'simple' upgrade.

 

/export

Exports the contents of the system store to a specifiedfile, which can be used later to restore the state of the system store:
bcdedit /export filename
Parameters

filename
The name of the file that is to contain the exported store. If filename contains spaces, it must beenclosed in quotation marks (""):
· If you specify just the file name, BCDEditcreates the file in the current default folder.
· To have the file placed in a specific folder,set filename to the fully-qualifiedpath. The path must end in a valid file name, such as c:\temp\mystore. If thepath ends in the name of a folder (such as c:\temp) or the name of an existingfile, the command fails.
· You can use valid environment variables in thepath. For example, if %TEMP% is defined as c:\Temp, setting filename to %TEMP%\MyStore creates anexported store named MyStore in c:\Temp.
Example

The following command exports the system store to C:\Data\BCDBackup:
bcdedit /export"C:\Data\BCD Backup"
Remarks

This command can be used only to export data fromthe system store. The system store itself is not affected.

 

it appears you are trying to export the BCD into a Backup file..
then renaming and recreating the BCD store...

Marcuim reflect and easybcd both have this option..

Do not see how recreating a working EFI BCD store will help with a windows 10 upgrade..

In EFI mode you need the EFI partition, The system reserve partition, the winre partition and the OS partition..

the upgrade should automatically add the additional winre partition..

 

I can only quote from the other thread I referenced that repair of the boot configuration enabled Windows 10 to install ......

For what it's worth - in case someone finds this thread: I finally managed to upgrade my box to Win10! As turned out the \Boot\BCD file on the boot manager partition of my system must have been corrupted, even though my system had always booted OK and even though issuing a "bcdedit" command on the recovery console had only shown valid entries.
I only realized that nevertheless something must be fishy with that file, when I tried to do a "bcdedit /export <file>" and always got an error message "invalid handle". A tool to visually edit BCD files that I then tried to inspect the file always crashed when opening that file - another indication that something was wrong with that file. So I finally renamed the file and recreated a new BCD file (using "bootrec /RebuildBCD"). That file allowed to be exported and inspected.
So, after fixing that I gave the Win10 install another try and - fair enough - it worked immediately.

If only had the upgrade procedure emitted the faintest hint in that direction this would have spared me at least 15hrs of search and experimentation! The guy who dared to write this idiotic error message "something happened" should get fired, if not worse! A big MINUS 10 for this worst Windows update experience ever

 

Thanks to all for your help.

I've now solved this problem and have a fully working Windows 10 laptop! The problem was as I suspected - a corrupted EFI system partition. I've created a new thread showing the solution at https://www.tenforums.com/installatio...x80004005.html

 

Excellent! Thanks for posting that for others as well!
One question: should there be a space before "enable":

So glad you got things sorted! *Thumbs