Windows 10: USB Flash Drive - Create to Install Windows 10?

2harts4everShould I still delete the NEW Software Distribution folder and rename the one I renamed OLD back to just 'Software Distribution' folder?

But that's what I would do, just to get back to where you were; a functional device less Sept/Oct updates. If you're really curious, you could open the OLD and new and compare the files to see what was added by the msu package but if they won't install, it's just a matter of seeing if the failed install found new files. If you're trying to understand why we did this, the Downloads folder in Software Dist contains all Windows Updates files that a) were successful (you see these in Update history) and b) any new ones yet to be installed. The old ones stay, in case you want to uninstall an update and will delete after a certain amount of time via disk cleanup, performed as part of routine optimization. The reason the msu was so huge is because it contains all Windows updates since Anniv and, like daily Updates, compares what's in the package to what's in this folder and only installs what you don't have.

"My Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2013 is on a disc which I purchased and yes I have the disk and the Product Key. For some reason I downloaded the 32 bit version instead of the 64 bit and right now I can't remember why. I put it on this computer soon after I purchased it before Christmas in 2014."

The 32 bit installation is the default one, in order to make it back compatible with older Office documents that you may have or receive so you're good there.

"As for 2014 and 2015 Office I honestly can't recall why I installed any files from these Programs although reference to Office 2014 refers to Power Point Viewer."

This may account for the conflict that prevented Upgrade or Clean install if these two versions are 64 bit, as all Office programs must run at same bitness. If you downloaded these just to view PowerPoint or Visio, you should uninstall them and just add these features to your orig 2013 installation by using the 'Change' option in Control Panel/ Programs and Features/ Office 2013. The files should be in an installation file incl updates so there's no need to use the disk that you purchased. You should get a dialog like this if you select the option from the screen that I posted earlier and just add the features, if you need them




Here's a helpful article from a place that knows a bit about computers, MIT, as to what they advise faculty and students -
http://kb.mit.edu/confluence/pages/v...geId=151102096

I can't blame you for taking a break but you have proven willing to try new things and, hopefully, learned a lot, at the same time. A lot of older folk ( I say that even though I'm 66 myself; lol) would throw their hands up and take the easy ways out. Keep plugging and update this topic when you're ready to tackle this again. Whether you're a Steelers or Eagles fan, this was already a bad day. Cheers.

 

This is my current boot order:

Windows Boot Manager
USB Floppy/CD
USB Hard Drive

I don't have any plans on trying to fix my Windows Update problem right now but for the record are you saying when I do decide to get back and try fixing it that I should move USB Floppy/CD ahead of Windows Boot Manager in order to be able to boot from the USB Flash Drive?

 

Hi mrgeek,

I don't get those options in my Microsoft Office Pro 2013 when I click on 'change'. I just have the option for a 'quick repair' or a 'full repair.

 

You don't have the window pictured in post 38 ? Insert your Office 2013 disc and it should detect that you already have it installed and offer you the add/remove features options as well as repair. As you can see from my 2016 install, I have most features not installed but Windows Update will update even those so they're ready to go if, say, I decide to use Outlook or Skype for Business in the future. Usually, you'll have a copy of Office in a temp or hidden folder for for this exact purpose. I don't know why yours is missing but I think you have issues that may best be resolved by creating a restore point, uninstalling all Office products incl 14 and 15 and starting over from the Office 2013 DVD that you bought, install just the features you use and then run Windows Update for security fixes.

 

I'm saying forget about trying fix the issues you're having . The amount of time you're spending on trying to fix it isn't worth it . What I am saying is wipe your hard drive clean and start over with a clean installation of windows 10 . There way to many problems when it comes with upgrading from prior windows versions . The best solution is always a clean installation . If you have your usb flash drive with windows 10 loaded use that to do a clean install but before you can you need to set the correct Bios Boot order . Now, I don't know how your bios is but from what you posted I believe you need to make the usb hard drive listed as the first, on top of the rest there and afterwards save that choose , usually the F10 key does it . Once that is done you boot off your usb flash drive at which point you start a fresh install of windows 10. This doesn't take much time or effort. Once you do this you ain't going to have all those problems your facing now . But again, do you have a external hard drive ? If not you really should buy one, they don't cost much and it's good to have for back ups and keeping your stuff . Also, what programs are you using now on your computer ?

 

Completely agree!

 

Good morning everyone,

I am getting close to doing the 'Clean Install' everyone is pointing towards. However, one more question before I take the plunge. Prior to my Update problem surfacing I was seriously thinking about buying Win 10 Pro because I have heard it lets you control how and when you install your updates along with some other nice features not available on Win 10 Home.

My question: If I would try to install it now with my current problem would it override my corrupted files and replace them with the correct ones to rid my computer of all corrupted files?

Now back to the Clean Install.

I have already copied my Downloads, Documents, Music, Pictures and Videos to a External Hard Drive. I also have the Installation Disc for Microsoft Office 2013 Professional Plus and the Installation Disc for my HP Printer.

I plan on disconnecting my Printer, all USB connections (except my Monitor and Mouse) and my External Hard Drive before starting the 'Clean Install'.

As of right now my current boot order is:

Windows Boot Manager
USB Floppy/CD
USB Hard Drive
UEFI: IPv4 Realtek PCI GBE Family Controller
UEFI: Ipv6 “ “ “ “ “
Legacy Boot Sources: Disabled

With that in mind I plan on installing the Windows 10 I have already put on a USB Flash Drive a few days ago. After looking at some step by step instructions how to do this I am completely confused. Some of these instructions talk about changing boot order (I could handle this is I have too) and setting up partitions (this is way over my head).

I am looking for a method where (1) I insert my loaded Flash Drive in my computer while Windows is running, (2) restart the computer, (3) the USB boots the computer, (4) my hard drive is wiped clean and (5) then Windows 10 is installed without having to do any partition work. (6) Then if and when Win 10 is successfully installed the only thing I have to do to get started is enter my login information. Any links to show something this simple (but safe) would be appreciated.

(7) My biggest fear is if this 'clean install' fails at any time during the attempt to install Windows 10 will my computer revert to the same state it was in before starting the install or will I have a bare hard drive with no Windows?

To be honest, if I knew for a fact that not getting the Cumulative Updates would not put me at a great security risk since I use Windows Defender and the Windows Firewall, I wouldn't even attempt to correct my Update problem

I know some of you have already given me advice on how to do this but I just want to cover as many bases as I can before I take the plunge. Your patience and continued support is appreciated as always.

Thanks and regards,

 

Okay let me try to make you get a better picture as to what will happen. lets say you have a car and the car has engine problems, now you try fixing the car but it just doesn't seem to get fixed . What I'm saying we will do is remove the whole engine from the car and load a new engine . This way you shouldn't have any more engine problems, or at least you shouldn't... Now back to what I have asked you . Do you know how to view the Devise Manager because before you do a clean installation it's always best to to view what's is installed on the computer . Windows 10 will probably load the drivers once it gets installed but it's always a good measure to have the needed drivers anyways on a external hard drive or flash drive .... If you go to Devise Manager you will notice like the pic below





Notice the arrow on each category click on the arrow it will expand and show you needed info as to what is require for your system . Now all we are going to look for is Display adapters and Network adapters. Once you have view those . Next we are going to go to HP website and find the drivers for your computer model and I believe this is your model, just copy and paste to your browser

Code: Support Search Results | HP® Customer Support[/quote] If it's the correct model I want you to download the Audio, both Chipset ... And remember I told you to view the Devise Manager for Display adapters and Network adapters match what is under the Devise Manager with what is at the HP website for Graphic and Network ... In another word if in the Devise Manager the Display adapters shows AMD Graphics then you select the AMD graphics at the HP website and download the driver, the same goes with the Network, what ever it shows under the Devise Manager for Network is what you match it up at the HP website ... Does that make sense to you ? Once you have the drivers then make a back up of your stuff / data onto a external hard drive, Okay ?

 

First, you don't want to change your permanent boot order. Your permanent boot order is what you have listed above. You want to enter the UEFI (bios) setup and probably on the last screen where you "Exit and Save", there should be boot override options listed. With the Windows 10 USB flash drive inserted when you enter the UEFI (bios) setup, it should show up in the list of boot override options, and that is where you select it. The computer should then reboot that one time from the USB flash drive.

Click Install Windows, click I don't have a product key, select Windows 10 Home, on the option screen for Upgrade or Custom Install select the Custom Install option. The next screen will show the partitions on your hard drive. Click on each partition and then the delete icon until you have nothing but one big unallocated space left on the hard drive, then click next to install Windows to the big unallocated space. You do not need to setup partitions, Windows setup will do that for you.

If at any time during the setup you are asked if you want to install updates, click NO. After Windows 10 setup finishes, normal Windows update will install the cumulative update.

I would say you have about a 90% chance of the clean install working and fixing everything, but in the event it does fail, the step where you delete all the existing partitions on the hard drive will erase everything previously there, so if Windows setup does fail after that either you will have to know how to do more troubleshooting with something like Kyhi's Recovery Drive (on this forum) or take the computer to someone who can. It is a major plus in this case if you have an operating computer you can use as a back to download whatever you might need to make the problem computer work again.

Do you have any tech savvy friends at all that could sit down with you during the clean install to help?

Since you have an external hard drive, if it is large enough you can make an image of your current hard drive using Macrium Reflect and save that to the external hard drive. If the clean install fails, then you would boot into either a disc made of Macrium Reflect recovery, or Kyhi's recover drive and restore the saved image to the hard drive and be back to where you were before you wiped it out.

If you do end up changing your permanent boot order and during Windows setup the computer just reboots and loops back to the very first Install Now Windows setup screen, all you have to do then is remove the USB flash drive and reboot the computer to continue setup from the hard drive.

Also, there is a command you can run in a Command Prompt (Admin) Window before you do the clean install that would save all your third party hardware drivers to either the USB flash drive (if room available) or the external hard drive. Then you had any hardware that Windows didn't provide a driver for, you could just install them from that. I'll have to look the command up, because I am not on a Windows 10 computer at the moment. That's a very good "safety net" that I recommend.

In Command Prompt (Admin) it is:

DISM /Online /Export-Driver /Destination:E:\destpath

The part in red would be to a folder you create for the drivers on the USB flash drive or external hard drive.

 

@NavyLCDR good catch with his Bios set up . I agree with having a 90% chance of not having any issues afterwards . Also, I don't think even if he does delete what ever partitions gets shown up will it wipe off the recovery one. That would require using a good third party partition software and even if by chance it still gets deleted he can always use a windows 8.1 disc to reinstall his original OP and I'm sure he has the 8.1 license keys somewhere, right 2harts4ever ?

 

Yes, it will delete the recovery partition.

 

@Harts4ever If you do a clean installation of Windows 10 I highly doubt you'll have any problems ..... go for it

 

Hi everybody,

I think it is time for me to throw in the towel.

After reading the last few responses I have finally admitted in my own mind that I am in over my head. That being said I am letting you all know that all your efforts and expertise are duly noted by this balding retired Marine.

When it comes to making changes in the BIOS I really get cold feet.

For the record I tried to move some drivers to my external drive by using the DISM command that NavyLCDR furnished but like all other attempts to use DISM commands with my Update Problem it failed. It would have been a very easy way to keep Driver files if it had worked on my PC.

As I have stated earlier I am more sorry for all your sakes than my own because you all put in a lot of time and effort. Unfortunately, I don't have any folks in my area that I know of who have the expertise you guys demonstrate in your responses. Maybe I could talk one of you to move into my neighborhood ....lol

I am going to just hope that Windows Defender provides the needed Real-time Protection and that the Windows Firewall steps up to the challenge. I also run weekly on-call scans with Super Antispyware and Malwarebytes, both of them are the free editions.

So, until we meet again on the forums ...

Thanks, regards and best wishes, *Smile

 

Where in Pennsylvania are you located? Depending on which side (or middle) of the state you're in, we may be able to hook you up with somebody who can come work with you to do this stuff. It's not that hard -- as long as you know how. You don't know if one of us isn't in your neighborhood until you tell us where your neighborhood is. If you're in the eastern portion of the state, the Windows User Group (WUGnet) is HQ'ed in Philadelphia. If you're around there, or around the Pittsburgh area, it will be easy to find somebody for you to partner up with.
Whaddya say, Marine?
Thanks,
--Ed--

 

Ed Tittel; a Teamviewer session could also get him to the point where, after partitioning and boot order, he can just run the usb afterward. The usb can also be checked for correct files too.