Windows 10: Want to clean install windows, after multiple BSOD errors, what drives should I be keeping...

hi,After multiple BSOD errors, I was recommended to do a clean install of windows via USB. I’m unsure which drives I should be deleting and which to keep. Please help! Thanks

:)

 

Clean Install Workaround for Vista

You may remember this news story on techPowerUp! a couple of days ago relating to the lack of clean installs when using the Upgrade Editions of Vista, which required an old OS to be installed. However, Paul Thurrott has managed to find a workaround for this issue, which ironically lets users do a clean install Vista without any previous version of Windows, albeit a little tedious. Here are the steps:

• Boot from the Windows Vista Upgrade DVD as normal
• When prompted for a product code, leave this blank
• Select the version of Vista you have purchased and let Vista install
• When you boot to your desktop for the first time, run the Vista setup from Windows
• This time enter your product key
• When asked whether you want to do an Upgrade of Custom install, select custom and choose a clean install
• Windows will now install for a second time and you should be able to activate it

Remember, these steps are only advised for use in order to achieve a clean install of Vista, it is only legal to use the upgrade editions if you have previously purchased the appropriate version of Windows.

Source: DailyTech

 

Windows 7 Professional keeps dropping the DVD/CD drive

Working with a fresh install (2nd attempt) of Windows 7 Professional on new hardware. The motherboard is a Gigabyte EP45-UD3P. Running 4G of RAM and an Intel Q9400 Quad Core CPU. The DVD/CD optical drive is a Pioneer DVR-218L.

Here's the problem - after two fresh installs, Windows 7 drops the DVD/CD drive and I get the following error in Device Manager (The device cannot start {code 10}). After the install, the drive works for a period of time, then stops working and I get the error code.

The driver appears to be a standard Windows driver (CD-ROM driver).

I've tried uninstalling the drive and re-installing it in Device Manager but it does not work - I continue to get the device error.

I've also swapped out the DVD/CD drive to insure it's not a bad unit. Same problem with both drives.

What do you suggest for next steps?? Could it be an issue with the motherboard?? A driver problem?

I visited the Pioneer web site - could not find any help or additional Windows 7 drivers.

What now??

 

HP laptop - multiple BSODs

I have an HP Pavilion 15-cs0021na, (Intel i3, 8GB, 128GB SSD) running Windows 10 Home, which exhibits the following characteristics:

• On startup, occasionally completes boot, but within 5 minutes, BSODs. with a random error, e.g. Page Fault, IRQL not equal, Memory Management and so on.
• Repeated attempts to reboot then fail with more random BSODs
• Rarely, it will attempt a Startup Repair – which will invariably fail with another BSOD.
• Wiping the hard disk and attempting to install a clean version of the OS (downloaded from Microsoft using Media Creation Tool to USB stick) will get a little way into the process, then fail with BSOD as above.

What I’ve done:

• Attempted clean install as above.
• Run multiple hardware tests on Memory and SSD - HP’s built-in tests, Memtest86, Seagate disk tools. All tests pass with no errors.
• Updated BIOS from Insyde F.04 to F.22 (HP supplied).
• Repeated clean install, same result.

I have now run out of ideas, and am at a loss to understand what is causing these errors. How are BSODs generated if no Windows installation is present? Is it likely that a hardware component other than RAM or the SSD is causing these?

Any and all suggestions will be much appreciated.