Windows 10: Windows Update now royally inoperative

Mea culpa, yes. Secure boot.

 

I had thought if you had made no changes then you could reset the BIOS to default thereby eliminating any changes you may have made. This is not a good idea if you don't know what changes you made initially.

Really important to document these things as there is no way we are going to remember this in a year or two.

Do you have a lot of third party software installed?

 

Not very much at all although I do have a few files that I realized havent been backed up.

I did the file back ups a few days or more ago.

Here 8s what happens when the internal shell is activated.






I cannot say if default settings had it working.

I traded for this with it being weeks from new.

It had been setup and I got it with a new msata and the 2.5 sdd wiped clean.

I recall the uefi v legacy coming to question and I don't recall if it was during the windows install or if I had to go into BIOS.


Wait, that was before intel replaced the unit under warranty after a usb port failed.

When they sent back a new replacement, I believe it was just pop the bits back on/in and it was up and running.

 

Okay remove that setting. I did some reading on that and that is for some custom scripts around booting.

So we know from your early screen shots you boot UEFI as do most modern machines.

My experience tells me most machines boot on defaults. Some areas of customization are Raid (on, off, level) vs AhCI, and then Overclocking. That is not to say people don't change things like passwords or boot order or boot devices just the machine boots on defaults.

Now I normally tell people to record what they have in the BIOS so they can reference later. This can be done with phone photos or plain old pencil and paper.

If you decide you want to do this, enter the BIOS, set it to defaults (docs say F9) then save (F10) and boot. I'm almost 100% sure this will not fix but I would very much like to be proven wrong. Please.

Not sure how important the files are you missed. I try to keep all my files in my libraries and if I need quick access I place a shortcut on desktop.

My belief is you will need to re-install your OS and programs.

Clean Install Windows 10

Thoughts?

 

Restored defaulys.





Doesn't look right.
I was sure it booted UEFI as well.

Sounds like I'll just have to accept losing the most brilliant and best parts of a particular draft I worked on during a couple 3AM eureka sleep disturbing sessions.

 

Absolutely not.

Do you have another machine? Maybe an external CD/DVD drive?

 

Am I reinstalling?
It tells me 8f reinstalling my copy will be activated later.
I set it back to UEFI.
I know I didn't change it to Legacy and am certain it boots UEFI.


I have another mach8ne.

I have an external hdd.

I backed out of the install realizing you may be suggesting I can snag that draft.

That would be huge.

 

Not exactly sure where you are. I mentioned BIOS reset and clean install and asked for thoughts. Screen shot in #49 shows that it sees your UEFI USB key and Legacy shows that key as well. When you reset BIOS you changed a setting which allows for legacy boot. Lets see if we can find that.

If you have access to other machine you can create this disk and boot from it. It will give you explorer and you can navigate to your files and copy them.

Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk

A clean install is a re installation. Yes Windows will be activated once it is installed. It will ask for key, at bottom you click I don't have product key.

 

Look at Post 19. In the boot order box, for Legacy you removed check mark. (or it was removed.)

 

I've got to crash. Could you give me an update. Thanks

 

It is back up.

While waiting for the other machine to update everything it wanted including FF, I tinkered with the NUC.

I went back and forth with the UEFI and Legacy.

After going back and forth, with the usb still plugged in and without it plugged in, it finally booted after several tries and making no rhyme or reason.

I do believe it booted with the Legacy setting clicked.

However, I am certain I did not uncheck it as shown in post 19.

So, now, do I go with the 1709 OS Update, assuming that is the media on my USB created yesterday???

I got my recent work backed up and that was a huge relief!


I'm getting ready to hit the rack as well.

I do the 5AM thing or sooner.

Thank you very much for all your help.

 

Well you're becoming very familiar with your BIOS.

I will have to review this in my head. If it booted legacy then it must have always booted legacy. Not arguing with you something just not right. Anyway with that doc I sent you you can "Find" the word legacy.

If it were me I would do the update to V1709 through setup.

Then I would have a real good look at BIOS, know it and then I would clean install using UEFI.

I'm very happy it's up and you got your work.

I won't be on in the AM. fixing a hot tub. I will check in from my phone as I was doing this evening. First time I've done that.

Take care.

 

I'll be on it after my first hot cup.

The Legacy thing has me scratching my head as I was sure I recalled it booting UEFI and this NUC being the first time I'd been introduced to it. I'm equally sure I didn't uncheck it today.

My machine prior (a flagship HP all in one, introduced around 2010) was purchased as a demo off the shelf running and I still have it after replacing the motherboard (mechanical failure of a connector and I forgot why, but, operator error) and don't recall any UEFI stuff. Maybe it did and I enjoy being able to forget things that may distract me from the things I have or want to do.

I still have a 1998 linux machine that I have no doubt will still boot up and go online if some crazy need manifested for that to happen.

I'll get on the OS Update.

The Bios, I'll go through and snap pages of every screen for reference after I ingest the NUC document you've shared.

I went ahead and made the recovery tool and hope I don't have to use it.

Thanks, niters and thanks again!

 

So I have a theory as to what happened yesterday. You can think clearer when you have all the data and you're away from problem.

You can test my theory or not and I'd love feedback.

You have always booted legacy, that we can debate. Yesterday you said everything was okay until you F2 into the BIOS. You said Secure boot was off, you clicked it to confirm, the check mark appeared and then you removed it. I think this is where the evil happened. When Secured Boot was enabled, even for those few seconds I believe the UEFI helped you. It said oh he wants secure boot and I will disable Legacy for him.

You saved and the No boot hit you. On restoring the defaults the legacy boot was enable. Then with some tweaks by you it worked.

To test my theory you could replicate. Of course you could tell me go jump in the lake. It's working and I'm keeping it that way. I would so understand, really.

Those tweaks you made last night late, please write them down. They will come in very handy some dark night when your BIOS has reset because the CMOS battery has failed. I have full rebuild instruction for my BIOS, my OS / programs and my mail clients. I do them in word and print as PDF's. This way I can read and print on any system and the word files allow me to edit and expand as I learn.

I learned a lot about NUC's yesterday and the secure boot "potential changes" will not be forgotten.

Off to fix hot tub.

 

I dug back and found the 2015 text messages and even screen shot of the BIOS where I inquired to an expert while I was setting up this machine.
I would say your theory is patently correct and the UEFI was discussed in a way I'd not at least forget UEFI.

My machine answers a ping with it turned off and power cord unplugged. *really
I suspect the Kingfast's MBR and/or my Windows product key may very well be compromised.

I'll let you know directly and have my suspicions how the OS Update will conclude.

A new msata, external usb3 adapter and sata sdd have been ordered.
Price per GB is 1/4th or less what they cost in 2015 and more space/faster wouldn't hurt a thing even if I didn't suspect one or both to be compromised.

I too learned much about the NUC and Windows as well, thank you very much.
I'll message you privately once I get every thing resolved and secured.