Windows 10 - No Bbootable Device -- Insert Boot Disk and Press Any Key (AFTER WINDOWS UPDATE)

[Jinn-Gon Qui]

I have a friend here who recently updated their HP Pavilion laptop to the latest version of Windows 10, but after the update they get the message that is mentioned in the title. I can't seem to find a way to fix the problem (software-wise), and I don't want to start taking the laptop apart.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Just create your own Win10 USB Flash Drive and use that.
Reinstall the OS, the other C Drive data will get pushed over to "C:\Windows.old"

[Jinn-Gon Qui]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Bad_Motha:

Just create your own Win10 USB Flash Drive and use that.
Reinstall the OS, the other C Drive data will get pushed over to "C:\Windows.old"

Yeah, I have the OS installed on a flash drive. But are you sure it will create the windows.old file/folder thingy and if the owner's Windows has an activated key, will it also automatically activate the key?

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Yes, as long as user does not manually reformat the drive, the old OS + Data gets pushed to that "old" folder. After OS install completes you can go into that folder and copy any data needed out of there. When ready to wipe out that "Windows.old" click the Windows/Cortana Search bar and type Disk Cleanup > right click that and click on Run As Admin. You will notice "Previous Windows Install" in that listing of Disk Cleanup, check the box and click OK to wipe that properly and fully off the drive.

The OS will auto self re-activate once connected to Internet.
To check that, press Winkey+i and click "Updates & Security" > "Activation"
Which should verify this it has occurred.

Then because the OS is fresh again, click on "Windows Updates" and perform all of those updates until no more are left to do; might take a few reboots until they are all completed.

[Talby]

you can try to fix the MBR[neosmart.net] first, will be a much faster solution if it works - and do the reinstall as a last resort.

Just ignore the part about "Easy Recovery Essentials" that is their product they want you to buy, just scroll past it and do the native OS MBR recovery.

[TehSpoopyKitteh]

Check the BIOS boot settings to make sure that the hard disk partition takes priority (first to load) before the Windows Recovery Partician.

[Jinn-Gon Qui]

As I was proceeding to install the OS it doesn't let me install it. So maybe somehow there was no OS to begin with?

[Bad 💀 Motha]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Doomslaya':

As I was proceeding to install the OS it doesn't let me install it. So maybe somehow there was no OS to begin with?

Can you take some pictures of what you see in the OS installer screens where there is this problem(s) you speak of?

After taking all your pics, you can simply upload them to a single posting via IMGUR.com and once uploaded, share that finalized web-address into here so we can see.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Doomslaya':

As I was proceeding to install the OS it doesn't let me install it. So maybe somehow there was no OS to begin with?

Can you take some pictures of what you see in the OS installer screens where there is this problem(s) you speak of?

After taking all your pics, you can simply upload them to a single posting via IMGUR.com and once uploaded, share that finalized web-address into here so we can see.

[TehSpoopyKitteh]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Doomslaya':

As I was proceeding to install the OS it doesn't let me install it. So maybe somehow there was no OS to begin with?

You may need to burn the install disc image to a DVD-R to install the OS. There are a number of reasons this could happen.

[Washell]

It's possible the drive inside the laptop has actually failed.

If you can get to a command prompt, type "wmic diskdrive get status"

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/hard-disk-drive-health

[Jinn-Gon Qui]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Bad_Motha:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Doomslaya':

As I was proceeding to install the OS it doesn't let me install it. So maybe somehow there was no OS to begin with?

Can you take some pictures of what you see in the OS installer screens where there is this problem(s) you speak of?

After taking all your pics, you can simply upload them to a single posting via IMGUR.com and once uploaded, share that finalized web-address into here so we can see.

https://gyazo.com/30418726b15ba19b68eceaf648cfdc47

https://gyazo.com/f7523875127a0fb1357834c06b36b90d

https://gyazo.com/c5ca633c585f71f51a82558429c7bc3c

https://gyazo.com/46cdca86e696e43889d41a7d5fe70efe

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย The Spoopy Kitteh:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Doomslaya':

As I was proceeding to install the OS it doesn't let me install it. So maybe somehow there was no OS to begin with?

You may need to burn the install disc image to a DVD-R to install the OS. There are a number of reasons this could happen.

I see. I could try that.

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Washell:

It's possible the drive inside the laptop has actually failed.

If you can get to a command prompt, type "wmic diskdrive get status"

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/hard-disk-drive-health

I'll try that. I did try other commands but none of them seemed to work, so hopefully this one will.

[Buck]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Doomslaya':

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Bad_Motha:

Can you take some pictures of what you see in the OS installer screens where there is this problem(s) you speak of?

After taking all your pics, you can simply upload them to a single posting via IMGUR.com and once uploaded, share that finalized web-address into here so we can see.

https://gyazo.com/30418726b15ba19b68eceaf648cfdc47

https://gyazo.com/f7523875127a0fb1357834c06b36b90d

https://gyazo.com/c5ca633c585f71f51a82558429c7bc3c

https://gyazo.com/46cdca86e696e43889d41a7d5fe70efe

There is no valid partitions defined, but also no usable space to create a new partition either. This can sometimes happen if you have removable media like USB sticks and SD cards inserted. It can also happen when there's a parttion type present that Windows doesn't understand (like certain types of linux/unix partitions), or when the partition table is just borked/inconsistent.

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/asiasupp/2012/03/06/error-we-couldnt-create-a-new-partition-or-locate-an-existing-one-for-more-information-see-the-setup-log-files-when-you-try-to-install-windows-8-cp/

You can probably also use DBAN (Darik's Boot And Nuke) to completely remove all information from the disk and try again.

If neither of these options works the disk may be failed as already suggested. You can usually get a diagnostics utility from the disk OEM to diagnose that, or the BIOS on certain laptops might contain a built in utility for diagnosing disk health.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย The Spoopy Kitteh:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Doomslaya':

As I was proceeding to install the OS it doesn't let me install it. So maybe somehow there was no OS to begin with?

You may need to burn the install disc image to a DVD-R to install the OS. There are a number of reasons this could happen.

Why do you always recommend this non-sense?
USB Flash Drive is 100% the way to go regarding this kind of thing.
Most Laptops don't even have Optical Drives anymore cause no one really uses or needs them.
Making a Win10 DVD is rather pointless cause it becomes an outdated coaster very quickly.
When your Win10 flash drive becomes outdated you re-wipe it and grab latest ISO down the line when needed to do another reinstall or clean install later down the road.

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Doomslaya':

https://gyazo.com/30418726b15ba19b68eceaf648cfdc47

https://gyazo.com/f7523875127a0fb1357834c06b36b90d

https://gyazo.com/c5ca633c585f71f51a82558429c7bc3c

https://gyazo.com/46cdca86e696e43889d41a7d5fe70efe

You selected Upgrade, never do that, select Custom

[Jinn-Gon Qui]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Buck:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Doomslaya':

https://gyazo.com/30418726b15ba19b68eceaf648cfdc47

https://gyazo.com/f7523875127a0fb1357834c06b36b90d

https://gyazo.com/c5ca633c585f71f51a82558429c7bc3c

https://gyazo.com/46cdca86e696e43889d41a7d5fe70efe

There is no valid partitions defined, but also no usable space to create a new partition either. This can sometimes happen if you have removable media like USB sticks and SD cards inserted. It can also happen when there's a parttion type present that Windows doesn't understand (like certain types of linux/unix partitions), or when the partition table is just borked/inconsistent.

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/asiasupp/2012/03/06/error-we-couldnt-create-a-new-partition-or-locate-an-existing-one-for-more-information-see-the-setup-log-files-when-you-try-to-install-windows-8-cp/

You can probably also use DBAN (Darik's Boot And Nuke) to completely remove all information from the disk and try again.

If neither of these options works the disk may be failed as already suggested. You can usually get a diagnostics utility from the disk OEM to diagnose that, or the BIOS on certain laptops might contain a built in utility for diagnosing disk health.

I used both the utility for checking out the hard disk and it was okay, and even used the command I was given and in the CMD it said OK.

Oh, man. Sounds like a lot of work just to get this one lousy hard disk working...

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Bad_Motha:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Doomslaya':

https://gyazo.com/30418726b15ba19b68eceaf648cfdc47

https://gyazo.com/f7523875127a0fb1357834c06b36b90d

https://gyazo.com/c5ca633c585f71f51a82558429c7bc3c

https://gyazo.com/46cdca86e696e43889d41a7d5fe70efe

You selected Upgrade, never do that, select Custom

Well yeah, to see if either options would work, which none have.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

At this point sounds like a dead drive to me.

What is the drive brand + model?
How old is it?