Hi all
I have a DELL Inspiron laptop (17R 5737) which was originally running Windows 8 (and later 8.1) with all updates installed.
I tried upgrading to Windows 10 and I had a few installation errors but on the 6th try it worked because I chose not to keep my settings and apps. At first after the initial installation, Windows 10 was working well and I spent some time downloading apps, checking out Edge and talking to Cortana but then I hibernated and the next day I tried turning my laptop on and for no reason whatsoever it threw me to the "Automatic repair" menu and then got stuck in a repair boot loop. From there I tried all the obvious choices, to restart a few times, to restore to an earlier image which it couldn't find, to boot to safe mode which didn't work, etc. I couldn't do anything at all. I tried resetting a few times (cleaning all settings and apps) but that also failed. I then saw that every time it tried a recovery it created a new partition on my drive called "Recovery partition". When I noticed that, it had already been a few hours of me trying all logical solutions and it had created 8 recovery partitions and my drive must have run out of space because it would no longer even start. It would immediately throw me on a blue screen showing hard drive errors. After hours of trying every alternative option, my laptop was completely DESTROYED and the only real option to get my laptop doing anything at all was to format it and install Linux from a live CD.
From what I understand I can't install Windows 10 from the ISO DVD any more, but I need to find the original Windows 8 ISO, install that, then upgrade to Windows 10 and hope it doesn't destroy everything again for no reason. Is that right? Is there a shortcut to all this procedure? I think the product key of Windows 8 is encrypted in the BIOS or something but I can't find the Windows 8 Home x 64 bit ISO anywhere.
Obviously confidence in Windows 10 is now extremely low as my experience was a nightmare but I do need Windows for work so I have no choice but to try again and hopefully I won't go through this hell on earth again.
I do, sort of, know what to do next, but if someone knows of a shortcut how to deal with this do let me know.
For anyone reading this, the only advice I have is to keep a recovery image before installing Windows 10. Even if installation works fine and everything looks good at first, the laptop could still be destroyed for no reason the day after. That's my experience anyway.
Thanks
Windows 8 media creation tool from Microsoft.
If you did the free upgrade and activated Windows 10, you can now do a clean install. You just have to install the same version you got with the free upgrade, Home or Pro.
For a Windows 8.1 ISO go here, It will read and use your OEM Embedded key automatically. You can install 8.1 (Core) with your OEM 8.0 key. I've verified it myself. There is no 8.1 Home by the way, it's just called Windows 8.1. It's the Core version.
For Windows 10 ISO you can go here, Install 10 Home if you upgraded from the non Pro version of 8.1. When prompted for a key, click skip, it will activate if you already did the free upgrade and activated Windows 10. Also verified it myself.
Hi alphanumeric,
Your post actually helps!
Windows 10 must be activated because the upgrade was successful and I did play around with Windows 10 for a day before it randomly crashed. I just assumed I wouldn't be able to activate it because now I have formatted my drive and I'm running Linux so I assumed the only key my laptop has is the Windows 8 original key that is encrypted in the BIOS.
I also have Windows 10 Home Iso DVD burned so I can just use that, skip the activation steps and hopefully it'll work?
I'll try that and see how I get on. Thanks
It should work. Everybody that did the free upgrade got the same generic key. There is a Home Key and Pro key. When you do the free upgrade and then activate Windows 10, a hardware ID is stored on the activation server that identifies that PC as validated for Windows 10. It also logs which version you got with the free upgrade. After that you can clean install on that PC with that same version of Windows 10 with the skip option and it will activate. I've done it a couple of times.
Just to clarify. When I enter the Windows 10 ISO dvd it asks for a product key. Do I choose to "Skip this step" or do I enter the generic key that is floating around the net?I've done it a couple of times.
nkomp18. Skip entering a key. Windows 10 will validate when you connect to internet from Microsoft Server!
Either one will work, clicking skip is easier though. I use a PID.txt file to enter my key automatically. It saves me having to click skip twice. I use the generic Pro key because all my upgrades were to 10 Pro.Just to clarify. When I enter the Windows 10 ISO dvd it asks for a product key. Do I choose to "Skip this step" or do I enter the generic key that is floating around the net?
Windows 10 - Clean Install
Okay thanks guys, that helped!
