Videos
Hi,
I came home from work to find my Windows 10 laptop not working. It has been sitting on preparing automatic repair for hours at this point. I have seen online to download the media creation tool and create a bootable USB to fix the problem, though I do not have access to another Windows 10 system, would this be possible to do on Windows 11?
Also will I lose data using this fix? I would obviously rather avoid losing data but if there is not a alternative that would keep everything I believe this sounds like my best option.
Thanks in advance!
Firstly my computer had a problem after downloading windows 10 over a year ago. Then I mistakenly from the blue “choose an option” and “choose an operating system” page selected windows 10 4 times clearing the pervious operating system. As a result, I can’t select the previous windows 8 or 7. I can’t even preform a reset because the original is gone.
I tried to find a way to fix it.
My attempt now is putting the Windows media creation tool from https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209 on a UBS using working computer. So far so good.
On the laptop with the problem, from the choose an option page I selected using device and then I selected USB drive (UEFI). The laptop goes to a purple page. It says Windows set up, I select from the drop boxes and I click next. I click install now. It says Setup is starting.
It goes to activate windows. My laptop did have windows when I bought it I didn’t have a product key. So I don’t know what to do and therefore I select I don’t have a product key. (I reckon that selecting this will have a future implication, please do enlighten me with any support here too). After that it’s a select operating system you want to install. It gives me seven options I don’t know which one is the right one or which is the best so I select Windows 10 pro. I accept the terms then it looks to me which type of installation do you want. Because I don’t want to lose my files, I choose upgrade install and not custom. It says in the compatibility report option if you start your computer using with the installation media and then I close and then I’m back to the beginning of the windows set up purple screen. Help me.
Additional edit: is there a way for me to back up my device from the blue page that says choose an option?
Windows 10 Media Creation Tool, Microsoft Media Creation Tool or windows Media Creation Tool some people call it where you can download the ISO from Microsoft web site to install windows 10 is this only for retail copies of windows 10 or is it also for OEM copies where you buy a laptop or desktop computer at computer store like Acer or HP with windows already installed?
Some one said to me the way Microsoft has set this up is that you cannot download Microsoft Media Creation Tool so you cannot download the ISO to install windows 10.
Is this true that OEM product keys don’t work? That Microsoft Media Creation Tool is not supported for OEM computers?
That when you buy computer that it is well up to you to make your own recovery disk on DVD or USB? And if you don’t the problem is on you?
That all computers you buy in the computer store or refurbished computers use OEM copy of windows 10 and that Microsoft Media Creation Tool does not support this?
That computers you buy or refurbished computers that you buy you have to make your own recovery that you do not download Windows 10 Media Creation Tool?
And if you don’t make a recovery there is nothing that you can do? So Windows 10 Media Creation Tool does not support this?
It definitely does download the data necessary. I know because I used it only a couple of days ago and it definitely spent about 2 hours in the "downloading" stage using up my internet bandwidth.
If you have just recently upgraded the copy of Windows on your current machine, in the last month or so, then you may still have the relevant install files downloaded and it should use these instead.
It should only use your local files if they are actually the current version.
In either case the download will set up the files in either a $WINDOWS.~BT or a $WINDOWS.~WS directory in the root of your system drive. If you want to know more about those directories then HowToGeek has an article What Is the $WINDOWS.~BT Folder, and Can You Delete It?.
Download Windows 10 Media Creation Tool (17.5 MB) version 10.0.15063.0:: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209. This tool is an 32bit excutable file but really a cabinet file (.cab). So one can easily open that executable file like a compressed file in WinZip or 7zip. Here is VirusTotal link. The processes are;
Files Creation and Logging:: At first execution of MediaCreationTool.exe, it creates some folders in System Drive like $Windows.~WS, $WINDOWS.~BT & ESD. It also creates log files in C:\Windows\Logs and extract itself in C:\$Windows.~WS\Sources folder. Then it logs your PC Windows details in "C:\$Windows.~WS\Sources\Panther\setupact.log" and send it to Microsoft. The data is read from
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersionregistry. Open setupact.log file in any text reader and you can see what type of data is sent to Microsoft server. See more How-To Geek link.Connection and Files Download:: It downloads a Products_20170317.cab file from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=841361 (for Creators Update). This link written in SetupMgr.dll file in that MediaCreationTool.exe (treated as .cab file). In that Products_20170317.cab file, there is a Products.xml file. Then it reads that XML file, find a ESD file link matching your language (like en-US for English), downloads that encrypted ESD file in C:\ESD folder.
Convert ESD to ISO:: After downloading the required ESD file, it reads the encryption key from Products.xml file to decrypt that ESD file. Now it converts ESD to ISO file. See more GitHub:ESD-Decrypter.
N.B: This process is for Creators Update version 1703.
I’m trying to fix a boot option with a PC where bootrec /fixboot shows access denied. I was told that the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool v1703 will help. I can’t find a working download anywhere.
Hmm, first of all, welcome to Spiceworks! Try this link , it goes through the step-by-step and doesn’t specify the 1703 version only, just says download the Media Creation Tool. Hopefully, this will help! I personally only have the current one on-hand, so I wouldn’t be able to help you in that regard.
First time builder so I just want to make sure I understand the process & don’t jack something up.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but from what I understand;
in order to download Windows 10 onto a new pc with no OS, I need to use another Windows pc to download the Windows 10 ISO file onto a USB Flash Drive. Then once the new pc is built, I can simply plug in the USB, turn on the pc, and it will install Windows. Then once it’s installed, I can use a 25-character key/license I purchased to authenticate Windows 10 Pro.
I also read somewhere that I need to download something called “Rufus” in order to download the Windows media creation tool to a USB flash drive.
Is that all accurate? (If anybody is able to provide links for the necessary downloads that would be very helpful)
Thanks for any and all help. I wouldn’t have been able to piece together my first pc if it wasn’t for you guys & this subreddit.