Help with Windows Install. Boot from USB.

Berty

I upgraded to the newest build of Win 10 Tech Preview and hoped that would eradicate all the Nvidia problems but now I don't even have access to Windows.

It downloaded and installed and upon reboot hangs at the flash logo screen(dell in my case). If I power off by holding down power and try F2 for setup I get a black screen. If I try F12 for boot options I get a black screen.

Im trying to reboot in safe mode to uninstall Nvidia which, on the previous build, I had to do this every time.

Now I can't boot, safe boot, refresh or anything.

I can Fn + power into a hardware test and my hardware is all working fine.

Even if if I had the previous build ISO on a USB I can't, as far as I can see, change boot to USB anyway because I get a black screen.

Basically my new laptop appears bricked now and I'm hoping for some help.

Thanks in advance.

CatInABox

BIOS is independent of the OS, so you should be able to get into that to change boot order.

Capt'n Midnight

Getting into the BIOS keystrokes are brand specific

Check your boot image works on another laptop.

Try a different boot image but new BIOS means you may need a UEFI (SP) compatible boot image or it'll just look at you as if you're stupid.

Berty

I see what you mean about bios being independent from the OS.

I'm none wiser from midnights reply which went very much woosh over my head.

It seems from asking the question on the windows insider community I'm not alone and someone else with the exact same dell laptop has the issue also.

Is there another way to force the system to change it ways. Somebody referred to taking out the battery and holding the power for 30 seconds.

ED E

What dell is this?

If the hardware self test works then the BIOS(EFI) should do too. On dells F2 = "Setup" = Bios. The black screen there is strange.

Try disconnecting the HDD and then booting to the bios.

Berty

Right so I've solved the issue and I'm just back online and reported back to my Microsoft Query so the other folks can see what I did but having the spare, albeit faulty, Laptop I had was a godsend.

Am I any the wiser what Happened? Not a Chance

I have a 15R 7537 Inspiron which is/was the machine in question. I also had a 14z Inspiron with a damaged screen or cable which I couldn't fix(bought replacement screen) so gave up and bought the 15R

I took out the Hard Drive from both systems, change the brackets and swapped them over and restarted both(14z hooked up to TV so I could see what was going on).

The 14z now had the Windows 10.1 Hard Drive in it whereas it originally had the 8.1 and started setting itself up as a fresh Windows 10.1 install, downloading drivers etc.

I put the 14z Hard drive into the 15R and it found itself to be an 8.1 so started to get drivers suitable to the 15R.

When both were finished, I reversed the function and put the Hard Drives back where they came from and Bingo they worked after re-doing drivers again.

Corrupt Windows Install? Who Knows, but most likely the culprit.

I've since turned Preview builds to "slow" instead because I note that I cannot turn them off.

Prior to tonights random thoughts about ripping up two Laptops I had removed the CMOS Battery from the Motherboard to see If I could get it to forgot it BIOS settings. It did not forget, the b*stard. I was losing faith till I got the screw drivers out. :eek:

I worked in Dell Assembly years back so wasn't phased. When my wife saw the table she was none too happy. When she realised I fixed it and wasn't about to spend another €500 she was thrilled.