HP Stream 7-Windows 10 doesn't boot, I can't recovery 8.1 because can't boot from USB-HELP please!!

[Ruggero1912]

Hi everybody, I'm new here!

I am (scuse me: WAS) enjoying a Stream 7 🙂

Some days ago I tried to install Windows 10 TP upgrading 8.1 with Bing. After some waiting time it succeeded, but unfortunately I forgave to put in the tablet's SSD the hp drivers, thinking they weren't necessary. So touchscreen, WiFi and all the other stuff didn't work. After I collegated via OTG a keyboard and a mouse I managed to use Windows 10.

Trying to install drivers, my fault, I opened an .exe of Realtek (maybe for the audio), tablet asked to reboot and after that I cannot access to Windows anymore.

I tried to boot Windows 8.1 from a USB, but it doesn't boot, the same even if i disable secure boot.

With disabled bitlocker Windows gives this error

In boot option I set these settings

I put the usb in this way:

The Stream doesn't consider the USB absolutely XD

If I enable again the secure boot Windows gives this error (that at 99% is caused by the .exe I installed):

Rebooting the Stream a couple of time with secure boot it goes in a menu (where touchscreen works) where there are a lot of options to reset Windows, but none of them works. If I try to format from this menu it asks for my account's password, but it doesn't accepts the mine 😕

If I try to open the recovery (from volume minus button when it starts) it gives this message:

Waiting for help,

Thank you for your patience!

[kyle_b]

Does anyone else not see the pictures or is it just me?  I just see yellow triangles.

It seems there has been a lot of trouble updating the Stream tablet with the recent Windows 10 build if you search recent threads, I did not see where a solution has been found.

[Ruggero1912]

Ok, thank you for your reply!

So I must do a rollback? But how?

I normally see pictures, but it's obvious! I uploaded them XD

If you can't see pictures now too I will send you. How can I?

[kyle_b]

I can see the pictures now, I think it takes HP a while to make them available.  The 0xc000000f error is what some others have reported.  If anyone has found a solution for this, please post it.

[Ruggero1912]

So is there and way to solve? Do I have to send the tablet back to HP?

[travmaximilian]

Hi everyone. I think I have found a solution to this problem. Short background story, I too tried to install Windows 10 (10049) via Windows Update but I was never successful - got stuck at around 30% for more than an hour. I tried to restore to 8.1 but it gave me that 0xc000000f error. Luckily I had made a recovery image to USB before updating to Windows 10.

Please note that by doing this method, you will obviously lose your data.

Here's what you'll need:

- Recovery USB (if you don't have one, grab it from this link and I thank you that person from another post). Follow the instructions, this is just basically clean, format to FAT32, set primary and active, and then drag and drop the files and folders from the USB folder to the root USB drive. This particular recovery is from a 5701 model, there is actually no difference between Stream 7 models in terms of hardware, but software is configured differently (different language setup/format) depending on the country/region it's sold.

- OTG cable

- Powered USB hub

- USB Mouse and Keyboard

- A moment of your time

1. Plug in the OTG cable to the tablet, and then plug in the USB hub to power and to the OTG. After that, plug in the USB mouse and keyboard and Recovery USB to the USB hub.

2. Boot the tablet to BIOS by holding down Power + Volume Down at the same time, until you reach the Startup Menu.

3. Press F10 and navigate to System Configuration > Boot Options. In this menu, we'll have to restore the settings to default.

• So if you have disabled Secure Boot, you first need to Clear All Secure Boot Keys and then Load HP Factory Default Keys. Then enable Secure Boot.

• Make sure UEFI Boot Order is also default to as follows: OS boot Manager, USB Diskette, USB CD/DVD, Network Adapter.

• If you did not make any changes, proceed to 4.

4. Be prepared to go back to the Startup Menu, because as soon as you press F10 and hit Yes, the tablet will automatically restart. So press and hold the Volume Down button after you hit on Yes.

5. Press F9 and select Boot From EFI File. If you've done the recovery image ghosting correctly onto the Recovery USB, you should see two entries. One should be RECOVERY and the other may depend (it could be SYSTEM or No label). Select RECOVERY, and then select bootmgr.efi.

• At this point the tablet will boot off from the USB and will bring you to Windows Recovery.

6. Select your keyboard layout, and navigate to Troubleshoot > Reset your PC.

• If the drive partition/boot manager is not damaged, it will ask for a recovery key. You can actually skip this step and hide the numpad, revealing the option Skip this drive if you don't have the recovery key anymore, or just really want to start anew.
• If the drive partition/boot manager is damaged, the Reset will proceed and will ask you to select a target operating system. In my case it was Windows 8.1.

7. The next screen will be about Reset your PC telling you what's going to happen. Tap Yes > Yes, repartition the drives > Fully clean the drive > Reset.

• The tablet will now do its thing and restore to factory default.
• After restoration, a BIOS screen will come up asking if you want to clear the TPM keys. Select Yes, and this will create a new key for the restored installation, bringing you back to a fully factory default tablet.

Notes:

• I recommend not installing a generic Windows 8.1 ISO that is copied straight to the USB drive using the Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool or RUFUS. They won't be compressed or the same as WIMBOOT, which will take up more storage space than stock recovery.
• You could actually install another version of Windows 8.1 on the tablet, assuming you know what you are doing (ie. making a WIMBOOT image).
• You could also actually install Windows Technical Preview directly, again, assuming you know what you are doing.
• This is just a guide to help you try recover your tablet from a failed Technical Preview installation. I hold no responsiblities over your actions.
• What I recommend is that use 8.1 for now, and wait for the official release (or at least a more stable Technical Preview release for this tablet if you can't wait that long) of Windows 10.

[kyle_b]

Good job travmaximilian, nice write-up.  This looks promising. I was wondering what the Clear All Secure Boot Keys option did.  I also wonder if running the battery down or disconnecting the battery so that the CMOS resets also accomplishes the same thing.  Possibly not since someone said they tried that and still had the 0xc000000f error.  Thanks.

[travmaximilian]

In some circumstances, Windows may report that Secure Boot isn't configured correctly. Clearing the Secure Boot Keys in the UEFI removes Secure Boot Keys that may have been imported or created after disabling Secure Boot, and just loading the default ones from HP. I just included it in the setup process to make sure that Windows 8.1 will be setup correctly before proceeding with the recovery.

Afaik CMOS reset only affects temporarily stored data (such as date and time). Secure Boot Keys are stored in the firmware.

I am assuming that the 0xc000000f error is caused by an inaccessible recovery partition when hitting F11. The recovery USB that I made had no executable file which is required to startup the recovery process from BIOS, which is why I resolved by booting to a different path by using F9 and booting from recovery USB EFI file.

[Ruggero1912]

Thanks a lot!

There is a thing I didn't undestand: after downloading the recovery and putting it in a USB do I have to download Windows 8.1 too? Or it is in the same file as the recovery? If I must download also Windows 8.1 separately, do I have to put it in another USB? Wich version of 8.1 do I have to download?

I am very grateful 😄

[travmaximilian]

The recovery is stock OS Windows 8.1 with Bing (32 bit, WIMBOOT) complete with tablet drivers. It's the same OS that shipped with the tablet exactly like the first time you bought it. You don't have to download anything extra.