Z400 - Help from fellow Win11 patch install - users.

[FairwayFatty]

I have been running my Z400 Win10 for about 1 year without issue. I read a lot about the rufus win11 upgrades on here and about 6 months ago I upgraded to Win11 via a Rufus patched iso. Everything installed fine and had been performing windows updates and running great with no issues for 6 months. About a week ago windows did a typical "update and restart" and at reboot it went to a black screen with "DISK ERROR" in the upper left. I went through all types MBR, BCDE and any other boot repair, reload etc. with no success. I then purchased a new SSD and did a clean (patched) install of Win11. Again everything ran fine, installs its updates etc. no issues and ran fine for four days then bam - at reboot went straight to the black scree with DISK ERROR.

Anyone experience this issue after installing/upgrading their Z400 to Win11? 

BIOS is set (and always has been set to ACHI-RAID)

Could there be MB issue here unrelated to windows?

I also read that Windows may embed UEFI instructions in their updates that may corrupt the boot - anyone heard of this?

I really enjoyed this Z400 (its all i need) but Ive given up and ordered components to build a new machine but thought as a last shot i'd try and post here for any similar issues.

Thanks FF

[NonSequitur777]

@FairwayFatty,

You really shouldn't see these Windows 11 issues with your HP Z400 Workstation.

Why don't you try this Windows 11 install, which is using a clever Microsoft (Server) backdoor install method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSrmhhigEhY&t=332s&ab_channel=Tips2Fix.

This works great: I have used it myself on a number of legacy HP desktops without any issues whatsoever.

Just make sure that your Windows license pertains to the correct Windows version, such as "Home" or "Pro".

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[FairwayFatty]

Well that is interesting however i cannot boot into windows at all so Im not sure how i can implement this technique. There are a lot of other people whao have =used the rufus patch and i wonder if they have the issue. As mnetioned my install worked fine for 2 months.

Anyway I do have another pc that has an i7700 which is not supported by win11 so maybe  i will try the server fix on that machine.

Thanks

FF

[NonSequitur777]

@FairwayFatty,

Are you not able to install Windows 10 on your HP Z400 Workstation?

Your i7-7700 PC will happily accept W11 just like I did a few weeks ago with an HP EliteDesk 800 G3 TWR fitted with an i7-7700K.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[DGroves]

random or repeating changing errors usually indicate a physical error

check the drive sata and power cables by replacing the sata cable and using a different sata power connector

Do a "BIST" test on the power supply  (google HP BIST test) to confirm power supply is most likely working correctly

clean ram module contacts and reseat ram, run memtest86+ to confirm no ram issues

and FYI the rufus patch simply modifies the windows install registry on the fly to ignore/skip the tests for CPU/TPM/Ram 

if the image worked previously on the system there is nothing software wise that would prevent it from working now so you can most likely skip thinking the issue is with the windows rufus patched install key

[FairwayFatty]

I neglected to state that I also configured this machine to dual boot win/linux when i purchased it 1.5 years ago. It has run flawlessly in that time until the disk error mentioned ~10 days ago. The error only occurs booting to Windows and I continue to boot to Linux (as I am now).

I did swap out the SATA cable and considered switching SATA ports but I read that the boot drive on legacy machines such as Z400 must be connected to the first SATA (blue) port on the mobo.

However, and regardless that the machine functions flawlessly when booted to Linux, I did re-seat memory and ran memtest with no issue reported. I did not perform BIST as mentioned the machine has no issues and remains under power/suspend/sleep mode 24/7 running Linux.

On the initial SSD ugrading to win11 via the Rufus image worked without issue for ~6mnths. When the "disk error" first occurred 10  days ago, and in attempt to save my apps etc., all manners of windows repair were unsuccessful along with many other attempts to repair via c: prompt/diskpart, ventoy and other disk repair methods.

I then allowed windows installer to re-format the allocated partition and successfully re-installed the Rufus patched ISO. This ran flawlessly for four days until a "windows will complete update after reboot" and upon reboot the black scree/disk error occurred again.

I then installed a new SSD allowing windows the entire new disk, downloaded fresh ISO from Microsoft website, verified the win ISO hash value, created a new Rufus patched ISO and successfully installed win11. I reinstalled my apps and again the machine ran flawlessly for a few days until, again, after a windows update the disk error occurred. 

With all of that said I am unsure how this would not point to a software wise issue.

[FairwayFatty]

@Nonsequitur777

I suppose I could try Win10 and follow your procedure to upgrade but I am so tired of spending hours upon hours attempting to remedy the situation and have given up. I have purchased new components and in process of building a new box. I will try your remedy on my i7700 at some point and let you know if that works.

As far as the Z400 I will probably install an alternate drive, load linux on it and donate.