New Hard Drive, can't install Windows 10 from restore with HP Provided media

[polarTheDog]

I had to replace a hard drive.  Because the recovery partition was no longer there I bought recover media from HP.  I tried following the instructions provided but the install fails.  

Viewing the log CTOERROR.fig, states:

There might be unexpected reboot during [Windows setup].

The process will cause CTO panic

because the image might not be normal now.

I tried resetting bios to factory and disabling Secure Boot and enabling Legacy, still same thing.

Im about to convert it to a frisbee.

[CF4]

Hi

This First part only works when a valid Recovery Partition is enabled.
If it displays an error message then move onto the Second Part:-
OR if you have data you wish to try and save using the XCOPY command.
Then create your own Repair/Recovery/Rebuild/Re-install media or buy a set from HP.

Turn off the computer.
Disconnect all connected devices and cables, Media Drives, USB drives, printers, & faxes.
Remove media from internal drives, and remove any recently added internal hardware.
Do not disconnect the monitor, keyboard, mouse, or power cord.

Turn on the computer and repeatedly press the F11 key, about once every second,
until the Choose an option screen is displayed, and then continue.

On the Choose an Option screen, click Troubleshoot, and work your way through the screens.

Second Part:-
This may require another PC. Find and Download your .iso from…
(You will need a NON_OEM key for W7);
W8.x and W10 should activate automagically from their embedded licence key.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows8
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

For when it’s a NON MS OS ( iOS / Linux ) creating the install media.
www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO

A 3rd party site is (Courtesy of @CherylG)...
http://getintopc.com/softwares/operating-systems/windows-7-home-premium-free-download-iso-32-bit-64-...

Expand/Extract/Burn the iso Image onto a DVD/USB as needed.
Microsoft’s Creator Tool will make the required DVD or USB.

Even though it has NO actual HP software/drivers included, you may be able to
XCOPY the C:\Users\* area onto a ‘large’ USB stick, via the Command Prompt.

You’ll need to try various drive letters; D:..-..Z: until it’s matched - could be G; mine’s S:

C:\>XCOPY C:\Users\* S:\ /e /i /h (then files like those 3 listed below get copied over)

C:\Users\desktop.ini
C:\Users\All Users\agent.1509128044.bdinstall.bin
C:\Users\All Users\HP Deskjet 2540 series\Help\flash\zoom.swf

Then you can try System Recovery Options / Advanced Options shown in the screenshots.

NB:- W7 Try running a Startup Repair more than once for a full fix.
NB: - W10 Begin with the Automatic Repair, then Startup Settings etc.

From either the C:\ or the X:\ prompt try the following

cd boot
bootrec /FixMBR
bootrec /FixBoot
bootrec /RebuildBCD

If the above FAILS then please try:-
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/repair-master-boot-record-mbr-windows
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/install-windows-7-from-usb
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/install-windows-10-from-usb

[polarTheDog]

This is just plain bad support.  

Did you read what I said or just paste some intructions?  I ran the recovery media that HP sent me, i end on a page that says "Restoration Incomplete" and points to errors.  

I attempted to call HP Support and was told they would only help me if I buy a subscription to their support.

below are screenshots of the errors.

I paid for the solution (media) I cant beleive its this hard to fix this thing,

[Grzwacz]

Greetings,

Welcome to the forum.

I am not an HP employee.

CF4 is trying to help you. The troubleshooting steps provided by CF4 are not scripted. Disconnect all unnecessary devices when doing a HP factory recovery.

I suggest you try other forums if you can't work with the folks in this forum.

Your system ships from the factory with a 1 TB HDD.

What size replacement HDD did you purchase? You need at least a 1 TB HDD or the recovery media will choke. SSD drives are much faster than platter HDDs. A 250 GB SSD or a 500 GB SSD is not going to work with HP Recovery media.

I can't read your images. They are very small. The images will support your issue. Installation error messages are often cryptic and don't identify the root cause of the failure. 

I put on heavy duty reading glasses and see some installation references to Panic. Panic usually refers to unsupported hardware.

Set the BIOS back to defaults. You're creating more complexity.  The HP factory image is configured to install using factory BIOS settings.

Maybe the HP Recovery media is bad. Maybe the new HDD is bad. Is the new HDD detected in the BIOS?

Run HP Diagnostics on the system.

You seem to be tech savvy. Install Windows clean. Let's see how this goes.

Then install drivers available at your PC's Support site.

Don't know what else to tell you. We have given you many options to assist in solving your problem.

Regards

[polarTheDog]

I am sorry to be a schmo about this but yes, Im a bit savy and things are NOT woorking out proper.

I even tried using w10 install media from windows but after the initial boot from usb, the computer takes over with HP branded restore that ends in the same failure.

I have even tried to disable secure boot and enable legacy and boot from the legacy usb choice.  Still, after the boot from USB it still goes to the failed recover notice.

The drive is not a 1TB drive,  but perhaps if there were someway for me to re-format it I could install from windows provided media?  like I said, after boot from usb it still just continues on with the recovery.... that fails

[Grzwacz]

Hi,

Not a problem.

It is very frustrating when things of this nature don't go well.

Please tell us what size replacement HDD you installed in your PC. HP recovery media needs a 1 TB or greater HDD/SSD.

You have a new, clean unformatted HDD. There is no HP Recovery partition on the new disk. I don't see how a HP restore process can take over if you are using the Microsoft media creation tool (link) to create W10 USB installation media. And you are booting to this media to do a clean installation of W10.

W10 setup will partition and format the new HDD/SSD.

Note, you should skip entering the HP W10 product key during setup (this key is embedded in the BIOS). W10 will activate post installation.

Please don't change HP factory BIOS settings.

Is the new HDD detected in the BIOS? Have you run any HP Diagnostics (link) on the PC? You can run bootable USB UEFI diagnostics by downloading the installer from this link.

Check out this HP Support document on installing windows clean (link).

Regards

[mdklassen]

I can read your images, after clicking on an image, and then clicking to "maximize" the image, and then using "CTRL-and-PLUS" (within my web-browser) a few times, to "zoom" the image.

Then, I see the message: DATA CORRUPTION

Restart your computer, and launch the built-in HP Hardware Diagnostics.

Run the "short" (only a few minutes) test against the RAM, because "bad" RAM can cause corruption.

Run the "short" and "long" tests against the brand-new disk-drive, although it is not likely to find anything "bad".

On a working computer, connect the HP-provided USB memory-stick, and copy all of its files into a new folder on that computer, to see if the "data corruption" occurs when reading from the memory-stick.

Check that the "data" cable is securely connected to both the motherboard and the disk-drive.

A badly-connected cable may cause corruption.

Try the installer again.

If your computer has a "data" cable connecting to the CD/DVD device, in addition to the one connecting to the disk-drive, "swap" the cables: unplug the cable from the CD/DVD device, unplug the cable from the disk-drive, and connect that latter cable to the CD/DVD device, and connect the cable previously connected to the CD/DVD device to the disk-drive.  So, now you have a different cable between the motherboard and the disk-drive. Do not "swap" the data cables where they connect to the motherboard.  Try the installer again.

When the installer displays the "where to install?" screen, click to select the 1TB disk-drive.

On that same screen, select to:

1. delete each of the existing partitions.

2. create a partition in the unallocated space.

3. "format" the partition, and disable the "quick format" option of the "format" process.

While formatting, Windows will write "zero" values to every sector on the disk-drive.

Of course, this will take a while (over a million sectors exist), but it might identify any "bad" sectors that trigger that "CORRUPTION" message.

[Grzwacz]

Hi polarTheDog,

Follow all suggestions given to solve your problem.

Try to focus on getting W10 installed on your new HDD.

Avoid unnecessary distractions and frivolous pursuits. Run HP system Diagnostics to verify all components work.

Let us know how it goes.

Regards