How do I get a Win10 installation disk

[recruiterd]

I am getting a lot of freezing up lately, which does not recover.  This forces me to do a hard restart, which invariably ends up with a black screen saying operating system can't be found and 3F0.  I've run the HD diagnostics, and nothing shows up.  The only way I get back into Windows is with a startup disk, and a lot of trial and error.

I have ruled out most other problems, so I think I have a corrupted Master Boot Record (MBR).

In order to repair the MBR, I need an installation disk.  I did not receive one with my computer, which was purchased directly from HP.  I have created a recovery drive on a USB, but when I try to use it, the option it gives me is to wipe out my hard drive and start over.  Not an option.

I first want to rebuild my MBR to start off, so I can boot into Windows. Then I'll try the OS repair.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

[banhien]

@recruiterd 

Please use Cloud Recovery tool

                  https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06162205

Regards.

[CharlieItuah1]

Hi, @recruiterd see if this will suit your current interest.

https://www.amazon.com/-/es/dp/B083F3JKNN/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=windows+10+installation+disc&qid=16513...

[recruiterd]

Shouldn't HP have given me a recovery disk when I purchased my pc?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, @recruiterd 

HP hasn't provided recovery disks for any of their PC's for at least 10 years now.

They have the cloud recovery tool and since it will wipe your drive and you don't want to do that...

If you want to try and repair your PC, use another PC and the Microsoft media creation tool to create a bootable plain W10 installation flash drive.

Download Windows 10 (microsoft.com)

Boot from the flash drive and when you get to the Install Now screen on the lower left corner of the screen there will be a Repair this PC option.

Select that and you can use the various repair options.

Worst case scenario, if you need to recover files, go ahead and install Windows.

Do not delete or format any partitions.

When you are asked 'where do you want to install Windows,' let it install over the existing Windows partition and it will create a Windows.old folder.

After W10 has completed installing, you can explore the Windows.old folder, find your old user profile and copy and paste any files/folders you want to save onto a portable hard drive.

[recruiterd]

Thanks for the heads up. 

It looked like the cloud recovery tool was essentially the same as the System Repair Disc that is created in Control Panel.

That repair disk wanted to wipe my drive and start over as well. 

I'll give the Microsoft media creation tool a try.  

Hopefully that works.

Thanks

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome. 

[recruiterd]

I downloaded Win10 from Microsoft.com and created my installation disc.

I then went to "Repair you computer">Troubleshoot>Advanced options>Command Prompt to fix my MBR.

I launched Bootrec.exe to try to fix the MBR

bootrec /fixmbr was successful

bootrec /fixboot access was denied

bootrec /rebuildbcd showed 0 Windows installations

bootrec /scanos showed unable to find Windows installation

When I tried to access the diagnostics, it also showed no Windows 10 OS installed.

As long as I keep the installation disc in the DVD drive, the computer will reboot to Windows.

Something is definitely wrong, and I don't know where to look next.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Unfortunately, I wouldn't know what to do either. 

If you can retrieve your files from the drive while it is in Windows, you may want to do that while you still can.

Then you can decide how you want to reinstall Windows -- with the cloud recovery tool, or with the clean install using the installation media you created. 

[recruiterd]

I currently save my files from the HD into the cloud now.  My concern is, if I overwrite Win10 I need to re-install my other software as well.  One of the key programs I have is MS Office Std. 2019, but I don't have a usable media to get it again.  I had it on a thumb drive, but have since lost it - one of the reasons I usually burn to disc.  They're easier to find.

I could create a clone of my drive in the cloud, but that would only re-install my same problems, I think.