Laptop stuck in preparing automatic repair due to Windows 10 failure

[dr-rockit]

I've got HP RTL8723DE laptop running Windows 10 that is stuck in 'preparing automatic repair', which then goes to black screen and no boot. How do I uninstall Win 10 entirely to prepare for completely new install? I don't need to back up data as I have backups already so losing data not an issue. I've just never had to do this before.

Checked the System Diagnostics from HP Startup Menu and done a hard drive and memory test and everything looks okay there. I just need some advice on deleting Win 10 entirely to install new OS.

[BeemerBiker]

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@dr-rockit wrote:

I've got HP RTL8723DE 

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that is the wifi network card

Please provide the Product ID or Model name for better assistance. Preferably the full product ID including the characters after the # symbol. This code may be needed to find cloud recovery files.

[dr-rockit]

Product ID is 2CV69EA#ABU

[BeemerBiker]

I tried to see if you have cloud recovery but the site has a problem.

It should tell if you are supported or not. 

Try from your location

Go to the below site and enter your product ID including the 3 characters after the # character
If you have cloud recovery you can restore your system using a 32gb flash.
It may take an hour or more to create the recovery USB.
https://d34z73bbtpzgej.cloudfront.net/

I tried the windows store for the cloud recovery and was told the ID did not exist

Call HP and see if you can get a cloud recovery to restore your laptop

Click here for world-wide contact info

[dr-rockit]

Thanks, but I'm not that bothered about cloud recovery - I don't have it set up - and I'm looking to switch to Linux. What I'm interested in is uninstalling Windows 10. 

Is there a way to do this from the HP Startup Menu, or do I have to go to the BIOS or DOS/Command line. At the minute I can't do anything as it's stuck in a loop so I have to start with getting the laptop out of repair mode - if that means deleting the OS, that's fine as I'm most likely switching to Linux.

I've not done this before so I'm looking for advice on getting out of repair mode and then deleting the current OS (Win 10). 

[BeemerBiker]

For Ubuntu, when you create the USB be sure to specify UEFI and GPT.

The disk partitions will be overwritten.  The BIOS recovery, HP Tools and OS recovery will be overwritten.

I recommend you replace the OS drive, clone it, or make an image backup.

Some HP laptops require an Intel or AMD driver to install OS software onto the NVMe boot disk.  That driver is in the cloud recovery.  Hopefully someone has put it into the Ubuntu install. 

If you have enough memory and a good CPU  consider using the Linux subsystem or installing Virtual Box. into windows,.

[dr-rockit]

Sounds like I need to do some research. The model of the laptop is 15-bw024na

How can I tell if need the AMD driver for installing Linux onto the boot disk?

[BeemerBiker]

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@dr-rockit wrote:

Sounds like I need to do some research. The model of the laptop is 15-bw024na

How can I tell if need the AMD driver for installing Linux onto the boot disk?

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During the installation, if it stops and asks you to provide a driver, that is the clue there is a problem.  Usually there is information provided to advise where to go look for the driver.

[dr-rockit]

'I recommend you replace the OS drive, clone it, or make an image backup.'

- How do I do this?

'If you have enough memory and a good CPU consider using the Linux subsystem or installing Virtual Box. into windows’

- Can I do this from the state my PC is in currently? Is it similar to overwriting using a Linux install?

[BeemerBiker]

I looked at your system in more detail and you have an M.2 slot to add a 2nd drive.  It can only the SATA-3 type M.2. Unless I am mistaken, it cannot be the NVMe type.  There is a discussion of this here  by our expert @Paul_Tikkanen 

Win11 is a free upgrade from Windows 10.  You could easily replace your 1tb HDD with one of the 2.5 size SSDs and do a clean install of Linux 

Alternately you could put in any of the SATA-3 type M.2 and configure the system to boot the m.2 instead of the HDD.  This would boot directly into Linux and leave you the option of upgrading 10 to 11 on the HDD if you wish.

You could install Linux or even MacOS in your laptop using Virtual Box but it would never run as fast as a native install into that m.2