Can't install win10 to blank SSD via usb flash drive.

[thinkdifferent]

Long story (https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Boot-and-Lockup/Laptop-stuck-in-boot-loop/m-p/7586600/highlig...) short. I've had to install a new SSD into the laptop, but only have access to Mac's to achieve this.

I've created a boot flash drive (using https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/01/18/tips-how-to-make-windows-10-install-media-on-macos-high-s...)

changed the boot options to boot from the flash drive (not 100% sure I've done all that's needed here), but after I click it, it says "Initializing and establishing link" it then say:

PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable

PXE-M0F: Exiting intel boot agent.

and the "BootDevice not found".

I'm not even sure if it is trying to boot from the USB disk as that's the same message I get without the boot media connected.
I've created the boot media using different combinations of ExFat/MS-Dos and MBR/GPT but without any luck.

Ironically I can boot the Mac with the Windows install disk no problem, move through all the steps until I hit the "Windows can't be installed to a USB attached disk" message. After googling this, for some reason you can only do this with Windows Enterprise edition - so that route is a dead end.

So it must be on the laptop side, some setting in BIOS or something. I wish it was as simple as holding down Alt when booting to change your boot drive - like on the Mac. I can't seem to find any global instructions on how to do this as it looks like every manufacturer/computer has a different set of steps.

Does anyone have any ideas, so the steps I need to make on a HP EliteBook 840 G1?

No local repair shops are currently open and I can't access anyone who has a PC, during the current situation.

[Lil_Boy_Blue]

Hi

https://support.hp.com/gb-en/product/hp-elitebook-840-g1-notebook-pc/5405360/manuals

Maybe there is Hard Disk protection like on your iMac ( csrutil disable ) "HP Sure Start" or TPM or....

csrutil disable should allow W10 to install to Boot Camp possibly.

If you can boot the USB, (PXE is a Network install) change the Boot Sequence if needed, then try and copy the contents from the USB to the HDD.

OR

https://linuxmint.com/download.php

Take Microsoft out of the equation.

sudo dd if=/home/hope/linuxmint-1904.iso of=/dev/sr0 bs=2048 conv=noerror,sync 

[thinkdifferent]

I'm afraid that I couldn't find any related info in those links about install Win10 via flash drive to a fresh SSD. Most help assumes you can boot into Windows.

In HP Computer setup section (F10 on boot):

-TPM is greyed out

-I turned off Anti-theft technology and DriveLock options

-Boot Mode is set to Legacy (rather than UEFI Hybrid or UEFI Native.

-The first 2 items in the boot order are USB Hard Drive followed by M.2 SSD Drive.

I just can't get past those errors which are then followed by BootDevice Not Found. Please install an os on your hard disk.
Which leads me to think it keeps trying to boot from the blank SSD rather than the Windows installer flash drive - even when i select the flash drive as the boot drive via holding down ESC on boot then pressing F9 Boot Device Options.

Sadly, it needs to be Windows as it's for testing websites/html email in the windows environment.

[thinkdifferent]

Right, the "Dead" HHD will mount on my Mac. I t has two partitions: System Reserved (104.9mb) and Untitled (498.95gb). Both formatted to NTFS.

I doubt it is, but would it be as simple as:

copying the contents (inc all hidden files) to the Mac,

mount the new SSD and format/partition it the same way,

copy all files to it.

Install SSD into HP laptop

[Lil_Boy_Blue]

Hi

It used to work for Windows 7 when only a DVD was available and the PC did not have a DVD drive, and W7 wouldn't boot from a USB.

You have a W10 iso that created the USB, use it or get another one.

Expand/Extract the iso onto the SSD and hope typing setup.exe will work.

Anyway you think you have problems....

I got an iMac that powers on, chimes and displays a Pale/White screen and that's it.

It still does not explain the BIOS problem, hence the remove microsoft from the equation, prove the laptop will boot and take an operating system.

Use Boot Camp on your iMac?

[Lil_Boy_Blue]

Hi

D:\>dir
Volume in drive D is ESD_ISO

09/01/2020 21:22 73,904 setup.exe
09/01/2020 21:22 1,509,688 bootmgr.efi
09/01/2020 21:22 409,654 bootmgr
09/01/2020 21:22 128 autorun.inf
09/01/2020 21:26 <DIR> support
13/04/2020 11:09 <DIR> sources
09/01/2020 21:26 <DIR> efi
09/01/2020 21:26 <DIR> boot
4 File(s) 2,026,142 bytes
4 Dir(s) 11,512,020,992 bytes free

is what a W10 file structure on a USB resembles, and setup.exe is there.

[thinkdifferent]

The laptop worked right up to the point the HHD failed (the HP diagnostic software gave a code that meant HD failure). Hence the new SSD. THE HHD will mount on the mac but can not be used to boot it (probably needs extra bootcamp drivers on it to do that).

Yes, I have the ISO on the Mac, are you saying if I copy the contents onto the SDD, but then how to I execute setup.exe - put the SSD into the laptop and do it from there?

I could try an install Linux onto the laptop? Can you install Linux onto an external USB drive?

PS
With your iMac have you tried booting into safe mode (boot holding down shift) - if doesn't work try resetting the nvram (boot pressing Command + Option + P + R) - if doesn't work Reset SMC - if doesn't work boot into verbose mode (Command + V) might help see where the boot process gets stuck. (I'll raise you on the "Anyway you think you have problems" hand, when we're allowed back to work I've got to try to salvage the 27" iMac my colleague dropped down the stairs we lent them to work from home.)

[thinkdifferent]

Yes, that's the structure of the USB flash drive.

[thinkdifferent]

I installed the LinuxMint ISO onto the SSD and flash drive, but neither will boot the laptop, get same errors. The Mac will boot from both.

HP diagnostics say the SSD drive is fine.

[thinkdifferent]

Right, we may be getting somewhere.

Just as a stab in the dark, I changed the Boot Mode to UEFI Hybrid from Legacy, and now the SSD with Linux booted. Still will not boot from Win10 installer.