HP Stream x360 - 11-aa006nb: after automatic upgrade from windows computer is completely stuck

[Jan_Aernouts]

I had problems performing a required upgrad from windows due to insuffiecient memory. Even when starting from a clean new install the machine had insufficiient memory to perform the upgrade. 

After some searching on the forum i found https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Operating-System-and-Recovery/Low-Disk-Space/td-p/6583251 so i performed the actions.

The upgrade was performed but when trying to reboot it all went south. The laptop wouldn't reboot at all. The failsafe screen kicked in and all options that it provides doesn't work. 

What are my options? When i try to reboot now the laptop launches the blue setupscreen and none of the options are responsive or work. I tried everything. 

Kind regards

Jan

[MBlakeS87]

I would return it to the store due to its very poor storage limitations and purchase something with more adequate storage so you won't run into this very frustrating problem.  Go for a laptop with 500GB of hard drive space.  32GB of storage is not sufficient for modern computing needs or a primary OS partition.   You may have to spend a bit more, but your computing experience will be much better and future proof for critical Windows updates, features, and hardware drivers that are released.  

[CherylG · Accepted solution]

Best option is wipe the eMMC and start fresh. Your Windows 10 license key is embedded in BIOS and you can reinstall Windows 10 with the latest update included with ample space left over. You must use another machine with free space to make this installer.

Microsoft provides the free Media Creation Tool to download files and create a Windows 10 usb flash drive. At least 8gb flash drive required:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Select Download tool now, and select Run.
If you agree to the license terms, select Accept.
On the What do you want to do? page, select Create installation media for another PC, and then select Next.
Select the language, edition, and architecture (64-bit or 32-bit) for Windows 10
The Guide here will make it less intimidating.Pay attention to Step 5 since you will be using another pc:
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2376-create-bootable-usb-flash-drive-install-windows-10-a.html
-------------------------------
When your usb flash is prepared insert it in usb port of the Stream.Power on the laptop and immediately start tapping Esc key. From the menu tap F9 key to boot from the flash drive- use the arrow keys to move to and select/highlight usb. Tap Enter key.
After starting the Install and you go through a couple of screens - choose Custom (not upgrade) and delete each partition (if you have more than 1) Select/highlight each and click the Delete icon. Click Next to continue with installation.It should pickup the key from BIOS but if it asks at any point just choose "I don't have a key". It will continue and should activate once you are online.

This will not include the original software from HP but most of it can be installed from your Support page.

[MBlakeS87]

Not trying to make your job more difficult or anything, but what you said is only the best option if you want to delay the inevitable issue of rather quickly being unable to update the OS with new features, drivers and security updates.  Their should be a disclaimer on these Stream systems about their lack of storage.  I love HP and the majority of their products.  About 50% of my computing equipment was made by HP, but these Stream devices were not well made for longevity or the ability to be upgraded.  You find that out on day one of purchasing.  Everyone would be better off buying a nice tablet, or a fairly more expensive laptop with a hard drive with over 15 times the capacity of the Stream systems.  I mean my smartphone has 64GB of onboard storage for its tiny OS.....32GB for a Windows 10 device is a huge issue, but I do love my HP 15 laptop with a touchscreen.  Very affordable and functional.   

[CherylG]

@MBlakeS87 

I completely agree the Stream with 32gb eMMC is not very Windows compatible. I'm sure at the time it seemed a good, cheap alternative to offer those who can't afford $800+ for better options. I certainly never expected Windows 10 to incessantly push updates/upgrades that eat up space at such a fast pace.

My suggestion is intended to help those who  own them and probably no option to return/replace them. The clean install usually ends with about 10-12gb of free space which hopefully will gain another year of use. As MS keeps pushing updates, yes, they will eventually run out again and either be faced with another clean install or perhaps owners will be looking ahead at a better laptop.

[MBlakeS87]

Well said, although 10GB wouldn't last me anywhere close to a year.  I install two new builds of Windows 10 just about every week.  Granted typical consumers do not do that.  Anyway, I read something about being able to compress the OS files by executing a command, but it also said some of the systems have already been compressed when sold.  These systems wouldn't be nearly as hard to support had they been equipped with at least twice as much storage or if the external SD card option could be used in conjunction with the onboard storage device to store OS files and drivers.   Sometimes when new Windows feature updates are released they actually have a smaller footprint than the previous footprint of Windows on the drive so hopefully that will happen more.  I would suggest minimizing the use of a page file and instead installing a secondary external SD card as a ReadyBoost cache memory device and see how well that works.