Windows 10 froze up

[Mykel544]

Hello

Well, Windows 10, 64 bit froze up and kept asking to reset my pin. It never let me and would send me back to the pin reset. So, after trying for 10 times, I gave up and  formatted the drive then installed windows 7 64 bit. After doing research, I found out that you cannot do that. Now I would like to reinstall Windows 10. Since I downgraded to Win 7, my Ethernet is disabled. I cannot log on the web or anything. I tried the Media Creation tool, but it need access to the web. Is it possible to get Windows 10 back on this computer ? or am I screwed ? Otherwise I'll use it as a boat anchor....

Thank you

Mykell

[Sneha_01]

Hi @Mykel544 

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It sounds like you're in a bit of a tricky situation, but don't worry, there are definitely ways to get Windows 10 back on your computer even without internet access. Let's go through some options:

1. Create a Windows 10 Installation USB on Another Computer

Since your computer doesn't have internet access, you can use another computer to download the Windows 10 installation media and create a bootable USB drive. Here's what you need to do:

Steps to Create a Bootable USB:

1. On a working computer (with internet access), go to the Windows 10 download page.
2. Download and run the Media Creation Tool. When you launch it, choose "Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC".
3. Select the correct language, edition, and architecture (64-bit) for your PC.
4. Choose "USB flash drive" when asked for media type. Make sure you have a USB drive with at least 8GB of space.
5. Once the tool has finished, safely eject the USB drive from the working computer.

Steps to Install Windows 10:

1. Plug the bootable USB drive into the PC where you want to install Windows 10.
2. Power on the PC and immediately press the boot menu key F10  to bring up the boot options.
3. Select the USB drive as the boot device.
4. Follow the Windows 10 installation prompts to install the operating system.

2. Install Ethernet Driver Offline

Once Windows 10 is installed, you may need to manually install the Ethernet driver since you said the Ethernet is disabled.

Identify the Ethernet model: You can check the model number of your Ethernet card in the Device Manager (under "Network adapters") in Windows 7 before you upgrade. This will help you download the correct drivers from another computer.

Download drivers on another computer: Use a working internet connection to go to the manufacturer's website for your computer or Ethernet card and download the appropriate driver for Windows 10.

Transfer the drivers: After downloading, transfer the Ethernet drivers to your Windows 10 machine via USB flash drive.

Install the drivers: Once you have the driver files on your Windows 10 PC, double-click them to install.

3. Enable Wi-Fi (Optional)

If you're using Wi-Fi, you can try the same process: get the Wi-Fi drivers on another computer, transfer them to your machine, and install them once Windows 10 is installed.

4. Troubleshooting Internet Issues After Windows 10 Install

After reinstalling Windows 10, if you still can't get your internet connection working (even after installing the driver), try the following:

• Reset Network Settings: Press Windows Key + X → Command Prompt (Admin), and type the following commands to reset network settings:netsh int ip reset netsh winsock reset
• Update Drivers: Go to Device Manager and check if there are any missing drivers or yellow exclamation marks under the "Network adapters" section. Right-click and select Update Driver.

I hope this helps.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

[Mykel544]

Thank you for your reply,Sneha_01

 I do have one more question. How could I get my Windows 10 activation key back ? or is it possible without purchasing it ?  Because I reformatted the drive for Windows 7.

I got Win 10 installed. Now it still shows that PCI Encryption/Decryption controller needs installing. All the other Realtek Family controller and wifi adapter are in device mgr without any errors. Where can I find this ?

Thank you

Mykel

[Sneha_01 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Mykel544,

Thank you for getting back to me. You're welcome, and thanks for following up! Let's address both of your questions:

1. How to Get Your Windows 10 Activation Key Back

If you've upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 or have reinstalled Windows 10, there are a few ways to retrieve or confirm your activation key without having to purchase a new one.

Option 1: Find the Activation Key via Command Prompt

If your PC is already activated, you can retrieve the activation key that was used to activate Windows 10 using the Command Prompt.

• Press Windows + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin). wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey
• In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:
• If the key is stored on your system, it will be displayed.

Option 2: Check Your Microsoft Account

If you’ve linked your Windows 10 activation to a Microsoft Account (via digital license), your system might activate automatically after a reinstall, as it’s tied to your account.

• Sign in with the same Microsoft account you used before, and Windows should automatically activate upon reinstall.
• To check, go to Settings > Update & Security > Activation, and see if it says Windows is activated with a digital license.

Option 3: Check the COA Sticker (if applicable)

If you had a retail version of Windows 10 (or Windows 7), your activation key might be on a COA (Certificate of Authenticity) sticker located on your device. For laptops, it is usually on the bottom, and for desktops, it’s often on the side or inside the case.

Option 4: Use a Third-Party Tool (Last Resort)

If none of the above options work, you can use third-party software tools like ProduKey or Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder to retrieve the activation key.

2. PCI Encryption/Decryption Controller Missing Driver

It seems like your PC has a missing driver for the PCI Encryption/Decryption Controller in Device Manager. This could be related to a chipset driver or a specific hardware component (such as TPM, a security module).

To solve this, follow these steps:

Option 1: Install the Chipset Drivers

The PCI Encryption/Decryption Controller is often associated with your motherboard's chipset drivers, so installing the latest drivers for your motherboard can often fix the issue.

• Visit the manufacturer’s website for your motherboard or your PC’s brand (HP, Dell, etc.) and download the latest chipset drivers for your system.
• Install the drivers and restart your system. This should resolve the PCI Encryption/Decryption controller issue.

Option 2: Check for TPM (Trusted Platform Module) Drivers

The PCI Encryption/Decryption Controller is sometimes tied to the TPM (Trusted Platform Module), which handles encryption/decryption tasks for security features like BitLocker.

• Open Device Manager, and check under Security Devices to see if there's a listing for Trusted Platform Module.
• If it's listed but has a yellow exclamation mark, right-click and select Update Driver. Try to let Windows automatically search for the correct driver.
• If it's not listed, check your system’s BIOS settings to ensure TPM is enabled.

Option 3: Check for Windows Update

• Sometimes, Windows Update will automatically detect and install missing drivers for components like the PCI Encryption/Decryption Controller.
• Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click on Check for Updates to see if it can find a driver for the missing controller.

Option 4: Manually Install the Missing Driver

If you know the exact model of your motherboard, you can search for the specific driver on the manufacturer’s website. Alternatively:

• Right-click the PCI Encryption/Decryption Controller in Device Manager and select Update Driver.
• Choose Search automatically for updated driver software or Browse my computer for driver software if you’ve already downloaded a driver from the hp site

I hope this helps.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.