Windows 10 install fails ... no drives found

[Terri_UT]

Laptop came with Windows 10 and was running fine for about 6 months.  Then, the SSD drive failed.  Got the infamous 3F0 error.

I replaced the SSD drive with the exact same SSD.   The BIOS drive test passes.  UEFI system config lists the drive.   When I now boot the laptop it says ... no operating system.   Ok makes sense.  

Burned a Windows 10 install media.   I boot this on a USB CD drive, plugged into laptop.  Boots fine but finds no drive to install Windows on.  Get the ... no drive found error ... load DD files from disk request.

I burned a Linux Mint Tina install media.  Same USB CD drive.  Boots and finds the new SSD drive just fine.  Installs just fine.  Runs just fine.

So, the Windows install/setup media cannot find the drives on my laptop.   Does anyone have a solution to this?

Yes, I've googled and tried every suggested remedy on the interweb.   So, please don't suggest: diskpart from cmd prompt,  hard reset, default UEFI settings, loading the RST driver, etc.   I've tried it all.   The problem has something to do with some incompatibility between this laptop and the Windows 10 install media, that I got from the MS download site.  

With all the ruckus on the internet I gotta believe there should be some HP specific Windows 10 install media available but I haven't seen any.

Thanks, Terri

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Terri:

Your PC seems to be supported by the HP cloud recovery client utility.

The only suggestion I can offer would be to make a recovery drive using that utility, and hopefully it will work and you can reinstall the OS.  You will need a 32 GB USB flash drive for this.  You cannot use a DVD.

Here is an info link for how to use the cloud recovery client utility...

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

[Terri_UT]

Thanks for the advice!   I need to find another PC running Windows in order to run the tool.   The description is sparse but I think it will create recovery media on a USB drive that I can boot from and restore the laptop to its factory Windows 10 install level. 

Thanks again!   I'll update with news after I've created the recovery media and tried it. 

-Terri

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome, Terri.

You are correct.

Using another windows PC, you install the cloud recovery client software, enter the product number of your notebook and the utility should find, download, and automatically create a factory recovery image that you can use to reinstall the original factory image that came with your notebook.

If you don't have a Windows PC (for example, I don't know if you can access the windows store from a W7 PC) where you can get the cloud recovery client from the Windows store, you can download it directly from the link below.

http://hpsupport.cloudrecoverytool.download.s3.amazonaws.com/HPCloudRecoveryTool.exe

[Terri_UT]

Did not work.   Finally created a boot USB image but upon boot the recovery tool dies ... error = no drive found.

So, that is the nature of my problem.  Can't install anything Windows related because Windows cannot see the SDD in this HP laptop.   The BIOS and Linux have no problems at all.

Is there another recovery tool ?   Maybe a low level log file that shows the volume discovery process?

Thanks for the help!   Terri

[Terri_UT]

Sorry, should have said the USB boot image was created with the HP cloud recovery tool.

[Terri_UT]

Lastly, the tool itself says it cannot be run from an external drive.   Not sure how this tool would recover a 3F0 error.

Do you know if its possible to get a Windows 10 boot image from HP that will install on an HP laptop?   I gotta believe that there is a factory image someplace that was used to install Windows on these laptops in the first place.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

It is my understanding that is the HP recovery image that is created by the cloud recovery client, but maybe I'm wrong.

You could order recovery media from HP, but I think you would be throwing good money after bad, if I'm not wrong.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/mediaorder/HP-14-cf0000-Laptop-PC/20395769/model/24462207/softwareitem/...

[Terri_UT]

You run the tool and it creates a bootable USB drive.   I changed the UEFI boot options and booted off the USB image.  Upon boot, the tool dies ... error = no drive found.

[Terri_UT]

Sorry, the USB image booted just fine.   Upon boot, you get a blue screen with a small box and within the box is the no drive found error.