6 Posts
0
3157
Can't install Windows 2016 LTSB on Optiplex 7090
Hello,
I need to install the Windows 10 LTSB 2016 (or Enterprise, or IOT). It fails to boot on the first reboot, from the freshly created partition. It seems to find the partition, but then it only shows Dell logo with rotating dots animation indefinitely.
Some related settings and failed attempts:
- doesnt work on both M2 and SATA media
- same disk plugged into an HP desktop PC starts as it should (tries to continue setting up windows)
- installing Windows 10 Pro setup on same SATA disk starts as it should (tries to continue setting up windows)
- tried all "bootrec" commands: no difference.
- updated BIOS to 1.2.1(the most recent) - no difference
- BIOS boot option seems to be completely broken. elements are added, removed or changing positions without my consent. The 1st option is Windows boot manager. Tried setting up the option by hand, but that does not change much... Once, after I randomly added to list combination of recovery boot and EFI windows boot, I was able to see the repair screen (probably booted to repair partition) and subsequently, after selecting startup repair and restart it booted! But then I decided to cleanup the messed up settings in BIOS and NEVER was able to see it booting again...
- System came with RAID mode for SATA, but it doesn't see drives for installing in this mode. I set it to AHCI.
- tried to install Win10 Pro and then (from it) to launch setup.exe to upgrade to LTSB -> again fails on reboot...
Please help. Any hints/ideas are much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Igor.
igor_
6 Posts
0
January 3rd, 2022 02:00
Hello,
That was a whole chain of problems. Dell support simply refused to provide any assistance, neither by phone, nor by online chat or opening a ticket. Very frustrating, it probably deserves a dedicated topic. But anyway, since I had no choice, I continued on my own.
I was able to make it work by sequentially reconfiguring all related BIOS boot options and retrying installation and rebooting till it finally started to boot. I don't remember now what exactly solved that because when it started to boot reliably it revealed a next serious showstopper - Windows 2016 LTSB does not support that built-in Intel graphics adapter...
Another round of shaman dancing around these PCs didn't help. This time I found no easy way to make the screen resolution larger than 1024x768. And, while investigating that, I discovered that December 2021 was the EOL of the 2016 LTSB...
Taking into account the discovered problems (and not discovered yet) I gave up and decided to upgrade our mainstream OS to the latest LTSC.
So, my recommendations:
Best regards,
Igor.
igor_
6 Posts
0
November 23rd, 2021 15:00
I managed to boot with a SATA disk from another PC (with LTSB). It was running fine till I rebooted - it stuck again.
I enabled bootlogging, but all is looking fine except this line
"BOOTLOG_NOT_LOADED dxgkrnl.sys".
The last line in the log log is "BOOTLOG_LOADED UsbHub3.sys"... Not sure if that may ring a bell for someone, but if the log says truth, USB Hub was loaded, something happened after it. But what?...
basheerpt
77 Posts
0
December 23rd, 2021 05:00
Hi igore,
I am experiencing same issue on 7090 optiplex with Win 2016. Did you get it solved? Appreciate if you could share finding.
Regards
bradthetechnut
6 Professor
6 Professor
•
8.2K Posts
0
December 23rd, 2021 09:00
The only thing I can think of is Secure Boot off in BIOS? It should be when loading new OS until OS boots.
Hopefully more of our experts will chime in too.
basheerpt
77 Posts
0
December 29th, 2021 01:00
Hi
Thank your for your input. Secure boot off didnt help. Any other thoughts? We have multiple systems same 7090, experience same issue.
redxps630
9 Legend
9 Legend
•
11.7K Posts
1
December 29th, 2021 04:00
The issue may have to do with the LTSB enterprise license key you are using.
It is the license key used to activate that determines the components that are activated based on the edition associated with that key.
If you have a brand new 7090 machine, you may need a new enterprise license key to go with that.
PS Microsoft doesn’t want people using Windows 10 LTSB on general purpose PCs. It is not intended for deployment on most or all the PCs in an organization; it should be used only for special-purpose devices. LTSB is only for rare mission-critical devices. It’s more important that these devices be kept as stable and secure as possible than up to date with user interface changes.
igor_
6 Posts
0
January 3rd, 2022 02:00
Dear redxps630, avoid using misleading assumptions as statements, especially in serious technical discussions.
redxps630
9 Legend
9 Legend
•
11.7K Posts
1
January 3rd, 2022 07:00
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/ltsc/
The following table summarizes equivalent feature update versions of Windows 10 LTSC and semi-annual channel (SAC) releases.
Note
The Long-Term Servicing Channel was previously called the Long-Term Servicing Branch (LTSB). All references to LTSB are changed in this article to LTSC for consistency, even though the name of previous versions might still be displayed as LTSB.
LTSC: What is it, and when should it be used?
The Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) is designed for Windows 10 devices and use cases where the key requirement is that functionality and features don’t change over time.
basheerpt
77 Posts
0
February 8th, 2022 11:00
I am not sure I am using an LTSB version of 2016. It is downloaded from our volume licensing repository. However, it never asked for a license key. Usually, it asks while I initiate the activation.
Windows 2019 is working on this Desktop.
Windows 2012 also booting, but not drivers available.
Windows 2016 is the issue. Checked with dell support as well, no joy.
Invalid_String
1 Message
0
September 22nd, 2022 12:00
Did you every find a solution to this. I am seeing the exact same thing on a Dell 5090.
Same bootlog messages and all.
It will boot normally and then randomly refuse to boot, just spinning dots.
Power cycle it a few times and it will eventually boot again.
igor_
6 Posts
0
September 23rd, 2022 01:00
Hello Invalid_String,
I wrote the end result few months ago. And just marked it as a solution now.
Upgrade your OS. With LTSC 2021 it works with no issues, on 20+ PCs for almost a year now.