23 Posts
0
2605
January 24th, 2021 20:00
Used E7250, problems reinstalling Windows 10
Second post regarding this problem. Please help, somebody.
This is a new post but it is regarding the laptop I posted about in 'Re: Used Latitude E7250, need help to factory reset, "Dell" registered owner, Windows 8 to 10?'
Reinstalling Windows 10 on this laptop is not the simple process it is supposed to be. Options that are supposed to be present are not. This computer does not have the expected setup and I am unskilled in computers and need help.
The used computer is largely inaccessible and I have no control over it. My friend bought it from a computer shop and the original owner has removed functions, and I have no passwords or admin privileges. 'Dell' is listed as the owner and that is that.
I want to restart everything and start over with a clean install of Windows 10. I do not want to save any files or settings.
When I go through the process to getting a factory reset, the Factory Reset option is missing.
The first time I went through the process of creating Recovery media with the Dell OS Recovery Tool, it told me that my computer's image was Windows 8.1.
After creating a Windows 10 Installation Media and putting it on a USB, now the Dell OS Recovery Tool says it's Windows 10.
I have created the Windows 10 Installation media by going through the Dell OS Recovery Tool. I have gone through the F12 on startup process. I have chosen 'This computer' and tried to reinstall using the Windows 10 image on the USB. It comes to the stage where it says 'Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style. Windows cannot be installed to this hard disk space. The partition is a Microsoft Recovery Partition'.
But the instructions on Dell for reinstalling say to choose the largest partition to install. That's the Recovery partition.
I tried backing up and going to Repair>Troubleshoot. But like with every other thing that has been suggested to me, the options that are supposed to be there, aren't. 'Recover from a drive' is supposed to be on the list of options. My only options are: Startup Repair, Command Prompt, Uninstall Updates, System Restore, System Image Recovery.
There is no system image.
Various websites say that at this point, I must repartition my computer. I don't know whether that will work or not. If that is so, I don't know how. I am unskilled in computers and need help. I'm hitting roadblocks at every step. This computer doesn't seem to have a typical setup with typical options. I need someone to work with me, here. Would someone be kind enough to do that? Please?
Erf
23 Posts
0
January 30th, 2021 10:00
For anyone having the same trouble, I'm posting what I did that finally solved the issue. I hope this can be of help to someone.
The language may seem simplistic because I'm a newbie and I'm not familiar with the terminology.
With the USB plugged into the laptop, I restarted and entered BIOS setup (F12 on startup).
It was in UEFI mode with Secure Boot OFF.
I had 3 categories. "Legacy Boot" was the 1st, and it was the only one that offered the option to boot off the USB. My mistake had been to choose that option. This time I went to the 2nd category, UEFI options. The only option under that heading was "Sandisk SSD". This is not my USB's name so I guess it is the laptop's SSD.
I chose this option and hit Enter.
(Bear in mind that I had attempted to install Windows several times, so the information from the USB was probably lurking on that SSD.)
The computer screen went black and then went into Boot Mode again. This time under UEFI Options, my USB was listed (although not by its name). I chose it, hit enter, and then Windows installed easily and normally.
Erf
23 Posts
0
January 24th, 2021 21:00
My mistake, the 118.5GB was the largest partition. But It's still the GPT style and I am unable to format it to anything else. I tried tried formatting it but there was no change and I still can't install to that partition because it's GPT.
I tried going into the BIOS and tried changing things but at one point startup just looped and looped and I had to hard power off the computer, go back into BIOS and let it startup normally. But now we're still at the point where I cna't do anything because all the partitions are GPT and I can't format them.