Repair Windows 10 on a usb connected hard drive

Zeppled · Feb 19, 2016

I have a Windows 10 hard drive in a usb docking station for troubleshooting. I need to repair or reinstall the Windows 10 but can't figure out how to do it.

drtweak · Feb 19, 2016

1) Can't install windows as a USB drive on a PC that won't be running it
2) What exactly is wrong with it? not booting, corrupt file system etc?

Zeppled · Feb 21, 2016

The computer HP Envy 23 all-in-one upgraded from windows 8.1 to windows 10 had a problem where the task bar icons and start menu didn't work. At first I thought virus so I updated the Avast and when it rebooted all I have is a blank screen. No HP logo no post nothing. The power is on and I can hear the hard drive but nothing. I have tried making a bootable windows cd but even that just turns in the drive and nothing happens on the screen. I have removed the hard drive and attached it to another computer and I can access it and see everything. I was hoping to repair the windows while it is attached through via usb hard drive enclosure to another computer.

drtweak · Feb 22, 2016

if it isn't posting then it's not a windows issue. something else might be going on. have you tried just unplugging the PC from the wall for 30 minutes and try turning it back on again after 30 minutes?

Zeppled · Mar 1, 2016

So far I have unplugged it from the wall and plugged it back in. Reset the CMOS. Taken out the Ram and reseated it. If I take out the Ram and start the computer I get the beep indicating there is no Ram so I am assuming the Motherboard is functioning.

drtweak · Mar 1, 2016

Hmm. Well since it is all AIO they can be a pain to trouble shoot since you cant do things like swap out the video cards and what not and a lot of times the CPU is soildered to the motherboard and can't even swap that out (Depends on the model though). I'm sure it has a VGA or HDMI out? maybe hook up another monitor? when you turn it on can you see the backlight for the screen turn on as well?

Zeppled · Mar 3, 2016

I suspect it might have something to do with the BIOS. I am the first to admit I am a little lost with the UEFI vs. Bios and I reset the BIOS to original setting which would have set it back to when it was Windows 8. Not sure if that may have caused an issue.

drtweak · Mar 3, 2016

It wouldn't reset it to windows 8, but it would change what ever boot settings it came with. Windows 8 came with uEFI and when you upgrade, it keeps uEFI so doing a reset wouldn't change anything there.

But you are able to get into the BIOS though?

Zeppled · Mar 3, 2016

No. I am not able to see anything on the all in one screen. If I take it out the hard drive and put it into a usb docking station I can see all the files and i can boot to the hard drive. I get the BSOD that states The Boot Configuration Data for your PC is missing or contains errors.
File: \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\BCD
Error code: 0xc000000f

You'll need to use recovery tools. If you don't have any installation media (like a disc or USB device), contact your PC administrator or PC/Device manufacturer.

That is why I asked the original question if I could repair Windows 10 on an external drive. So far no luck.

drtweak · Mar 3, 2016

Ahhh ok this is better information here.

Ok first thing i would do is test to make sure the hard drive is ok in itself. Download the crystal disk info and install it to the PC you have the drive connected to in the USB Dock. It should pick up the drive. if it comes back as Good then the hard drive is good.

If it says Caution we need to find how how it is going bad.

Next If you have a USB drive or a Blank DVD/USB we can do a few things.

1) Download windows 10 online and do a repair. It is a bit harder to do though. Or
2) Download Macrium Reflect and install it. Create the Rescue Media and put it on a Thumb drive or DVD Drive.

We then want to boot from one of these two. If you go with the Macrium Route, you just boot off the disk, then from the Drop down menu for Recovery click on Fix windows boot problems. It will find the hard drive, find windows, and then select the partition that has Windows on it (Usually listed as C: drive but double check) and then click next. Once done restart and see if it starts up.

if you go the windows 10 route then it gets a bit more complicated.

Now if the hard drive is bad, you will want to replace the hard drive and we will have to start windows from fresh, and since you have upgraded to windows 10, all you have to do is download the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool, and then make a Bootable Thumbdrive/DVD with it and reinstall windows. It will activate automatically. When you install it though it will ask for a key. Say you don't have one. Then make sure you pick either Windows 10 Home or Pro with what your PC came with (More than likely it was Home) and then you can copy your data off the old hard drive and onto the new one.

Zeppled · Mar 4, 2016

drtweak :

Ahhh ok this is better information here.

Ok first thing i would do is test to make sure the hard drive is ok in itself. Download the crystal disk info and install it to the PC you have the drive connected to in the USB Dock. It should pick up the drive. if it comes back as Good then the hard drive is good.

If it says Caution we need to find how how it is going bad.

Next If you have a USB drive or a Blank DVD/USB we can do a few things.

1) Download windows 10 online and do a repair. It is a bit harder to do though. Or
2) Download Macrium Reflect and install it. Create the Rescue Media and put it on a Thumb drive or DVD Drive.

We then want to boot from one of these two. If you go with the Macrium Route, you just boot off the disk, then from the Drop down menu for Recovery click on Fix windows boot problems. It will find the hard drive, find windows, and then select the partition that has Windows on it (Usually listed as C: drive but double check) and then click next. Once done restart and see if it starts up.

if you go the windows 10 route then it gets a bit more complicated.

Now if the hard drive is bad, you will want to replace the hard drive and we will have to start windows from fresh, and since you have upgraded to windows 10, all you have to do is download the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool, and then make a Bootable Thumbdrive/DVD with it and reinstall windows. It will activate automatically. When you install it though it will ask for a key. Say you don't have one. Then make sure you pick either Windows 10 Home or Pro with what your PC came with (More than likely it was Home) and then you can copy your data off the old hard drive and onto the new one.

Zeppled · Mar 5, 2016

drtweak :

Ahhh ok this is better information here.

Ok first thing i would do is test to make sure the hard drive is ok in itself. Download the crystal disk info and install it to the PC you have the drive connected to in the USB Dock. It should pick up the drive. if it comes back as Good then the hard drive is good.

If it says Caution we need to find how how it is going bad.

Next If you have a USB drive or a Blank DVD/USB we can do a few things.

1) Download windows 10 online and do a repair. It is a bit harder to do though. Or
2) Download Macrium Reflect and install it. Create the Rescue Media and put it on a Thumb drive or DVD Drive.

We then want to boot from one of these two. If you go with the Macrium Route, you just boot off the disk, then from the Drop down menu for Recovery click on Fix windows boot problems. It will find the hard drive, find windows, and then select the partition that has Windows on it (Usually listed as C: drive but double check) and then click next. Once done restart and see if it starts up.

if you go the windows 10 route then it gets a bit more complicated.

Now if the hard drive is bad, you will want to replace the hard drive and we will have to start windows from fresh, and since you have upgraded to windows 10, all you have to do is download the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool, and then make a Bootable Thumbdrive/DVD with it and reinstall windows. It will activate automatically. When you install it though it will ask for a key. Say you don't have one. Then make sure you pick either Windows 10 Home or Pro with what your PC came with (More than likely it was Home) and then you can copy your data off the old hard drive and onto the new one.

Zeppled · Mar 5, 2016

So i checked out the hard drive with crystal disk and all was good. I then downloaded the Macrium, made the rescue media and booted the laptop I have my docked hard drive attached to with the disk. It appeared to fix the BCD so I popped the drive back into my HP Envy 23 All in one but still nothing. So I returned it to the docking station and pointed the bios on the laptop to boot from that drive. To my amazement there was my desktop on the screen. So the hard drive is functioning and boots up fine.

So now where I am at is still blank screen on HP Envy 23 AIO when the hard drive is in there. I was hoping to try a windows repair in case there is some driver problem but was a little sketchy on how to make that happen. Your instructions seem to be for a clean install which i do not believe is necessary since the system booted up fine from the docking station.

drtweak · Mar 7, 2016

Hmmm...That is odd. I'm surpissed it booted just fine in your laptop, unless your laptop is a similar hardware base as the AIO.

Still sounds like a issue with the AIO to me. Do you still get the windows BCD error or just a blank screen now?

Zeppled · Mar 7, 2016

Blank screen only. The laptop is an HP also. Similar hardware. Not exact but evidently enough to boot. My AOI sounds like it is booting but if it is the wireless isn't connecting as I logged into the router to see what devices were connected and my AOI is not one of them.

drtweak · Mar 7, 2016

You won't see it in your router unless windows is running.

Also you need to run the macrium while the hard drive in in the AIO and boot Macrium in the AIO not while it is attached to another PC. It will then try to rewrite the BCD as if that drive is another drive on your laptop.

Try just booting the macrium either though DVD or USB drive on your AIO without the hard drive. See if it boots. If it does, toss the hard drive in and try booting it again on the AIO with the hard drive installed and see if Macrium Boots or not

Zeppled · Mar 8, 2016

I put the Macrium disk into the AIO and I can hear it running but eventually stops and there is still a blank screen. I tried this with and without the hard drive.

drtweak · Mar 8, 2016

And you said you can get into the BIOS on that machine? Yes def sounds like an issue with the AIO for what ever reason.

Zeppled · Mar 8, 2016

I cannot get to the BIOS either. The screen is blank no matter what. On a side note my husband has the same AIO with the same problem. But last night after spending the whole day taking out the CMOS battery and putting the jumper to reset about once every hour. His finally came up. I was too afraid to try and update the bios at that point so we left it alone only checking that the programs and internet worked. This morning after being on all night it appeared to have gone to sleep but upon moving the mouse and tapping the keys I got nothing. And on reboot it is back to a blank screen also.

I appreciate the advice and am continuing to look for answers but it appears I might be in for a hefty repair bill or I will have to wipe the drive and try that. It's upsetting. I have my MCSA with Microsoft so I'm not unfamiliar with computers but this one is throwing me for a loop.

drtweak · Mar 8, 2016

Yea this is not an issue with the hard drive or Windows or anything. It is not a software issue, it sounds like a hardware issue to me. Try this

Unplug the PC from the wall. Hold the power button for 30 seconds, then let the PC set, unplugged, for 15 minutes or more then plug it back in and try turning it back on with or without the hard drive just to see if you get anything.

Zeppled · Mar 10, 2016

I have tried that before but I did it again with the same results. Blank screen.

Zeppled · Mar 10, 2016

That gets me back to the original question. Both of the hard drives can be read from the docking station attached to my laptop. Both drives have a recovery partition. Can I execute the recovery when the drive is out of it's original computer attached to my laptop through a usb docking station?

drtweak · Mar 10, 2016

Again it does not sound to be any issue what so ever with the hard drive or windows but a hardware issue with the AIO.

If you need to recovery files off the hard drive then yes. As far as windows recovery that will not help you. Since you can boot from the drive off your laptop i would suggest doing that, going though, and backing everything up. It sounds like you may need a new PC from what I am hearing and what we have done. AIO's are great for space saving but are bad if anything goes wrong with the hardware as everything is together and no room for upgrades.

Repair Windows 10 on a usb connected hard drive

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