Windows 10 INSTALL DISC 0xc000021a Error

Ezzran

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Jan 13, 2016
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So, my hard drive recently went out on my computer. I'm broke, so I pulled a hard drive out of an old computer my friend gave me a couple years ago. That hard drive has a non-genuine copy of windows 7 ultimate edition. The previous hard drive had Windows 8.1, and I have a valid product key for that, so I figured "Eh, what the heck. I'll just install 10 and use my Windows 8 product key to validate it for the free upgrade."

Now, the problem becomes that the copy of windows 7 on the hard drive is 32 bit, and the rest of the computer is built for a 64 bit OS, and I hate the idea of not using the full capabilities of my system. I've got 8GB RAM in here. Only using half of it feels horrible. So I'd like to get 64 bit Windows 10. I went and downloaded the iso through microsoft's media thing, then burned it to a DVD5 using a separate tool called imgburn.

However, when I boot to the DVD, the blue, flat windows logo shows up, it hangs for awhile doing nothing, the spinning dots show up, then it immediately crashes, giving me a blue screen.

The blue screen has the frowny face and the "Something went wrong" and the error code 0xc000021a. A bunch of googling shows me a whole lot of problems with the system on boot, but nothing at all related to installing windows 10 and getting that error. Microsoft's site has been less than helpful, only telling me that there was either a problem with WinLogon.exe or csrss.exe, with no information about how to trouble shoot that problem.

I've tried making more copies of the disc (I'm out of DVDs now), and I redownloaded the iso and switched burner programs for the final disc. I'm at my wit's end. Is there anything I can do, or am I relegated to 32 bit prugatory and only using half my RAM for eternity (or until I can afford to buy more discs and put ubuntu on it, because seriously, Microsoft, your help pages suck)?
 
Solution
Hello Ezzran

It doesn't matter if you have 32-bit Windows 7 as long as your genuine copy of Windows 8 or 8.1 is 64-bit.

What you can do is, perform a clean install of your Windows 8/8.1, activate your copy, and then upgrade it to Windows 10.

If you follow the above suggested procedure correctly, Windows shouldn't encounter any issues or show you any errors.

Also, it isn't necessary to burn an ISO image to a DVD. You can Create a Bootable Windows 10 USB Drive from the downloaded ISO image using any ISO to Bootable USB Creator, and then use the USB stick to install the operating system on your PC.

Feel free to report back if further assistance is needed.

Cheers!! :)
Hello Ezzran

It doesn't matter if you have 32-bit Windows 7 as long as your genuine copy of Windows 8 or 8.1 is 64-bit.

What you can do is, perform a clean install of your Windows 8/8.1, activate your copy, and then upgrade it to Windows 10.

If you follow the above suggested procedure correctly, Windows shouldn't encounter any issues or show you any errors.

Also, it isn't necessary to burn an ISO image to a DVD. You can Create a Bootable Windows 10 USB Drive from the downloaded ISO image using any ISO to Bootable USB Creator, and then use the USB stick to install the operating system on your PC.

Feel free to report back if further assistance is needed.

Cheers!! :)
 
Solution

Ezzran

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Jan 13, 2016
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4,510


Unfortunately, the windows 8 disk sent with the PC was corrupted when I got it, and the company wouldn't replace it. Do not buy from cyberpower PC. Anyway, guess my only option is to find a USB stick and install from that.
 


Hello again Ezzran

If you remember your Windows' product key, you can install the evaluation version of Windows 8 from any trusted and reliable source, and then use your product key to activate the operating system. However, you may need to contact Microsoft's customer support team during the activation process.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!! :)
 

Ezzran

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Jan 13, 2016
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Yeah, but if I can do that, I can do 10 in the same way. Getting from a 32 bit OS to a 64 bit without access to DVD burning (I'm convinced that my DVD burner is just not good) is the hurdle. If I can get a USB stick, I can get Win10 working, I don't have one atm, but I can probably find a friend who will loan me one.

Thanks for your help!
 


Hello again Ezzran

Unfortunately Windows doesn't allow you to migrate from 32-bit architecture to 64-bit while upgrading.

This means, if you have a 32-bit Windows 7, you can only upgrade to 32-bit Windows 8 or Windows 10 and not to 64-bit.

The correct path would be:

Since you have a genuine product key of 64-bit Windows 8, you should use it to activate the OS, and then go for a free Windows 10 upgrade that would be 64-bit in this situation.

Cheers!! :)