Windows 8 Windows 8.1 Clean Install Not Working

[admusat]

Hello,

I'm encountering an issue with Windows 8.1 when trying to do a clean install. The OS install boots, but then crashes saying: "Un unexpected error occured. The computer will now restart."
I've been thinking this is a driver issue, Wi-Fi card or DVD, both of which I've removed from the laptop, but still the error persists.
I've been reading about this error on lots of forums but no solution. Has anyone encountered this and figured out a solution?
Currently, I have Ubuntu installed on the laptop.
Thank you in advance.

EDIT: It once ran Windows 8 without a problem, but the Store update to 8.1 caused the same problem with the installation reverting the settings back to Windows 8.

 

[ussnorway]

When it comes to installing more than one os, the order in which you do things is important.

For example; If your laptop had Windows 8 at purchase time then it was a Windows boot. Then you installed Ubuntu and that makes it a dual boot controlled by Linux… if you then try the 8.1 upgrade your system will crash because it needs a Windows boot manager by design but you now have a Linux one.

Assuming the above is true: your options (in best to worse order) are limited;

1. Factory reset may be corrupted when you installed Ubuntu… Asus recovery can still work but other companies don’t format the entire disc.

2. A fresh Windows 8 install on a blank hdd will format for Windows and then you grab the 8.1 upgrade before playing around with Linux.

3. Remove the Ubuntu system then repair your Windows boot with a Windows install disc or usb… the success of this depends on things you haven’t told us like (exactly) how the hdd was reformatted for Linux and what make | model your system is?

 

[admusat]

Thank you for the reply,

To clear a few things up first:
- The laptop is an ASUS F5Sr, Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor 2.0 GHz, 2GB DDR2, 250 GB HDD, ATI Mobility™ Radeon® HD 3470;
- Ubuntu was installed at a later date, it was the only OS on the laptop.
- I have reinstalled the Windows 8, using the Setup tool to format the entire hard drive.
- Windows 8 is installed, updated, with the Windows 8.1 update available in the Store.
Same issue occurs. After it downloads and installs the update, when booting into Windows, it crashes, mentioning that "An unexpected error occured, blah blah, blah... Reverting back..."

I should mention that I have discussed this issue with Microsoft support and they have absolutely no idea what may be causing it.
If anyone should have an idea I would welcome it.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Since you have Ubuntu running I'd back up everything on your laptop, format the drive and reinstall Windows 8 again.

After doing that, you might want to just stick with Windows 8 until Windows 10 comes online, later this year.

I had problems with 8.1 that caused me to go back to 8 after I updated.
Make sure that Automatic Updates is turned off and keep refusing to update to 8.1.

Windows 10 is going to be a major change, and for me it's working great (with a few glitches) even in the early beta stage.

You could wait until Consumer Preview comes along and try dual booting it with 8 and make sure it will run without issue on your computer, then just replace 8 with it when it goes live.

Mike

 

[ussnorway]

• The ASUS F5Sr, is designed to take Windows Vista or XP and there is no support for 8.1… it’s a testament to Asus quality that Windows 8 will work on it at all.

• The Radeon® HD 3470 is in fact an over-clocked 3450 and Microsoft is notoriously bad at detecting ATI drivers… I suspect the limited intelligence behind the upgrade has decided your g-card doesn’t meet the minimum DirectX 9 standard.

• On a similar vein the two gig of ram may be reporting as less than 2 gig if the system bios is locking some of it away for the g-card.

The exact point at which the install crashes is iffy but it sounds like a driver issue is behind it… depending on usage my recommendations are:
1. Installing another 2 gig of ram will bring your system up to its stated maximum of 4 gig and see if that resolves the conflict. Ram is cheap enough… even older ram like this can still be picked up second hand if you are willing to hunt around for it and the only reason I’d consider spending the money is that more ram still works in your advantage even if it doesn’t remove the bottleneck.

2. Stay with Linux… I’d go with Mint over Ubuntu for an system this old but the point is I would take Linux even over Windows 8 because even if you manage to get 8.1 installed on it this system will really struggle on these limited resources and never perform as well as Mint which is designed to make the most of older laptops.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

I have to admit I didn't read the stats on the computer, I'll go with ussnorway, but if you don't want to run Linux, (it won't work for me as I have things that won't run in it) you may want to just put Windows 7 32 bit back on it and stick with it.

New laptops are so cheap now, it may be time to get a new one.

Link Removed

Mike