Asus Vivobook S200E stuck in bootloop

[PaulBee]

Hi All

So I decided I would try and put an SSD in my old Asus as it is quite slow. So before I cloned the drive I tried to reset it using the MS option in the settings. The first time it failed so I tried again and then got the same message saying it failed.

Now I am stuck in a bootloop, where it gets to the initial Asus screen, goes black and then loops back to the Asus screen.

Tried pressing F8 & F12 but doesn't get me anywhere, although Esc got me into: Please select Boot device so I think if I can just get Window 10 on the SSD and install I'll be good to go.

So I thought I would re-install W8 and then upgrade, however the guides say I will need the security key which for some reason is not on the Asus as it usually is on every other machine I have owned!

Any ideas what I can do from here please?

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

Paul

 

[PaulBee]

So it seems that the forum I read that said it was F8 or 12 key was wrong, it is the F9 key!

So I have managed to get into System Restore and when I try troubleshoot I get the following:
Refresh your PC - The drive where Windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again
Reset your PC - Unable to reset your PC. A required drive partition is missing.
Advanced options - There is no Restore Point and also no System Image for recovery
Automatic Repair - Couldn't repair you PC

Also I noticed that where it says continue to windows it say to Windows 8 whereas I had 10 installed.

 

[Trouble]

So....
If I am understanding correctly what you have posted so far, you are trying to install Windows 10 onto a new SSD with nothing on it, in a machine that has had Windows 10 previously installed on an old hard drive that you are replacing??

guides say I will need the security key

What guides are these?
You should be able to remove the old spinner, physically install the SSD connect to SATA0 or SATA1 (depending on your boards numbering system). Insert the boot media (DVD or USB ThumbDrive) and proceed with the install.
IF you are prompted for a product key simply click the link that says "I don't have a key" or "do this later"
Windows 10 should install without issue.

 

[PaulBee]

Thanks Trouble, trying that now!

 

[PaulBee]

So I have used Rufus and made bootable USB, booted into it but cannot get any further:

- When I try repair it again says 'Unable to reset your PC. A required drive partition is missing.'
- When I try to Upgrade install I get a compatibility report that says 'Compatibility report: The computer started using the windows installation media. Remove the installation media and restart your computer so that windows starts normally. Then, insert the installation media and restart the upgrade. (Do not select Icustom [advanced] to perform an upgrade Icustom [advanced] installs a new copy of windows and deletes your programs and settings.)'
- When I try to do clean install I get a windows set up window which shows Drive 0 and 7 partitions. All have the error message 'Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style'


Help please!!!

 

[Trouble]

WOW... I thought that the disk was a new SSD with nothing on it.
You need to be absolutely sure, you know what you are doing and which disk you are dealing with. It could very well result in the loss of all data on the disk as well as the existing partition structure.
You need to revisit Rufus and configure it properly to support UEFI / GPT

OR you need to use DiskPart to wipe (clean) the disk.
Again.... I was under the impression that this was a new SSD with nothing of any consequence on it.
Shift + F10 at the first screen after booting from the installation media
That should produce a command prompt window in which you would type
DiskPart
hit enter
list disk
hit enter
select disk 0 (where disk 0 is the disk you want to clean) One last warning this will destroy any data or partition structure that is on the disk you are cleaning.
hit enter
clean
hit enter
exit
hit enter
exit
hit enter
You should then be able to proceed with the install. Although I would still be using a boot media resource that supported GPT / UEFI configurations.

 

[PaulBee]

Thanks again Trouble, I had a google and found a guy on You Tube suggesting the second method and that worked and W10 is installing now.

When it is installed will I be able to recover/get/use my original Asus security key to activate it? If so do you know where I can find it please?

 

[Trouble]

When it is installed will I be able to recover/get/use my original Asus security key to activate it?

I have no idea what an ASUS security key is.
Perhaps someone who has an ASUS product with have that information.
IF you are talking about the Window's Product Key you shouldn't need it, if you had Windows 10 previously installed on the old spinner.

 

[PaulBee]

Sorry I meant the ASUS OEM security key for Windows.

 

[Trouble]

Again..... I do not know what a "security key" is, but.....
Again.... If you are talking about the Windows Product Key then you will probably not need it to activate Windows 10.
The installation media will either pick it up from the BIOS where it is stored now on most newer computers.....
OR
If you had Windows 10 previously installed and activated on the old hard drive it will automatically activate after the install.