Problem with starting the new operating system
Problem with starting the new operating system
You're starting the process of installing Windows 10 on an older machine with limited specs. The SSD failure and the HDD installation from a USB are common challenges. It sounds like you're at the initial setup stage, choosing between 32-bit and 64-bit. Are you experiencing any specific delays or errors during this phase?
The HDD operates much slower than an SSD, which is typical. Are you noticing any movement on the HDD indicator light? Or does it make any sounds?
Just in case, I switched from the boot manager to my USB drive—picking USB Sandisk instead of UEFI Sandisk because it boots directly to the PowerSpec screen, which keeps looping. I selected either 32 or 64 partitions and then loaded the Windows logo. So far, I haven’t set up any partitions yet. If you’re referring to the red light that flashed twice, it did illuminate briefly before fading out. The USB is still showing the red light but seems to be dimming. I also ran a CMOS reset already.
It might be due to a compatibility issue between Windows 10 and the older hardware. From your details, the HDD seems mostly inactive. The installer could be just verifying the machine's components. You might want to try a Linux USB image to see if it boots, which would help confirm if the problem lies with the hardware.
B250 Pro4 motherboard, no recent BIOS updates since 2016-17. Linux Mint is being run from the USB, not installed on internal drives. Does that match your expectations?
I changed to Windows 11 just to keep things consistent across the systems, but in reality I used Rufus to create an MBR and GPT file. GPT forced me to turn off CSM, but the issue persisted and the MBR hasn't made any progress yet. Right now it's stuck at the start. Linux Mint worked fine from USB, so I don’t think this is specific to Windows. Actually, it removed the need for TPM, secure boot, and an online account.