Setting up Windows 10 on a brand-new PC using a USB drive and an SSD is straightforward.
Setting up Windows 10 on a brand-new PC using a USB drive and an SSD is straightforward.
He recently got a new PC with everything assembled and a USB drive containing Windows ready to use. When he starts the machine, it launches from the USB and displays the Windows logo briefly before a blue error screen appears, indicating an issue. The error message reads "101 initialization failed."
5 GHz - 9600 MHz processor, 6 GB RAM, 16 GB SSD, Corsair Vengeance Motherboard, Gigabyte H370 HD3, Crucial MX500, 1 TB SSD, Corsair 600 W power supply.
It seems unclear, but you're asking about a USB boot from Amazon via Microsoft. Could you clarify what you mean?
It’s not a good idea. The tool is free, many people have USBs nearby, and you don’t need to pay for activation or a license. If it doesn’t work after purchase, consider returning it.
I said that instead of jumping around, he should just use the windows tool. He didn’t want to take any chances.
He should have been careful. The USBs offered by Microsoft include very old versions of Windows, which are locked to stop users from changing them for updates. It’s not about the USB itself working—it’s likely the Windows version is more than a year behind (possibly even older) and won’t support modern drivers. If he already owns it, there’s no point sending it back; you’ve paid for the license key, not the installer. Suggest he make his own USB with Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool and install it using the key from Amazon.
Hey there, bud. It's clear you're trying to get it back, but I won't let you use the license key. Let's walk through making your own one instead.