Transitioning from Linux to Windows issues.
Transitioning from Linux to Windows issues.
Hello, I'm feeling really confused. I thought switching to Linux Ubuntu would refresh my old Acer Aspire E 15, but it didn't make much difference. Now I prefer Windows for a smoother experience. I tried installing Windows 10 on a 16 GB USB using Microsoft's Media Creation Tool on my Windows 11 desktop, and it worked fine. After plugging it into the laptop and booting from it, I reached the Windows installation screen. I selected a version (like home or pro) and proceeded, but after clicking next, I received an error: "Windows can't find the Microsoft software license terms." I assumed maybe the USB setup was off. So I repeated the process twice more. The second time I didn’t even reach that point. When I clicked Install in the menu after booting, I got another message: "Windows cannot open the required file C:\Sources\install.esd. The file may be corrupt or missing. Error code: 0x80070570." Feeling stuck, I reinstalled everything a third time, thinking things couldn’t get worse. But now, when I try to boot from the USB, I see a black screen and it jumps straight into my old Ubuntu installation without entering Windows. Anyone know what’s going on or how to fix this? Also, just a note – I recently installed Ubuntu on my laptop, ran it solo, and after cleaning the USB with DiskPart three times (using Media Creation Tool, Rufus, etc.), I still couldn’t boot it from there.
Use DiskPart to remove partitions on Linux only. Format the drive with Windows/Rufus. Test the USB by booting from it on your desktop—should you reach the "Where to install Windows" screen. Check if the same screen appears on your laptop. If needed, transfer the drive from your laptop and install Windows there. Make sure your desktop drives remain connected during this process!
It was an issue with the USB device. I switched to another one and resolved some problems, thank you for your assistance. Perhaps I misused the USB by plugging it in multiple times.
It would improve significantly if memory, disk access, and CPU metrics were more efficient. This largely depends on your hardware and whether you prioritize performance over resource consumption. Windows tends to optimize caching aggressively, which can boost speed. Also, 10 seems preferable to 11. Regarding the drive, it struggles with data retention—similar issues I faced before resolving them by using it briefly. You can clean the disk via DiskPart or run dd in Linux to erase it completely. Bootable tools handle more than just copying files; they perform standardized operations that make the drive recognizable by firmware. Even without such software, simply accessing the EFI file in the firmware is necessary, though I initially couldn’t locate it.