[Solved] Windows believes it is actually connected via usb... help? Okay, now lets bash some Linux!
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So... this is like probably a lot of WTF and also a lot of hoping somebody here is smart enough to help me.
So the story begins a few days ago when my old laptop broke down. I think the GPU or the mainboard just died and figured it was time for a new laptop anyway.
So I order a new laptop (a different one) and now want to use my old harddrive. So far so good.
Not wanting to bother with 8 hours of downloading and installing windows 8 updates (including 8.1) I figure, might as well try to connect the drive like the way it is and see if windows can cope with it.
Since I am an idiot / want to be sure, I first connect the drive and boot from it via usb.
It works! Yay!
I put the drive into the new laptop.
WIndows now asks me for my OS-serial because all the hardware is different, I think. Whatever, I have that so things work out.
Windows now greets me with a suspicious message "Do not disconnect the USBdrive with the system on it" or something. I can't restart right now to figure out the exact message since I am currently writing a post.
I go but figure it probably won't be important.
I try to update to windows 10 because now is as good a time as any.
Windows now tells me that you can't update windows while the system is on a USB-drive.So.... I now have a laptop with a windows that believes the built in SSD is actually plugged in via USB. I get random error messages about that and I can't update.
I have no idea how to solve this. I really don't want to reinstall windows and have to reconfigure things again. The updates alone take 8 hours because windows update manager is garbage. Plus all my files and settings I'd have to backup in a sensible way... So thats kind of a last resort.
I don't know how to google for this because Windows doesn't give me any error codes and searching for anything withwindows
andusb
is bound to bring up 100000 wrong search results. And I don't even know if anybody else ever ran into this problem.So thats when I go on TDWTF. Is there any advice you guys can give me to make windows stop believing it connected via usb? Is that even windows? Do I maybe have to mess around in the BIOS? I might check that while I wait for replies....
Filed Under: Help?
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If you want to update to Windows 10 anyway, why not use a Windows 10 iso and try to go from there?
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Because I don't have a windows 10 key. My key works only for windows 8 which can be (and has been) upgraded to windows 8.1. Which then has to be upgraded to windows 10 once to actually work with windows 10.
Which - as you might have noticed - I can't do because windows doesn't understand how hard drives work... or something >_<'
Its a stroke of genius you can read about all over the internet right nowFiled Under: I really don't feel like illegaly getting keys when I have perfectly legal keys right here...
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I'm not sure why you want to install the updates to Windows 8, though.
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Because I don't have a windows 10 key. My key works only for windows 8 which can be (and has been) upgraded to windows 8.1. Which then has to be upgraded to windows 10 once to actually work with windows 10.
This is why I only deal with Enterprise or Full Version (not upgrade, or in flight upgrade) keys. That being said...
So.... I now have a laptop with a windows that believes the built in SSD is actually plugged in via USB. I get random error messages about that and I can't update.
Have you tried going into Device Manager and doing a refresh?
Also, based on this, you may need to update drivers (motherboard, controller and/or disk).
Other posts I'm finding on this topic involve hacking the registry - I strongly recommend you at least image the drive before trying anything that drastic.
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you know what? Neither do I. The problem is: Windows 8.1 requires them, afair. And Windows 10 requires 8.1, also afair. So... thats the problem.
Filed Under: Plus I really don't want to reconfigure everything.
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Have you tried going into Device Manager and doing a refresh?
Also, based on this, you may need to update drivers (motherboard, controller and/or disk).
I am currently doing this. Apparently there were drivers missing. I am sincerly hoping for me overreacting and the solution being stupid drivers right now.
Other posts I'm finding on this topic involve hacking the registry - I strongly recommend you at least image the drive before trying anything that drastic.
How do you find stuff on that topic? Share your google-fu with me. Because I actually tried!
Filed Under: Thank you
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you know what? Neither do I. The problem is: Windows 8.1 requires them, afair. And Windows 10 requires 8.1, also afair. So... thats the problem.
Filed Under: Plus I really don't want to reconfigure everything.
Not really. You just need 8.1 to do the upgrade via Windows Update. Of course, that is (AFAIK) the only supported way to get the free update.
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I Googled "windows thinks my ssd drive is usb" ;-)
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"windows thinks my ssd drive is usb
You gotta be kidding me. I had stuff like "Windows believes it is on USB drive" and it only threw out nothing but stupid stuff... sigh The ways of google I tell you.
I can't afford one of those right now.
According to some random news I read today, Intel is close to finishing even faster memory... So you might want to wait a few years
Though it could also just be some stupid PR bullshit... You never know with news!Filed Under: [It's too late to update windows today.. I updated some drivers and will try again tomorrow. Thanks for all the help, guys!
Filed Under: Sleep!
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Call Microsoft support, you have a legitimate claim.
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And Windows 10 requires 8.1, also afair.
Since 7, 8, and 8.1 are all upgradable, you are probably r'ing wrongly.
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Of course, that is (AFAIK) the only supported way to get the free update.
Nope. For one, if you're an Insider, and you got the email from Gabe Aul yesterday, he provided a link to a download. That's where the "Something Happened" window from that thread comes from.
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@ben_lubar said:
I can't afford one of those right now. <joke that bit was there to set-up snipped>
According to some random news I read today, Intel is close to finishing even faster memory... So you might want to wait a few years
Whooshy?
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I can't afford one of those right now. I need to go to the ATM machine.
so you are stuck with a HDD drive?
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Make sure it's properly connected to the CPU unit
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It has to be the central CPU unit or else it won't work.
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I'm betting your disk is now being viewed as "removable" by the OS. IIRC this is a firmware thing on the disk.
Try using: http://www.partition-tool.com/easeus-partition-manager/removable-device-partitioning.htm
Edit: note the link is about resizing partitions, but that's because the "removable" flag prevents resizing in windows, so it was the best place to go looking for software that could fool with that flag.
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So, I solved the problem by editing the registry.
Windows falsely identified itself as a "ToGo" version (I could not see that anywhere, though...) and that is apparently not updatetable...In somewhat related news, following the windows knowledge base article to change the registry setting and then trying to update windows has now crashed my windows to the point I actually DID have to reset it. (It still worked but actually lost half its features... like a background for example... or the ability to open the taskmanager ... or update)
In even more unrelated news, who ever tells me that you can update straight from Win 8.1 to Win 10 is a lying bastard!
BECAUSE I AM NOW STUCK UPDATING WIN 8.1 SO THE FREAKING UPDATE TOOL DOESN'T CRASH AFTER THE 3 GB DOWNLOAD WITHOUT ANY INFORMATION!In even more more unrelated notes: Whoever made
Windows Update
should either improve that shit or get freaking fired. Like... holy shit is it terrible. I am downloading this stuff in waves again (78 + 43 + 139) with no end in sight and half the time it doesn't even download anything but just sits there in a idle state...yes, I am bored enough to monitor the throughput on the taskmanager, why do you ask?Filed Under: Not saying Linux is much better... but I have not seen a worse update manager, yet...
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Whoever made Windows Update should either improve that shit or get freaking fired. Like... holy shit is it terrible.
+쑱
I think I'll wait a few weeks before updating.
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even more unrelated news, who ever tells me that you can update straight from Win 8.1 to Win 10 is a lying bastard!
Huh, apparently, I am a lying bastard...
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I think I'll wait a few weeks before updating.
Hm, I know I make it sound like the worst update ever... but I also understand that the circumstances are weird.
My Desktop PC is actually updated and it works reasonably well.
Filed Under: Then again, you are boomzilla! I thought the joke was you using systems that are at least 20 years old
Also Filed Under: Then again, you didn't say what you would upgrade to
Huh, apparently, I am a lying bastard...
Maybe you are. But I wrote "tells" instead of "told" so you are still in the clear.
Filed Under: If you tell me again on the other hand...
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Hm, I know I make it sound like the worst update ever... but I also understand that the circumstances are weird
I have no real reason to hurry. Honestly, my typical Windows usage is to run updates and troll TDWTF while Windows Update bumbles around for a while.
Filed Under: Then again, you are boomzilla! I thought the joke was you using systems that are at least 20 years old
Heh. No, but I have been on the LTS version of Kubuntu this time around, so it's over a year old.
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Heh. No, but I have been on the LTS version of Kubuntu this time around, so it's over a year old.
I tried Ubuntu on that laptop... It lasted a day. AMD card does not play nice with linux apparently...
Honestly, my typical
WindowsLinuxusage is to run updates and troll TDWTF whileWindows Update bumbles aroundplaying around in the console for a while.
FTFMFiled Under: I might need to try better Linux than Ubuntu at some point, though
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I tried Ubuntu on that laptop... It lasted a day. AMD card does not play nice with linux apparently...
I have an AMD card in my Debian testing box and it runs fine. Tip: don't install the proprietary drivers (fglrx) :P
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I will give it another shot once I can replace my DVD-drive with a harddrive. I only know that neither driver was able to play 360p youtube videos. (And yes, I tried HTML5 and flash)
Not sure how powerful your debian testing box is. This laptop is 300 bucks heavy. Means it does not have high end hardware.
Filed Under: It does not seem to be Linux hardware after all!
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Not sure how powerful your debian testing box is. This laptop is 300 bucks heavy. Means it does not have high end hardware.
Core i3, 6GB RAM -- card's a Radeon HD 4000 series (can't remember the exact model though)
Most of the issues I run into with it are due to swapping, not the graphics card or its drivers...
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6GB RAM
due to swapping,
6GB isn't that much but it should be enough to watch
youpornyoutube and "do email" without needing to swap....
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Mine is a Lenovo Thinkpad E555
processor: AMD A8-7100 quadcore with 1.8 GHz (3.0 GHz turbo) graphics: AMD Radeon R5 RAM: 8GB disk: 500 GB HDD Partitioning: 100GB Filesystem, 8GB swap, everything else Fat32
That... is not enough to play youtube (or youporn... though I didn't test that one) on Ubuntu 15.04....
Filed Under: Take that as you will
Also Filed Under: Yes, I know, probably a bad laptop and I am trwtf for not paying 1k bucks for a better one right now...
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any particular reason you went with fat32 for filesystem?
linux in general does not like that file system, not for the root partition at least.
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Root partition is EXT4. I thought I might want to access that part of the harddrive via windows once I put both drives into the laptop. Partition manager doesn't like NTFS so Fat32 was the only sensible choice both operating systems can read and write.
Filed Under: I might have reformatted it on windows later as Ubuntu is apparently able to read and write NTFS pretty reliably now
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aah. that makes more sense then.
..... hmm.... that's weird. poke me tomorrow when i have access to a machine for reference material
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Once windows finishes its updates (104/139) I can hopefully finally start updating to Windows 10 again... and once that hopefully worked, I will try to instruct Cortana via voice to make an appointment for tomorrow to poke you.
Filed Under: Not sure what you want to do with a reference. Are you trying to prove me wrong? I mean, be my guest but I am still confused.
Also Filed Under: Do you have access to random Thinkpads with Ubuntu installed?
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Filed Under: Not sure what you want to do with a reference. Are you trying to prove me wrong? I mean, be my guest but I am still confused.
oh.... right. linux is no longer installed on that laptop. not much i can do to troubleshoot it and see if i can get decent performance out of it under linux then.
cancel that poke please!
:-D
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cancel that poke please!
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THAT? DO YOU WANT ME TO TIMETRAVEL? AM I SUPPOSED TO BE PSYCHIC?!?!
I'll actually try that to see if I can cancel the whole thing via voice as welllinux is no longer installed on that laptop
You could create a linux cd/dvd/usb-stick and try your luck on that! You might lose a little bit of harddrive speed but thats about it.
Filed Under: You could also swap the harddrive
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You could create a linux cd/dvd/usb-stick and try your luck on that! You might lose a little bit of harddrive speed but thats about it.
i would gladly..... but i don't have that machine. :-P
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You don't have that laptop you wanted to use tomorrow to find out whether you could speed up Linux on it?
TDEMSYFPYou don't have a spare CD / DVD / USB-stick?
I mean.... those are all pretty cheap... so yeahI don't want to force you, though. I just need to waste some more time while these updates are running (116/139).
Filed Under: Still havent started installing Win10...
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i don't have any laptop with an AMD graphics in it, but i do have VMs at home with fake AMD cards that i could paly with and try and figure out how to get you better performance.
but if you installed windows on the laptop instead the point is rather moot. ;-)
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Well then I will just poke you anyway to see if I can readd the poke to the calendar after I added and then deleted it.
Also: I still want to have two hard drives in this thing one with Windows one with Linux. So thats something. I probably just won't do any non console stuff on linux as long as I can't even watch yt-videos.
Filed Under: 131/139
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In even more unrelated news, who ever tells me that you can update straight from Win 8.1 to Win 10 is a lying bastard!
*shrug* I did it with two computers so far. Did you change your locale to US/English?
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I have an AMD card in my Debian testing box and it runs fine. Tip: don't install the proprietary drivers (fglrx)
I had an AMD card under Mint for a few weeks last year, and it worked OK, although I did install the proprietary drivers so I could play Minecraft. Didn't have any problems.
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It changed on its own when I reinstalled it. So... yeah...
Filed Under: Next attempt!
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poke me tomorrow
Poke
Filed Under: Cortana doesnt speak with me because Laptop mic
Also Filed Under: I dislike that sadface... whatever