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Question

Don’t think Media Creation Tool was totally successful

Jul 22, 2019 12:55PM PDT

In the past when I did a ‘clean’ install, you could tell because you had to reset / reinstall everything. This time, there were a number of ‘settings’ that appeared to be carried over. Example, my “screensaver’ was already ‘there’. My log on account ‘picture’ was already there. The setting that “I” set to have a ‘large’ mouse pointer was already there. Too many others that I don’t remember now, were still there! And, yes, I did have to reinstall “all” my programs / software and do ‘most’ of my “personal” settings.

The reason for the ‘clean’ install, APPCRASH’s. . I had suspected for some time that something wasn’t right, thus the ‘clean’ install. Yes I ran things like sfc /scannow and chkdsk /f /r /x.

View reliability history shows a ‘different “appcrash”: Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: taskhostw.exe
Application Version: 10.0.18362.1
Application Timestamp: e9bfb510
Fault Module Name: unbcl.dll

One suggestion was to uninstall .net3.5 & .net4.8, which I did. Upon reboot, .net3.5 reinstalled itself. So maybe the issue is resolved, time will tell. ‘appcrash’ shows up every couple of days.

Question? Why didn’t ‘clean’ install work via USB media creation tool? And will a ‘repair” install work? And ‘yes’ I did unplug all “usb’s” before I started.

Thanks in advance

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Media Creation Tool Only Helps You Create The Media
Jul 22, 2019 1:10PM PDT

The Windows Media Creation tool allows the user to place the operating system and other files on a storage location and then use it. A full clean install requires the user to boot from the media that was created, whether it be a USB device or a DVD. Booting from the media will then allow you to install the new version of the operating system and it some cases, some of the drivers. It doesn't keep any of the other neat stuff you may want to save.

In your case, it sounds like you ran "setup.exe" from inside the USB/DVD media. In that case, the installation saves your files and many of the previous settings and only installs the new items from the new version's installation set. In fact, it is much like a "repair" install except any new operating system files from the new version/build are now going to be installed. Damaged files will be replaced but if there is a new file version to replace an old one, the new one will be installed. In the example you've mentioned, NET Framework 3.5 will reinstall itself and because NET 4.8 is new, it will also install itself.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Answer
I say it was successful.
Jul 22, 2019 1:32PM PDT

But that's dismissing what we or Microsoft counts as success. It most likely succeeded in an OS repair and more but is not a method I use to fix appcrash issues.

Today I find many expected Microsoft's OS installer and tools to correct issues like you noted but nope and no and no way. Microsoft supplies the OS and more but we are still on the hook for pre and post OS install work such as BIOS update, drivers and more.

I'm finding folk that can't believe this hasn't been fixed since what? 1990? Sorry folk this is an OS from the Jusassic age and it shows.

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So a "Clean" install is "not" a clean install?
Jul 22, 2019 1:58PM PDT

I mean, I thought that "all" Microsoft stuff would be erased / deleted so that you would, in essence, have a 'clean' slate upon which to install the 'operating system'. Meaning if there "were" some corrupted files, they would be deleted. And again, in the past, I had to reinstall/reset "all" my settings, but not this time.

"It doesn't keep any of the other neat stuff you may want to keep". But it did keep "some"? I don't remember how exactly I installed from the USB. I set the BIOS to boot from the USB and It went from there.

Anyway, thanks for replying guys

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It's pretty simple.
Jul 22, 2019 3:48PM PDT

If your files and settings stayed, it was not a clean install. In spite of that I did say I think it was a success (according to Microsoft.)

But that's not what you wanted. You want your PC fixed and working and even a clean install still requires pre and post install work which many PC users are unaware of.

Microsoft is a dinosaur of a company. It shows here.

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Yep, It Wasn't A Clean Install
Jul 22, 2019 4:14PM PDT

During a full, clean install, thje computer boots directly from the drive in question. Next, the Windows installation asks you to create a C: partition, format the partition, then install all the Windows files. After Windows installs, YOU would then need to install all the drivers for all your devices and reinstall all the programs you want.

If you didn't do all those things, then you didn't have a clean install.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Understood
Jul 22, 2019 5:12PM PDT

That said: You want your PC fixed and working and even a clean install still requires pre and post install work which many PC users are unaware of. I AM 100% AWARE THAT YOU HAVE TO RE-INSTALL EVERYTHING AFTER A “CLEAN” INSTALL. I have done so on many computers over the past 10 to 15 years!

“During a full, clean install, the computer boots directly from the drive in question. Next, the Windows installation asks you to create a C: partition, format the partition, then install all the Windows files. After Windows installs, YOU would then need to install all the drivers for all your devices and reinstall all the programs you want.” “If you didn't do all those things, then you didn't have a clean install.” –

NOW YOUR GETTING IT. I DID DO ALL THOSE STEPS.

That’s why I’m saying something is / was basically wrong.

Anyway, thanks for replying. Moving forward, hopefully my PC will work just fine until the next time. I usually try all kinds of steps to resolve an ‘issue’ before I take the extreme step of trying to ‘reformat a computer.

Thanks again