EDIT: for those that may have missed the [MY] solution:
At least this worked for myself:
- Create a Windows 10 USB using the Media Creation tool on another computer
- Insert this into the computer having this issue
- Open a Command Prompt (Win+R opens Run dialog, type cmd.exe)
- Navigate to the USB drive (mine was E:) [THIS IS THE USB WIN10 INSTALL USB that you created earlier]
- Run (type) setup.exe
- Select install Windows (this will perform an "in-place" upgrade)
- Make sure "Keep personal files and apps" is selected
- Let it do its thing, when finished you should be fine
Took less than 30 minutes once I figured this out. Good luck!
So... I just tried this...
However after I select Install Windows- this is what happens:
1. Activate Windows- Since my version of windows 10 was not purchased (it was from that free for one year deal- I upgraded from Windows 7 Pro), I selected "I don't have a product key" (even if I did I have no idea where it is currently).
- On clicking on "I don't have a product key" the next screen asks for "select the operating system you want to install" So I select Windows 10 Pro.
- Next screen is the license terms screen dealie.. I click I accept...
- next screen shows two options:
* Upgrade: Install Windows and Keep files, settings and applications
The files, settings and applications are moved to Windows with this option. This option is only available when a supported version of Windows is already running on the computer (it is).
* Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).
The files, settings and applications aren't moved to windows with this option. If you want to make changes to partitions and drives, start the computer using the installation disc (I don't have one of those). We recommend backing up your files before
you continue.
Side note- thankfully my last backup was on August 19 though I can't make heads or tails of what's in there...it looks like it's all 'compressed into several... poorly named files (that's a different story.. back to the one at hand)
- So I pick Upgrade.
and get this:
Compatibility Report
the upgrade option isn't available if you start your computer using Windows installation media.
If a copy of Windows is already installed on this computer and you want to upgrade, remove the installation media and restart your computer. After Windows has started normally (!!!!!??????!), insert the installation media and run Windows Setup.
Now... see.. the problem is that Windows ISN'T STARTING NORMALLY! I either attempt to reset the PC and get stuck at either 26%, 32% or 29% (so far...) or I somehow manage to get to the Windows "sign in screen"- then get the lovely location error mentioned
in the OP with a black screen, error message, recycle bin (after closing the error message) and icons at the bottom.
I tried to get to explore.exe through the recycle bin but couldn't I got a second error stating something about a missing token.
SO.. where do I go from here?
I honestly don't know what happened. Watched Hulu til 3 AM last night, went to bed.. walked in around lunch time and there's an error something about invalid configuration... I'm guessing there was some kind of Windows Update while I was sleeping
¯\_(ツ)_/¯