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How to recover Windows on a Linx 1010 tablet

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If you own a Linx 1010 tablet, you may have found that Windows updates either fail, break features, or leave the tablet unstable. After a lot of trial and error, the safest and most reliable fix is to use the official Windows 10 1809 recovery image made specifically for this device.

This is the recovery image that fixes the Linx 1010 on:

Archive.org

It is a Windows 10 Home 32-bit (x86) RS5 / 1809 image designed around the Linx 1010’s hardware limitations.

What This Recovery Image Actually Is

This is not a random Windows ISO and not a modified or “optimised” build.

It is a factory-style recovery image that:

  • Matches the Linx 1010’s 32-bit UEFI
  • Works correctly with its Intel Atom hardware
  • Respects the tablet’s low storage and RAM
  • Has far better compatibility with touch, sensors, and basic drivers

It restores the tablet to a known stable state.

Important: The Install May Show “Code” Instead of a Normal Windows Screen

When installing this recovery image, the process may not look like a normal Windows update.

Instead, you may see:

  • A black screen
  • White text that looks like code
  • Lines appearing suddenly
  • Messages such as “Creating image”
  • A percentage counter that moves very slowly

This is normal.

The Linx 1010 uses a text-based imaging process during recovery. Windows is being written directly to the internal storage at a low level.

As long as:

  • It says Creating image
  • The percentage is increasing, even slowly

👉 The install is working correctly.

Because the Linx 1010 uses slow eMMC storage, this stage can take a long time. Do not power off the tablet and do not interrupt the process.

Why Staying on Windows 10 Version 1809 Is the Best Choice

Windows 10 version 1809 (RS5) is one of the last versions that behaves properly on low-end Atom tablets like the Linx 1010.

Staying on 1809 means:

  • Touch is more likely to keep working
  • Audio is more reliable
  • Rotation and sensors behave better
  • The tablet feels lighter and faster
  • You avoid unsupported upgrade paths

Newer Windows versions are designed for newer hardware and often cause more problems than they solve on this device.

Why “Just Updating Windows” Is a Bad Idea on the Linx 1010

Many users attempt to upgrade the Linx 1010 to newer versions such as:

  • Windows 10 1903
  • Windows 10 21H2
  • Windows 10 22H2

On this tablet, those upgrades frequently cause:

  • Touchscreen failure
  • On-screen keyboard issues
  • Broken rotation
  • Audio problems
  • Worse performance
  • No reliable way to roll back

Even when upgrades succeed, Microsoft Store issues often remain.

For this tablet, stability matters more than version numbers.

What File You Need to Download

From the Internet Archive page, download:

  • The ISO file (it ends in .iso)

Do not download:

  • Torrents
  • Metadata files
  • Text files

You specifically need the Windows 10 Home 32-bit ISO.

How to Use Rufus With the Recovery Image

To install the recovery image, you need to create a bootable USB using Rufus.

What You Need

  • A USB stick (at least 8 GB)
  • Another PC or laptop
  • Rufus (free tool)

Download Rufus from: Rufus.ie

Rufus Settings (IMPORTANT)
  1. Open Rufus
  2. Under Device
    • Select your USB stick
  3. Under Boot selection
    • Click SELECT
    • Choose the downloaded .iso file
  4. Set:
    • Partition scheme: MBR
    • Target system: UEFI (non CSM)
    • File system: FAT32
    • Cluster size: Default
  5. Click START
  6. Choose ISO Image mode if prompted

⚠️ This will erase everything on the USB stick.

Let Rufus finish completely before removing the USB.

These settings are essential because the Linx 1010 uses 32-bit UEFI and will not boot from NTFS or GPT.

How to Enter BIOS on the Linx 1010 (No Keyboard Needed)

The Linx 1010 has a touch-enabled BIOS, so you do not need a keyboard.

What You Need

  • The prepared USB stick
  • The tablet powered off
Steps to Enter BIOS
  1. Turn the tablet fully off
  2. Plug in the bootable USB stick
  3. Press and hold Volume +
  4. While holding Volume +, press Power
  5. Keep holding Volume + until the BIOS screen appears

The BIOS menu can be navigated using the touchscreen.

What to Do Inside the BIOS
  1. Use touch to navigate the menus
  2. Go to Boot, Boot Manager, or Save & Exit
  3. Find Boot Override or Boot Menu
  4. Tap the USB device
  5. Confirm selection

If you see Boot from file:

  • Tap EFI
  • Then BOOT
  • Then BOOTIA32.EFI

This file is required for 32-bit UEFI systems like the Linx 1010.

What Happens Next

After booting from the USB:

  • The screen may go black
  • Text may appear
  • You may see Creating image with a percentage

This is the recovery image installing Windows.

👉 Leave it alone and let it finish.

What Updates You Should Still Do After Installation

To keep Microsoft Store working properly, you need to update next after installing the recovery image.

We updated to Windows 10 version 1903 using the 1903 ISO from:

Archive.org

Steps we used to update to 1903 while keeping everything:

  1. Boot into Windows normally (do not boot from USB)
  2. Mount the 1903 ISO in Windows
  3. Open the mounted ISO and run setup.exe
  4. When asked what to keep, choose Keep personal files and apps
  5. Let it finish and restart as needed
  6. After it completes, check Windows + R and type winver to confirm it shows Version 1903

After updating to 1903, we blocked Windows from doing future feature updates.

Steps we used to lock Windows Update to 1903:

  1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and open Registry Editor
  2. Use the arrows to open: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE → SOFTWARE → Policies → Microsoft → Windows
  3. If it is not there, right-click Windows and create a new key called WindowsUpdate
  4. Click WindowsUpdate and create these three values:
    • TargetReleaseVersion (DWORD 32-bit) = 1
    • TargetReleaseVersionInfo (String) = 1903
    • ProductVersion (String) = Windows 10
  5. Restart the tablet

Avoid forcing major Windows feature upgrades.

How We Saved All Drivers to a USB Stick (Command Prompt Method)

This was done while Windows, touch, audio, and Wi-Fi were all working correctly.

  1. Plug a USB stick into the tablet.
    Make sure it has enough free space.

  2. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

    • Press Start
    • Type cmd
    • Right-click Command Prompt
    • Choose Run as administrator

  3. In Command Prompt, type the following and press Enter:
    pnputil /export-driver * X:\Drivers

  4. Replace X: with the drive letter of your USB stick if it is different.

  5. Windows will begin exporting all installed drivers.
    You will see messages confirming each driver has been saved.

  6. Wait until it finishes and says the export was successful.

All drivers are now saved to the USB stick, including:

  • Touchscreen drivers
  • Intel chipset and power drivers
  • Audio, Wi-Fi, and sensor drivers

This USB can be kept as a permanent backup. If Windows ever removes or breaks drivers in the future, they can be restored from this backup without reinstalling Windows.

Backing up drivers this way is strongly recommended when you get your touch working before locking updates or making further system changes on the Linx 1010.

Conclusion

If your Linx 1010 tablet has become unstable, lost touch, or broken after updates, this recovery image is the safest fix on:

Archive.org

Seeing code during installation is normal. If it says Creating image and the percentage is moving, everything is working correctly.

For the Linx 1010, the best result is not the newest Windows version — it is a stable, working tablet. 

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