I/O error after Repair Install

Ran an in-place repair install from USB stick on desktop computer to see if I could correct a few small problems. On reboot, after pulling the USB stick per screen instructions, the system hung on the Windows icon (no text). After a minute or two, I got the light blue screen that there was an unexpected I/O error (0xc00000e9), with the message underneath that a removable storage device had been removed while in use or is failing. After shutting down and rebooting, the message was that it couldn't install Win 8.1and was setting everything back to the way it was. Repeated the process a couple of times to be sure. I then tried Startup Repair from the USB stick, but the end message was that it couldn't repair the computer. The system SSD is four weeks old and was cloned from the previous one; the mobo was installed in early May.

Without going into further detail, any thoughts about what might be blocking the repair install? I'm trying to hold off doing a clean or refresh install unless necessary. Thanks,