First time windows boot installation went wrong. How do I wipe it all clean?

[PokemonButcher]

I recently installed Windows 10 off of a USB drive, having previously used the media creation software tool. However, upon booting up, it did not allow me to install the OS on the Samsung EVO M.2 and instead installed Windows 10 on another SSD. Even though the M.2 is showing up in the BIOS, I am not able to find it within windows (even within the disk partitioning app). 

 

I would like very much to try again and reset my storage devices to their state before I booted through windows. Is there a way to reinstall/format/restore the storage devices and BIOS settings in order to reinstall the OS?

 

I am using an Asus ROG z390-e gaming motherboard, a seagate 3tb HDD (which has inexplicably been partitioned in ⅔ and ⅓), a Samsung 960 pro NVMe 1tb (where it installed windows 10), and a Samsung EVO 870 NVMe 2tb (which is where I originally wanted to install windows 10).

 

Any assistance and advice would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Thank you, kindly!

[191x7]

I use Parted Magic to wipe drives (Secure Erase).

[Robchil]

you need to download your mainboards ahci/raid drivers.  put them in a folder on your USB stick so you can access them during the install. 

to be sure put your network card drivers and chipset drivers there as well, they are nice to have after installation is complete to get online if you have some odd nic. 

reboot with the install USB, select install, at driver selection delete all partitions you don't want to keep, select load driver .. then you can see all disks, (usually) and install windows where you want it. 

btw, you have to go into bios and set your m.2 port to pcie 

 

[PokemonButcher]

8 hours ago, Robchil said:

you need to download your mainboards ahci/raid drivers.  put them in a folder on your USB stick so you can access them during the install. 

to be sure put your network card drivers and chipset drivers there as well, they are nice to have after installation is complete to get online if you have some odd nic. 

reboot with the install USB, select install, at driver selection delete all partitions you don't want to keep, select load driver .. then you can see all disks, (usually) and install windows where you want it. 

btw, you have to go into bios and set your m.2 port to pcie 

 

I appreciate the help! 

I am entirely new to the ins and outs of the BIOS, and I am not sure how to navigate the installation of drivers. I do not know what ahci is, unfortunately. Sorry. I have, however, seen and heard the term RAID several times throughout the motherboard manual; it differentiates between the different types, but it doesn't really explain what it is nor its uses. 

I understand how to set boot prioritization and the M.2 to PCIe, though. 

 

Is there a way/place that you could recommend I get a step-by-step walkthrough?

 

If not, I will do my best to ask the right questions; 

 

What are ahci/raid drivers? What are they for? Where to I get them? Which ones would I need? To I need to prepare them or convert them in any way to be readable on a USB drive?

 

When I reboot with an install USB, how do I delete partitions? Is that within BIOS or within the OS?

 

Thank you, again. 

[Robchil]

15 hours ago, PokemonButcher said:

I appreciate the help! 

I am entirely new to the ins and outs of the BIOS, and I am not sure how to navigate the installation of drivers. I do not know what ahci is, unfortunately. Sorry. I have, however, seen and heard the term RAID several times throughout the motherboard manual; it differentiates between the different types, but it doesn't really explain what it is nor its uses. 

I understand how to set boot prioritization and the M.2 to PCIe, though. 

 

Is there a way/place that you could recommend I get a step-by-step walkthrough?

 

If not, I will do my best to ask the right questions; 

 

What are ahci/raid drivers? What are they for? Where to I get them? Which ones would I need? To I need to prepare them or convert them in any way to be readable on a USB drive?

 

When I reboot with an install USB, how do I delete partitions? Is that within BIOS or within the OS?

 

Thank you, again. 

 

you can follow this video, it's the same bios settings you have to change up to he starts setting up raid 0 that you are not doing, so skip to installing windows after the bios changes. 

 

 

what drivers are for? .. all components needs a driver that connect it to your windows installation, either microsoft writes it, but more likely your mainboard manufacturer deliver them.. or intel for that matter, 

for your mainboard you find yours here, https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-Z390-E-GAMING/HelpDesk_Download/  

you will have to unzip them and put them in a folder on the USB you install windows with. 

 

ahci is Adanced host controller interface. and you need a driver for that to see newer disks in windows. like m.2.. or if you want to set 2 m.2 drives up in raid. 

if you type in the words in google you find good explanations of them.