Windows won't install on M.2

[Artemis Inc.]

Hi, English isn't my native language so bear with me.

 

The problem sounds pretty generic but I found nothing on my particular situation so here it goes.

 

I wanted to install windows on the M.2 SSD from a newly build system and everything seemed to be running fine until the moment the computer restarts and wants to install windows all over again.

For simplicities sake I will refer to the M.2 SSD as the M.2 and the other as SSD.

If/While installing windows in this particular case only the M.2 is connected to the system.

 - BIOS is fully updated

 - Computer works fully w/another SSD(Windows "preinstalled")

 - The drive itself is being registered by windows but does not show up, in anyway, in the bios

 - When having both SSDs connected it springs an error code (winload.efi 0xc00000e) and I have to boot from the SSD afterwards(only through the option of booting from another device) - I also seem unable to fix that particular problem with the "usual" troubleshooting

 

My system specifications are as follows:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3600X

M.Board: ASUS TUF X-570 PLUS

RAM: Corsair Vengeance CL16 3200MHz 32GB

G.Card: EVGA RTX 2070S Black

M.2: WD SN750 1TB

SSD: Samsung Evo 250GB

 

If you need further information for trying to help me just say so and I will try to comply.

 

Anyway Thanks.

 

 

[Sorin85]

3 minutes ago, Artemis Inc. said:

Hi, English isn't my native language so bear with me.

 

The problem sounds pretty generic but I found nothing on my particular situation so here it goes.

 

I wanted to install windows on the M.2 SSD from a newly build system and everything seemed to be running fine until the moment the computer restarts and wants to install windows all over again.

For simplicities sake I will refer to the M.2 SSD as the M.2 and the other as SSD.

 - BIOS is fully updated

 - Computer works fully w/another SSD(Windows "preinstalled")

 - The drive itself is being registered by windows but does not show up, in anyway, in the bios

 - When having both SSDs connected it springs an error code (winload.efi 0xc00000e) and I have to boot from the SSD afterwards(only through the option of booting from another device) - I also seem unable to fix that particular problem with the "usual" troubleshooting

 

My system specifications are as follows:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3600X

M.Board: ASUS TUF X-570 PLUS

RAM: Corsair Vengeance CL16 3200MHz 32GB

G.Card: EVGA RTX 2070S Black

M.2: WD SN750 1TB

SSD: Samsung Evo 250GB

 

If you need further information for trying to help me just say so and I will try to comply.

 

Anyway Thanks.

 

 

After first reboot of installing windows..remove the usb instal windows or go to bios and change the boot order to your hdd or ssd

 

[VIVO-US]

Try unplugging the SATA SSD until Windows has finished installing.  If it boots with only the M.2 plugged in, then you'll at least know that's working properly, and then you can plug the SATA SSD back in.  If it messes up the boot again, try switching to another SATA port.

 

I had a problem like this once, and found the M.2 was sharing the SATA0 port and confusing the system.  Once the SATA drive was moved to another port, all was well.

[Kisai]

37 minutes ago, Artemis Inc. said:

 

M.2: WD SN750 1TB

SSD: Samsung Evo 250GB

 

 

 

As I've mentioned in other threads on this topic, you need the BIOS to be in the RAID mode to take advantage of NVMe, which means the OS needs to be installed with the F6/Preinstall driver in order to take advantage of the performance of the drive. Leaving it in AHCI mode might allow the OS to install to the M2 drive, but it will only run at SATA speeds and that can be highly variable.

 

locate the "preinstall SATA/RAID" driver for your motherboard, copy it to the flash drive with the windows install, when you boot the flash drive and it doesn't show any hard drives, press F6, point it towards this driver, and then it should show up.

 

Not doing it this way will not install the driver to the recovery partition and system restores will not work.

[Artemis Inc.]

1 hour ago, Sorin85 said:

After first reboot of installing windows..remove the usb instal windows or go to bios and change the boot order to your hdd or ssd

 

Already tried that, if I do that am left with a whole lot of nothing in the way of "changing" my boot order - the m.2 simply does not show up as a bootable device after the "installation". 

[Artemis Inc.]

27 minutes ago, Kisai said:

 

As I've mentioned in other threads on this topic, you need the BIOS to be in the RAID mode to take advantage of NVMe, which means the OS needs to be installed with the F6/Preinstall driver in order to take advantage of the performance of the drive. Leaving it in AHCI mode might allow the OS to install to the M2 drive, but it will only run at SATA speeds and that can be highly variable.

 

locate the "preinstall SATA/RAID" driver for your motherboard, copy it to the flash drive with the windows install, when you boot the flash drive and it doesn't show any hard drives, press F6, point it towards this driver, and then it should show up.

 

Not doing it this way will not install the driver to the recovery partition and system restores will not work.

I am not quite sure if I brought up my problem correctly, as your answer kinda correspondens with the others, but speed is not the problem first and fore most. O have a problem with actually installing windows on my m.2 and thus creating a bootable device.

 

Lastly, do you mind elaborating on your last pointer, I am not sure if I understood it.

[Artemis Inc.]

1 hour ago, VIVO-US said:

Try unplugging the SATA SSD until Windows has finished installing.  If it boots with only the M.2 plugged in, then you'll at least know that's working properly, and then you can plug the SATA SSD back in.  If it messes up the boot again, try switching to another SATA port.

 

I had a problem like this once, and found the M.2 was sharing the SATA0 port and confusing the system.  Once the SATA drive was moved to another port, all was well.

I'll try that, but, and I think I forgot to mention it, if I only have the M.2 active - all other drives not connected - it won't work. I like to think it's an installment issue but it is more in line with something being wrong with the m.2

[Kisai]

1 hour ago, Artemis Inc. said:

I am not quite sure if I brought up my problem correctly, as your answer kinda correspondens with the others, but speed is not the problem first and fore most. O have a problem with actually installing windows on my m.2 and thus creating a bootable device.

 

Lastly, do you mind elaborating on your last pointer, I am not sure if I understood it.

If you do not see the M2 NVMe drive, you need the F6/Preinstall driver for that chipset. 

 

https://www.amd.com/en/support/kb/faq/pa-260

 

Quote

RAID Drivers on Removable Storage for Clean Installation

Users attempting to perform a clean install of Windows 10 May 2019 Update on an AMD Ryzen™ system configured with RAID will require May 2019 Update -ready RAID drivers on a removable storage device, e.g. flash drive. These users can download and extract the latest “AMD RAID Driver (SATA, NVMe RAID)” driver package onto the removable device. This minimal package conveniently contains only the files necessary to proceed with installation and subsequent boot to desktop.

 

[Eighjan]

Never mind...

[Artemis Inc.]

3 minutes ago, Eighjan said:

Never mind...

How may interpret that?

[Eighjan]

On 6/23/2020 at 1:04 AM, Kisai said:

If you do not see the M2 NVMe drive, you need the F6/Preinstall driver for that chipset. 

 

https://www.amd.com/en/support/kb/faq/pa-260

 

 

What's RAID got to do with a single drive install?

[Eighjan]

I removed my comment - it was something you'd seen before.

[Artemis Inc.]

Just now, Eighjan said:

What's RAID got to do with a single drive install?

That was the question I never quite got the answer to. As I said, my last post did not yield the solution to my problem - although I may not have been perfectly clear on my issue/premise in that post.

[Eighjan]

Did you test boot the system before you put the motherboard in the case?

 

ALWAYS a good idea to see if the system recognises what you built, so far.

[Artemis Inc.]

1 minute ago, Eighjan said:

Did you test boot the system before you put the motherboard in the case?

 

ALWAYS a good idea to see if the system recognises what you built, so far.

I am not quite sure I understand what you mean, but as I said, it booted up "without problems" when using a drive with windows already installed(old conputer). When in windows everything was accessable and everything was correctly recognised.

If that's not what you are looking for be so kind to explain it to me.

[Eighjan]

2 minutes ago, Artemis Inc. said:

I am not quite sure I understand what you mean, but as I said, it booted up "without problems" when using a drive with windows already installed(old conputer). When in windows everything was accessable and everything was correctly recognised.

If that's not what you are looking for be so kind to explain it to me.

So; you had Windows installed on a 2.5" SSD & decided to change it to a m.2 SSD?

[Bartholomew]

24 minutes ago, Artemis Inc. said:

This is the second post pertaining this problem. If you want to see the first, sadly none of the comments helped, click here.

 

I am currently trying to install Windows on my new PC, precisely my new M.2.

When I try to install Windows on my M.2 - via an USB-Stick- it seems to corrupt during the installation.

Everythings is / seems to be fine until the computer wants to restart after the supposed completion of the installaton.

Then, when restarting I get thrown into the default installation-screen to install Windows, as if nothing has happend before. When I disconnect the USB-Stick during the restart / after the installation I get into the BIOS as there seems to be no bootable device.

There also seems to be no other evidence in the BIOS that the M.2 is connceted (as I explain later on, when the computer actually boots up, it is usable and recognised by Windows).

 

However, when using a drive with Windows already preinstalled I get a winload.efi errorcode looking like this.

I can then press F9 and select the drive with Windows already installed and everything is in working order.

The M.2 shows up in Windows too and you can see that there was something placed on it.

 

- Clearing / formating the drive before installing Windows and/or during the installationprocess does not yield different results

- Using another USB-Drive does not change the result

 

Lastly, if you need the information:

The System runs on a ASUS TUF X-570 Plus with an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X. The M.2 is a Western Digital SN750 1TB.

 

 

If you need further info, just say so and I'll try to provide it, as it stands I am out my depth and grateful for any help you give.

 

 

EDIT: The BIOS is fully updated to support the current processor

 

Id focus on bios not reporting the device first. Thats a signal something isnt 100% even if windoze installer can see it.

 

You mentioned fully updated to support the processor. Its x570, it did that out of the box; does "fully updated" perhaps mean its a beta bios version? (Likely shouldnt matter but where grasping at straws).

 

That drive is even on the device qvl for that board so things "should" work; im likely going to be captain obvious but have you tried the drive in the other m.2 slot yet?

 

[Artemis Inc.]

Just now, Eighjan said:

So; you had Windows installed on a S-ATA SSD & decided to change it to a m.2 SSD?

In a way, yes. Though the plan was to just install it on the M.2 instead of moving it.

[Eighjan]

1 minute ago, Artemis Inc. said:

In a way, yes. Though the plan was to just install it on the M.2 instead of moving it.

... and did you remove the other drive from the PC entirely...?

[Kisai]

13 minutes ago, Eighjan said:

What's RAID got to do with a single drive install?

RAID is the NVMe driver.

[Artemis Inc.]

7 minutes ago, Bartholomew said:

 

Id focus on bios not reporting the device first. Thats a signal something isnt 100% even if windoze installer can see it.

 

You mentioned fully updated to support the processor. Its x570, it did that out of the box; does "fully updated" perhaps mean its a beta bios version? (Likely shouldnt matter but where grasping at straws).

 

That drive is even on the device qvl for that board so things "should" work; im likely going to be captain obvious but have you tried the drive in the other m.2 slot yet?

 

I am not quite sure about the "ready out of the box" - though that solely stands on stuff I read online before building, and there is no BIOS-Beta installed, just the latest driver.

As of yet i did not installed the M.2 in the other slot as that is a bit of a hassle and I wanted to see if I could get to the root of it without having to build my rig up again.

 

Edit: The BIOS Driver is the latest Version accessable on the official ASUS Website

 

Edited June 24, 2020 by Artemis Inc.

[Artemis Inc.]

2 minutes ago, Eighjan said:

... and did you remove the other drive from the PC entirely...?

Yes, whilst trying to install Windows no other drive is connected to the computer - apart from the USB-Drive for the duration of the installation

 

[Eighjan]

Redundant Array of Independent Disks is a way of combining disks to work as a single volume...

[Guest]

Shouldnt need to do anything special to install windows on an M2 drive. 

There's no special driver for M2.

Clear cmos, try again.

Or try either AHCI or IDE mode. 

 

[Eighjan]

8 minutes ago, Bartholomew said:

You mentioned fully updated to support the processor.

@Artemis Inc. - how exactly did you do this?  This could be what caused the problem...