Best way for a temporary second windows install?

[Delano.888]

Since I've built my computer, I've been having RGB problems. My ram (G.Skill Trident Z) hasn't been controllable in over a year. It is no longer how I want it, the modules are out of sync and they annoy me to no end.

My board RGB can at least be turned off via bios, and my GPU RGB can be turned off via OpenRGB.

I really want to turn off the ram RGB. Asus Aura doesn't work (neither do the older versions), and G-skills own software doesn't detect the ram either, neither does OpenRGB.

 

Anyway, to fix all that, I've tried everything within my current install, it's not going to happen.

So now, I want to install a new fresh windows somehow besides my current install, simply for 1 reason: to turn off the ram RGB. I do not want to permanently reinstall windows.

 

What is the best way for a secondary windows install? I want it to not affect my first install at all.

 

For instance, I have a cache drive (leftover SSD) and a lot of partitions.

Can I just install windows on a USB stick, run it once, install the RGB software, turn off the RGB, and be done?

Or would that also leave traces on my main install (drives)?

Or would it be a better idea to physically disconnect all drives before doing this?

 

I have no experience with this. I hope someone here knows. Thanks!

[jaslion]

If you turn if off in one install it will turn on again in the other as this is software telling the ram to shut off and not hardware.

[Delano.888]

Just now, jaslion said:

If you turn if off in one install it will turn on again in the other as this is software telling the ram to shut off and not hardware.

Pretty sure it's not, and saved within the devices. For instance I currently do not have ANY RGB software installed at all, and everything stays the way it was. No Aura is installed, no lightning service, nothing, however all the settings match what I've set a long time ago. I'm pretty sure it's saved in the devices somehow.

[Delano.888]

BTW the RGB starts in the saved settings before it's even within windows. So it cannot be software right?

[dfsgsfa]

i shrink a drive for empty space, 40~80gb and get fresh install there

if everything goes fine, i can delete old windows and expand it back

[xhackforeverxdx]

Just google win to usb its a software that allows u to make a usb stick or external drive a bootable windows install all u need is the programm and a windows 10 iso 

[Husky]

You have 2 main options. You can shrink your current Windows partition (as stated by @dfsgsfa) in Disk Management and then install Windows to that "Unallocated Space". The other option is to use a program called WinToUSB (as stated by @xhackforeverxdx) and install Windows onto an external USB drive using that piece of software.

 

I would personally use WinToUSB as it has the least risk, and won't interfere with your current installation's bootloader and the (relatively small) risk of shrinking a partition is eliminated.

 

I would make sure that your UEFI firmware is up to date, then reset your UEFI to default settings first, apply any XMP profiles or OCs that you had before, then do the second Windows install using the WinToUSB method and see if you can use G.Skill's software to control your RAM. Remember to install the chipset drivers first so that any motherboard chipset devices get correctly enumerated.

[Delano.888]

Thanks guys, but I know how to install windows. All I'm asking is, the secondary install, I want to leave NO traces afterwards. So no %appdata% or anything else on the main drives, no nomedia files, etc etc. I'm pretty sure a normal windows install places some files on all drives?

 

If I install on the USB drive, will the second windows not place anything on the other drives? (I thought it did?) or do register changes for the other register?

 

So I don't have to disconnect the other drives at all?

[homeap5]

Just use some old crappy hdd.

[Delano.888]

Again, I know how to install. I just want to know what another windows install does to my current existing drives.

[homeap5]

3 hours ago, Delano.888 said:

Again, I know how to install. I just want to know what another windows install does to my current existing drives.

What do you mean? If you install system on single drive with all other unplugged - nothing happens. If you install new Windows with old drive plugged in (with system) - installer will use existing boot partiton. If you unplug your system drive and leave other drives (with data only) - Windows will create boot partition on the same disk as system.

 

If you know how to install Windows, you should know that too. Creating bootable partitions is part of install process.

[CalcProgrammer1]

Try taking out your RAM modules and swapping them all to different slots.  For some reason, this seems to be a reset switch of sorts for the Aura-based RAM RGB controller.  If it's not detecting in any software across reboots I doubt a Windows reinstall will change anything, except if you have Valorant/Vanguard installed, as Vanguard blocks i2c access in some RGB apps.

[Delano.888]

On 8/24/2020 at 5:46 AM, CalcProgrammer1 said:

Try taking out your RAM modules and swapping them all to different slots.  For some reason, this seems to be a reset switch of sorts for the Aura-based RAM RGB controller.  If it's not detecting in any software across reboots I doubt a Windows reinstall will change anything, except if you have Valorant/Vanguard installed, as Vanguard blocks i2c access in some RGB apps.

Thanks.

A VM didn't work, couldn't start Asus Aura either. I decided I would give fixing Aura one last time.

Spent about 3 hours searching Aura workarounds and trying them, and in the end finally fixed it.

Also realized my gpu does save rgb settings (instantly good at boot) but the ram doesn't (only good after Aura start) so that's kind of disappointing.

I'm just never touching Aura ever again, hope it never breaks again.

 

For those that want to try fixing Aura, this was the only way (after about 10 other methods) That worked for me:

 

https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?103123-AURA-Lighting-Service-using-high-CPU-resources#post782821