Windows 11 installation sucks

[coolpotatoe724]

built me a new pc (5800x, RTX 3060, 32gb 3600, 1tb ssd, and rog strix x570 e) on Monday  and it only booted to the installation once said it wasnt compatible and then woundnt boot to windows again. recreated the installation on the USB from different computer, and got the same thing, so I gave up on 11 and was going to create a 10 installation this time. but the USB drive was filled with folders with random strings of characters as the title and dates that haven't happened yet. it wouldnt let me delete any of them so I installed some disk cleaning utility, which after half an hour only created 4gb (8gb USB stick) and just hid the rest. so now that drive isnt going to work and the only other ones I have are 2gb and 4gb. goddammit Microsoft. 

[Dreckssackblase]

Did you configure your BIOS to make it Win 11 compatible ? (secure boot enabled and TPM enabled)

I don't know why you need a disk cleaning utility. You should only need to format the drive before loading another iso on it.

So just right click on it and click format drive.

[Lightwreather]

20 minutes ago, coolpotatoe724 said:

which after half an hour only created 4gb (8gb USB stick) and just hid the rest.

To fix that you can erase the drive using Rufus, then format it again with the default windows thing for doing that.

btw, Rufus can also flash the ISO.

But yea, check the BIOS setting, turn on UEFI only mode, turn on secure boot adn TPM and try booting it again

[coolpotatoe724]

13 minutes ago, Dreckssackblase said:

Did you configure your BIOS to make it Win 11 compatible ? (secure boot enabled and TPM enabled)

I don't know why you need a disk cleaning utility. You should only need to format the drive before loading another iso on it.

So just right click on it and click format drive.

wouldn't let me format it

 

[aDoomGuy]

13 minutes ago, coolpotatoe724 said:

wouldn't let me format it

 

Go into disk management.

 

Open file explorer

right click my computer then select manage

Then go into Storage and then disk management

Find your USB thingy in there and you should be able to remove the partition and create a new one.

[GuiltySpark_]

What are you using to make this bootable USB? I've been using the official MS tool for years now and have never encountered anything like this. 

[GoodBytes]

5 hours ago, coolpotatoe724 said:

built me a new pc (5800x, RTX 3060, 32gb 3600, 1tb ssd, and rog strix x570 e) on Monday  and it only booted to the installation once said it wasnt compatible and then woundnt boot to windows again. recreated the installation on the USB from different computer, and got the same thing, so I gave up on 11 and was going to create a 10 installation this time. but the USB drive was filled with folders with random strings of characters as the title and dates that haven't happened yet. it wouldnt let me delete any of them so I installed some disk cleaning utility, which after half an hour only created 4gb (8gb USB stick) and just hid the rest. so now that drive isnt going to work and the only other ones I have are 2gb and 4gb. goddammit Microsoft. 

Can you get a USB flash drive from a friend? Not all USB flash drive plays well as installation OS media sadly (some, despite being 2021, don't even support being a bootable device). In your UEFI you may need to enable USB Legacy Mode, for your drive to be recognized by your UEFI/BIOS. You may also need to play with XHCI Hand-off as well. Normally it's not a problem, but every USB flash drive is different, even from reputable brands. Sadly unless you pay the pretty pennies (and even then) USB Flash drive are done at a cost, and typically in a way to maximized profits.

 

If that doesn't help, be sure to not use USB 3.2 Gen 2 port, it might need drivers that aren't baked in Windows Setup yet. Use older USB ports to boot to Windows Setup.

 

Also, in your UEFI:

• Make sure that UEFI mode is enabled
• CSM (Compatibility Support Module) is disabled
• SecureBoot is enabled
• fTPM is enabled
• If you are using a SATA drive, make sure the controller is set to AHCI mode

In the boot selection menu, if you have 2x USB flash option:

• <Name of USB flash drive>
• UEFI: <Name of USB flash drive>

Be sure to pick "UEFI: <Name of USB flash drive>", else it will boot the flash drive for legacy systems, which won't work.

 

If you have a mixed drive setup (M.2 and SATA for example), be aware that Windows Setup identifies the primary boot drive based on what the motherboard considers first. So despite you wanting Windows installed on your M.2 drive (say), it might put the boot partition on your SATA drive, as teh motherboard reports to the setup that SATA0 port (or SATA1 port, whatever the first one starting number is), is the first one. The suggestion that people say is to unplug the secondary drives if you don't want to waste your time discovering if the motherboard primary drive are aligned with your needs or not. This can't be easily fixed if wrong.

 

Worst come to worse, you can use the disk method. Windows will take much more time to install (~7min (all depending on USB flash drive speed) to 30-35min), but once the install stage has past, and get to the setup section, it will be smooth, as the disk/media won't be needed anymore.

[coolpotatoe724]

6 hours ago, rickeo said:

What are you using to make this bootable USB? I've been using the official MS tool for years now and have never encountered anything like this. 

the official tool