Win10 won't finish installing on SSD

[dannyrocker]

Hey guys,

 

few days back i bought a brand new Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus (1TB) and installed it to my Asus Z170 Pro Gaming board. Then, since I wanted a clean Win10 install, I launched BIOS, started Win10 UEFI install from prepared and working USB, formatted the SSD to GPT format (via diskpart) and proceeded to install.

 

Everything worked correctly up until the installation process wanting to restart the PC (after which comes the setting of the PC's name, pwd etc.). There the process did not continue as usual, instead it booted up from the USB again and prompted me with the first step of installation. I was confused but tried to restart the PC and go back to BIOS only to find that the SSD is not showing as Windows Boot Manager option. When I tried to boot from it I was sent straight back to BIOS (the SSD is connected to the one M.2 slot that my MoBo has).

 

I have read numerous forums, tips, tricks but nothing worked so far. I even tried to play with the AHCI setting, CSM disable, clean stored keys, switching boot priority, unplugged formerly used HDD and all other storage devices, updated BIOS, manually created a partition... When I reached my lowest point I even tried to set the BIOS to legacy, format the SSD to MBR format and that showed me my "favourite" promt saying that I should check the disk management being enabled (without it enabled it doesn't even show the SSD) or that my HW might not be compatible for OS install on desired device.

 

I ran out of options what might be causing this. As mentioned above I tried various fixes and steps in different forums where people had pretty much the same problem – but for them either the GPT formatting or disconnecting all other storage devices worked, not for me tho. I even tried to install Windows back to my old HDD which worked flawlessly.

[NexusXP]

Do you have the latest BiOS update?

[dannyrocker]

2 hours ago, NexusXP said:

Do you have the latest BiOS update?

yep, for ASUS Z170 Pro Gaming that would be UEFI v. 3805

[NexusXP]

Try using another USB and removing and reinstalling the SSD.

[dannyrocker]

5 hours ago, NexusXP said:

Try using another USB and removing and reinstalling the SSD.

Tried on 4 different USB sticks with Windows Media Creation Tool launched from 2 different systems (whole other PCs of my friends'). SSD was removed multiple times, checked for any possible defects, dirt etc. and put back in. Same result.

 

Yesterday I tried to install Windows to this SSD on my friend's PC with every HW part different than mine and it yielded exactly the same result. After first restart > back to BIOS > no Win Boot Mngr regarding this SSD and boot overriding from said SSD showed the same error.

 

So, after countless hours of troubleshooting, I am judging that it's one in a million and the SSD is somehow broken from the factory (It was brand new tho). I am returning it today and will swap for a different one.

 

This issue can be closed then, thanks.