I built a new PC and want to install Windows 11 on a Crucial P510 2TB SSD that previously served as a secondary storage drive. I created a Windows 11 installer USB, booted from it, deleted the old data, and selected the SSD for installation. Windows copies the files and restarts, but then boots from the USB again and shows the message asking whether to continue the upgrade or perform a clean installation. Choosing the clean-install option starts the process over. Choosing to continue and removing the USB sends me directly to the BIOS.
The SSD is detected as a storage device, but neither motherboard shows it as a boot option. The same thing happens on an MSI B550-A Pro and an ASRock B650 Steel Legend WiFi. Both systems are using UEFI with CSM disabled, and I have tried deleting the partitions, using DiskPart clean and clean all, running bcdboot, recreating the installer USB, and using different USB ports. Secure Boot is currently disabled. I also previously had another SSD connected during one installation attempt, which affected its boot files.
Could the SSD be damaged, or am I missing something about how the UEFI boot entry should appear?
1 Answer
With a UEFI installation, the physical SSD usually won’t appear directly in the boot list. The entry you want is called “Windows Boot Manager,” and it should point to the SSD’s EFI system partition. If removing the installer USB sends you straight to BIOS and there’s no Windows Boot Manager entry, the installer likely didn’t create or register the boot files correctly. Try installing with every other drive disconnected, booting the USB explicitly in UEFI mode, and then check for the Windows Boot Manager entry after the first restart. This behavior alone doesn’t suggest that the SSD is bricked.
When I remove the installer USB, the system goes directly into BIOS and there is no Windows Boot Manager or other boot entry available. The SSD is still visible as a storage device.