I just finished building a new PC after upgrading from AM4 to AM5. I tried to perform a clean Windows installation from a USB drive, but the system keeps looping back to the boot menu instead of starting the installer or booting Windows from the SSD. I even recreated the installation USB in case it was corrupted. What should I check to get the installer or SSD to boot properly?
3 Answers
The installation may not have completed correctly, or the bootloader could be missing. Start the installer again and use the repair tools, or perform the clean install again. If you have more than one drive connected, disconnect the extras temporarily or make absolutely sure Windows is being installed to the intended SSD.
Recreate the installer with a current official Windows ISO using a tool such as Rufus, then try a different USB port—preferably a rear motherboard port. In the firmware settings, use UEFI mode, disable legacy or CSM boot if enabled, and confirm that the USB appears as a UEFI boot option. If it still immediately returns to the menu, test another USB drive or check the SSD and other hardware connections.
First, remove the USB drive after Windows finishes copying files and check the BIOS boot order. The system should be set to boot from the SSD’s Windows Boot Manager rather than repeatedly selecting the USB or a generic drive entry.
The USB itself also sends me back to the boot menu now, even after I recreated the Windows installer, so I’m not sure whether the drive or the USB boot setup is the problem.