My motherboard originally didn't include TPM 2.0, so I installed a compatible TPM module. Windows 11 currently boots with CSM enabled, but when I disable CSM and enable Secure Boot, the system skips Windows and returns to the BIOS. The drives are GPT, BIOS mode is set to UEFI, and the SSDs and graphics card are relatively new. I've also tried different combinations of video, storage, and PCI device settings: Windows only starts when storage is set to Legacy. I haven't reinstalled or updated the BIOS yet and would prefer to understand what is wrong before taking that step. What should I check, and is a clean installation required?
1 Answer
The most reliable fix is to back up everything first, then create a Windows 11 installer USB with Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool. Shut the PC down and disconnect every drive except the one intended for Windows. In the firmware settings, select UEFI-only boot, enable Secure Boot, and choose the USB installer as the first boot device. During setup, delete the existing partitions on the Windows drive and install to the resulting unallocated space. Windows should create the required GPT and UEFI boot partitions automatically. Be careful: deleting partitions will erase that drive.
Thanks, I’ll try that after backing up my files. I was hoping there might be a way to fix the current installation without reinstalling, but the clean-install steps make sense.