I'm having a tough time with a Windows 11 clean installation after upgrading my PC case and cooling system. I accidentally broke my original SSD that had the OS and programs, so I decided to do a fresh install using a formatted USB drive. I went through the setup without a product key initially, but after it installed, it just kept looping back to the setup screen upon restarting. After trying this multiple times, I ended up buying a new Windows 11 Home product key, but I still faced the same issue. I checked my BIOS settings (it's an Asus motherboard) and made sure fTPM 2.0 is enabled, CSM is off, secure boot is on, and I'm using UEFI mode. The BIOS detects my new Adata Legend 900 2TB SSD, but it doesn't appear as a boot option—only the USB drive is recognized. I've even tried changing the M.2 slots, but that didn't help either. I'm completely at a loss. If anyone needs more details or pictures to assist, just let me know!
2 Answers
Did you make sure to unplug the USB drive after the first restart? Sometimes, leaving it plugged in can cause the system to boot from it again instead of the SSD.
It sounds like there might be an issue with the SSD not being set as the primary boot device. Go back into your BIOS and double-check the boot order to see if your SSD is listed there.
I can't remember if I unplugged it or not, but it keeps looping whether it’s plugged in or not.