I'm trying to install Windows 11 on my PC, which meets all the hardware requirements—Secure Boot and TPM are enabled, UEFI boot is set, and I've wiped the disk to GPT/unallocated space. However, every time I attempt the installation, it fails between 10-18%, showing the message "Windows 11 installation has failed". The setuperr.log indicates issues like hwreqchk: ERROR and error codes 0x80070002 (file not found) and 0x80070490 (element not found). I've tried a few things, like using Registry LabConfig to bypass some requirements and doing a clean disk using Diskpart, but it still fails. If my hardware checks out and the disk is clean, what could be causing this error? Has anyone successfully resolved issues related to hwreqchk or the 0x80070002 error?
4 Answers
Consider testing with a different Windows 11 ISO or USB stick altogether. Sometimes the files can be corrupted on the drive or in the download. I found that just switching to another ISO handled some of my installation woes.
Try running the installer for Windows 10 first. If it encounters the same issues, it's probably a sign that there could be something wrong with your hardware configuration. Make sure to check if all components are properly seated as well.
I can definitely give that a shot. Just trying to get around the install roadblocks here.
It sounds like there might be an issue with the USB drive you used for installation. I've had bad experiences with the Windows Media Creation Tool and decided to make a bootable drive using an ISO instead. You might want to try that method. If you've already used different USB drives like Rufus and more, maybe check the drive for errors or try a new ISO.
I’ve already used two different USB drives but still run into the same failure points at 10% and 22%. Seems like the installation media isn't the direct issue here.
It might be a hardware issue rather than a software one. Since you've indicated that you were able to run Windows 11 previously, I would check your RAM and make sure your motherboard's BIOS is up to date. Hardware dropping while installing could cause these types of errors.
Yeah, I’ve got 32GB of RAM and an Intel i7 10th gen on an MSI Prestige 15. Didn’t think that would be a problem, but I guess I should check the RAM just in case.
I’ve tested with two USB sticks but they caused fails at different percentages. Frustrating!