Hey everyone! My partner's PC can't find its operating system anymore, and it seems to be stuck in a loop during the Windows 11 installation. I created a bootable USB with Windows 11 and selected it as the main boot device. Initially, I couldn't repair the existing OS, so I decided to do a fresh install. However, when I tried to select the main drive for installation, it wouldn't accept it. I switched to a secondary drive but then got the message that 'this PC is not applicable for Windows 11.'
To troubleshoot, I removed the original boot drive and other disks, leaving just one disk in the system. I also removed the CMOS battery and put it back after a minute. After some research, I used Rufus to create another USB with the workaround to skip Windows 11 validation. The install process started well but, after rebooting during installation, it sent me back to the very beginning instead of continuing.
I've tried unplugging the USB while rebooting, played around with Safe Boot settings, but no luck. I'm concerned that the main drive has failed. Is there something I'm missing or could it be an issue with the motherboard or RAM? Should I try a different USB? This setup has worked fine before, and I'm just trying to figure out where things have gone wrong. Any advice would be hugely appreciated!
1 Answer
It sounds like you're dealing with a common issue where the system boot is confused after the first reboot during the installation. After the system reboots during the setup process, just yank out the USB drive immediately or adjust your BIOS settings to ensure the internal drive is set as the primary boot option after that first reboot. Make sure you have Secure Boot enabled and CSM disabled to minimize boot conflicts. If you're still having issues, trying a different USB stick might help since a corrupted installation medium can cause these setup loops.
That’s a valid point! Just to clarify, if you need CSM for your SATA drive but Secure Boot requires it off, maybe try playing around with the BIOS settings. Consider switching the drive type if available, or just keep toggling to see what works best. Also, popping into the BIOS right after that reboot to change the boot order could save you some headaches!