I'm having trouble installing Windows 11 after switching from Linux back to Windows. I set up Ventoy and used the Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft's website to create a bootable USB, since the Media Creation Tool doesn't work on Linux. Everything goes smoothly until the installation reaches 75%, then it fails without providing any error code or logs. I've tried downloading a new ISO multiple times, but it keeps failing at the same point. My laptop is an Acer Nitro V15 ANV15-51 with 16GB of RAM and a 500GB SSD (I also added a 1TB SSD before switching to Linux). Initially, the installer wouldn't recognize my SSDs, but after installing the IRST driver and disabling VMD in the boot menu, it detects them now. The only OS that booted successfully from Ventoy was CachyOS, so it seems like the issue is specific to the Windows 11 installation. Any advice on how to fix this?
3 Answers
Make sure your USB drive is entirely dedicated to the Windows installation. No other files should be on it. If possible, try borrowing a friend's PC to create the bootable USB with the Media Creation Tool—sometimes that can save you a lot of hassle.
If you're still on Linux, and you want to create a bootable Windows USB, there's a method using Ventoy that could help. Follow the instructions in the link for creating a bootable USB using Linux. This method might work better for Windows 11 and prevent installation failures.
I've primarily been using Ventoy. A classmate suggested using Balena Etcher instead, so I might give that a try instead.
Have you tried deleting all your drive partitions during the installation process instead of beforehand? Sometimes, starting fresh within the installer can help. If you have access to another PC, consider using the Media Creation Tool there to create your USB drive. It's more reliable than using Ventoy for this type of installation.
I did use diskpart to wipe everything and converted it to GPT. Unfortunately, I can only access university PCs that require admin permissions to install the Media Creation Tool, so that makes it tricky.
Got it! I'll see if I can find a friend who can help me out. Fingers crossed this solves the issue!