I'm trying to do a fresh install of Windows 11 using the cloud download option because my computer got messed up after downloading a program. I couldn't even get into safe mode at first, and it took ages just to access the reinstall menu due to a bunch of BSOD errors. Now, it's stuck at 99% during the installation, with no movement in the loading circle. Should I restart my PC, or is there a chance it might still be working?
3 Answers
Before you dive into drastic measures, if you can boot into Windows (even if only briefly), try to grab any dump files from C:WindowsMinidump. Those files could give clues about what's going wrong. You can zip them and share via a file-sharing service if you need deeper analysis. But if you can’t access Windows at all, your best bet might be that USB install.
Don't panic just yet! It's pretty common for installations to get hung up at 99% for a while. I'd recommend waiting at least 30 to 45 minutes before making any decisions. Check whether the disk activity light on your PC is still blinking—if it is, that's usually a sign that the process is still running. If it’s genuinely frozen with no activity for that long, you might have to restart, but at worst, it should just roll back and give you another shot at installing.
It sounds like you're dealing with a repair install rather than a full fresh install. If you really want to clean everything out, you should consider using a USB installer to wipe your drive and perform a fresh installation. That can help resolve some of the deeper issues you're facing with the current method.
I’ve been waiting for a long time too, and it just won’t move! Just now, it hit another BSOD and canceled the install again. I don’t know if I picked up a virus or what, but getting into the installation is super frustrating!