How can I reinstall Windows after replacing it with Linux?
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MellowCedar42
I installed Linux on my Lenovo laptop about three months ago without setting up dual boot. I've decided Linux isn't for me and am trying to reinstall Windows, but the installer keeps showing errors. I already disabled Secure Boot, yet I'm stuck in both the Ventoy boot menu and Lenovo's boot menu. What's the correct way to create Windows installation media and restore Windows?
Answers
Use another computer to create a proper bootable Windows USB, preferably with Microsoft’s official media creation tool or a correctly written ISO. Then boot the Lenovo from that USB. You may want to re-enable Secure Boot afterward, since Windows supports it and some installer setups work more reliably with the firmware settings returned to their defaults.
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The Windows installer may be failing because the drive still contains Linux partitions, such as ext4, that Windows doesn’t use. During Windows Setup, choose the custom installation option and delete the existing Linux partitions until the drive shows unallocated space, then install Windows there. Be careful: this erases everything on the internal drive, so recover any important files first.
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If you’re still trapped in Ventoy or the Lenovo boot menu, check the boot order and explicitly select the USB device from the Lenovo boot menu. A freshly created Windows installer USB is usually more dependable than trying to reuse a problematic boot entry. If the menus keep looping, shut the laptop down completely, reconnect the USB, and open the one-time boot menu again.
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MellowCedar42: So I should use another device to download the Windows ISO or installer onto a USB drive, then boot this laptop from it?