I've been having a really tough time getting Windows 11 installed on my new computer setup. Here are the specs:
- MSI B850M Motherboard
- Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- 1TB Samsung M.2 SSD
- 32GB DDR5 RAM
I don't have a GPU installed yet. I've tried multiple methods to install Windows:
- Booting from USB (using Rufus to create the ISO)
- Burning a DVD
Each time, I encounter an error saying to remove the media creation tool. After that, the computer restarts but only goes to the motherboard interface instead of booting from the M.2 SSD.
I've checked and confirmed that Windows can be installed onto the M.2, but it won't boot. I've run the disk cleanup commands multiple times and even tested the SSD in another working computer, where it runs fine and shows Windows files. However, when I attempt to boot from this SSD in my older system, it says crucial Windows files are missing, and attempting repairs doesn't work.
I've experimented with various USB drives and even tried installing Windows 10 to see if that would help, but I still face the same problem. I'm considering paying Geek Squad $40 just to handle the installation for me.
I've also disabled CSM and tried different BIOS settings in my older x570 motherboard, but nothing has worked so far. Any advice would be appreciated!
3 Answers
Have you considered using the Windows Media Creation Tool directly? It sometimes handles things more smoothly than Rufus, especially for creating bootable USB drives. Just make sure you select the USB drive option and follow the prompts to get a clean install ready. Good luck!
You're really close to getting this sorted! If you can boot from the USB drive to install Windows, try doing that rather than just using the ISO image. Also, during installation, choose the custom install option and delete all partitions on the M.2 drive before starting the fresh install.
Don't lose hope just yet! It might be worth reformatting your USB drive or checking its format settings to ensure it's compatible with Windows installation. Also, you could try installing a Linux distro to see if the SSD is the source of the issue; that might help narrow down what's happening.
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