I've been trying to do a clean installation of Windows 11 for about 4 to 5 hours and it's been really frustrating. My goal is to completely reset my PC and start fresh, wiping all partitions to have a clear setup with the C: drive for the system and separate drives for programs, data, and games. However, every time I go through the installation process, I end up in the same screen that says, 'Why did my PC restart?' This OOBE loop keeps happening, no matter what I do or try.
Here's what I've attempted so far:
- Booting from a UEFI USB (always selecting the correct device)
- Deleting all partitions completely
- Reinstalling Windows multiple times
- Using diskpart to clean drive
- Trying with the USB plugged in and also unplugging it at various times
- Switching between Windows 11 Home and Pro
- Making registry fixes
- Running CMD tricks
- Ensuring I have an active internet connection during setup
- Setting the BIOS boot priority correctly
Despite all these efforts, I get stuck in that same OOBE loop after the installation appears to start normally and the files seem to copy successfully. Now I'm really lost.
I'm looking for insights on whether this could still be a USB-related issue even after recreating it several times, if this is likely a problem with my SSD, or if anyone knows of a fix for this annoying OOBE loop.
2 Answers
Make sure only your system drive is connected when you try to install. If you’re wiping partitions on all drives and still fail to install, consider testing with another drive, even if it's an HDD (it'll be slower). Also, recreate the bootable USB using a different drive and try using Rufus this time. Don't forget to update your BIOS as well!
Are you creating custom partitions during installation or using the default settings? If you’re manually partitioning, maybe try letting Windows handle it for now.
I've attempted both. At first, I made custom partitions, but after hitting issues, I left everything to default. I wiped all partitions, used diskpart clean, and only selected the unallocated space. Still, the OOBE loop shows up.