I'm trying to install Windows 11 on my 1TB 970 EVO PLUS M.2 SSD, but I'm having a tough time getting it to work. I can see the SSD in the BIOS, but it's not listed as a boot option. When I boot from my Windows installer USB and try to select the SSD for installation, it just restarts and goes back to the USB installer. I've already attempted using diskpart to clean and convert the SSD to GPT, and disabled CSM while ensuring EFI is on. As a last resort, I even tried installing Windows on the SSD in my old build, but I'm facing the same loop. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
4 Answers
What do you have as the boot drive set in the BIOS? If the USB is showing up but your M.2 drive isn't, that could be a problem. You might need to check if the BIOS recognizes the M.2 properly.
Is your SSD connected correctly? If it's in the M.2 slot on the motherboard, it should be good. Just double-check the seating and connection.
Make sure to set the NVMe drive as the primary boot option in BIOS. With your USB plugged in, restart your PC and repeatedly hit F11 or F12 (or whatever your computer uses) to access the boot menu, then select your USB drive to begin the Windows installation.
When you're in the Windows installer, make sure to format the SSD there before proceeding with the installation. You can delete all existing partitions before selecting the drive to install Windows on. Using diskpart is similar to formatting, but it's always good to do it through the installer for clarity.
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