Hey everyone! I recently put together a gaming PC by buying some parts secondhand, but I'm having a rough time installing Windows 11. I used the Windows Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB and started the installation process. However, it's been stuck at 32% for around 20 hours now. I've seen people mention that this should only take about an hour or two, but I'm worried about leaving it on for too long. Should I just let it keep going, or is there something I should try to fix the situation? Here are my specs: Inspiron 5676 motherboard, Ryzen 7 1700X CPU, 8GB DDR4 RAM, RX 580 graphics card, and a Western Digital 500GB HDD. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
If it’s been stuck for that long, I’d suggest restarting the installation and deleting the existing partitions. It usually helps to recreate them fresh.
Just keep in mind that the installation might still be slow due to the HDD.
That's rough! Sounds like there might be something more fundamental at play.
Honestly, the hardware combination you have isn't ideal for Windows 11. An old CPU, a slower HDD, and only 8GB of RAM will likely lead to a frustrating experience. If possible, consider switching to Linux for now. You might find it a more suitable option, especially until you can upgrade your components.
Switching to Linux might be the best call here. It can run well on older hardware."
I'd check if the RAM is faulty too—it could be causing freezes during installation. If it’s damaged, that could explain the long wait times.
Installing Windows 11 on an HDD can definitely slow things down, and it's really not the best option. Your Ryzen 7 1700X CPU isn’t officially supported for Windows 11 either, which could be causing issues. I’d check the HDD for any problems or consider upgrading to an SSD if possible. It might also help to try installing a Linux distro just to make sure all your hardware works properly. If you're primarily gaming, Windows 11 will be slow with only 8GB of RAM and an HDD.
If changing the hard drive isn't an option, should I just try installing Windows 10 instead?
Yeah, Windows 10 might actually run better on that setup!
I’ve tried that a few times, but it still doesn't speed up past 10% before it slows down again.