Problems with a re-instalation W11

[Pablo56]

To start with, I bought a brand-new PC three months ago. Recently, Windows has been behaving erratically and re-booting for no reason, this got worse and eventually would not boot up. I had no choice but to re install windows from the DVD. I entered my windows key and then after installing I am presented with a strange screen [Choose.jpg]. I have installed windows years ago [Windows 7] and I never had any problems with an installation however that computer died which is why a bought a new PC. I have never seen [Choose.jpg] before. Why would I be asked to choose an operating system?

When I tried to install it, I was given the choice of repair or install. I tried repair but it would not do this. I did not take a screen shot of that. Now I have a computer and every time I boot it up, I get [Choose.jpg].

When I ordered the PC to be built, it came with a NVMe card and was told this is much better than a HDD and runs faster. I insisted that I had two SSD drives as well so my documents would be kept separate from the windows c: drive. At the start of the installation, I was given [MyDrives2.jpg]. I have done this before and assumed that drive zero was the NVM3. After the installation Drive D became drive C, Drive E became drive D and Drive E had the windows installation.

Each time it re-booted I picked Volume 2 in [Choose.jpg]. To my surprise, every time I boot up the PC now, I get my old windows back complete with the background and all the desktop icons. But this was a full installation was it not. Is there anyway around this and stopping {[Choose.jpg] from coming up every time?

Hope you experts can sort this as another forum hadn’t a clue. I beleive I have made things as clear as I can here. If not please advise.

 

[Xploit Machine]

You may re-install / repair and make sure which partition has the "properly working Windows 11" ..

once succesfull re-install / repair, just goto Disk Management tool in Control Panel - > Windows Tools to delete permanent the "Not properly working' partition and merge it with the "properly working one"

 

[Pablo56]

Thats just it. only have one partition with windows 11 on it. It is now C:\Windows. The other SSds have word documents on them. Here is a screen shot of disk managment. C: is my windows 11. I do not see the Primary partition information. And my computer runs fine after making the choice of Volume 7. [MyWindows11.jpg].

 

[Pablo56]

I disconnected both SSds leaving the on board NVMe chip. If selct Volume 7 at boot up, windows starts. I do not have a background but I put that down to the JPG used was on one of the SSDs which is no longer available. I did put an image on the NVMe chip and when I used it it worked.

HWEVER. When I tried to boot off the option Volume 2, I got a windows error [WindowsError.jpg]. On further investigation of the first SSD, I appear to have a 2 folders. Windows and Windows old.
If that is the case why did microsoft install onto my D: drive and then ask me to choose. I picked [MyDrives2.jpg] Drive 0 but it said partition 2 against it and Partition 1 against the D: drive. Surly Drive zero is the NVME chip isn't it? Can someone explain thei partiton 1 and 2 on two seperate drive. Partitions are usualy on the same drive.

 

[Xploit Machine]

It seems fine, and yes .. if the user re-installs Windows, another folder called Windows.old will be created .. hence, for a fresh installation, I would suggest you to disconnect "Data Drives / Storages" for safety purpose and just jeave 1 Master SSD connected for Windows Installation.

Once the Windows has been installed succesfully and drivers properly installed, then reconnect those Data Drives ​

 

[RogerOver]

Hi,
I don't understand everything of your problems, but I had during many years a dual boot (WIN 7 / WIN 10) on two different disks.
If you install a second Windows (e.g. WIN 7 + WIN 10), Microsoft automatically and always puts the (second) bootloader into the boot partition of the first Windows system installed. Even if there is another boot partition (which will not be used !) and if it is on another drive ! You can't do anything against it (except to delete the other (I think it is your D) partition (which then requires to reinstall your other system) or remove the other disk physically temporarily. ... But I never wanted to do this).

A hint: The Windows Disk manager doesn't show all partitions; try MinitoolPartion Wizard (free), it's very nice. You can have a peak into what's on the hidden / boot partitions.

And another one: Use diskpart (the Windows inbuild cmd line tool) https://www.diskpart.com/windows-10/diskpart-windows-10-1203.html

And with BCDEdit (also Windows build-in cmd line tool), you can remove the old entries from the new blue (Metro) Bootmanager

 

[RogerOver]

If you want your old drive letters back (to not get confused), you can easily do this with the windows disk manager. Rightclick in Disk mananger the disk of which you want to change the drive letter and select change drive letter. You just can't give it a drive letter in use by Windows. if you want to do that give it temporarily another drive letter (e.g. from the end of the alphabet), then change the other drive letter in use, and change the first one again thereafter.

 

[Pablo56]

I know about dual booting but this is not what I wanted. I had an unreliable windows 11. This eventualy totaly crashed. It was my intention to either repare the windows (an option that would not work) or to install windows again over writing the original windows. That is what wanted. I selected Drive zero and let it carry on. For some strange reason it saw drive D: [my FIRST SSD] as that partition and installed windows there with a Windows Old folder with it. I have un-plugged both SSs.

When I boot up and choose volume 7, I get my windows up and running.

I think what I need to do is remove the second refrence in the boot section to show only one version of windows and then delete the windows and Windows old folder in the D: drive.

Can this be done? Can I change the boot sector so there is only one windows to run?

What I have now is a working Windows 11 and the letters are correct. C: Windows, D: my word and excell documents and E: other files. Everything is working. I just want my PC to forget it is a dual boot system.

 

[Pablo56]

Good sugestion
"It seems fine, and yes .. if the user re-installs Windows, another folder called Windows.old will be created .. hence, for a fresh installation, I would suggest you to disconnect "Data Drives / Storages" for safety purpose and just jeave 1 Master SSD connected for Windows Installation."

That is what I should have done. It saw the D: SSD and targeted it. But as for Windows old. Windows was initialy installed on my C: [On board NVMe board]. There was no windows on D: SSD. So why did I get a Windows Old when it never had Windows on it to start with.

As for disconnecting the other two drives. I never had this problem before back in the days of Windows 7. I had two HDDs then and did not have a problem.

*** HELP. I have never used a NVMe board which is plugged into the main board. Can I use the format option in the windows instalation or would this damage the NVMe. I once formatted an SSD and it would never work again.

 

[Xploit Machine]

Yes, please proceed ..

But just disconnect those "Data Drives / Storages" and have a fresh install of W11 23H2 recently released. Just follow standard Windows installation screen step-by-step to the primary storage without creating any partition manually.

Let the Windows installation do itself (it will create 100MB for System Reserved and the balance for Windows to operate as usual). Once installed all those updates and drivers properly, then finally connect those data drives usual, and remove those Windows and Windows.old folder which resides in the "Data Storage" drive.

Everything will be fine

 

[Pablo56]

have a fresh install of W11 23H2 recently released.

I only have the DVD that I got 2 months ago. Will this work or is there a place where I can download an image to put on a DVD or better still a memory stick can it be done on a memory stick? I know of burning ISO to a DVD but not to a memory stick.

Thanks

 

[Bighorn]

I only have the DVD that I got 2 months ago. Will this work or is there a place where I can download an image to put on a DVD or better still a memory stick can it be done on a memory stick? I know of burning ISO to a DVD but not to a memory stick.

Thanks

If I may, I get the MCT/Media Creation Tool provided by Microsoft, once downloaded run it and it brings up a page giving choices to either download the .iso file used in burning a bootable DVD+R/DL or create a bootable USB Thumb drive of 8GB or larger. The DVD+R/DL disc may not be available at every store that sells them, it is a Dual-Layer disc of 8.2GB [a DVD-R/DVD+R is only 4.7GB and the .iso file is too large]. The Thumb drive is created while connected to the site and will be wiped clean before writing so first save anything on it.

Download Windows 11

 

[Xploit Machine]

Hi,
I don't understand everything of your problems, but I had during many years a dual boot (WIN 7 / WIN 10) on two different disks.
If you install a second Windows (e.g. WIN 7 + WIN 10), Microsoft automatically and always puts the (second) bootloader into the boot partition of the first Windows system installed. Even if there is another boot partition (which will not be used !) and if it is on another drive ! You can't do anything against it (except to delete the other (I think it is your D) partition (which then requires to reinstall your other system) or remove the other disk physically temporarily. ... But I never wanted to do this).

And another one: Use diskpart (the Windows inbuild cmd line tool) https://www.diskpart.com/windows-10/diskpart-windows-10-1203.html

And with BCDEdit (also Windows build-in cmd line tool), you can remove the old entries from the new blue (Metro) Bootmanager

For you mate .. https://pixeldrain.com/u/HdmKUQVr

dont wanna open new thread ..

Happy Holidays

 

[Pablo56]

I ran the media creation tool. I thought it would be a kind of installed app but I get a window asking
(.) Upgrade this PC now
( ) Create instalation media for another PC.

I am confused about the first option. Why am I being asked to upgrade windows. I went for option 2 and have 3 drop down boxes which are greyed out. The middle is stuck at Windows 10. It looks like this only creates a basic Windows 10 instalation USB not a latest W11 download. What I would need is an extractable W11 latest that can be coppied onto the USB with an autorun.inf to point at the exe file.

Also, I beleive that a bootable USB requres an autorun.inf. would this be created as part of using this tool. I will be getting a 128G USB later today. Although I never realised that would need a double layer DVD. standard 4.7G not enough.

The link above requires a strong magnifying glass.

 

[Pablo56]

I tried diskpart but when I got to format fs=fat32 quick because I am using UEFI I am told the volume size is too big. I remeber that fat 32 has a size limitation but I am told that i need this if my target system is UEFI. The USB is 64G. You can't get small ones these days. In W7 you could go to control pannel and disk manager. Thats gone in W11

 

[Bighorn]

I am told the volume size is too big

Yes, the limit for FAT32 formatting in Windows is 32GB which has a single-file size limit of 4GB. Larger drives can use exFAT whi ch gets around both limits of FAT32 or NTFS. The MCT process can create the bootable USB on a drive larger than 32GB but does only what it needs, anything over 32GB doesn't show on the drive.

For working with the larger drives and cleaning drives for re-use I use either the bootable GPARTED LiveCD or the GPARTED program on a Linux LiveUSB or LiveDVD and also install it on my Linux Mint computer. In experimenting I formatted a 500GB HDD as FAT32, no issue found.

 

[Pablo56]

UPDATE
I had an old 4G USB for installing windows 7. This USB was recognised in the bios system so It is that system that is the problem. I am going to try a 16G USB formatted as FAT32. This should be large enough for Windows 11 and Windows 12 when it eventually makes an appearance. If there would be any problems in this then please tell me.

It is also mentioned that I could use NTFS but I tried formating a USB on this and it destroyed the USB.

 

[Bighorn]

I use 8GB Thumb drives in conjunction with the Microsoft MCT/Media Creation Tool to create the Bootable USB. The process wipes the Thumb drive and reformats as FAT32 so there's nothing I need do unless using a drive I had created with Linux USB Image Writer, uses a different format that Windows can't see/use. The 4GB drives are now too small and 64GB drives end up as 8GB or 32GB. Windows can't do FAT32 over 32GB but there's other ways to do so.

 

[The Shadow 2023]

Sometimes I question, if I'm just simple minded, or if I just like things as simple as possible. Hopefully, the latter.
On that vein, and to keep things as simple as possible, I never download any OS from MS.
I get mine from reputable and reliable sources...those I've used before and trust. Link available upon personal request.

Then I use the well known "Rufus" program to install the ISO to an appropriate sized Flash Drive. (8+ GB)
Using that Flash Drive to boot up a PC and install Windows xx, is a piece of cake. No keys, no passwords, and NO BS!
Rufus also provides the correct format for the FD. I don't have to mess with it.

But if y'all like making things difficult for yourself, GO FOR IT!

Merry Christmas,
Shadow

 

[Pablo56]

My problem is I have an Asrock motherboard that will only boot from a USB formatted as fat32. This means the USB has to be no bigger than 32G. Thats fine as W11 installation is only 6.5G. I tried copying the instalation files downloaded but one file install.wim is 5.7G which is too big for Fat32. So I am stuffed. can't copy files to the FAT32 USB and my motherboard will only boot from a fat32 USB.

As for "I never download any OS from MS. I get mine from reputable and reliable sources.". I thought MS would be a reliable source.