Problem with drive letters installing windows

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  1. Posts : 13
    windows 10
       #1

    Problem with drive letters installing windows


    So I have an ssd that had a previous windows install and I created a windows installation usb stick windows 1903

    Upon installation I deleted all partitions until I was left with unallocated and chose install. I got an error that windows couldnt proceed, so I googled the error and apparently the usb stick is assigned to C: and my ssd is assigned to X:
    and in order for windows to install, the ssd has to be assigned to C:

    Not sure where to go from here. Photos attached
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Problem with drive letters installing windows-90470012_220256222545212_4426111876115464192_n.jpg   Problem with drive letters installing windows-90491482_2726104934284783_4030757924610506752_n.jpg   Problem with drive letters installing windows-90471816_639674293476375_7295951062719004672_n.jpg   Problem with drive letters installing windows-90533693_1339999322855301_5301608596826488832_n.jpg  
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 42,734
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #2

    Please see:
    Clean Install Windows 10

    Note the advice at step 4:

    If you receive a "Windows can't be installed on drive 0" warning, you will still be able to as long as you can click/tap on the Next button.

    Windows Setup will automatically create the 4 partitions below on the drive, and install Windows 10 on the primary partition. The order these partitions are created has changed in Windows 10 20H1
    When did you see what you show in your 3rd picture? If you had deleted existing partitions, this shouldn't have occurred.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 2,123
    Windows 11 Pro (latest update ... forever anal)
       #3

    Something amiss somewhere .... if the SSD has all the partitions removed, why is the first graphic showing a Videos folder and a Pictures folder, and with (as you say) a c:\ and an x:\ drive?

    Are those images in the right order/sequence of your installation attempt ?

    What's the partition type of the SSD - GPT or MBR ? Whatever it is, re-allocate as the other then try. (You'll need to connect the SSD to another computer, or use another computer to make a Diskpart boot disk). I know the error messages don't indiacte this, but it wouldn't be the first time Microsoft/Windows error messages have nothing to do with the problem (often error-message-of-last-resort ... doesn't know what's wrong, pick an error message, any error message !)
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 13
    windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #4

    dalchina said:
    Please see:
    Clean Install Windows 10

    Note the advice at step 4:



    When did you see what you show in your 3rd picture? If you had deleted existing partitions, this shouldn't have occurred.
    I clicked new, as a friend advised, it created all that, then hit next and got the error you see in the 3rd photo

    - - - Updated - - -

    idgat said:
    Something amiss somewhere .... if the SSD has all the partitions removed, why is the first graphic showing a Videos folder and a Pictures folder, and with (as you say) a c:\ and an x:\ drive?

    Are those images in the right order/sequence of your installation attempt ?

    What's the partition type of the SSD - GPT or MBR ? Whatever it is, re-allocate as the other then try. (You'll need to connect the SSD to another computer, or use another computer to make a Diskpart boot disk). I know the error messages don't indiacte this, but it wouldn't be the first time Microsoft/Windows error messages have nothing to do with the problem (often error-message-of-last-resort ... doesn't know what's wrong, pick an error message, any error message !)
    Its a gpt wiped clean, the C: drive you see is the windows installation usb disk.
    The only other computer I have is a mac
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 1,612
    11, 10, 8.1 and 7 all Professional versions, and Linux Mint
       #5

    As far as I can see the error you have made is that you appear to have clicked on NEW before you clicked NEXT
    You start as you said by deleting all partitions, so that you have all capacity of the drive as unallocated space and then you select that and click next

    This tutorial will help you.
    Clean Install Windows 10
    section 14 is the part I think is relevant to you

    If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask and if I have misinterpreted what I see on your attached images I apologise.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 13
    windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Macboatmaster said:
    As far as I can see the error you have made is that you appear to have clicked on NEW before you clicked NEXT
    You start as you said by deleting all partitions, so that you have all capacity of the drive as unallocated space and then you select that and click next

    This tutorial will help you.
    Clean Install Windows 10
    section 14 is the part I think is relevant to you

    If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask and if I have misinterpreted what I see on your attached images I apologise.
    I clicked next before I clicked new and got the error in the last photo
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 1,612
    11, 10, 8.1 and 7 all Professional versions, and Linux Mint
       #7

    Please follow the advice given by us all and on the tutorial attached to my reply and others.
    There is NO need to click NEW at anytime.
    You simply select the unallocated partition, the installer makes the necessary partitions, you then select the primary as explained and click next again

    If there is still an error, then when you post that error, I am sure someone will advise you
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 2,123
    Windows 11 Pro (latest update ... forever anal)
       #8

    The third image is still a puzzle ... if you delete all the partitions first, you should never see that 3rd image, on a custom/clean install. Once the partitions are deleted and you click Next, off it will go with the installation. That 3rd image is only presented when trying to (wrongly) install on a still partitioned disk

    camilostatis said:
    I clicked next before I clicked new and got the error in the last photo
    If you click Next, you shouldn't be presented with a "New" option. I think we're talking about a different step in the process (?). Follow the guide mentioned above. Basically
    - boot
    - choose Custom install ( = clean install)
    - delete all partitions
    - Next (then sit back and watch :)
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 13
    windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Macboatmaster said:
    Please follow the advice given by us all and on the tutorial attached to my reply and others.
    There is NO need to click NEW at anytime.
    You simply select the unallocated partition, the installer makes the necessary partitions, you then select the primary as explained and click next again

    If there is still an error, then when you post that error, I am sure someone will advise you
    Sorry if I didnt explain right....I already took those steps, without pressing new, just pressing next and I got the error in the last photo

    - - - Updated - - -

    idgat said:
    The third image is still a puzzle ... if you delete all the partitions first, you should never see that 3rd image, on a custom/clean install. Once the partitions are deleted and you click Next, off it will go with the installation. That 3rd image is only presented when trying to (wrongly) install on a still partitioned disk
    I tried the method of deleting the partitions and clicking next, and I got the error you see in the last photo it began to install but then... "windows could not prepare the computer to boot"

    - - - Updated - - -

    idgat said:
    The third image is still a puzzle ... if you delete all the partitions first, you should never see that 3rd image, on a custom/clean install. Once the partitions are deleted and you click Next, off it will go with the installation. That 3rd image is only presented when trying to (wrongly) install on a still partitioned disk

    [FONT="]

    If you click Next, you shouldn't be presented with a "New" option. I think we're talking about a different step in the process (?). Follow the guide mentioned above. Basically
    - boot
    - choose Custom install ( = clean install)
    - delete all partitions
    - Next (then sit back and watch :)[/FONT]
    I tried that exact method, and i got the error in the last photo...the "new" photos were from after I tried what you are suggesting

    - - - Updated - - -

    I'm going to start over, omitting the whole "new" section

    I attempted a clean install on an ntfs gpt ssd, deleted the partitions and clicked next

    the error I got was "windows could not prepare the computer to boot into the next phase of installation"
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 1,612
    11, 10, 8.1 and 7 all Professional versions, and Linux Mint
       #10

    It is a little difficult at this stage to know what has occurred
    As you can see all of us have said the same regarding the install
    NEW can be used to create a partition but it is unnecessary, as the installer will create the partitions for you..

    What capacity is the USB pen?
    Did you have the media creation tool make the flash pen or did you use RUFUS or some other app.

    Occasionally the windows setup can be confused by some usb pens and the answer is then to START again and disconnect the usb pen on reaching the screen custom install and clicking next
    The system will then tell you when to reconnect the usb pen.
      My Computer


 

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