Can't install Win 10 on new HD any longer

I'm trying to do a clean install of Win 10 (and 11 for that matter) and getting the following error:

Which is strange since I've installed Win 10 this way previously. I've tried:

formatting the drive
tried another drive.

I've heard unplugging other drives is a solution (or disabling in the BIOS) but considering that I've installed the OS this way before on this computer, it's annoying.

Thanks,

Reid

Winver: 2004 Build19041,1237

Paul Black said:

Hello @reidthaler,

[1] This might seem like a strange question, but have you got it plugged into the MAINS?
It might be in a USB hub, but it's reading the drive

[2] Where did you get the ISO from?
Microsoft

[3] Is it Legacy MBR or UEFi GPT?
UEFi GPT

[4] What did you use to create the Bootable Media?
I've tried to install both Win 10 and 11. Win10 was with MS media creation; Win 11 Rufus

[5] What stage of the installation did you get to?
I got to two different stages. Sometime is hangs when I select a partition, if I format the drive, it goes to the next screen and gets to the 2nd step, goes to 100% then say it can proceed to the next step

[6] Did you get to the stage where the WHOLE disk was Unallocated?
Yes
[7] Are you sure that it is the correct Bit-Type?
Not sure what it should be, but the USB drive is being read.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for the questions, don't know if my answer point to anything, especially when I install the OS this way before....

Reid

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Paul Black said:

Hello @reidthaler,

You say that it is a New Disk. Have you Initialised it? => Initialize New Disks

Just a thought.

I hope this helps.

I've used this hard drive before, I'd deleted all the partitions and still get stuck

Paul Black said:

Hello @reidthaler,




I meant 32-bit or 64-bit.

Have you tried creating the Installation Media using a DIFFERENT USB?

I hope this helps.

64 bit, and yes tried another USB. I think it's a computer issue since it loads and then hang later.

Have you tried resetting your BIOS to default values? It should be an option on the last tab or menu of BIOS settings "Save and exit" more than likely.

Also answer questions I've had about the bootloader....

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Paul Black said:

Hello @reidthaler,

It has gone past midnight here and I am off to bed, but I thought that I would post this first as you commented on it in your initial post . . .

 Disconnect ALL Other Disks

It is highly recommended that you disconnect [ temporarily unplug ] ALL other Disks [ HDD's/SSD's/US's ] BEFORE installing Windows. The reasons for this are . . .

• You CAN'T accidentally OVERWRITE a connected Disk.
• The BOOTLOADER [ boot configuration files ] will get installed on the correct Disk [ because Windows has the tendency to install the bootloader rather randomly on ANY connected Disk ], and therefore STOP problems with booting once the installation is complete.

Once the installation is complete . . .

• Check that the OS boots correctly.
• Check if the boot order in the BIOS/UEFI settings are correct [ if NOT, adjust accordingly ].
• Reconnectthe other Disks.

EXPLANATION:

Windows uses a different partition structure for BIOS/UEFI. During the installation process, Windows asks which Disk / Partition you want to use for the Windows C:\ drive, it does NOT however, necessarily use the same Disk for the other Partitions, and can therefore incorrectly create the hidden recovery partition on ANY attached Disk.

Additionally, for BIOS, if another Disk is left attached, and at a latter stage you remove that Disk, you will find that the OS will NOT boot. If you check the BIOS, you will see that the OS has assigned the AHCI/RAID setting instead of the LEGACY setting and set it up as RAID, therefore breaking the boot process.

---

I hope this helps.

Paul,

Thanks for taking the time to write. I was able to disable my SATA drives in the BIOS, format one of my NVMe drives, and was able to install Win 11. Can the eval copy be converted to a working copy after 10/5?

I'm realizing a lot of this is spinning my wheels as I wanted clean install of an OS to deal with the issue of my printer not working on an imaged version of my OS on another drive. Can't print with Canon 4100 from imaged partition

Perhaps I'm being paranoid and I just like to have two versions of my OS to boot from, but guess I can always re-install the image on the drive that works.

But I found your post of the boot issue helpful, but still have some questions. I've used EasyBCD to manage my dual boot system but have wondered why when I boot to different drives, I still have the same boot entries showing. Sometimes an entry won't work and I have to boot directly from a drive by pressing F8 at start up and choosing the disk I know will work.

Is that because the disk that consistently works by pressing F8 is where my boot loader is stored? Can I change or move it? I've built my computers for many years and perhaps it was the move from MBR to UEFI that I just didn't learn enough about. Bill never called : )

Any thoughts to make sense of my booting challenges, so I can give them the boot?

Thanks,

Reid