Re-Installing Windows 10 Home - I'm stuck with a question!

I'm trying to re-install Windows 10 Home, 22H2, on laptop as it has been running so terribly slowly. I have tried a 'reset' but it didn't seem to make any difference, hence clean re-install.

I have got as far as the "Windows Setup" screen, where it's asking 'Where do you want to install Windows?' - The options are - Drive 0 Partition 1; 'ditto' Partition 2 etc to Drive 0 Partition 5. On selecting each of these, the window shows the yellow triangle with exclamation mark and says 'Windows can't be installed on Drive 0 partition * (1 - 5) The options under this list are Refresh; Delete; Format; New; Load Driver; Extend. It doesn't activate 'Next' when I click on any of the options except, when I click on Delete, it warns 'all data etc will be lost'. I'm not confident enough to go ahead and OK deleting these partitions as I don't understand the consequences but, presumably that's what I have to do. There is only one drive in the laptop, with usb conected for the Media Creation Tool and has booted from this usb (having changed the boot order, as directed in instructions)

Yes, I'm happy to delete everything and completely start again, which is my intention. Do I delete all partitions and continue from there, please?

Thank you very much for your help and support :)

Energise said:

Do I delete all partitions and continue from there, please?

Yes, delete ALL partitions then continue. Windows setup will sort out the required partitions and formatting. Setup will then load the OS installation file then reboot. Make sure you remove the USB MCT stick as this point so when Windows restarts it continues from the installation files on the main disk rather than going into a loop trying to run the USB MCT stick.

Hope this helps...

RickC said:

Yes, delete ALL partitions then continue. Windows setup will sort out the required partitions and formatting. Setup will then load the OS installation file then reboot. Make sure you remove the USB MCT stick as this point so when Windows restarts it continues from the installation files on the main disk rather than going into a loop trying to run the USB MCT stick.

Hope this helps...

Thanks RickC

That's moved me onto the next step and is now installing Windows. I suspect I may have another question regarding this installation so hopefully you, or others, will be at your screens :)

I really appreciate this help :)

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Paul Black said:

Hello @Energise,

Yes. Delete ALL Partitions which will leave a SINGLE Unallocated Partition. Windows will then create the required Partitions and install Windows.

I hope this helps.

Thanks very much Paul :)

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Apologies - the next question!!!

For some reason, after deleting the partitions, clicking next and starting to copy files etc, The window went back to start all over again. So, I clicked on 'Install', proceeded through the various windows collecting basic info; got to the window with the list of drives again, this time with 1st one - Drive 0 Partition 1 : System Reserved (50.0 Mb - System) and the 2nd entry on the list - Drive 0 Unallocated Space (931.5 Gb)

Windows can't be installed on either of these drives.

However 'New' is active so I've clicked on that, then 'Apply' [Size is 953817Mb] but new window says 'To ensure that all Windows features work correctly, Windows might crerate additional partitions for system files' so I click 'OK' but then, back on the window listing the two drives, it says 'Windows can't be installed on this drive' !!!

I'm stuck again. Please help

Paul Black said:

Hello @Energise,

At this EARLY stage, rather than spending time trying to find and fix what went wrong, I would suggest that you start again. You MUST remove the USB just BEFORE the FIRST RESTART [After Finishing Up].

I hope this helps.

Thanks again, Paul. I've tried to start over but still didn't progress any further. I'll try to get in touch with Microsoft and see if they can/will help.

I'll post the final outcome, when it happens. Fortunately, this laptop is my 2nd device as I have my PC too! Hopefully the laptop will be back up and running (much better than previously) very soon :)

Watch this space, as they say ...

Thanks to all :)

This is a photo as I can't do screen shots I hope it's quality is good enough for purpose
Thanks