[SOLVED] Guidance with installing windows 11

[DSFa]

Hi guys,

I have my windows currently installed on a SSD drive and have an M.2 drive ready to install soon and would like to make it my new boot drive. I've been advised I may not need toformat my M.2 drive in disk management but I'm not too sure if I should believe it.

I don't usually work on my own PC but I would like to start giving it a try, I know the basics but beyond that I am quite noob. I'm just a gamer who's looking to put some work in my set up.

From what I've gathered through researching, please correct me if there's any incorrect steps. Would this be how I proceed:

1. Install M.2 drive.
2. Go into windows and ' right click ' windows logo -> disk management -> GPT Partition option -> ' right click ' disk and choose ' new simple volume ' proceed to format drive.
3. Create a windows 11 bootable media USB drive.
4. Insert USB & install windows onto the M.2 drive (Not sure if I can access the windows installation menu through the USB or if I have to restart PC and change bios's boot menu to the USB, Please confirm if you know).
5. Disconnect SSD & reboot device entering bios to change boot menu to M.2 drive.
6. Reconnect SSD and reboot to windows and ' format ' the SSD drive to be usable storage space.

Looking forward to finding out if these steps would be appropriate. Thank you in advance for any guidance provided!

 

[dwd999]

Hi guys,

I have my windows currently installed on a SSD drive and have an M.2 drive ready to install soon and would like to make it my new boot drive. I've been advised I may not need toformat my M.2 drive in disk management but I'm not too sure if I should believe it.

I don't usually work on my own PC but I would like to start giving it a try, I know the basics but beyond that I am quite noob. I'm just a gamer who's looking to put some work in my set up.

From what I've gathered through researching, please correct me if there's any incorrect steps. Would this be how I proceed:

1. Install M.2 drive.
2. Go into windows and ' right click ' windows logo -> disk management -> GPT Partition option -> ' right click ' disk and choose ' new simple volume ' proceed to format drive.
3. Create a windows 11 bootable media USB drive.
4. Insert USB & install windows onto the M.2 drive (Not sure if I can access the windows installation menu through the USB or if I have to restart PC and change bios's boot menu to the USB, Please confirm if you know).
5. Disconnect SSD & reboot device entering bios to change boot menu to M.2 drive.
6. Reconnect SSD and reboot to windows and ' format ' the SSD drive to be usable storage space.

Looking forward to finding out if these steps would be appropriate. Thank you in advance for any guidance provided!

If you have created the usb correctly you should be able to boot from that and install windows. The windows installer prefers that you have only 1 drive the m.2 connected at installation time. This drive should have a GPT identifier. Nothing else is required for this drive as the windows installer does all of the partitioning and formatting. If there are any existing partitions on the m.2 you just delete all of them. Make sure your m.2 installation is completely functional before connecting any old drives. You can reconnect you old ssd after installation is complete.

 

[DSFa]

If you have created the usb correctly you should be able to boot from that and install windows. The windows installer prefers that you have only 1 drive the m.2 connected at installation time. This drive should have a GPT identifier. Nothing else is required for this drive as the windows installer does all of the partitioning and formatting. If there are any existing partitions on the m.2 you just delete all of them. Make sure your m.2 installation is completely functional before connecting any old drives. You can reconnect you old ssd after installation is complete.

Hey bro, thank you so much for your feedback I had no idea about any of these things as you can tell haha
I appreciate it greatly and my PC thanks you also!

Okay I will unplug my HDD & SSD Drives after installing the M.2 drive then insert the boot USB for windows. The M.2 drive is new and never been installed so it should be blank at the moment.

I'm assuming I assure the installation is functional just by booting it afew times and seeing if everythings working as before?

Thank you again I have alot more confidence going into this!