Question How to Install Windows 10 on New Drives?

[NeonStreaks]

Hello everyone,
I am getting INCREDIBLY frustrated with this problem I have been having. I cannot seem to find a solution for the past 3-4 months and I do not feel like spending $100+ to have this diagnosed at a PC shop, seems like a scam to me. Anyways, I have finally bought my first SSD. I have two HDDs, the primary one being 1 TB and the secondary one being 2TB. The SSD I just bought, Samsung 970 EVO Plus, is 2 TB. Initially, I had a Crucial P3 Plus 2TB SSD, but I kept getting \Windows\system32\winload.efi error with the code of: 0xc000000e. The method I used to install Windows 10 was by using Windows Media Creation Tool and downloading the program to an external drive, setting that external drive as my primary boot (I have a MSI B450 Gaming Plus MAX motherboard) and installing Windows 10 (I have a digital code for it) to the new drive. Initially, I thought it was because the external drive I had downloaded Windows Creation Tool was faulty, so I bought a fresh USB thumb drive. Same result. Then I thought the SSD I bought might have been faulty, so I returned the Crucial P3 Plus, tried to install Windows to my secondary HDD, same result. Then I thought perhaps the HDD was not working, so I bought the aforementioned Samsung SSD, and same result! I am about to lose my marbles. I have tried repairing my BCD files or whatever (I am not tech savvy so instructions will have to be dumbed down for me please) but there is one command that always says, "Access Denied." Can't remember which command it was. Windows repair and startup repair are no help as they say they are unable to repair so now I am at an impasse and do not know what to do. I desperately need help!

 

[COLGeek]

See here: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/windows-10-clean-install-tutorial.3170366/

Make sure to have only the intended target drive for the installation connected at the time of installation.

 

[NeonStreaks]

See here: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/windows-10-clean-install-tutorial.3170366/

Make sure to have only the intended target drive for the installation connected at the time of installation.

Just tried that. Changed primary boot to the SSD, but it keeps trying to boot from the USB Thumb drive. I disabled the USB drive, and I’m given a “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key” prompt. Not sure what to do

 

[COLGeek]

You boot from the USB drive to begin the installation of Windows. That process will then install Windows to the default/targeted boot device (your SSD in this case).

 

[Lafong]

Just tried that. Changed primary boot to the SSD, but it keeps trying to boot from the USB Thumb drive. I disabled the USB drive, and I’m given a “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key” prompt. Not sure what to do

I may have missed something, but..................

if you are trying to install Windows 10, you WOULD boot from the USB thumb drive

 

[NeonStreaks]

You boot from the USB drive to begin the installation of Windows. That process will then install Windows to the default/targeted boot device (your SSD in this case).

Sorry, that is what I meant. It booted from USB drive, I installed Windows to the SSD, and from then on it will try to boot from USB hence why I disabled the USB drive and was given the prompt.

 

[NeonStreaks]

I may have missed something, but..................

if you are trying to install Windows 10, you WOULD boot from the USB thumb drive

Sorry, that is what I meant. It booted from USB drive, I installed Windows to the SSD, and from then on it will try to boot from USB hence why I disabled the USB drive and was given the prompt.

 

[COLGeek]

So, with the USB drive detached, you get the error when attempting to boot from the SSD (with no other storage devices connected)?

 

[NeonStreaks]

So, with the USB drive detached, you get the error when attempting to boot from the SSD (with no other storage devices connected)?

Yes. I shut down my desktop. Removed all my drives except the USB and the SSD. Booted the USB and installed windows to the SSD. Restarted and disconnected the USB and it gives me the prompt.

 

[kerberos_20]

Yes. I shut down my desktop. Removed all my drives except the USB and the SSD. Booted the USB and installed windows to the SSD. Restarted and disconnected the USB and it gives me the prompt.

then you somehow messed up ssd partitions
boot from usb, run windows install again, during drive selection where you want windows installed, only SSD should be present, delete all partitions to have whole SSD unallocated, then continue with installation (without touching create new partition), windows will create bootable partition on its own

 

[NeonStreaks]

then you somehow messed up ssd partitions
boot from usb, run windows install again, during drive selection where you want windows installed, only SSD should be present, delete all partitions to have whole SSD unallocated, then continue with installation (without touching create new partition), windows will create bootable partition on its own

I have done that. Deleted all the partitions to the point where it shows only one unallocated drive space.

 

[Lafong]

Fixing “Winload.efi is Missing or Contains Errors” in Windows 10 | Windows OS Hub

Let’s consider one more common Windows 10 boot error that occurs due to the damaged or missing winload.efi file. The problem manifests itself in the following: Windows stops booting with…

woshub.com

Quite a few hits on Google for that error message; top link above.

I have no idea if it is pertinent.

"This error occurs when the system boot file \windows\system32\winload.efi is missing or its structure is corrupted. Typically, the problem comes up after performing an incorrect system update, if the disk or file system is damaged, when the disk is repartitioned using third-party tools, updating the antivirus, after cloning a Windows image to another drive, replacing the computer’s motherboard (or other significant hardware changes), etc. "

 

[NeonStreaks]

then you somehow messed up ssd partitions
boot from usb, run windows install again, during drive selection where you want windows installed, only SSD should be present, delete all partitions to have whole SSD unallocated, then continue with installation (without touching create new partition), windows will create bootable partition on its own

I have tried to do it again, deleting all the partitions. Weirdly enough, it’s giving me “Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer’s hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk’s controller is enabled in the computer’s BIOS menu.”

 

[kerberos_20]

I have tried to do it again, deleting all the partitions. Weirdly enough, it’s giving me “Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer’s hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk’s controller is enabled in the computer’s BIOS menu.”

disable CSM in bios boot settings

 

[NeonStreaks]

disable CSM in bios boot settings

Not on CSM mode. It’s on UEFI+Legacy

 

[NeonStreaks]

Fixing “Winload.efi is Missing or Contains Errors” in Windows 10 | Windows OS Hub

Let’s consider one more common Windows 10 boot error that occurs due to the damaged or missing winload.efi file. The problem manifests itself in the following: Windows stops booting with…

woshub.com

Quite a few hits on Google for that error message; top link above.

I have no idea if it is pertinent.

"This error occurs when the system boot file \windows\system32\winload.efi is missing or its structure is corrupted. Typically, the problem comes up after performing an incorrect system update, if the disk or file system is damaged, when the disk is repartitioned using third-party tools, updating the antivirus, after cloning a Windows image to another drive, replacing the computer’s motherboard (or other significant hardware changes), etc. "

Second solution is the only one I simply cannot do as it does not give me the option to. I have done everything else except try to rebuild the BCD files. I will try to do that now.

 

[kerberos_20]

Not on CSM mode. It’s on UEFI+Legacy

that is CSM fallback
would you mind showing pictures from your bios?

 

[NeonStreaks]

that is CSM fallback
would you mind showing pictures from your bios?

that is CSM fallback
would you mind showing pictures from your bios?

https://imgur.com/a/NmJbhNG

View: https://imgur.com/a/NmJbhNG

 

[NeonStreaks]

that is CSM fallback
would you mind showing pictures from your bios?

If you need more pictures of my BIOS let me know. But my SSD is not listed in the boot options. It is recognized by BIOS though as I can see in the system status that it recognizes my SSD in the M2_1 port.

 

[NeonStreaks]

Fixing “Winload.efi is Missing or Contains Errors” in Windows 10 | Windows OS Hub

Let’s consider one more common Windows 10 boot error that occurs due to the damaged or missing winload.efi file. The problem manifests itself in the following: Windows stops booting with…

woshub.com

Quite a few hits on Google for that error message; top link above.

I have no idea if it is pertinent.

"This error occurs when the system boot file \windows\system32\winload.efi is missing or its structure is corrupted. Typically, the problem comes up after performing an incorrect system update, if the disk or file system is damaged, when the disk is repartitioned using third-party tools, updating the antivirus, after cloning a Windows image to another drive, replacing the computer’s motherboard (or other significant hardware changes), etc. "

I have tried out some methods but to no avail.