Question What partition is my SSD located on ?

[SiameseCatz]

I need to wipe this PC, it's becoming disgustingly slow and an overall pain to use. Last time I did this I did it via re-uploading Windows10 via USB key.

However, it did not inform me of which partition my SSD was located on (the partition I'm assuming I was supposed to have uploaded Windows10 onto?) and I'm assuming I uploaded Windows10 onto my harddrive because I used to love this laptop, it used to be SO fast but now I just hate it and want to put my first through the screen whenever it takes ten minutes to load something!

It simply offered me three choices: partition1, partition2, and partition 3.

Which of the three partitions do I upload Windows10 onto?

 

[Lafong]

SSDs are not located on partitions.

Partitions are located on SSDs.

Windows would typically be installed on a partition which is on an SSD. The SSD probably has several partitions, including the C partition.

A standard Windows installation will have several partitions, one of which would be C.

 

[SiameseCatz]

SSDs are not located on partitions.

Partitions are located on SSDs.

Windows would typically be installed on a partition which is on an SSD. The SSD probably has several partitions, including the C partition.

The post has been amended.

Can you please answer the following: which of the three partitions do I upload Windows10 onto?

 

[Lafong]

The post has been amended.

Can you please answer the following: which of the three partitions do I upload Windows10 onto?

"upload".....

Do you mean which partition would I install Windows to?

A clean install of Windows would normally include:

1; booting from a USB installer made with Microsoft's "Media Creation Tool".

2; deleting ALL partitions from the drive to which you want to install Windows. ALL of them. They would be shown to you right after you boot from the installer.

3; that would leave the SSD with ONLY "unallocated space"...NO partitions.

4; the next step would be to install Windows onto this "unallocated space". Windows will make several partitions during this process, including the C partition.

 

[SiameseCatz]

"upload".....

Do you mean which partition would I install Windows to?

A clean install of Windows would normally include:

1; booting from a USB installer made with Microsoft's "Media Creation Tool".

2; deleting ALL partitions from the drive to which you want to install Windows. ALL of them. They would be shown to you right after you boot from the installer.

3; that would leave the SSD with ONLY "unallocated space"...NO partitions.

4; the next step would be to install Windows onto this "unallocated space". Windows will make several partitions during this process, including the C partition.

I believe I did that. This was awhile ago, please excuse any memory lapses I might have.

I forget how I made my copy of Window's 10, I think I downloaded it onto a USB key from the Microsoft website. I turned my laptop off, plugged in the USB key, turned it on and hit the prompt to go into that special menu.

From there, I wiped all partitions (I think there was 3) and then 5 new partitions appeared, upon which it asked me where I wanted to download Windows10 onto.

What did I do wrong?

 

[Lafong]

From there, I wiped all partitions (I think there was 3) and then 5 new partitions appeared, upon which it asked me where I wanted to download Windows10 onto.

What did I do wrong?

Don't know due to lack of detail, but...........

You should have deleted all partitions......not sure what "wiped" means.

5 new partitions wouldn't have just "appeared". New partitions should have been formed as a result of the installation process.......if you in fact went through the installation process. I don't know if you did.

"it asked me where I wanted to download Windows onto"..........that does NOT follow from what you said in the previous couple of sentences.

So..........it's difficult to know where you went off the rails, just going by your description. We have nothing else to go on.

Do you in fact want to reinstall Windows as of now?

 

[SiameseCatz]

Don't know due to lack of detail, but...........

You should have deleted all partitions......not sure what "wiped" means.

5 new partitions wouldn't have just "appeared". New partitions should have been formed as a result of the installation process.......if you in fact went through the installation process. I don't know if you did.

"it asked me where I wanted to download Windows onto"..........that does NOT follow from what you said in the previous couple of sentences.

So..........it's difficult to know where you went off the rails, just going by your description. We have nothing else to go on.

Do you in fact want to reinstall Windows as of now?

Deleted, I deleted all partitions. Perhaps I did it incorrectly. Someone on Reddit instructed me how to do it.

I just went and reviewed what I've conveyed to you so far. When I went to the boot/bios menu, I deleted all partitions, there were three of them. When I did this, somehow I distinctly remember there being more partition choices AFTER I deleted them than when I started. There were three partitions to begin with before I 'deleted' them, there were five after I deleted them. I had to choose from one of those partitions to upload the USB file of Windows10 onto.

I specifically remember there being more partitions after deleting them, I can assure you of that. It was quite perplexing and troublesome for me as I'm a complete novice/n00b when it comes to anything PC. And because I was in a bios/reboot menu it wasn't like I could screen cap what was happening or minimize the screen and then come onto here or reddit and ask for further instruction of what to do next. Someone on one of my earlier threads on this forum surmised that I installed Windows10 onto my harddrive as opposed to installing it onto my SSD.

I need to do this again, because this PC as I've already alluded to is extremely buggy and slow, and getting slower every time I wake it from its sleep or turn it back on again. There is absolutely NOTHING on here that I need to have backed up and/or kept. I want this PC being as close to factory settings as possible, if that makes sense.

So in other words, yes, I want to reinstall Windows and much more. You wouldn't be able to give me a step by step breakdown of what to do, would you?

 

[USAFRet]

So in other words, yes, I want to reinstall Windows and much more. You wouldn't be able to give me a step by step breakdown of what to do, would you?

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[SkyNetRising]

So in other words, yes, I want to reinstall Windows and much more. You wouldn't be able to give me a step by step breakdown of what to do, would you?

Just show screenshot.
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

We do not know, what partitions you see, when installing windows without you providing proper info.

Have only single drive connected, while installing windows.
If you have more than single drive installed, then physically disconnect any extra drives.

 

[Lafong]

See if you can work through the tutorial above that USAFRet mentioned.

Here's a couple of things that might have caused confusion. I say MIGHT.

1; You state: "Someone on one of my earlier threads on this forum surmised that I installed Windows10 onto my harddrive as opposed to installing it onto my SSD."............that could be. You can avoid that possibility by having ONLY your SSD connected when you begin the installation procedure. JUST ONE DRIVE CONNECTED, YOUR SSD.

2; I assume you attempted to install Windows using a USB flash drive of at least 8 GB capacity that you personally made using the Microsoft "Media Creation Tool". Is that correct? Two points about that: 1: you may not have made it correctly, therefore I would make it again. 2; After making that flash drive installer, you have to boot from it. It's entirely possible you did not, and instead booted from your hard drive because it was still connected.

I am guessing with the above. We weren't looking over your shoulder.

Make the USB flash drive again. Disconnect your hard drive. Attempt to boot FROM THE FLASH DRIVE. You can or you can't. If you can, delete ALL partitions shown on the SSD and continue, following the prompts. Windows will reboot several times.

 

[SiameseCatz]

See if you can work through the tutorial above that USAFRet mentioned.

Here's a couple of things that might have caused confusion. I say MIGHT.

1; You state: "Someone on one of my earlier threads on this forum surmised that I installed Windows10 onto my harddrive as opposed to installing it onto my SSD."............that could be. You can avoid that possibility by having ONLY your SSD connected when you begin the installation procedure. JUST ONE DRIVE CONNECTED, YOUR SSD.

2; I assume you attempted to install Windows using a USB flash drive of at least 8 GB capacity that you personally made using the Microsoft "Media Creation Tool". Is that correct? Two points about that: 1: you may not have made it correctly, therefore I would make it again. 2; After making that flash drive installer, you have to boot from it. It's entirely possible you did not, and instead booted from your hard drive because it was still connected.

I am guessing with the above. We weren't looking over your shoulder.

Make the USB flash drive again. Disconnect your hard drive. Attempt to boot FROM THE FLASH DRIVE. You can or you can't. If you can, delete ALL partitions shown on the SSD and continue, following the prompts. Windows will reboot several times.

Sorry for the late reply, I needed to wait for something to occur before proceeding with this process.

I am ready to proceed now. A couple questions-

When I 'disconnect' my harddrive, you mean via a command prompt and not physically disconnecting it, correct? If so, will that prevent the drive from being wiped when I get into the boot menu? This is a laptop, mind you. I really need everything gone from this computer.

I don't know if I made the USB key from MCT, but I know I did download a copy of Windows10 onto the USB key from Microsoft's website. I'm going to go ahead and assume I made an error in the installation process?

 

[Lafong]

Sorry for the late reply, I needed to wait for something to occur before proceeding with this process.

I am ready to proceed now. A couple questions-

When I 'disconnect' my harddrive, you mean via a command prompt and not physically disconnecting it, correct? If so, will that prevent the drive from being wiped when I get into the boot menu? This is a laptop, mind you. I really need everything gone from this computer.

I don't know if I made the USB key from MCT, but I know I did download a copy of Windows10 onto the USB key from Microsoft's website. I'm going to go ahead and assume I made an error in the installation process?

In post 7 above you state:

"Someone on one of my earlier threads on this forum surmised that I installed Windows10 onto my harddrive as opposed to installing it onto my SSD."

That implies you have 2 drives in your laptop: a hard drive and an SSD.

Is that true or is that false?

I would not do ANYTHING until that is known.

You state in post 11 "I don't know if I made the USB key from MCT, but I know I did download a copy of Windows10 onto the USB key from Microsoft's website."

You need to find out if that "USB key" thing you made will in fact boot your PC. If it will not, it is useless. To install Windows, you need to boot from it, not from any hard drive and not from any SSD. If you can't do that, you can't install Windows. If it won't boot, you didn't make the "USB key" correctly.

First things first:

How many drives of any type inside your laptop?

What brand and model laptop is it?

 

[USAFRet]

Sorry for the late reply, I needed to wait for something to occur before proceeding with this process.

I am ready to proceed now. A couple questions-

When I 'disconnect' my harddrive, you mean via a command prompt and not physically disconnecting it, correct? If so, will that prevent the drive from being wiped when I get into the boot menu? This is a laptop, mind you. I really need everything gone from this computer.

I don't know if I made the USB key from MCT, but I know I did download a copy of Windows10 onto the USB key from Microsoft's website. I'm going to go ahead and assume I made an error in the installation process?

Physical disconnection.

Reconnec it later, and then wipe that drive if desired.

 

[SiameseCatz]

In post 7 above you state:

"Someone on one of my earlier threads on this forum surmised that I installed Windows10 onto my harddrive as opposed to installing it onto my SSD."

That implies you have 2 drives in your laptop: a hard drive and an SSD.

Is that true or is that false?

I would not do ANYTHING until that is known.

You state in post 11 "I don't know if I made the USB key from MCT, but I know I did download a copy of Windows10 onto the USB key from Microsoft's website."

You need to find out if that "USB key" thing you made will in fact boot your PC. If it will not, it is useless. To install Windows, you need to boot from it, not from any hard drive and not from any SSD. If you can't do that, you can't install Windows. If it won't boot, you didn't make the "USB key" correctly.

First things first:

How many drives of any type inside your laptop?

What brand and model laptop is it?

16GB memory, 1TB HDD, 512GB SSD

I'm assuming that's three drives.

It's an ASUS ROG gl702VS, this is the exact make & model I have https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16834234459

I am going to remake the USB key, by going onto Media Creation Tool. I am almost CERTAIN that is the same method I used the last time, and further, I'm almost certain that I did load from the USB key. I just Googled Media Creation Tool and the Microsoft site popped up, therefore I am sure that was the process I used last time.

Physical disconnection.

Reconnec it later, and then wipe that drive if desired.

I'd prefer to do it via this process here https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...gging-it/013004db-1ccf-4511-bef6-35d1ebcc6233

I'm concerned that I may have some malware on my PC, hence the reason I want EVERYTHING on this thing purged entirely. Pardon my ignorance, I don't want to run the risk of the malware surviving and being replanted onto/into my PC again after wiping the other partitions.

Also, how important is that best answers thing you posted on my thread here?

 

[Lafong]

16GB memory, 1TB HDD, 512GB SSD

I'm assuming that's three drives.

It's an ASUS ROG gl702VS, this is the exact make & model I have https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16834234459

I am going to remake the USB key, by going onto Media Creation Tool. I am almost CERTAIN that is the same method I used the last time, and further, I'm almost certain that I did load from the USB key. I just Googled Media Creation Tool and the Microsoft site popped up, therefore I am sure that was the process I used last time.

I'd prefer to do it via this process here https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...gging-it/013004db-1ccf-4511-bef6-35d1ebcc6233

I'm concerned that I may have some malware on my PC, hence the reason I want EVERYTHING on this thing purged entirely. Pardon my ignorance, I don't want to run the risk of the malware surviving and being replanted onto/into my PC again after wiping the other partitions.

Also, how important is that best answers thing you posted on my thread here?

You apparently have 2 drives:

A 1 TB standard hard drive with spinning platters and a 512 GB solid state drive with no moving parts.

I am guessing repeat guessing that Windows is installed on the SSD.

"Memory" is not a hard drive. It is also known as "RAM". Windows is not installed there. Think of it as a separate but necessary component.

Disabling your 1 TB drive should work. You also need to know how to re-enable it when you need to.

I'd confirm that the laptop will boot with the 1 TB hard drive disabled. Can you do that?

You can remake the USB key if you want, but if you made it correctly, it should boot your PC right now.

No need to make a new one if the one you've already made will work.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I'd prefer to do it via this process here
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...gging-it/013004db-1ccf-4511-bef6-35d1ebcc6233

No. That's not good for windows install process.
This disables the drive only within existing instance of windows.

When you install windows, all hardware gets re-detected and re-enabled.

Hdd needs to be disconnected physically.
If it is possible to disable HDD in BIOS, then that would work too. But you laptop may not have this option.

 

[USAFRet]

Also, how important is that best answers thing you posted on my thread here?

The Best Answer thing is a way to indicate to others, which answer here helped you the most.

 

[SiameseCatz]

You apparently have 2 drives:

A 1 TB standard hard drive with spinning platters and a 512 GB solid state drive with no moving parts.

I am guessing repeat guessing that Windows is installed on the SSD.

"Memory" is not a hard drive. It is also known as "RAM". Windows is not installed there. Think of it as a separate but necessary component.

Disabling your 1 TB drive should work. You also need to know how to re-enable it when you need to.

I'd confirm that the laptop will boot with the 1 TB hard drive disabled. Can you do that?

You can remake the USB key if you want, but if you made it correctly, it should boot your PC right now.

No need to make a new one if the one you've already made will work.

Okay, well according to SkyNetRising,

No. That's not good for windows install process.
This disables the drive only within existing instance of windows.

When you install windows, all hardware gets re-detected and re-enabled.

Hdd needs to be disconnected physically.
If it is possible to disable HDD in BIOS, then that would work too. But you laptop may not have this option.

I need to physically disconnect the drive. Which I suppose I can do, I have the screwdrivers necessary to perform such task.

The thing is, I want EVERYTHING on this computer wiped. I mean, everything, think, scorched earth wiped. Deleted, destroyed. This thing has become so buggy and inefficient it's not even funny. It's been testing my patience something mighty as of late, randomly freezing in the middle of processes, not booting up after waking it from a sleep to the point I need to hold the power button to shut it down for it to work again. I haven't played a game on this thing for well over a year now because the games will randomly freeze in the middle of me trying to move my character (despite the sound being unaffected) and now, it's happening to the videos I watch on YouTube as well.

I cannot underemphasize the importance of wanting a like-new computer to the point I'm not experiencing all of these problems. If I physically disconnect my HDD, how do I ensure that gets wiped entirely too? As I've mentioned previously I believe there is some spy malware of some sort on this PC that I'm not entirely privy to (or know where it's located) that I want to try and target too.

 

[Lafong]

Okay, well according to SkyNetRising,

I need to physically disconnect the drive. Which I suppose I can do, I have the screwdrivers necessary to perform such task.

The thing is, I want EVERYTHING on this computer wiped. I mean, everything, think, scorched earth wiped. Deleted, destroyed. This thing has become so buggy and inefficient it's not even funny. It's been testing my patience something mighty as of late, randomly freezing in the middle of processes, not booting up after waking it from a sleep to the point I need to hold the power button to shut it down for it to work again. I haven't played a game on this thing for well over a year now because the games will randomly freeze in the middle of me trying to move my character (despite the sound being unaffected) and now, it's happening to the videos I watch on YouTube as well.

I cannot underemphasize the importance of wanting a like-new computer to the point I'm not experiencing all of these problems. If I physically disconnect my HDD, how do I ensure that gets wiped entirely too? As I've mentioned previously I believe there is some spy malware of some sort on this PC that I'm not entirely privy to (or know where it's located) that I want to try and target too.

You would "wipe" the HDD after you have the laptop operating properly with the new Windows installation on the SSD.

Your first job is to get the new Windows installation up and running on the SSD. Wiping the SSD is a totally separate operation to be conducted after job 1 is complete.

You want the HDD disconnected during the Windows installation because you want to ensure that ALL Windows components are installed on the SSD only. If the HDD is inoperative, then obviously Windows cannot be installed on it.

It's up to you to determine whether you are competent to disconnect and later re-connect the HDD. If you are not, the remaining choice would be to rely on someone else who is competent.

 

[USAFRet]

I cannot underemphasize the importance of wanting a like-new computer to the point I'm not experiencing all of these problems. If I physically disconnect my HDD, how do I ensure that gets wiped entirely too? As I've mentioned previously I believe there is some spy malware of some sort on this PC that I'm not entirely privy to (or know where it's located) that I want to try and target too.

If you leave the HDD connected during the OS install, it is very likely that the boot partition will end up on that drive.
Nothing you do or select, but it is likely to happen.
This will make wiping that drive much harder later.

Physical disconnection of the HDD.
Install on the SSD.
Connect the HDD later.
Commandline function diskpart, and the clean command will totally wipe everything from that HDD.

 

[SiameseCatz]

You would "wipe" the HDD after you have the laptop operating properly with the new Windows installation on the SSD.

Your first job is to get the new Windows installation up and running on the SSD. Wiping the SSD is a totally separate operation to be conducted after job 1 is complete.

You want the HDD disconnected during the Windows installation because you want to ensure that ALL Windows components are installed on the SSD only. If the HDD is inoperative, then obviously Windows cannot be installed on it.

It's up to you to determine whether you are competent to disconnect and later re-connect the HDD. If you are not, the remaining choice would be to rely on someone else who is competent.

I feel competent enough to do this. I've disconnected my laptop fans before to clean them only to realize there's no real way to disassemble them to actually get at the fan blades.

Question - is this how computers are normally manufactured? For instance, do they routinely install Windows on the SSD and leave the HDD disconnected and then reconnect after the installation procedure?

If you leave the HDD connected during the OS install, it is very likely that the boot partition will end up on that drive.
Nothing you do or select, but it is likely to happen.
This will make wiping that drive much harder later.

Physical disconnection of the HDD.
Install on the SSD.
Connect the HDD later.
Commandline function diskpart, and the clean command will totally wipe everything from that HDD.

Commandline function diskpart? That's the prompt to wipe everything? I'm assuming that would work on whatever is on the SSD as well?

 

[USAFRet]

Question - is this how computers are normally manufactured? For instance, do they routinely install Windows on the SSD and leave the HDD disconnected and then reconnect after the installation procedure?

They don't do the same "install" as you and I do.
They have a preconstructed Image that is applied to the drive(s).
They can do this with multiple drives physically connected.

Commandline function diskpart? That's the prompt to wipe everything? I'm assuming that would work on whatever is on the SSD as well?

In the context of a fresh OS install, you just delete all existing partitions on the drive that will become the OS drive.
The other drives....see this:

How to Format a Hard Drive Using the Command Prompt

You can clean internal and external hard drives using the command prompt by following our instructions.

www.tomshardware.com

How to Diskpart Erase/Clean a Drive Through the Command Prompt | Seagate US

This article explains the Microsoft Diskpart Erase utility. The command that erases the drive during this process is "Clean". In this article "Clean" and erase are used interchangeably. Cleaning or erasing a storage device removes all data and partitions from the drive.

www.seagate.com

Use diskpart to create, delete and modify disk partitions | TechTarget

Follow these step-by-step instructions to perform a successful diskpart delete partition operation among other disk-related jobs in Windows.

searchwindowsserver.techtarget.com

 

[SiameseCatz]

They don't do the same "install" as you and I do.
They have a preconstructed Image that is applied to the drive(s).
They can do this with multiple drives physically connected.


In the context of a fresh OS install, you just delete all existing partitions on the drive that will become the OS drive.
The other drives....see this:

How to Format a Hard Drive Using the Command Prompt

You can clean internal and external hard drives using the command prompt by following our instructions.

www.tomshardware.com

How to Diskpart Erase/Clean a Drive Through the Command Prompt | Seagate US

This article explains the Microsoft Diskpart Erase utility. The command that erases the drive during this process is "Clean". In this article "Clean" and erase are used interchangeably. Cleaning or erasing a storage device removes all data and partitions from the drive.

www.seagate.com

Use diskpart to create, delete and modify disk partitions | TechTarget

Follow these step-by-step instructions to perform a successful diskpart delete partition operation among other disk-related jobs in Windows.

searchwindowsserver.techtarget.com

Hey there, this is bimjobs, I'm contacting you through another PC.

I disconnected my harddrive and plugged in the USB key to install Windows. I went to the menu on startup and selected the USB key to boot from and almost immediately a screen popped up: 'Secure boot violation. Invalid signature detected. Check secure boot policy in setup.'

What do?

 

[USAFRet]

Hey there, this is bimjobs, I'm contacting you through another PC.

I disconnected my harddrive and plugged in the USB key to install Windows. I went to the menu on startup and selected the USB key to boot from and almost immediately a screen popped up: 'Secure boot violation. Invalid signature detected. Check secure boot policy in setup.'

What do?

I would suspect an improperly built USB.

 

[SkyNetRising]

a screen popped up: 'Secure boot violation. Invalid signature detected. Check secure boot policy in setup.'
What do?

Turn off secure boot.