Question Why Windows 10 can't install if you have "too many" drives?

[MaxT2]

I recently re-installed Windows 10. Got an error. Searched for the error. Found that one of the reasons why this error could occur is when there are "too many" drives in the computer.
I removed a hard disk which had 3 partitions/2 drives on it. And the I could install Windows.

So, I don't have an ongoing problem but I would like know: Why Windows can't install if there are "too many" drives? Why is this a problem? And how many are "too many"? (I had something like 1 SATA et 3 NVMe (+ the USB installation key?).

 

[Lafong]

When it comes to installing Windows................2 is too many.

Have just 1 drive connected when you attempt the install.

To do otherwise increases the chances of Windows files being spread across 2 drives.....which can lead to boot problems.

I'm not aware of an official error message about "too many drives", but its certainly possible.

 

[Grobe]

To do otherwise increases the chances of Windows files being spread across 2 drives.....which can lead to boot problems.

Agree. Regardless of what OS you're attempting to install, there is always a better chance for success if only one storage device (exept for that bootable install media USB/DVD the OS being installed from of course) is connected while installing. Other storage devices can be installed afterwards.

 

[USAFRet]

I recently re-installed Windows 10. Got an error. Searched for the error. Found that one of the reasons why this error could occur is when there are "too many" drives in the computer.
I removed a hard disk which had 3 partitions/2 drives on it. And the I could install Windows.

So, I don't have an ongoing problem but I would like know: Why Windows can't install if there are "too many" drives? Why is this a problem? And how many are "too many"? (I had something like 1 SATA et 3 NVMe (+ the USB installation key?).

No, thats not a thing.

What was the specific error, and where did you find that reason?

Having said that, the above comments are correct.
Have only ONE drive connected when you install the OS.

 

[MaxT2]

What was the specific error, and where did you find that reason?

It can be caused if you have too many unnecessary hard drives are plugged into your system. So, before proceeding with Windows installation, remove extra hard drives.

(Source: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/fix-error-0x80300024-when-installing-windows )

So, do you mean the article wrote some thing that is somewhat true but expressed it wrong, or something like that?

To do otherwise increases the chances of Windows files being spread across 2 drives.....which can lead to boot problems.

But why does it even need to spread files randomly across random drives? (Well this is a side question I'm not really wondering because if I remember well, this was already a question around the "Windows 98" days...

 

[USAFRet]

But why does it even need to spread files randomly across random drives?

The boot partition generally ends up on a second drive.
If that drive dies or you remove it, no boot for you.

The actual Windows install is on one drive.

We all wish it wouldn't do this, but it does.

 

[USAFRet]

I wish they had indicated why 'too many drives' is an issue.
I've never heard of that.

Partitions too small, sure.

 

[MaxT2]

OH ok, never really ran into problems like this so I thought they had "solved" this kind of file spreading issues.

It's quite annoying to have to open the hardware to do a software installation. Maybe I could also have disabled drives from BIOS/UEFI? (haven't tried)

 

[Lafong]

But why does it even need to spread files randomly across random drives? (Well this is a side question I'm not really wondering because if I remember well, this was already a question around the "Windows 98" days...

Windows is as Windows does.

I don't know that it "needs" to spread files.

I know that it does. At times. Not always. It's whimsical.

You have to deal with it. A prime way to deal with it is to keep secondary drives as segregated from Windows as possible.

 

[USAFRet]

OH ok, never really ran into problems like this so I thought they had "solved" this kind of file spreading issues.

It's quite annoying to have to open the hardware to do a software installation. Maybe I could also have disabled drives from BIOS/UEFI? (haven't tried)

Having only one drive also prevents installing to or formatting the wrong drive.
With the heartbreaking result of all the data on the incorrect drive is now gone.

We see that here frequently.

 

[MaxT2]

I wish they had indicated why 'too many drives' is an issue.
I've never heard of that.

Partitions too small, sure.

Maybe they wrote for the reason that Lafong explained earlier in this thread. But they turned it vaguely like "you have too many" drive ... which is not false in that context, but very vague.

 

[MaxT2]

Having only one drive also prevents installing to or formatting the wrong drive.
With the heartbreaking result of all the data on the incorrect drive is now gone.

We see that here frequently.

(Well, I still had 3 drives plugged in when I installed Windows in the end.)

Yeah but that's user responsibility... when I do this I know that there a risk, and the there would be even less risk if I physically remove the drives.
But I think they should leave the choice to the user, maybe just adding some warning/confirmations in the installation.

 

[USAFRet]

(Well, I still had 3 drives plugged in when I installed Windows in the end.)

Please show us a screencap of your current Disk Management window, and we'll see if this boot partition thing happened...😉

 

[MaxT2]

Please show us a screencap of your current Disk Management window, and we'll see if this boot partition thing happened...😉

I was checking that minutes ago...

I don't fell like sharing a real screenshot (and last time I did someone had a heartattack because I had 4x 10+ TB drives in swap slots...)

But the only disk the has shows some extra/hidden partitions is the actual disk where I installed the OS:
Partitions:
- System Reserved, 50 MB NTFS, Healthy(System, Active, Primary Partition)
- C:\ 1800+ GB NTFS, Healthy(Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)
- "unnamed", 530 MB Healthy (Recovery Partition)

 

[USAFRet]

Well, maybe you lucked out.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I don't fell like sharing a real screenshot (and last time I did someone had a heartattack because I had 4x 10+ TB drives in swap slots...)

Nobody cares about that. There's no personal info in disk management window either.
Just show the screenshot (upload to imgur.com and post link).

 

[MaxT2]

Nobody cares about that. There's no personal info in disk management window either.
Just show the screenshot (upload to imgur.com and post link).

The drive combination, size and drive names could easily help recognise PC from a place to another.
And why do you care when I already checked it? (see above)

 

[SkyNetRising]

The drive combination, size and drive names could easily help recognise PC from a place to another.

Impossible. Unless you use personally identifiable info as volume labels for your drives
(like social security id, bank account iban, your country/street address, etc.).

And why do you care when I already checked it? (see above)

I don't.