Question Win 11 clean install on a drive already containing Win 10

[mjackman76]

Hi folks, hoping for a little guidance and if anyone is able to confirm what im saying is correct that would also be helpful as Im definately no expert.

These details are probably not important but motherboards is an ASUS Z370-A with a recently updated BIOS. My Windows SSD is a Samsung EVO 970 NVME with the latest firmware.

I have been trying to determine if my system is Win 11 compatible, ive worked through a few of items and the only requirement outstanding now is that I dont have Secure Boot.
If I enable Secure boot - this apparently needs CSM to be dissabled. I have tried this however the PC then finds no bootable devices. I looked into why this could be and I found an article which mentioned if Windows is installed in the 'MBR' partition style (which mine is) it may need to be converted to GPT to be compatible with UEFI (which as far as I understand is used when dissabling CSM). So whilst this is the case I guess I cannot be Win 11 'ready'. If I wanted to upgrade to win 11 (upgrade 10 to 11, id probably look more into converting MBR to GPT however im not ready to risk the data on the ssd yet and when I am - ill be wanting a fresh install anyway which presumably will automatically configure a UEFI/GPT partition?)

Sooo Id like to have a fresh install of Win 11 on the same drive (ideally blanking the current windows drive as part of the fresh install procedure). In the past I have always blanked a drive first via a USB Sata caddy but I dont have an M2 adapter. Im assuming this would be done via the Win 11 bootable USB stick, but Im wondering will the options be there to 'wipe this Windows 10 ssd and install win 11 fresh' its been such a long time since I installed windows and cant remember if it gets freaked out that I may want to install windows on a drive which already contains windows. Obviously if theres a much easier way im missing please let me know.

Thank you folks!
MJ.

 

[USAFRet]

Im assuming this would be done via the Win 11 bootable USB stick, but Im wondering will the options be there to 'wipe this Windows 10 ssd and install win 11 fresh'

How To - Windows 11 clean install tutorial

Windows 11 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows 11, version 23H2 or newer but can be equally applied to earlier versions which may have some basic differences in the screens you see but will largely remain similar in...

forums.tomshardware.com

Section II, Step 6 & 7 speak to wiping the drive in question.

 

[SkyNetRising]

These details are probably not important but motherboards is an ASUS Z370-A
I have been trying to determine if my system is Win 11 compatible,
the only requirement outstanding now is that I dont have Secure Boot.

Main requirement is TPM 2.0 - Intel Platform Trust Technology has to be enabled.
And System has to be installed in UEFI mode.
Secure boot is not actually mandatory.

If I wanted to upgrade to win 11 (upgrade 10 to 11, id probably look more into converting MBR to GPT however im not ready to risk the data on the ssd yet and when I am - ill be wanting a fresh install anyway which presumably will automatically configure a UEFI/GPT partition?)

Conversion from mbr to gpt is actually quite painless and can be done with mbr2gpt utility.
Backup is still recommended, to avoid any unforeseen complications.

If you install in UEFI mode (boot from install media in UEFI mode) on a clean drive, then windows is installed in UEFI mode.
If you install in legacy/CSM mode (boot from install media in legacy/CSM mode) on a clean drive, then windows is installed in legacy/CSM mode.

Im wondering will the options be there to 'wipe this Windows 10 ssd and install win 11 fresh

Yes. Follow instructions in tutorial.

How To - Windows 11 clean install tutorial

Windows 11 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows 11, version 23H2 or newer but can be equally applied to earlier versions which may have some basic differences in the screens you see but will largely remain similar in...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[mjackman76]

Thank you for the quick reply folks.
SkyNetRising - when you mention 'If you install in UEFI mode (boot from install media in UEFI mode) on a clean drive, then windows is installed in UEFI mode.' - how do you go about ensuring that youre booting from install media in UEFI mode? Is that literally an option when pc reboots with the stick plugged in? Or is this going into the bios and dissabling CSM before doing anything else (which I guess I should do anyway)?

 

[mjackman76]

How To - Windows 11 clean install tutorial

Windows 11 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows 11, version 23H2 or newer but can be equally applied to earlier versions which may have some basic differences in the screens you see but will largely remain similar in...

forums.tomshardware.com

Section II, Step 6 & 7 speak to wiping the drive in question.

Thank you for this tutorial very handy!

 

[SkyNetRising]

how do you go about ensuring that youre booting from install media in UEFI mode?

You choose UEFI boot option.
Here - an example of possible boot choice. You get boot choice, when certain F key is pressed during boot (F2, F9,F10,F11 - depends on specific BIOS).

ADATA USB flash drive - this is legacy/csm boot option​

UEFI: ADATA USB flash drive - this is UEFI boot option​

Or you can set specific boot option in boot priority settings.

https://www.asrockrack.com/support/images/Marvell9230UEFIROM-2.jpg