[SOLVED] Windows 11 Installation - AHCI v Intel RST

[sierraoscar]

I'm experiencing a perplexing installation issue with Windows 11 that I am hoping someone can help me with.

I am installing a fresh copy of Windows 11 using a bootable USB. If I set my Bios to AHCI, the Windows 11 installation immediately hangs after the initial loading screen. I am faced with a blank blue screen with the mouse cursor active.

If I change the SATA mode selection in the Bios from AHCI to 'Intel RST Premium With Intel Octane System Acceleration' the issue does not occur, I can get through to the partition creation section of the installation and proceed from there just fine.

I don't want to be stuck using Intel RST as I am intending using a few older OCZ Vertex SSD's on the system. The Intel Power Managment features in RST cause absolute mayhem with some of these older drives. I have experienced an issue whereby Windows will not shutdown when it is enabled, which is problematic considering to disable the features windows needs to be able to restart unimpeded.

Does anyone know why the installation will not proceed under AHCI data mode? There is no previous Windows installation, it is a freshly formatted m.2 drive. I am reluctant to install with Intel RST enabled because it can be an absolute head wrecking experience to revert to AHCI post-installation.

System Specs:

OS: Windows 11 Pro (hopefully!)
Motheboard: ASUS Maximus X Hero
Processor: Intel i7 8800k
SSD: 2TB Samsung Pro Evo M.2
RAM: 16GB DDR4
GPU: Nvidia 2080 Super
PSU: Corsair HX1200i

I don't have any of the other of the SSD's connected for the installation. I am using the latest firmware for the Bios. PTT is enabled in the Bios for TPM requirements and SecureBoot is set to Windows UEFI.

 

[SkyNetRising]

If you have no sata devices, try setting sata controller to disabled.

 

[sierraoscar]

If you have no sata devices, try setting sata controller to disabled.

Thanks. I tried that and was able to get beyond the initial stages of the installation to the point of formatting the drive and creating the partitions for the installation. At this point, I format the drive and create a new partition. I can see that the Primary, System and MSR (Reseved) partitions are created. However when I click next I receive the following error message:

"We couldn't create a new partition or locate an existing one. For more information, see the setup log files."

I can't go any further with the installation. I then tried enabling the SATA controller in AHCI first, I can now get beyond the initial stages of the installation but I get the same error message. I then tried changing to Intel RST and the same error message is appearing.

I've checked the disk using command prompt and it's showing up as using GPT, so it doesn't appear to be that causing the issue.

 

[sierraoscar]

Right just an update, I eventually managed to get around the partition creation problems during installation by using command prompt and formatting the drive myself and manually creating new partitions and copying over the installation files onto a partition and running the install from there.

Installed Windows 11 with Intel RST enabled (the only way it would get past the blue screen during setup). I immediately used the Windows 11 Installation Assistant tool to create a new bootable USB just in case there was something wrong with the USB I was using previously.

Then I changed the Bios back to AHCI and used the new bootable USB to perform a fresh install. It immediately hangs on the blue screen as before. There are no other drives connected whatsoever. If I restart and change to Intel RST the installation proceeds just fine. This is baffling to me. It's almost as if I am locked into using Intel RST despite the installation drive having been erased and formatted on multiple occasions.

 

[Anastaciu]

I try installing W11 yesterday and I have the same issue, I can only install with RST, in my case I have a laptop Legion Y740 from 2019 with an H8750 i7, in my case I don't have a blue screen but I have the same partition message, were you able to solve the issue?