Can installing media result in a bootable disk?
Can installing media result in a bootable disk?
I have an issue. My PC has a 240 GB SSD, a 2 TB SSD, and two 4 TB HDDs. After a clean reinstall of Windows 11 using USB media, the UEFI bios only shows the 240 GB SSD as bootable even though I installed Windows 11 Home on the 2 TB SSD. When I try to boot, it reports a missing file and asks me to select another OS, which I do—Windows 11 boots normally on the 2 TB drive. Now BitLocker is being applied to all drives except the 240 GB one, which seems to be the default in 24H2. This process will take a long time, and I need a solution. I have some questions about what to do: Should I restart the PC, disable the 240 SSD in BIOS, boot from the install media, and choose repair? Will doing that disrupt the BitLocker setup? Can the repair actually move the boot process to the 2 TB drive, or will I need to use a command-line method?
Bootloader is a compact 100MB EFI system partition.
This is what enables a drive to boot.
You can verify it yourself—only a 223GB drive has a bootloader.
It is the sole bootable drive in your setup.
To prepare a 2TB drive for booting, run commands from an elevated command prompt.
If you encounter any issues, halt immediately and capture a screenshot.
In UEFI mode, only drives with a bootloader are considered bootable.
If you installed Windows on a new drive while keeping the old drive connected, the new drive won't have its bootloader created.
You don't need several bootloaders.
Simply disable BitLocker.
Go to Control Panel → BitLocker Drive Encryption.
Yes, you'll need to use the command line to make a 2TB drive bootable—it's actually straightforward.
Alternatively, perform a clean Windows installation with only a single connected drive.
Will the time required to shut down BitLocker match the time needed to encrypt it up to the current point? This guide from Windows 10 should also apply to Windows 11 as well: https://forums.
I'm not sure.
Each scenario might vary.
You would need to share a screenshot from Disk Management first.
(upload to imgur.com and post link)
Bootloader is a compact 100MB EFI system area.
This is what enables a drive to start up.
You can verify it yourself – only the 223GB drive includes a bootloader.
That’s the sole bootable device in your setup.
To prepare a 2TB drive for booting, run commands from an elevated prompt.
If issues arise, halt immediately and capture a screenshot.
diskpart
list disk
select disk 3
(select 1907 GB disk)
list partition
select partition 3
(select 644 MB recovery partition)
delete partition override
create partition efi
format fs=fat32 quick
assign letter=J
exit
bcdboot C:\windows /s J: /f UEFI
Last message should be
"Boot files created successfully".
If you wish to boot Windows 10 from the new bootloader, also run
bcdboot O:\windows /s J: /f UEFI
Boot into BIOS and configure the first boot device to the Windows Boot Manager on the 2TB drive.
And remove BitLocker afterward.
Note - don’t stress over the recovery partition being removed; it will be restored after the next major Windows update.
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/e/elevated.htm
Does this affect the reduction in recovery partition size upon recreation? I recall a previous update where it failed because the recovery partition was too small.
It won't lower the recovery partition. The recovery partition will be removed and recreated at the correct size after the next significant Windows update.