Failed to progress through the Windows installation process.
Failed to progress through the Windows installation process.
A few days back I began experiencing problems with blue screen of death. Each time it changed the error code, and it usually appeared whenever I navigated in or out of a game. Today I chose to run a clean Windows installation to determine if that would resolve the issue. I transferred Windows 10 onto a USB drive using the Media Creation Tool, booted from there, wiped all partitions, and then proceeded with the setup. On the Installing Windows page, it began copying files but then displayed the warning: "Windows installation encountered an unexpected error. Please verify the installation sources and restart the installation." This halted the process and required a restart. The second try also failed to clear the issue.
I then moved on to hardware diagnostics, suspecting a possible RAM problem. I removed one RAM module and attempted the install once more, but the error persisted. Believing the installer might be corrupted, I reinstalled Windows from another computer and tried again. This time I managed to bypass the file copying stage, but upon restarting the PC, the blue screen reappeared: "CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED."
I continued testing, assuming a RAM failure was the cause. I removed the problematic RAM stick and reinstalled Windows from a different machine that already had the OS installed. This time I reached the setup file loading stage and saw "Getting ready..." before the system restarted in an endless loop. Eventually, I switched to the alternate SSD and got past the initial copy step, but when the setup restarted again, the same blue screen appeared.
I suspected the faulty SSD might be the culprit since it hadn’t worked with either RAM stick. I replaced the SSD with one from another machine that had Windows installed. After booting up, the Windows loading screen showed "Getting ready..." and the PC restarted repeatedly. I proceeded with a fresh Windows install on this new SSD. Initially, copying files went smoothly, but after the first restart, the error returned: "Windows Setup could not configure Windows to run on this computer's hardware."
I repeated the process, even resetting my BIOS settings, but the issue persisted. My PC had been with me since mid-2023, and I’d been using it for over a year without problems—except for a minor cooling problem during its initial build, which had already been fixed.
I’m seeking advice on which component might be faulty or how to resolve this. As of now, my main machine is essentially useless for work, with all components still functional except for the occasional hardware hiccup. My specs include an i9-13900KF, ASUS TUF 4090, Corsair 2x32GB RAM at 6400MHz, and a CL32 XMP module. The OS is Windows 10.
Initially I considered a USB stick (tried another USB port?) Then SSD came to mind, checked its condition? Not W11, it’s definitely worth a shot. By the way, here’s a summary of the steps for installing Windows on an NVMe drive: 1 - Disconnect all SATA and USB drives; ensure only the M.2 is installed. 2 - Navigate to BIOS, find the CSM option under boot settings and disable it. 3 - Enable secure boot for another OS, not Windows UEFI. 4 - Clear secure boot credentials in key management. 5 - Insert a USB stick with a bootable Windows 10 ISO. 6 - Press F10 to save, exit, and restart. 7 - Windows will begin installation using its built-in NVMe driver. 8 - Upon reboot, press F2 to return to BIOS; boot priority should now list your NVMe drive. 9 - Re-enable secure boot but set it to Windows UEFI mode. 10 - In key management, install default secure boot keys. 11 - Press F10 again to finish the setup. Edited February 2, 2025 by leclod
I initially attempted to reinstall Windows via another port, using just one stick of RAM and the 970 Evo drive (not the original SSD). This allowed me to successfully restore the desktop without any instability issues. Later, I tried connecting my other RAM stick to check if it was the issue, but I noticed frequent BIOS freezes every five seconds lasting about a second. Clearing the CMOS on the motherboard resolved the freezing in BIOS. After that, Windows launched properly. Using the 990 Pro also caused similar BIOS freezes; clearing CMOS fixed them, and I was able to boot Windows without problems. The SSD showed 97% health in CrystalDiskInfo. Despite installing Windows on a different machine with the same SSD, I still faced the same BIOS reset issue during setup. I wondered if my motherboard might be faulty.
SMART, the self-check CDI tool, doesn't work well with NVMe SSDs. The overall condition rating (Good/Warning/Bad) has been inconsistent over a long period, even with SATA drives, since manufacturers control how much failure is needed before the status updates and most are unreliable. The numbers don't reflect the drive's current health; they depend on how much of the promised write capacity you've used plus other factors. To identify bad drives accurately, you need to understand SMART data, which isn't always trustworthy. With NVMe, most useful metrics have been removed, leaving only Critical Warning as a clue. In many faulty NVMe units I've seen, this warning appears less than five times. If you're unsure about other diagnostic options for NVMe SSDs, there aren't any known alternatives. Based on your issue, the problem likely lies with the OS drive, possibly due to a memory error involving a critical Windows process. This often happens when OS files become corrupted.
I'm testing the PC with the new SSD setup on the updated system. After logging into Windows, I'm encountering strange instability issues—Chrome tabs freeze with a "STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION" error, apps crash unexpectedly, and some games won't launch properly. It seems the problem persists despite the new hardware, so I've gathered various components (new motherboard, CPU, RAM, SSD) to troubleshoot. Once I identify the faulty part, I plan to replace the rest and return what's no longer working.
If you have a fresh motherboard, I’d give it a shot. It’s the next item on my to-do list.
Have you experienced any BSODs during this installation? We can review the dump files. A Status_Access_Violation in Chrome often indicates a memory problem. Visit C:\Windows\Minidump and verify if any minidump files exist. If present, return to Windows and transfer the Minidump folder to your Downloads folder (or use your desktop if OneDrive isn't available). Compress the copied folder and send it along with your post. Please adhere strictly to the instructions since Windows doesn’t allow file manipulation in that area.
I haven't had any BSODs yet but I've also now undervolted & underclocked my CPU as a friend suggested that my CPU might've deteriorated (as its 13th gen). I've had no instability issues yet and the applications (video games & cinebench) that were immediately crashing before 100% of the time now don't. I'll try to update the BIOS & replace the CPU first and see if that fixes it.
The 13th/14th generation Intel release appears to cause memory issues leading to BSOD, which is quite likely.
Following the use of the updated CPU for several days, I feel assured that the problem stemmed from the previous CPU wearing out and becoming highly unreliable.