To install the operating system, you must delete every storage device so the system can properly set up and function.
To install the operating system, you must delete every storage device so the system can properly set up and function.
You're unsure why Windows blocks installation while your drives are connected. The issue likely stems from conflicting partitions or system requirements. There seems to be no straightforward way to install without removing the drives, especially since Windows 11 can't create or locate existing partitions easily. You might need to manually format the new M.2 drive or use a different installation method.
You shouldn't feel compelled, yet you should still try. Otherwise, Windows might detect an existing EFI partition on the old OS drive and reuse it, leaving you unable to boot if you later erase that drive. Clearing all other drives ensures your system relies solely on the primary installation drive.
It’s usually wise to take out the drives. Windows can do silly things when it sets itself up. I’ve seen it install boot files on a new disk without asking. Always clear all drives before starting Windows.
Tipycal Microsoft... My last setup was a year back, and I got some quicker M.2 drives for Windows. There was an odd issue—Windows didn’t let me install Windows 11. It told me my hardware wasn’t compatible with that OS, even though it worked on the old M.2. That’s really frustrating because I had to switch from Windows 10 to 10 again just to try Windows 11. They’re making it hard, pushing me toward Linux if they keep this way. I miss the days when Windows XP or 7 worked without restrictions. Now Windows 11 seems to require signing up via email before installation... It’s really annoying!
Are you using unsupported hardware? There seems to be an option in RUFUS that bypasses Windows 11 requirements, letting you install on any machine. My friend recently changed to it. He works professionally in IT on Linux, and he found the setup mostly smooth—most games worked fine. The only terminal use was for installing VMware, which isn’t something you’d typically run.
It's true, Ubuntu offers limited options for bootloader installation while overlooking other possibilities.
Yes, the peak of Windows XP was when you had to set up drivers manually for each device—often needing a driver disk during setup. I once reinstalled my XP machine; it took hours to get everything running. People remember XP well only if they haven’t experienced it before or if they’ve never used it. Switching to Linux is tricky because audio drivers still seem problematic there.
I believe this might relate to a UEFI problem. I recall reading long ago that you should have just one EFI partition, and if you already have one, try making a new one on another drive—it makes sense it would use the existing one. It’s not unusual for legacy boot to be strange with multiple drives either. Having several operating systems on different drives often felt like an oddity on PCs.
I mean maybe... but I don’t recall ever having this problem. I had a Dell pre-built with GPU—everything functioned perfectly, no driver installations needed (maybe just once for the GPU). I really appreciated how everything ran smoothly with plenty of options. The only OS that stood out better was Vista, which I used until 2017... nothing went wrong at all. I don’t really remember needing to install drivers again (the Acer model was pre-built too). All those driver and update issues began with Windows 10 for me.