When upgrading or reinstalling Windows, ensure your HDD/SSD is properly formatted for optimal performance.
When upgrading or reinstalling Windows, ensure your HDD/SSD is properly formatted for optimal performance.
Upon reinstallation, remove the Programs directory from all additional storage devices.
Please verify your UEFI settings before reinstalling Windows. Expect the default configurations to align with Windows XP rather than a current operating system—this assumes legacy mode will be applied. The motherboard’s standard isn’t optimized for modern users; it’s designed to minimize support requests. Make sure the following are active: UEFI is turned on, CSM is disabled, Secure Boot is off, FTPM/TPM is enabled, FastBoot is activated (or set to the quickest option), and POST delay is removed or set to 0 seconds for faster startup. XMP/DOCP should be configured to Profile 1 (or your RAM’s recommended profile). Enable virtualization features if available. The BAR can be resized as needed; new features may offer slight performance improvements but won’t be immediately noticeable. If you see “Windows 8/10 mode,” this relates to UEFI settings and isn’t the same as the OS itself. Ensure it’s enabled, regardless of which OS you install—UEFI support is required for many modern systems. Each motherboard behaves differently, so consult the manual and explore all options carefully.
It surprised me how many options weren't set by default for installing an OS. I assumed just changing the XMP profile would be enough. That's why I followed the advice and ordered a Gigabyte B550 Aorus Elite V2, making sure all the settings were configured properly.
Yep! It really bothers me when tech YouTubers ignore this topic. Still, some communities are now adjusting their settings correctly for the latest operating systems, thanks to Windows 11’s mandatory needs. It bothers me a lot because the forum is full of users stuck with Windows 11 installations—the problem isn’t with OEM-built systems, since those are set up properly. I should note that updating the UEFI could help too. This might reset default configurations aligned with Windows 11 and enhance overall support. For instance, early reports mentioned performance drops on certain boards when FTPM was enabled, affecting Windows 10, 11, or Linux distros alike. Since fTPM was usually disabled by default, no one checked for that. The positive side is that recent UEFI updates seem to have resolved these issues quickly, according to what I’ve seen online.