How can I ensure the cleanest W11 install?

Anonymous
2024-03-03T18:37:22+00:00

I’ve been struggling with windows randomly deciding to ruin my computer for some months now. Every time I would get the computer to a properly working state for a few days out of nowhere Windows will decide to make the computer unusable one way or another leading me to have to do a fresh install (as doing things like repair installs sometimes ends up completely bricking the computer).

But one thing I’ve noticed is that my fresh installs are never actually properly clean. Sometimes it’s a challenge just to get to the windows setup screen (random bsod’s where no recovery partition is being created for whatever reason) and when I do get into windows sometimes something like edge or MS Store just doesn’t work, but all the time I can never actually download the cumulative windows update (as it always gives an error message during the install portion). SFC /scannow always shows up with a “found corrupted files but could not repair them” message, and DISM usually comes back with a “sources not found” even when using a local usb

So I am wondering what can I do to ensure a proper windows install from the get go? I have been following the procedure of deleting existing volumes and letting windows create things automatically, but that gives the results explained above. Is it a usb problem? A formatting problem? Setting up the PC problem?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Install and upgrade

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-03-03T22:03:17+00:00

    I had already tried 3 different usb’s. 1 of them windows 11 couldn’t even install onto it using CM tool (or burning iso). The other 2 did better in that regard, but 1 as I mentioned works okay-ish (sometimes it will get to windows install, sometimes it will bsod loop, sometimes it’ll be some other problem) and the other one has a better success rate with getting into windows install but still has the issues I mentioned once I actually get into windows (big updates not installing, sfc reporting errors already etc.)

    I presume the usb is at fault because of what I mentioned, but what I do not understand is why there is this variability with what usb I use. All are being installed the exact same way with creation media tool (or using the .iso file)

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  2. EmilyS726 268.4K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2024-03-03T22:06:35+00:00

    Does the computer have any other issue prior to clean install, on this same 2tb?

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-03-03T22:28:09+00:00

    I'm not quite sure I follow. Originally I had moved my windows install from another drive to this one, but some things ended up going wrong (the install was very old which was showing) which had resulted in better to do a fresh reinstall. Since then I've been in a constant loop of doing a fresh reinstall, being able to use fine for a few days before a windows update or something just causes things to break

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  4. EmilyS726 268.4K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2024-03-03T22:31:08+00:00

    The reason I asked about this is to understand if the device itself has some historical issue to begin with, that might explain why even a clean install won't cut it.

    Clean install shouldn't really start with issue. If you have gone through 3 different USB flash drives already, I don't think it is a flash drive issue.. I start to think it is either hardware issue, or firemware issue.

    Is your device meeting Windows 11 requirement? You might want to reset your BIOS and flash it to make sure BIOS is not the issue here either.. especially if you sometimes cannot even boot the flash drive to install, that can be a BIOS issue.

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-03-03T22:45:35+00:00

    Is your device meeting Windows 11 requirement? You might want to reset your BIOS and flash it to make sure BIOS is not the issue here either.. especially if you sometimes cannot even boot the flash drive to install, that can be a BIOS issue.

    I had been running W11 since it came out so I don't think it's an issues wrt that. I think there might be a misunderstanding regarding the usb's. I don't have an issue actually booting the usb (i.e., the purple screen), it's getting to the windows setup screen (i.e., the white screen where you setup a new user and so on) that is up in the air if it works or not. 1 USB was facing problems trying to create the bootable media in the first place using creation media tool

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