Help Preparing existing PC to be able to install Windows 11

HardBytes

HardBytes

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 23, 2004
Messages
309
70 year old needs sanity check. It's not that I don't know how to install a clean OS, it's just that I don't think it's necessary.
Read so much in the interweb that's is a bit conflicting so I decided to post here. Been coming here everyday, just don't post much.

System:
Asus Z490-A
I9-10850K
Windows 10 Pro
These meet Windows 11 requirements

Current OS drive is MBR. Contents of NVME drive is - System reserve| C partiton| D partition.

Use Aomei partiton assistant pro (which I have license) to convert MBR to GPT first?
Then reboot into BIOS and make which changes?

Current BIOS setting:
Boot>Secure boot> OS type is currently set to Other OS
(Change OS Type, from Other OS, to Windows UEFI Mode, under Secure Boot section?)

Boot>compatible support module config:
Launch CSM (currently ....Enabled (disable?) Disabling allows using Resize-Bar also
Boot device control (currently) ....UEFI and Legacy OPROM
Boot from network device (currently) ....Legacy only
Boot from storage device (currently) ....Legacy only
Boot from PCI-E/PCI expansion devices (currently) ....Legacy only

Advanced\PCH-FW configuration:
PTT currently set to Disable (Enable?) This setting enables TPM 2.0

Am I missing something?

Hopefully you folks who feel pretty confident the right way to do this can help me make the leap. I can upload screenshot's if necessary.

Thanks so much!
 
Hey, Personally, I would

1. Backup important files and documents to external drive (should always have a backup anyways)
2. Create bootable media via Microsoft tool with Windows 11
3. Set your BIOS to be UEFI / Secure boot. Should be able to disable legacy bios and such (if you made your windows 11 ISO from an MS tool or other like Rufus) and enable TPM2
4. Clean install - delete all partitions and disks in windows set up and create new as needed
5. let Windows 11 install and tadda!

No messing with 3rd party tools.
 
MrGuvernment said:
Hey, Personally, I would

1. Backup important files and documents to external drive (should always have a backup anyways)
2. Create bootable media via Microsoft tool with Windows 11
3. Set your BIOS to be UEFI / Secure boot. Should be able to disable legacy bios and such (if you made your windows 11 ISO from an MS tool or other like Rufus) and enable TPM2
4. Clean install - delete all partitions and disks in windows set up and create new as needed
5. let Windows 11 install and tadda!

No messing with 3rd party tools.
Click to expand...
This. If you let the 11 installer wipe all the existing partitions, and UEFI mode is on (legacy mode is off), it will make the drive GPT all in one go. At least it has in my experience.
 
Folks, I don’t want to do a clean/new install. I shouldn’t have to I’m fairly sure. Thanks for your input anyway. Hopefully someone else can chime in.

Edit:
I will update to 11 later at some point. I plan to keep 10 for awhile. There are some Windows updates that won't install because my system is not GPT I suspect. This one for example kb5034763. I have a lot of apps on my D drive I don't want to reinstall from scratch at this time. I also own Aomei Backupper I use for backup.
 
Last edited:
I've only ever used MBRtoGPT.exe that's built right into Windows. Ran it from a command prompt while booted into a Windows install USB. Shut down, disable CSM/Legacy mode so you're in full UEFI mode. Ensure TPM and Secure Boot is fully enabled and then you can "Update".

Understand that no one here is really ever going to suggest updating as it just leads to more issues especially if its an old install of Windows 10.
 
criccio said:
I've only ever used MBRtoGPT.exe that's built right into Windows. Ran it from a command prompt while booted into a Windows install USB. Shut down, disable CSM/Legacy mode so you're in full UEFI mode. Ensure TPM and Secure Boot is fully enabled and then you can "Update".

Understand that no one here is really ever going to suggest updating as it just leads to more issues especially if its an old install of Windows 10.
Click to expand...
Exactly. A clean install ensures less headache and honestly configures the system properly. If you’re going to the newest OS, it only makes sense to do it properly in this case.

I suspect as noted above there is a workaround or possible way to do it but I’d double make sure my data was backed up before trying it. Starting fresh with GPT makes sense.
 
There is different level of need in terms of a system ever having issue or not, for a lot of non enterprise use... so what if an issue ever happens ? In a sense. Specially when the worst that can happen is having to format and do a fresh install, the exact suggestion to avoid the issue proposed, obviously if the computer do anything important than it is different, the worst that can happen is to stop to work when it matter a lot).

Lot of people went from 7-8 to 10 without ever formatting even to 11, not that big of a deal on personal device, if it is ever a big deal with issue that arise, the format then will be quite similar to the format at install time.

Not everything need to be decided to be risk-free over convenience, like there was any stake in play.
 
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LukeTbk said:
Lot of people went from 7-8 to 10 without ever formatting
Click to expand...
That's me but I did skip 8.
I haven't installed a fresh OS since 2011 on my gaming PC plus am now on my 3rd CPU/mobo without fresh Windows install. PC has always been fine.

I'm getting off topic, hopefully more will give input on changes to my particular mobo BIOS.
 
HardBytes said:
70 year old needs sanity check. It's not that I don't know how to install a clean OS, it's just that I don't think it's necessary.
Read so much in the interweb that's is a bit conflicting so I decided to post here. Been coming here everyday, just don't post much.

System:
Asus Z490-A
I9-10850K
Windows 10 Pro
These meet Windows 11 requirements

Current OS drive is MBR. Contents of NVME drive is - System reserve| C partiton| D partition.

Use Aomei partiton assistant pro (which I have license) to convert MBR to GPT first?
Then reboot into BIOS and make which changes?

Current BIOS setting:
Boot>Secure boot> OS type is currently set to Other OS
(Change OS Type, from Other OS, to Windows UEFI Mode, under Secure Boot section?)

Boot>compatible support module config:
Launch CSM (currently ....Enabled (disable?) Disabling allows using Resize-Bar also
Boot device control (currently) ....UEFI and Legacy OPROM
Boot from network device (currently) ....Legacy only
Boot from storage device (currently) ....Legacy only
Boot from PCI-E/PCI expansion devices (currently) ....Legacy only

Advanced\PCH-FW configuration:
PTT currently set to Disable (Enable?) This setting enables TPM 2.0

Am I missing something?

Hopefully you folks who feel pretty confident the right way to do this can help me make the leap. I can upload screenshot's if necessary.

Thanks so much!
Click to expand...
yup, basically and i get where youre coming from. turn off all legacy stuff, enable tpm and convert to gpt. ive done it 10-12 times without issue only difference is i just used windows built in mbr to gpt conversion tool.
 
LukeTbk said:
Lot of people went from 7-8 to 10 without ever formatting even to 11
Click to expand...
me: 7-8-8.1-10-11 all insiders, no issues. my current install started in like 2011/12...
its also moved between various hardware multiple times. although that was mostly after 10.
 
So your saying convert to GPT while in Windows, then reboot to BIOS and then make changes.
CMS off
Change OS Type, from Other OS, to Windows UEFI Mode.
Launch CSM : change to disable.
TPM to enable.
Turn off all legacy stuff.
This should allow it to boot to Windows?
 
HardBytes said:
So your saying convert to GPT while in Windows, then reboot to BIOS and then make changes.
CMS off
Change OS Type, from Other OS, to Windows UEFI Mode.
Launch CSM : change to disable.
TPM to enable.
Turn off all legacy stuff.
This should allow it to boot to Windows?
Click to expand...
its done outside, from a command prompt.
yup to the rest.

1709170290520.png

shift+restart = advanced startup, in case you didnt know...
as always, backup anything absolutely critical though.
 
10 will still receive updates for another year so it's definitely OK to hang on a bit longer.

When you do decide to move to 11, that may be good time to clean install. One reason in particular is that there are some security features in 11 that can only be enabled on a clean install.

The way I would approach it is use that opportunity to update your mobo BIOS which will reset everything to defaults which should include TPM and UEFI boot enabled. Switch the storage controller to AHCI mode. Also verify you have Intel VT-D enabled and disable Asus Armoury Crate.

Then disconnect every hard drive except for the SSD you want to install Windows on. When you boot to the install media, click through until the screen where it says to choose the OS install disk. Press Shift +10 to bring up cmd prompt.

Type in
diskpart <press enter>
List disk <press enter>
Look for the SSD drive (should have 2 drives listed, the SSD and the USB install disk)
Select disk # where # is the number of the disk <press enter>
clean <press enter>

What this does is remove the volumes and the initialization from the disk (your MBR partition scheme). Then alt tab back to the installer and press refresh. You'll see the disk unallocated. When you click it and choose next, Windows installer will automatically initialize it as GPT. It's basically like you are installing the OS on a brand new disk that has nothing on it.
 
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One issue I have now discovered is I've lost the ability to Override boot order. If I wanted to restore my OS drive I have to be able to boot from CD where Aomei boot disk will be. Aomei GUI would appear which would allow me to restore a saved backup. Only option I have in my BIOS is to boot only from the M.2 OS drive. Got to research that.
 
HardBytes said:
One issue I have now discovered is I've lost the ability to Override boot order. If I wanted to restore my OS drive I have to be able to boot from CD where Aomei boot disk will be. Aomei GUI would appear which would allow me to restore a saved backup. Only option I have in my BIOS is to boot only from the M.2 OS drive. Got to research that.
Click to expand...
there should be a "uefi boot options" section that lets you select what is bootable. also, CD?! time to move to a usb stick :)
 
BIOS boot screen.jpg

"uefi boot options"
Click to expand...

The only Boot option I have is the OS drive.
Changes BIOS from Legacy, enabling TPM and secure boot, all my Boot Override options went away.

pendragon1 said:
CD?! time to move to a usb stick
Click to expand...
I know LOL. I like it on a CD. Even if was on USB, I still don't have an option to boot from it. Frustrating.
 
HardBytes said:
View attachment 639680


The only Boot option I have is the OS drive.
Changes BIOS from Legacy, enabling TPM and secure boot, all my Boot Override options went away.


I know LOL. I like it on a CD. Even if was on USB, I still don't have an option to boot from it. Frustrating.
Click to expand...
yeah, thats normal, you switched to uefi so if those arent uefi they wont boot.
if a boot usb is uefi compatible, it will show up. you cd isnt, so it doesnt.
welcome to modern booting ;)
 
Ah OK. So I'll have to search how to make a USB UEFI bootable.

Thanks

It will have to be able to boot the AOMEI GUI so I can restore my OS drive if needed.
 
I edited that post by adding "It will have to be able to boot the AOMEI GUI so I can restore my OS drive if needed."
 
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