New clean install using Rufus - Partitioning incompatibilities

[eco_bach]

Hi guys
Decided I needed to do a clean format of my PC for a Windows Install. Last time I did this was when I built my PC over 5 years ago and obviously should have taken better notes!
I have a dual boot setup with Disk 0 being my Linux install and Disk 1 at least WAS my Windows install. Running an AMD Megatrends BIOS.

But I don't care about dual boot at this point. I simply need to get Windows up and running!

WIll take you thru the steps sequentially to show you where I am at.
First created bootable USB media using defaults with Rufus.

And my first question
Does Rufus by default create 2 bootable partitions on your USB, UEFI and non-UEFI?
And my first error when I chose what I believe is the non-UEFI USB partition to boot from in my BIOS
(see attached)

To solve I followed the 2nd option and recreated my Rufus USB using MBR.
Then when booting agqin I get errors 2 and 3
My goal is to simply do a clean install of Windows 10 on Disk 1.
But so even if I have to install on Disks 2 or 3 thats ok as well! (error is saying the partition type is incorrect)

Starting new job Monday and was actually hoping to do real work this weekend so ill be forever grateful for anyone that can walk me thru this!

 

[don256us]

1) Backup all data or disconnect drives other than the one you wish to install.
2) Remove all partitions using the options listed in your error2 picture.
3) Use the installation media as downloaded from MS. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows-99a58364-8c02-206f-aa6f-40c3b507420d
4) Install and be happy.

 

[shadowdr]

Looking for the answer as well. I have several disks all of then SSD now. I had installed back in 2012 or around that time. I had mixed disks at the time and have since upgraded to larger SSD's. I have been having problems with Windows update complaining about UEFI partition but have dual UEFI bios. Problem happened when I upgraded my disk 0 to a larger SSD using Acronis because provided software would not install to an active disk. The original was migrated to another drive letter and still exists in my system but is not the Windows disk. With six different disks containing a huge amount of data I am unwilling to break the install but something is missing on the hidden boot drive and cannot figure out how to fix without a reinstall. I think we have the same issue even though it looks different. I used to be very knowledgeable about disks but so much has changed in the last twenty years that I am unaware of the hidden pre windows boot partitions. I used Ghost for many years without problems but without a floppy and CD's that are now unreadable I am having a time figuring out the problem with what is missing.

 

[EarthDog]

I have been having problems with Windows update complaining about UEFI partition but have dual UEFI bios

The UEFI partition and Dual UEFI BIOS are two completely different things...

One literally lets you know there are two BIOS chips on the board (Dual UEFI BIOS) so you can have two different BIOS' available to boot from, the other (UEFI Partition) is what Windows does to your storage to install on it (partitions out a space for UEFI to run).

EFI system partition - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You can try using that bootloader program (not sure of the name offhand but if the Windows bootloader doesn't fix it - plenty of google how tos - ...try this - get the name from C6727... ) and see if that rectifies your issue.

 

[shadowdr]

The UEFI partition and Dual UEFI BIOS are two completely different things...

One literally lets you know there are two BIOS chips on the board (Dual UEFI BIOS) so you can have two different BIOS' available to boot from, the other (UEFI Partition) is what Windows does to your storage to install on it (partitions out a space for UEFI to run).

EFI system partition - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You can try using that bootloader program (not sure of the name offhand but if the Windows bootloader doesn't fix it - plenty of google how tos - ...try this - get the name from C6727... ) and see if that rectifies your issue.

Thanks for the reply, wasn't really trying to take over the OP's post, but I think we were both having a similar issue. Indeed I think the answer I was looking for was involved with the initial post. I think that he was using a USB that had a GPT formatted partition as did the hard disk. I think the answer for him was to format the USB using FAT or NTFS or change the bios to boot UEFI, best option. In my case I was booting with a legacy/UEFI boot mode so I didn't have a problem with the Acronis program being a legacy program but Windows wouldn't update. After enough looking I found out that there is a Mbr2gpt in systen32 folder and command prompt that with switches automatically added the GPT file system. All I had to do was enable UEFI only in bios and Windows finally updated.

 

[EarthDog]

Right.. not trying to have you take it over, but wanted to make sure you have the right information (and those reading it) to move forward. Fixing your brakes doesn't make the AC blow colder, ya know?

 

[don256us]

I'm confused as to why RUFUS is a thing here. I've never needed another program to install an OS. Not Windows, Not Linux, Not Pi. Why do you need RUFUS? Can you just install Windows with the MS installer?

 

[EarthDog]

I'm confused as to why RUFUS is a thing here. I've never needed another program to install an OS. Not Windows, Not Linux, Not Pi. Why do you need RUFUS? Can you just install Windows with the MS installer?

My suggestion is to read some of the OP's other threads... we suggested NOT to reinstall (he had Linux and Windows) because dude was tweaked about some BIOS virus he doesn't have.

But yeah, install Windows with USB Creation Tool.... no need for Rufus... just disconnect your Linux drive when installing windows and vice versa when installing your distro.

 

[don256us]

I think I see the problem. Stop installing Linux.

 

[shadowdr]

I think that the OP's problem was RUFUS to begin with. By the fist page that was attached it appears that RUFUS had installed a file system on the USB only bootable by UEFI in bios. His bios was probably set to legacy/UEFI mode. That was the issue I was having as when I copied the windows drive, a legacy MBR was also present on the drive that was copied. When I copied the hard drive with Acronis it was not aware that it also had a hidden GPT boot sector separate from the original 500 mb legacy boot partition (if that is even the correct verbiage) because I had done an upgrade with Windows 10 instead of a new install. Unfortunately for me my version of Acronis was crap and did not recognize that the partition was GPT no did I. It would only boot when set to legacy or legacy/UEFI in bios. The difference in a GPT in windows 10 and MBR in prior versions is not vey well documented and without knowing they boot using a different hidden sector, you might never find the info that describes the problem or the fix. The Op was installing to a drive with an older MBR because he preformatted using RUFUS to an NTFS file system but using a UEFI formatted USB to boot with. The bios could see the USB but could not install to the drive with an older version MBR. When upgrading the newer GPT hides the original MBR from the GPT partition file system but leaves it intact anyway. The GPT sees it but is unaware it is a boot sector and hides it from Windows but not from drive management. I can see why the OP thought that there might have been a bios virus present because the process is hardly documented anywhere. I am not even sure where exactly the boot files are located, perhaps in bios but some documentation still points to a hidden sector on the hard drive.
In my case the change from implementing the GPT system and changing bios selection the hidden MBR was then identifiable by the Windows system and assigned a new hard drive letter. Looks like I have a lot of reading to do to fully understand all of the differences.

 

[DoubleCLock]

I think that the OP's problem was RUFUS to begin with. By the fist page that was attached it appears that RUFUS had installed a file system on the USB only bootable by UEFI in bios. His bios was probably set to legacy/UEFI mode. That was the issue I was having as when I copied the windows drive, a legacy MBR was also present on the drive that was copied. When I copied the hard drive with Acronis it was not aware that it also had a hidden GPT boot sector separate from the original 500 mb legacy boot partition (if that is even the correct verbiage) because I had done an upgrade with Windows 10 instead of a new install. Unfortunately for me my version of Acronis was crap and did not recognize that the partition was GPT no did I. It would only boot when set to legacy or legacy/UEFI in bios. The difference in a GPT in windows 10 and MBR in prior versions is not vey well documented and without knowing they boot using a different hidden sector, you might never find the info that describes the problem or the fix. The Op was installing to a drive with an older MBR because he preformatted using RUFUS to an NTFS file system but using a UEFI formatted USB to boot with. The bios could see the USB but could not install to the drive with an older version MBR. When upgrading the newer GPT hides the original MBR from the GPT partition file system but leaves it intact anyway. The GPT sees it but is unaware it is a boot sector and hides it from Windows but not from drive management. I can see why the OP thought that there might have been a bios virus present because the process is hardly documented anywhere. I am not even sure where exactly the boot files are located, perhaps in bios but some documentation still points to a hidden sector on the hard drive.
In my case the change from implementing the GPT system and changing bios selection the hidden MBR was then identifiable by the Windows system and assigned a new hard drive letter. Looks like I have a lot of reading to do to fully understand all of the differences.

Post magically merged: Aug 11, 2023

here was my experience. i have an asus tuf f15. after many many times of finally being able to boot the rufus iso i couldnt see any partitions for my self. but in the end i had to do what everyone said not to do. i had fast boot off (normal) i had secure boot on(weird) but i had no keys on PK or anything selected for keys. i had also used command prompt to format the large sized partion for hard disk. with all that i was able to see all partitions and i got the same warning as OP but im in middle of install now as we speak

 

[Flamethrower1972]

Hi guys
Decided I needed to do a clean format of my PC for a Windows Install. Last time I did this was when I built my PC over 5 years ago and obviously should have taken better notes!
I have a dual boot setup with Disk 0 being my Linux install and Disk 1 at least WAS my Windows install. Running an AMD Megatrends BIOS.

But I don't care about dual boot at this point. I simply need to get Windows up and running!

WIll take you thru the steps sequentially to show you where I am at.
First created bootable USB media using defaults with Rufus.

And my first question
Does Rufus by default create 2 bootable partitions on your USB, UEFI and non-UEFI?
And my first error when I chose what I believe is the non-UEFI USB partition to boot from in my BIOS
(see attached)

To solve I followed the 2nd option and recreated my Rufus USB using MBR.
Then when booting agqin I get errors 2 and 3
My goal is to simply do a clean install of Windows 10 on Disk 1.
But so even if I have to install on Disks 2 or 3 thats ok as well! (error is saying the partition type is incorrect)

Starting new job Monday and was actually hoping to do real work this weekend so ill be forever grateful for anyone that can walk me thru this!

I love Rufus its Strate forward and easy to use and I have never had a problem while using it.

 

[knoober]

I think I see the problem. Stop installing Linux.

Nah, Stop installing Windows!

In all seriousness, Windows blows away the linux bootloader and you need to do a little extra config to get dual boot working correctly afterwords. Its not a big deal, but can be confusing if you aren't expecting it. This page from the archwiki will give alot of info about it. Even though it is for Arch, the principles can be extrapolated for most distros. In a worst case you can boot into a LiveISO and reinstall GRUB. Make sure to tell it to look for OS partitions and they will be added to the GRUB menu. Windows is just a jerk and demands that its own bootloader be used, at its bootloader can only see... you guessed it.. Windows.

Hopefully the OP finds that link usefull as well. I would personally just use the MS USB creation tool > install Windows > reinstall grub.