Fresh Install of Windows 10 from USB: Troubleshooting Tips and Solutions

If you're experiencing issues with installing Windows 10 from a USB drive, you're not alone. I've encountered similar problems and would like to share my experience and troubleshooting steps that may help others in the same situation.

To begin with, I'm using a GIGABYTE GA-320M-S2H motherboard, which may be relevant information for some users. My goal is to install Windows 10 on an SSD using a USB boot disk.

After trying various methods, I was unable to successfully install Windows 10 from the USB drive. The process would repeatedly reboot, displaying the 'Preparing Automatic Repair' screen, or showing the black screen with a blinking white cursor for a few minutes before restarting.

To troubleshoot this issue, I tried creating a bootable USB drive using different settings in Rufus, including UEFI and CSM modes. I also recreated the USB several times, using two different drives to rule out any issues with the storage device itself.

Here are the steps I followed to create a Windows 10 USB media:

1. Open the official Download Windows 10 page.

2. Click on the 'Create Windows 10 installation media' section and download the Media Creation Tool.

3. Save the file to your computer and launch it by double-clicking the executable file (MediaCreationToolxxxx.exe).

4. Follow the prompts to create an installation DVD or USB drive.

I also tried using Microsoft's media creation tool to create a bootable USB drive, but unfortunately, the issue persisted.

If you're experiencing similar problems, I would recommend trying the following:

1. Check your BIOS settings and ensure that CSM support is enabled.

2. Try creating the USB drive in UEFI mode instead of CSM mode.

3. Use a different USB drive to rule out any issues with the storage device.

4. Recreate the bootable USB several times to ensure it's not a one-time issue.

By following these steps and troubleshooting tips, I hope you'll be able to successfully install Windows 10 from your USB drive. If anyone has any additional suggestions or experiences, please feel free to share them in the comments below.

Windows 10 fresh install from usb