Need help with Windows 11 Pro clean install on new hard drive

Anonymous
2025-01-31T23:10:54+00:00

My subject question is a little misleading. But it best described what I intend to do.

Let me explain.

I need to reinstall Windows 11 Pro on my Dell laptop after I wipe my hard disk clean.

In other words, it's like when I helped a neighbor years ago replace his hard drive on his Lenovo laptop,

I have saved all my settings (where possible), documents, photos, downloads and emails. But could someone provide the steps and the precautions to take so my laptop ends up as close to its original state when purchased?

Steps and considerations that may not be mentioned at this link.?

Windows 11 Clean Installation Process

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I am especially curious about lost drivers and important settings.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Install and upgrade

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Francisco Montilla 30,710 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2025-02-01T22:27:26+00:00

Hi Mike,

I see that Windows is not detecting your hard drive during installation, which is common on newer Intel-based systems due to missing storage drivers. Since the Dell guide didn't work, let's try manually loading the drivers.

You can follow the guide just by searching for those drivers. As they are Intel drivers, they should be available out there without having to run any program, try to get the driver as-is (usually a folder without any executable inside a ZIP) and put that folder in the root of your USB. Then continue following the guide.

If the disk still doesn't appear, check your BIOS settings. Make sure your storage controller is set to AHCI mode instead of RAID, as RAID configurations may require additional drivers.

Let me know if this helps or if you need additional steps!

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-02-01T10:43:05+00:00

    Thanks.

    I also like this idea.

    But the clean install wants to install on my USB thumb drive -- not my 900GB hard drive. Only "Disk 0 28GB" appears in the list of install options during the steps of a Windows 11 clean install from a USB thumb drive -- which I have had success with in the past (last summer)

    In other words it appears the hard drive cannot be found during the installation and the only destination available is my thumb drive.

    So this led me to this seemingly all encompassing fix.

    My issue along with solutions is addressed at this link.

    No Drives Can Be Found During Windows 11 Installation

    Unfortunately this didn't work either. I encountered a step where I needed my missing admin rights.

    Therefore I landed on the choice of cleaning my hard drive, whereby all the aforementioned problems should disappear after a successful clean install with admin rights restored. Fingers crossed.

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  2. Francisco Montilla 30,710 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-02-01T02:38:20+00:00

    Hi Mike,

    Great! If you are looking for something to "rebuild" Windows while keeping all your data, I highly recommend to learn to do an in-place upgrade:

    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

    This will reinstall windows as if it were an update, on top of your current installation, so it will keep all your files and apps. Personally, this has saved me from multiple headaches when I had my system in an unstable state. It's worth to try. :)

    As for backup solutions, I use OneDrive myself. I can just mess with my secondary laptop because all my main computer files are available in cloud, also from my mobile in case I forget to take something important from my PC with me.

    Good luck with your learning!!

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-02-01T01:09:22+00:00

    Excellent Francisco.

    I am familiar with that Dell website. I give it 5 stars.

    I will return after I finish and mark this as solved plus anything unexpected -- so others may benefit as well.

    ++++++++++++

    As a brief aside I will be curious to see if after I get the Windows clean install up & running I can use AOMEI Backupper to restore my computer to a point where I was not having problems.

    I believe it was less than a month ago.

    If this introduces a 'gotcha' -- the need for a second clean install, so be it. As a retiree, I have lots of free time and I enjoy the challenge,

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  4. Francisco Montilla 30,710 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-02-01T00:28:16+00:00

    Hi sdmike1974,

    I'm an Independent Advisor and I'm happy to help you.

    I'm not sure if this would solve your question. As your device is a Dell laptop, they usually come with some tweaks from the manufacturer. If you want to have the closest experience as its original state, try these:

    • Install drivers from Dell website. They cover every device on your laptop with direct links.
    • Use Dell tools when wiping such as Dell Recovery tools. No need to use it now as should be no difference, but keep in mind for the future.
    • Register your laptop at Dell's official website and use their maintenance tools.

    This should keep the system in an almost identical state as when purchased.

    Feel free to ask me for additional information you would like to know. :)

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