Guide: Installing Windows

[Hellbovine]

1) In this thread, the guide states in the beginning steps of 4C to delete old partitions. Are you skipping that step? The thing to pay attention to there is to make sure if you have any additional drives installed that you don't delete the wrong partition. For example, I have a C: drive SSD and another SSD as D: drive, both attached internally. I use C: drive for Windows and software, while I use my D: drive to store backup files, NTLite projects, etcetera. At the Windows Setup screen, I have to always make sure to delete only the 3 partitions that are Windows, without touching the 2nd drive.

2) Be careful with Rufus, it can add its own unattend file that can replace/interfere with a custom one. Rufus isn't needed at all to do anything in my guides or even in the general Windows install process, and more tools used in conjunction with NTLite or guides tends to result in problems due to issues like these that people aren't aware of. More tools also introduce more bugs and opportunity for user error. This guide (link) is how I prepare a Windows image.

3) Virtual machines complicate everything, so always try to install things the real way as a troubleshooting method if it doesn't work in a VM. That software has a number of bugs, as well as quirks that aren't obvious, such as the fact that these types of software can also install their own tweaks without informing the user, and we've had threads here that were resolved only after we discovered it was the VM software intentionally overriding things and causing problems. There's also a lot of general issues with Windows system requirements not being met in misconfigured VM installs.

4) As for trying to use a single drive to have multiple partitions and operating systems, I don't really know the optimal way to handle scenarios like that, because in my view it will always be a suboptimal approach, compared to alternatives that are faster and easier, so I avoid complications like that entirely. For example, installing a second physical drive, so that it's two pieces of hardware will be infinitely easier to manage. That concept is why I have two drives, because then I can keep everything volatile like Windows on C: drive, and all my tools and files on D: drive.

 

[audiobabble]

1) In this thread, the guide states in the beginning steps of 4C to delete old partitions. Are you skipping that step?

hmm... never thought of deleting the partition first, then formatting it.... was just going to for an immediate re-format. Like I said, that 'appeared' to work from within Windows, only to find that actually the data is still there as far as the windows installer is concerned.
[EDIT] looking at 4C again... indeed, I neglected to mention that the 'delete' option was not clickable during the installer process.

Rufus isn't needed at all to do anything in my guides

yes I know -- for whatever reason the method of just copying all the files onto a USB stick didn't work for me, it was not bootable (yes, I have hidden files/folders showing and am running as admin). Hence, I checked the 'make iso' option in NTLite and used rufus to make a bootable from that.

Virtual machines complicate everything

Not using a virtual machine... maybe you're remembering my previous post when I was still just testing.

installing a second physical drive,

oh if only! I'm on a 13" Razer laptop which, like most modern laptops, has no room for an extra drive. My old lenovo x230 was great on that score but sadly a bit out-of-date now (although I still use it).

So anyway... gparted live usb allowed me to properly format a new partition for a fresh install as well as get rid of the multiple 100MB partitions created by the install process.

Still got an error at the end of first install stage while still running off the USB that the installer was 'unable to mount' something or other, but I just did a hard restart, pulled the usb out and everything went on as normal from there.

Very happy to say I finally have an OS that's running just how I want it. Audio is what I'm concerned with optimizing for and (for those who know what this means), I'm able to run my ASIO driver at 32 samples buffer and play guitar live into an fx/amp sim plugin with no jitters or spits, whatsoever. Previously, I was lucky to manage 128 samples. Not bad considering it's a laptop with an i7 1065G7, which Razer saw fit to 'choke' with limited power as well.

Thanks Hellbovine - I am extremely grateful for all your hard work and dedication in making and maintaining such comprehensive, clear guides.

 

[coax256]

I'm not trying to be curt, but we helpers literally rehash this same stuff every day or week, depending on how many new members are joining at the time, and it's exhausting

Sounds like the Jeep forums I frequent. Newcomers will come on asking what the biggest tire size they can use without any modifications.

 

[coax256]

Secondly, every time I run the installer, it creates a 100MB partition on my main system drive, which again I am unable to get rid of from within Windows disk management.

We're you talking about the EFI partition? That is an important partition and the reason you couldn't remove it from within Windows. It is odd that you had six. I've never had that happen to me.

 

[audiobabble]

We're you talking about the EFI partition? That is an important partition and the reason you couldn't remove it from within Windows. It is odd that you had six. I've never had that happen to me.

it's not the EFI partition, actually I don't know why I said 100MB, they're actually 500MB and in Linux are described as 'windows recovery partition' IRRC. Have been fine deleting them with gparted though.

 

[Uhuru Stevi Morris]

MS is regulated by EU laws, so stop with the tin foil about steganography. The fines for violating those rules runs into the billions of Euros, and Brussels isn't shy about delivering stiff fines.

Bottom line: if you have a licensed copy of NTLite, remove the Asimov component which is responsible for collecting and uploading telemetry.

Otherwise the GPO's which completely block telemetry don't apply to Home or Pro editions, but you can set it to a minimum amount of data permissible by EU rules. 3rd-party apps like O&O ShutUp10 are better suited for blocking telemetry, since they're very detailed about chasing down all the exact settings.

Good advice been using O&O Shutup with every NTLite Update.

I've talked to Garlin before About my custom setup, which I'd been creating since XP modding each Windows heavilly from the moment I got online & a PC in 2005. only really started using NTLite since W11.

My gaming setup is offline focused (Single Player Games) & Upgrading that takes a week, not got time & I have had a life changing experience.

I now need a "Social Media" capable W11P (Still using W7U License), but still privacy focused.
In my flat I'm in control of everything on my PC. Local Account.

No idea how, but I need to set up a non gaming dual OS linking my phone & PC, passkeys look like the solution.
So I want control of that on my PC & phone.

It's knowing what works for both that isn't handing control to corporations.
is their a preset for that, only looked at the gaming ones, then went DIY as usual.

 

[Uhuru Stevi Morris]

it's not the EFI partition, actually I don't know why I said 100MB, they're actually 500MB and in Linux are described as 'windows recovery partition' IRRC. Have been fine deleting them with gparted though.

Easy, just make manual choices to install in different places, I had it happen accidentally once. (Edit: those were EFI partitions to be clear)

To remove them I had to make that entire section free space, then reformat & let MS divide that as a new install.
I used a tool called Visual BCD to backup my dual boot setup, then merged them somehow (manual edits likely).