Remove the USB drive during the first restart countdown to prevent a loop. 🚀 Phase 6: Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE)
Search for "Defragment and Optimize Drives" and verify the OS recognizes the drive as an SSD. If you want to optimize your setup, tell me: The exact Windows version (Windows 10 or 11?) Your drive type (SATA SSD, NVMe M.2, or mechanical HDD?) The PC type (Custom desktop or specific laptop model?) how to load windows on a new hard drive
If you already have a Windows installation USB, skip to Phase 2. Remove the USB drive during the first restart
Physically mount the new drive into your computer. Turn off and unplug the PC first. For Desktop Computers Open the computer side panel. Mount the drive into an empty bay. Connect the to the motherboard. Connect the SATA power cable from the power supply. Physically mount the new drive into your computer
Immediately tap the BIOS/UEFI access key. Common keys include , F12 , Delete , or F10 . Navigate to the Boot or Boot Priority tab using arrow keys.