Never-ending nightmare for Windows 11 newbie, please help.

SIW2 said:

I have downloaded recovery media for win10 ( not for win11) via the recovery tool.
It is installation media with oem drivers and unwanted crud included.

Don't confuse the drivers in your current installation with winpe specific drivers. They are not necessarily the same. Often winpe drivers will only include the parts that are needed for boot.wim/winre.wim/winpe.wim and the inf files can be different and apply different registry settings.

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Admittedly, and without any doubt, I originally confused the two.

However, now that I know IRST is different from outside of Windows and from within Windows (loosely paraphrased lol), does this sofpaq meet my needs? I seem to recall somewhere in this thread that the contents of an F6 folder is needed for outside of Windows. I have an F6 folder with visible contents in it.

I also just realized that I have a second IRST driver in my driver backup folder from HP Support. It is sofpaq: sp121427. It also contains an F6 folder.

Below are the release notes from HP for both sofpaqs. Notice the one on the left has a notation (TGL). Presumably, this represents TigerLake, however, it is actually the older of the two sofpaqs.

The drivers in the f6 folder will be for winpe. (I have heard that in the olden days you had to press F6 on the keyboard to get the option to browse for drivers which is probably why they are called that )

The drivers in the zip file I posted are the latest ones supplied by HP. If the drivers you already have are a diferent version number, they might still work.

There are two ways of using the winpe drivers

1) they can be integrated directly into the winpe image using dism.

OR

2) they can be loaded after winpe has started by using the "load driver" option and browsing to the driver folder. In your case browse to the F6 folders.

JDHinAL said:

Admittedly, and without any doubt, I originally confused the two.

However, now that I know IRST is different from outside of Windows and from within Windows (loosely paraphrased lol), does this sofpaq meet my needs? I seem to recall somewhere in this thread that the contents of an F6 folder is needed for outside of Windows. I have an F6 folder with visible contents in it.

I also just realized that I have a second IRST driver in my driver backup folder from HP Support. It is sofpaq: sp121427. It also contains an F6 folder.

Below are the release notes from HP for both sofpaqs. Notice the one on the left has a notation (TGL). Presumably, this represents TigerLake, however, it is actually the older of the two sofpaqs.


View attachment 77879

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I have read sooo much here in the last 24 hours that is totally foreign to me. Perhaps I am totally mistaken about the F6 folder contents being needed during a clean installation.

At this point, I really should go back to the beginning of this thread and re-read everything again so as to be certain that my questions are spot on and not in left field somewhere.

Many thanks to everyone who has helped me this far.

On my way back to the beginning of the thread now... and taking notes this time around!

Little bit of info from dell

TGL=tigerlake
ADL=alderlake
RPL=raptorlake




That is probably why HP are now also supplying 19.5.x as the vmd driver - it works for all.
HP supply 18.3.x for non vmd now.

DELL supply 19.5.x as the vmd driver
and 18.7.x for non vmd

If the op has the 18.3.x or the 18.7.x already, the f6 folder will probably work for his tigerlake as per the table above. That is assuming it contains the vmd driver.

It should contain these:

SIW2 said:

The drivers in the f6 folder will be for winpe. (I have heard that in the olden days you had to press F6 on the keyboard to get the option to browse for drivers which is probably why they are called that )

The drivers in the zip file I posted are the latest ones supplied by HP. If the drivers ypu already have are a diferent version number, they might still work.

There are two ways of using the winpe drivers

1) they can be integrated directly into the winpe image using dism.

OR

2) they can be loaded after winpe has started by using the "load driver" option and browsing to the driver folder. In your case browse to the F6 folders.

Click to expand...

Oh, what a relief! I did accurately retain something I read here. One itty-bitty confirmation and I'm inspired again to go forth and conquer. Just kidding... I'm still quaking in my shoes!

Anyway, I'm returning to reading the whole thread again.

Thanks bunches!

@SIW2, sorry for my ignorance but what is VMD? I thought that it was a Virtual Machine Drive.

JDHinAL said:

I decided to do a reinstall of Windows 11 myself using the HP Cloud Recovery, which I thought would get me back to OOBE.

Yikes, upon reaching my desktop and watching Windows 11 Update, I observed multiple driver DUPLICATES trying to install... as many as three in a couple of cases! After Windows 11 Update finally quit brawling with itself, I installed HP Support Assistant. HPSA had its own recommendations for drivers. I installed the five presented to me.

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I am editing my previous post for accidentally misspeaking. What actually occurred:

... I decided to do a reinstall of Windows 11 myself using the HP Cloud Recovery Tool, which I thought would get me back to OOBE.

After the reinstall, I installed HP Support Assistant and checked for updates. It was actually HPSA that was brawling within itself. No driver update failures were ever reported... just one identical driver version after another cueing and then seemingly installing. (In a couple of instances, as many as three identical driver versions were clearly visible in cue.)

After this odd behavior from HPSA, I went to the HP Support page for my laptop model. I ran its online recommendations. It recommended five drivers. I installed them, hoping doing so would help make right anything that might have gone wrong during HPSA's odd behavior.

Megahertz said:

- As soon as you finish installation, disable Onedrive or Uninstall Onedrive

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@Megahertz

I'm trying to wrap my very confused head around Win 11's OneDrive.

At the time that my old laptop ceased updating (Win 10 1809), OneDrive was visible in File Explorer's navigation pane... with only my empty Personal Vault visible in it. However, I perpetually remained signed out and never actually used OneDrive. But... it was nice to have it in File Explorer if I ever needed it. Presumably, all I had to do was click on it and sign in, then sign out when I was done. In a nutshell, I guess it served me more or less as a handy shortcut.

With Win 11, I still don't object to OneDrive being visible in File Explorer's navigation pane... as a handy shortcut... however, I want to be absolutely certain that it won't sync any file anywhere on my laptop... NEVER, EVER.

If I'm understanding the tuts for OneDrive via this forum, then:

1.) Disabling OneDrive will prevent it from showing up in File Explorer's navigation pane. Thereby, my handy shortcut to OneDrive is gone.

2.) And, of course, uninstalling OneDrive will also prevent it from showing up in File Explorer's navigation pane. Thereby, again, my handy shortcut to OneDrive is gone.

3.) However, OneDrive can be used by signing into it via OneDrive.com. And I can create my own shortcut, putting it anywhere I want.

Note: I plan on clean installing Win 11 with a local account in place solely to avoid OneDrive's auto-syncing.

1.) Is there any way to have OneDrive set up as it seemed to function on my Win 10 1809, or are those days long gone... visible, but quite inactive unless I choose to MOMENTARILY use it? Is this scenario achievable by starting with a local account and then switching to a Microsoft account?

2.) If the answer is no, then do you have a recommendation preference: Disable or Uninstall? Certainly, uninstalling OneDrive will keep it from syncing, but is disabling it a better option for any reason?

3.) If I have to disable or uninstall OneDrive, will my settings still sync to it?

If I failed to explain my thoughts well enough, please let me know.

Many sincere thanks for your continued input!

Megahertz said:

- Backup all Win 11 drivers to an external drive.

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@Megahertz

I backed up all of my drivers a few days ago. For learning purposes, I used all three methods shown in the tut. Two of the methods gave me exactly the same number of files in each of their driver folders, however, the pnputil Command was minus one file in nearly all of its driver folders. Upon discovering this discrepancy, I deleted all of the driver backups performed by pnputil Command... keeping only the driver backups performed by DISM Command and Export-WindowsDriver Command.

Obviously, restoring the drivers using the pnputil Command will be a quicker process than restoring each individual driver via Device Manager. However, can I rely on pnputil Command to restore every file from one of the other two methods if it originally dropped one of those files in its own backup process?

For example, using DISM Command and Export-WindowsDriver Command resulted in 10 files showing in their own ABC driver folder. Whereas, pnputil Command resulted in only 09 files showing in its ABC driver folder.

As I previously stated, I have already deleted the actual backup performed by pnputil Command, so I had to create the scenario above of a fake number of files contained in a fake driver folder. I hope it makes sense.

Many thanks again!

JDHinAL said:

I want to be absolutely certain that it won't sync any file anywhere on my laptop... NEVER, EVER.

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do this Turn On or Off OneDrive Folder Backup Syncing Across Windows 11 Devices Tutorial
then do this

glasskuter said:

do this Turn On or Off OneDrive Folder Backup Syncing Across Windows 11 Devices Tutorial
then do this

Unlink Account and PC from OneDrive in Windows 11

This tutorial will you how to remove an account and unlink your PC from OneDrive for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11. You can use OneDrive to sync files and folders between your computer and the cloud, so you can get to your files from anywhere - your computer, your mobile device, and...

www.elevenforum.com

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@glasskuter

Thank you bunches for the 1, 2 steps! I've learned the hard way that if something isn't done in precisely the right order, then the anticipated action probably won't happen as expected.

Megahertz said:

@SIW2, sorry for my ignorance but what is VMD? I thought that it was a Virtual Machine Drive.

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volume management device according to intel

JDHinAL​

I think is time to you digest what we wrote and then get into action.

Megahertz said:

JDHinAL​

I think is time to you digest what we wrote and then get into action.

Click to expand...

It is reassuring to know you agree with my current plan of understanding everyone's recommendations, and from there do a clean install. Thanks!

JDHinAL said:

It is reassuring to know you agree with my current plan of understanding everyone's recommendations, and from there do a clean install. Thanks!

Click to expand...

To try and fail is still the best school.

@glasskuter

I'm trying to be certain I understand your recommendations and the tut correctly.

glasskuter said:

Make sure all partitions are deleted and windows is installed on unallocated space.

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• Delete all partitions on the Drive # (ex: Drive 0) you want to install Windows 11 until that Drive # shows only as one Unallocated Space, select the unallocated space, and click/tap on Next.
• Select a Primary or unallocated partition on a drive you want to install Windows 11, Delete the partition/volume if not already unallocated, click/tap on OK to confirm, and click/tap on Next.

This is a screenshot of my current partitions. My understanding is that I should delete Windows (C:) and leave the other two partitions as they are. Is this correct?



I sincerely appreciate your help. And I truly apologize for being a nuisance.

Megahertz said:

To try and fail is still the best school.

Click to expand...

Obviously, I've been there and I'm trying my best to get out of that loop this time around. Thanks!

JDHinAL said:

@glasskuter

I'm trying to be certain I understand your recommendations and the tut correctly.

• Delete all partitions on the Drive # (ex: Drive 0) you want to install Windows 11 until that Drive # shows only as one Unallocated Space, select the unallocated space, and click/tap on Next.
• Select a Primary or unallocated partition on a drive you want to install Windows 11, Delete the partition/volume if not already unallocated, click/tap on OK to confirm, and click/tap on Next.

This is a screenshot of my current partitions. My understanding is that I should delete Windows (C:) and leave the other two partitions as they are. Is this correct?

View attachment 77975

I sincerely appreciate your help. And I truly apologize for being a nuisance.

Click to expand...

Following this now as I am also curious about this one....Seems I being doing it wrong perhaps?

Griff79 said:

Following this now as I am also curious about this one....Seems I being doing it wrong perhaps?

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My best guess is that you've probably been doing it right and that I'm the one who is misunderstanding the tut! lol

No matter how many times I read something, I seem to always misunderstand some nuance.

In this instance, I let the tut's use of drive influence my understanding of what to delete. But, with all of my recent snafus, I'm not confident in my conclusion. Hence, my question for clarification.

All the best to you!

Griff79 said:

Following this now as I am also curious about this one....Seems I being doing it wrong perhaps?

Click to expand...

- Backup all your data to an external drive.
- Create a Win 11 23h2USB installation drive using MCT.
- Boot from the Win 11 23h2 USB installation drive and do a clean install disconnected from the internet.

- Windows can be installed in two ways: Legacy-MBR or UEFI-GPT
To install as Legacy-MBR you must boot the installation drive as Legacy
To install as UEFI-GPT you must boot the installation drive as UEFI.

As you have a UEFI BIOS, you should install as UEFI-GPT
Detach any other drives .

During POST, press F12(?) to launch the boot menu. You will see two options for the USB drive. USB UEFI (Name) and USB (Name). Select USB UEFI (Name) to install as UEFI-GPT.
Go to install and delete ALL partitions on the main drive till you have one and only one unallocated space and then proceed.
If you want to use a local account