Solved Something I haven't seen during a fresh install of Windows 11 before

Hi,

I wanted to post this question here too.

Upon booting to my USB to reinstall, I did the normal things, selecting the initial language, time and currency and keyboard input. Then did the usual delete partitions to just have two drives with Unallocated Space, then selecting the 1TB drive to install to.

But on the next screen with the 5 stages of installing Windows, a window appeared that I have never seen before during these reinstalls of Windows 11. It was a Windows Setup window and said - "Windows needs to restart to continue"

It automatically restarted in the allocated seconds, about 10 seconds or so..then it went and did a few things, like starting services etc, then ended up on the screen where I select my country/region. All seemed to go OK/normal from here to the desktop.

But, my main question here is - why did this happen if it never happened before upon my few reinstalls of Windows 11? Is it something to be concerned about? Would it be due to the fact I deleted them UserChoice folders in the reistry? Or, is it because I have reinstalled too many times now? I reckon this is about my sixth time doing a clean install. I am nearly sure it is only since I deleted them registry keys that it started happening. So strange. The registry keys I deleted are from this post:


Would it be related in any way to this?
Thanks

That is 100% normal. Windows always does a restart after if copies the needed files to the HDD / SSD when doing a clean install.

I have done hundreds of clean installs and it always, always, always does a reboot.

In fact, it is at this point in the installation where you can safely remove your installation media. It is no longer needed because everything has been copied to the internal drive.

Are you certain that in your other installations it was a clean install that you were performing?

Hi @hsehestedt

I'm nearly certain this window didn't appear during the previous clean installs. Either that or I must be losing it :)

Yes, in my other installations it was a clean install, booting from the USB that I created using the Create Windows 11 Installation Media method.

Maybe some whizz person on this forum who knows Windows inside out will know why this has happened. I really panicked when the window appeared.

Would it be because I did too many clean installs? About six I reckon.

RedLad said:

Hi @hsehestedt

I'm nearly certain this window didn't appear during the previous clean installs. Either that or I must be losing it :)

Yes, in my other installations it was a clean install, booting from the USB that I created using the Create Windows 11 Installation Media method.

Maybe some whizz person on this forum who knows Windows inside out will know why this has happened. I really panicked when the window appeared.

Would it be because I did too many clean installs? About six I reckon.

Click to expand...

Occasionally... it doesn't appear, (like when we go to... get a cup of coffee or something), and miss it's appearance.
In fact, it's been appearing (rebooting), since at least the XP days.


Back in the XP days, there was always that burning question: "Do I hit any key to boot from the CD, again?"
The answer ofc was NO. But we were asked that question the 2nd time, AFTER it rebooted, during the install.


Short answer: "Don't ask questions, just do what it tells you". Signed Microsoft.



And no... I'm kidding. There are NO silly questions.




Btw... @hsehestedt ...is one of those whizz persons. ^^

Well good to know it isn't anything bad.

I'm nearly sure it didn't appear before. But then again, maybe I'm going insane with it and I did indeed see this window six times before haha

RedLad said:

Well good to know it isn't anything bad.

I'm nearly sure it didn't appear before. But then again, maybe I'm going insane with it and I did indeed see this window six times before haha

Click to expand...

I think a lot of the time, we decide to... quick get something to drink, or stop watching the screen to respond to the wife or the kids, or answer the phone... etc., and "miss" the reboot. Especially since we have lightning fast SSDs, these days.



See step #12, here...


Or step #16 here...

Ghot said:

I think a lot of the time, we decide to... quick get something to drink, or stop watching the screen to respond to the wife or the kids, or answer the phone... etc., and "miss" the reboot. Especially since we have lightning fast SSDs, these days.



See step #12, here...

Clean Install Windows 11

This tutorial will show you step by step on how to clean install Windows 11 at boot on your PC with or without an Internet connection and setup with a local account or Microsoft account. Windows 11 has all the power and security of Windows 10 with a redesigned and refreshed look. It also comes...

www.elevenforum.com

Or step #16 here...

Clean Install Windows 10

How to Clean Install Windows 10

www.tenforums.com

Click to expand...

Thanks for that @Ghot

You know what? I'll sleep well tonight!

RedLad said:

Thanks for that @Ghot

You know what? I'll sleep well tonight!

Click to expand...

A lot of the time, I have trouble sleeping.
This picture is my... Holy Grail.

Ghot said:

View attachment 55716

A lot of the time, I have trouble sleeping.
This picture is my... Holy Grail.

Click to expand...

It's a lovely picture I must say! Very calming

RedLad said:

It's a lovely picture I must say! Very calming

Click to expand...

It's the pic on Celestial Seasonings - Sleepy Time Tea.

RedLad said:

Hi @hsehestedt

I'm nearly certain this window didn't appear during the previous clean installs. Either that or I must be losing it :)

Click to expand...

It has happened on every single clean install of Windows 10 and 11 from a USB flash on every computer since the very first insider edition of Windows 10.

Just so that this is not only coming from us on the forum, take a look at this document from Microsoft called "Windows Setup Installation Process":


In particular, note item 6 of the first phase of Windows setup:

"Process answer file settings in the offlineServicing configuration pass. The settings are applied to the Windows image before that Windows image boots. When the computer first boots, any optional components, drivers, updates, or language packs are processed."

So, yes, the reboot is an inherent and necessary part of the setup as the system is actually booting the Windows image at that point in setup.

@NavyLCDR @hsehestedt thanks. The fact I thought I hadn't seen this part of the installation process before is worrying to me!

Anyway, thanks for clearing it up to all who replied in this thread

I have done many Windows 10 and 11 installations. In many of them the configurations happens on the background and the computer restarts for the next stage without me being able to see anything on screen. In others it takes a little longer and I see the screen you described. So this happens every time, but sometimes it is too fast to actually show anything on screen, other times takes a little longer. Nothing to worry about. I would worry only If I saw the dreaded "Something happened" message that tells installation failed for some reason and I have to start over.