Hi all. I have two 4TB SSDs that I want to install in the two M.2 slots. I have tried both cloning the 1TB drive to one of the 4TB drives I want to add and I have tried using a fresh Windows 11 ISO USB to do a fresh install on one of the 4TB drives. The system will not boot without the original 1TB SSD. I have tried removing it from the boot order in bios so that it would boot to the cloned 4tb drive but it still only boots from the original 1TB drive. If I remove the drive the system will not boot. Booting from the Windows 11 ISO on USB returns a Blue Screen and an error of 0xc0000098 saying /windows /System32/drivers/dxgkrnl.sys is the issue. I get this whether the original 1TB SSD is in one of the M.2 slots or not Is there a bios setting I need to change in order to install a different SSD? I’m at a loss for this. The Windows 11 ISO USB stick works on two other systems so I’m fairly confident its not an issue with the USB drive. I have restored bios to original defaults and I still get this result. Why wouldn’t the Windows 11 ISO USB fail on just this system but not the other systems I successfully use it on? Why would it boot from the 1TB SSD if I have removed it from the boot order hierarchy in bios? I should add I purchased this system from Amazon in April 2025.

GTI14 185H 32GB 1TB - Won't boot without original 1TB SSD

S_D_B

Hi all. I have two 4TB SSDs that I want to install in the two M.2 slots. I have tried both cloning the 1TB drive to one of the 4TB drives I want to add and I have tried using a fresh Windows 11 ISO USB to do a fresh install on one of the 4TB drives.

The system will not boot without the original 1TB SSD. I have tried removing it from the boot order in bios so that it would boot to the cloned 4tb drive but it still only boots from the original 1TB drive. If I remove the drive the system will not boot.
Booting from the Windows 11 ISO on USB returns a Blue Screen and an error of 0xc0000098 saying /windows /System32/drivers/dxgkrnl.sys is the issue. I get this whether the original 1TB SSD is in one of the M.2 slots or not

Is there a bios setting I need to change in order to install a different SSD? I’m at a loss for this. The Windows 11 ISO USB stick works on two other systems so I’m fairly confident its not an issue with the USB drive. I have restored bios to original defaults and I still get this result. Why wouldn’t the Windows 11 ISO USB fail on just this system but not the other systems I successfully use it on? Why would it boot from the 1TB SSD if I have removed it from the boot order hierarchy in bios?

I should add I purchased this system from Amazon in April 2025.

support1

S_D_B Solution:

Disconnect ALL drives except the target 4TB SSD where you want Windows installed.

Boot from your Windows 11 USB installer.

At the installer screen, press Shift + F10 to open Command Prompt.

Run these commands:

bash
diskpart
list disk
select disk X (X = number of your 4TB SSD)
clean (WARNING: deletes all data!)
convert gpt
exit
exit
Proceed with a custom install, deleting all existing partitions on the 4TB drive during setup. This forces Windows to create a new EFI partition on the 4TB SSD.