I cannot install Windows 11

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1

Hello ! On my personal computer, I am trying to install Windows instead of Fedora 43, but I can’t seem to get it to work. I used to be able to dual-boot easily before, but not since Fedora. I removed Secure Boot, then put it back on. On my USB stick, I used Rufus, then Balena Etcher, then Ventoy, but none of them work. I also set the USB stick as the boot priority. I don’t even see it in the GRUB…

I wondered if the USB stick wasn’t working, but it’s the same one I used to boot Linux and Windows distributions.

I asked lots of AI, watched tutorials on YouTube, but nothing helped.

Is it Fedora’s protection ?

Can you help me? Thank you.

2

Do you mean that you have the Windows installer on a USB stick, but you can’t boot into that?

What happens when you set the USB stick as the #1 priority? (You wouldn’t expect to see the USB stick in GRUB, the idea is that you tell the BIOS to boot from the USB device instead of from the installed GRUB.)

3

Yes, I can’t boot with it on this computer (I was able to boot it on another computer).

When I set my USB key as the priority, it’s supposed to boot automatically, right? Except that’s not the case here, and when I press F10, I have no choice but Fedora 43.

4

Yes, I would have thought so. So this seems like a BIOS issue.

What is the model of your computer (or motherboard if it’s a self-build)?

To your previous question:

No, because the problem happens before Fedora starts up. The BIOS is failing to boot into your USB stick, and Fedora has no control over this part of it.

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5

Plug in the stick and as you boot up, tap F11.

Do you get a boot override menu and do you see your USB stick listed on there?

6

It’s a PRO B660M-A DDR4 by MSI.

7

Yes, I can access it, but no, there is no sign of the USB stick.

8

It’s not being detected by the BIOS then, specifically as a bootable device.

9

Does that happen with every USB port?

USB sticks are short-lived, and there are very low quality fakes in the less reputable markets, including Amazon. Try another USB stick from a reputable seller. Is the stick detected on other systems?

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10

Rufus definitely works to make a Windows 11 installer. When you imaged the drive, did you make sure to set it to use a GPT partition table, not MBR?

11

Yes, it does the same thing for each port, it doesn’t seem to work.

Yes, it is detected on other systems such as my laptop or another one running Debian 13.

12

Yes, it’s on a GPT partition. Rufus does it automatically.

13

The failure to detect a bootable USB device points to UEFI/BIOS. Have you checked for BIOS updates? Cubicle farms systems are often configured to boot only from the internal drive and need a password to change BIOS settings.
https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?threads/forum-uefi-shell-flash-tool-v1-80-for-msi-boards-%E2%9C%94.343010/page-44#post-2371562 is a very long thread dealing with BIOS updates. The last entries discuss problems booting the update tool and suggest clearing CMOS.

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14

I found the solution, and I apologize for it being so silly. I enabled legacy USB support in the BIOS, and the key was able to boot, so I installed Windows 11. Thank you for trying to help me.

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