I've downloaded a Windows 10 ISO image from Download Windows 10 Disc Image (ISO File) and I'm trying to install it on a SATA SSD on my desktop. Here's my intended layout:
- /dev/sda (SSD)
- /dev/sda1: EFI
- /dev/sda2: Windows (plus more partitions if it decides to create them)
- /dev/nvme0 (M.2 NVME)—my board can't boot from M.2, so the EFI has to be on sda
- /dev/nvme0n1p1: Linux
- /dev/sdb (HDD): Extra storage
My problem is that the Windows installer won't seem to create any sort of bootable setup on /dev/sda. I've tried running the Windows installer two ways:
Whole disk unallocated
Boot the installer in UEFI mode. Delete all partitions in sda, select "Unallocated Space" in the Windows installer, and click "next" as described in this post.
When it completes the installation process, I see it has created a 16 MB "Microsoft Reserved" and a 232 GB "Microsoft Basic Data" partition. The result is not bootable (obviously, there isn't any EFI partition at all!).
Preallocate EFI
Boot the installer in UEFI mode. Following this post, use dispart from the installer to create a 500 MB EFI partition at the top of the disk:
select disk 0
create partition efi size=500
exit
Point the installer at the unallocated space after the EFI and click "Next".
When I do it this way, the final result is:
- sda1 - 500 MB EFI System
- sda2 - 100 MB EFI System
- sda3 - Microsoft Reserved
- sda4 - Microsoft basic data
In other words, if I start without an ESP, Windows doesn't create one.
If I start with an existing ESP, Windows creates an extra ESP.
sda1 does not appear to have a filesystem.
The newly created sda2 contains only EFI/Microsoft/Boot/BCD{,.LOG}.
I tried to open the log but it is binary.
I've also tried creating the installer in two ways: using WoeUSB and following this article to create it manually. I can't use Microsoft's "Media Creation Tool" as I don't have an existing Windows system to run it from.
How can I get Windows to install and make itself bootable?
