Windows install steps
Valorant drive. Work top to bottom. Secure Boot stays OFF until part 4. Updated 24 Oct, 4:40am.
Never delete, format or "initialise" the 223 GB, 931 GB or 1 TB drives. Windows only goes on the EVM 238 GB drive.
0. Start here: fresh, stock install
The broken Windows is wiped. The 238 GB drive now has only the 10 GB NICKBHAIWIN installer plus about 228 GB of empty space. No custom settings file any more: this is plain Windows, debloat happens on the desktop (part 3).
1. Restart into the installer
- Restart. Don't touch the BIOS. It should go straight into the installer on its own.
- Landed in Bazzite instead? Restart, tap F12 at power-on, pick nickbhai windows installer.
2. Windows Setup
- Language, time and keyboard: English, India time, US keyboard. Next, Install Windows 11, tick that everything gets deleted (it only means the disk you pick).
- Product key: I don't have a product key. Pick the edition (Pro is fine).
- Disk screen: pick Unallocated Space, about 228 GB (same disk as NICKBHAIWIN) and click Next. Delete nothing.
Pick Unallocated Space, about 228 GB Keep NICKBHAIWIN (10 GB). Without it the installer is gone. Never touch Anything on any other disk - It copies files and restarts a few times. Leave it alone. If it ever lands back on the first "Install Windows" screen, restart, tap F12, pick Windows Boot Manager.
- Setup screens (region, Wi-Fi, account, privacy): click through normally. Microsoft account sign-in is fine.
Want a local account instead? On the sign-in screen press Shift+F10, type the line below, Enter.
start ms-cxh:localonly3. On the Windows desktop
- Open File Explorer, find the NICKBHAIWIN drive, note its letter (say D:).
- Start, type powershell, Enter. Run (swap D: for the real letter):
This copies my memory + skills and installs Claude Code.
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File D:\CLONE-ME.ps1 - Open a new PowerShell window:
Log in, then say: read the windows handover and start
cd ~; claude - That Claude handles: debloat (WinUtil, keeps Update and Defender working), naming C: "nickbhai windows", clock fix, Fast Startup off, BitLocker off, drivers, Riot client.
- If Claude Code says it needs Git:
winget install Git.Git
Do part 4 only after C: shows Fully Decrypted, or Windows will ask for a 48-digit recovery key you don't have. Check in admin PowerShell:
manage-bde -status C:To turn it off yourself (admin PowerShell), then wait for Fully Decrypted:
manage-bde -off C:4. Secure Boot ON (for Valorant)
- Restart, tap Del to enter the BIOS.
- Boot tab, Secure Boot, set to Enabled (mode Standard). Save and exit (F10).
- Boot Windows. Check in admin PowerShell (should say True):
Confirm-SecureBootUEFI - Launch Valorant. Error VAN 9003 means Secure Boot is still off.
5. Back to Bazzite
- Before leaving Windows, have Claude write FROM-WINDOWS.md onto NICKBHAIWIN.
- Restart. Bazzite should load on its own. If Windows loads instead, restart, tap F12, pick Fedora.
- Blue MOK screen? Pick Enroll MOK, Continue, Yes, type the password from the key step (probably below), Reboot.
universalblue - In Bazzite, tell Claude "back". I check the boot order, read the Windows note, move Windows' boot files off the Bazzite drive onto the Windows drive, and delete the installer partition.
Stuck?
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| "The computer restarted unexpectedly" again | Click OK once. Still looping: F12, Fedora, tell Claude. |
| No "Unallocated Space" on the disk screen | Stop. Close setup, reboot to Bazzite (F12, Fedora), tell Claude. |
| "Windows can't be installed to this drive" (GPT/MBR) | Make sure you picked the 228 GB unallocated space, not NICKBHAIWIN. Still stuck: back to Bazzite. |
| Bazzite won't boot after Secure Boot on | BIOS, Secure Boot Disabled, boot Bazzite, do the MOK step, then turn it back on. |
| Clock 5.5 hours wrong in one OS | Windows Claude sets the hardware clock fix. Or in admin PowerShell run the line below, then reboot. |
reg add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\TimeZoneInformation /v RealTimeIsUniversal /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f