Just for future reference - never install Windows when you've got old drive connected (either power cable, or signal cable, or plugged in when M.2). Just install on fresh drive, and once it's done, turn PC off, connect old drive and do the rest.
PC doesn't have to detect Windows installation to display old bootloader (from old Windows instance). Use a tool EasyUEFI (few days for free usage) and remove what's not needed anymore, change bootloaders order, add new one etc. This is nice replacement of "bcdedit" command it you don't like CMD.
BTW, formatting drive is probably not what you really need = you need repartitioning (in fact, removing all partitions, setting drive up to GPT mode eventually, and creating one, big partition for data, programs, or whatever you wish). If you "reformat" drive only, all EFI/MSR remain, it's why mainboard and Windows potentially will see old "Windows instance" (in fact it's a bootloader only), even if it's not physically on that drive anymore.
PC doesn't have to detect Windows installation to display old bootloader (from old Windows instance). Use a tool EasyUEFI (few days for free usage) and remove what's not needed anymore, change bootloaders order, add new one etc. This is nice replacement of "bcdedit" command it you don't like CMD.
BTW, formatting drive is probably not what you really need = you need repartitioning (in fact, removing all partitions, setting drive up to GPT mode eventually, and creating one, big partition for data, programs, or whatever you wish). If you "reformat" drive only, all EFI/MSR remain, it's why mainboard and Windows potentially will see old "Windows instance" (in fact it's a bootloader only), even if it's not physically on that drive anymore.
Last edited:
