Windows 10 Installation tool

[Arizona Willie]

I am going to install Consumer version of Windows 10 because of problems with my Vive and Insider Editions.

If I use the Window 10 installation / upgrade tool will it format a new m2 drive to be bootable or do I need to format the drive first?

 

[TechFreak1]

Presuming you only have one boot drive in the machine, windows will auto configure it and store the boot files on the m2 drive.

However if you have multiple boot drives and the new install will just get added to boot list (which would reside in drive that windows insider is already installed on). If you want boot files to reside on the m2 drive you will need to do some tinkering with BCDedit via cmd or easybcd (the latter would be easier to use). The advanced alternative would be to use a custom bootloader like Grub.

 

[Arizona Willie]

So if I have a bootable USB thumb drive with the Windows Insallation tool installed on it and my m.2 drive installed but not formatted just a naked m.2 drive, and no other drives connected, it won't install and make the m.2 drive bootable without messing with some 3rd party programs?