NUC12 can't install windows

[fraktulz]

Just picked up the Serpent Canyon barebones kit, installed RAM and an SSD, attempted to install Windows via a genuine Windows USB install drive and the NUC just freezes after the initial "loading files" from the windows USB drive but never starts the actual install... just kicks into a skull screen.

I updated the BIOS to the latest and did toggled some basic options in the BIOS (disabled HD Audio, disabled fast boot) and it gets slightly farther along in the process but just in that a spinning windows wheel joins the skull screen but freezes. 

Noticed that the freezing of the wheel also coincides with the USB mouse and keyboard power cycling. I suspect that something in the system erroneously executes a USB power cycle but I can't trace it to a BIOS setting and I know I can't be the only one that has run in to this.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[AlHill · Accepted solution]

Make sure your bios is set to UEFI and not legacy.

Also, go here to make the windows install media  (for W11):

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11

or here (for W10):

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Follow the instructions and make the usb media on a WINDOWS PC (not linux or mac).

Then, try again.

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Maybe Windows 12 will be better]

[n_scott_pearson]

I agree with Al; replacing/refreshing the media is very important!

The images on the flash drives supplied by Microsoft are useless - old and often unable to support UEFI-based systems. Making new media (or refreshing that supplied by Microsoft) also ensures that you use the latest available build from Microsoft.

I would add that, when you run the Windows Installer, make sure you delete all existing partitions on the drive that you are installing to and then tell the installer to install to the unused space on the drive (which is now all of the drive). This will ensure that a UEFI (GPT) partition table is created and set up for UEFI boot. 

...S

[fraktulz]

As detailed I needed to have a fresh media build. That did the trick. I chased a red herring with the USB lights cycling. 

Thanks you all for the quick and helpful replies!