FIXED: Windows Could Not Prepare Computer To Boot Installation Error

The error “Windows could not prepare the computer to boot into the next installation phase” occurs when a user tries to update their Windows to the latest version or wants to install a new one on their computer. You can perform troubleshooting steps, like updating BIOS and more, to resolve the trouble.

Key Takeaways

• The error may occur due to a corrupt drive, insufficient storage on the system disk, or incompatibility between the motherboard and Windows version.
• You can fix the error by updating BIOS, deleting partitions, removing external devices from your computer, and more.
• Make sure to insert an empty pen drive into the PC when performing the Windows installation via bootable USB.
• Turn on BitLocker Drive Encryption, AntiVirus Software, and Real-Time Protection In Windows Defender after installing the Windows.

Why Could The Windows Not Prepare The Computer To Boot Into The Next Installation Phase?

Your computer may fail to proceed with the installation for many reasons, one being an outdated BIOS. Consequently, it can prevent the motherboard’s smooth working and disrupt communication with newer software or hardware. Another common reason for a failed update could be hard drive issues or disk errors on the PC.

In addition, incomplete or corrupted installation files may prevent the update while constantly showing different errors. Conflicts with other third-party software can also hinder Windows from preparing your computer to boot into the next installation phase.

How To Solve The Windows Could Not Prepare The Computer To Boot Into The Next Installation Phase Issue?

You can remove this error by updating the system BIOS, making space on the disk, and other solutions that you will find in this section. Before moving on, check out how we compare HP Envy Vs. HP Pavilion: Which Is Better in 2023? And Dell XPS Vs. Latitude: Difference & Better Laptop.

Make Space On The Selected Disk

Confirm if there is enough space on the selected disk to store the BIOS update files and any related media. Select another disk or delete unused files if the chosen disk is low on free storage.

Turn Off BitLocker Drive Encryption

BitLocker is a built-in encryption feature in Microsoft Windows that helps protect your data by encrypting the entire drive where the operating system is installed. Turning off this feature will allow you to make changes to the drive, like installing new software or system settings.

1. Type Manage BitLocker in the PC’s search bar.
2. Open the result.

   

3. Choose Turn Off BitLocker.
   
    

   

   

   

4. Hit Yes.

Disable Real-Time Protection In Windows Defender

It means disabling the real-time anti-virus protection provided by Windows Defender or other anti-virus software installed on your PC. Disable the real-time protection comes in handy when installing new software or updating existing system files. Also, read our extensive guide on How To Disable Firewall.

1. Search for Virus And Threat Protection and launch the results.

   

2. Click on Manage Settings under the heading, Virus And Threat Protection Settings.
   

   

3. Turn Off Real-Time Protection via the toggle bar.

   

4. Choose Yes.

Disable Third-Party Anti-Virus Apps

Anti-virus apps can also interfere with your computer’s Windows installation or update procedure. Therefore, if you are getting the “Windows Could Not Prepare The Computer To Boot” error, disable any relevant apps and restart the update. Turn on the software once the update is successful.

Create Installation Media Via Windows Installation Media Tool

A faulty installation media contributes to this error. Use another computer to create installation media if your existing computer cannot proceed with the installation process. You can also read about The 7 BEST Mouse For VALORANT In 2023.

1. Download the Windows Installation Media Tool for the version you are updating to, for example, Windows 10 or 11.
2. Connect an empty USB to your computer.
3. Launch the installed app on your PC.
4. Select Create Installation Media (USB Flash Drive, DVD, Or ISO File) For Another PC.
   

   

5. Tap Next.
   
6. Mark the box beside Use Recommended Options For This PC and hit Next.
   
    

   

7. Pick USB Flash Drive and go Next.
   

   

8. Select the connected USB from the next screen.

   

9. Allow the process to complete.

   

10. Press Finish.
    

    

11. Remove The USB and attach it to the computer which requires the update.

Update The System BIOS

An outdated BIOS interrupts the proper communication between the computer and the software you are trying to install and can cause a ‘Windows Could Not Prepare The Computer To Boot” error. Be cautious that a failed BIOS update can leave your computer inoperable, so make sure to back up important data before proceeding.

Find The Manufacturer And The Current BIOS Version.

1. Type System Information in the search bar on the bottom panel of your computer.
2. Open the System Information app from the search results.

   

3. Highlight System Summary from the left menu.
4. On the right, scroll down to BaseBoard Manufacturer and BaseBoard Product.
5. Note down the BaseBoard manufacturer’s name and product code.
6. Next, remember the BIOS Version/Date to compare with the newer updates.

   

Update

Each manufacturer has a separate process to update the BIOS. Keep these pointers in mind before moving ahead with the BIOS update.

• Remember to put your PC into charging mode.
• Disconnect any unrequired external devices from the PC.
• Do not power off your computer till the BIOS has updated since it can disrupt the functioning of your PC. 
• Turn off BitLocker Drive Encryption and Windows Firewall on your computer to proceed with the BIOS update.
• Close all other applications on your computer except for the BIOS Update Setup Program.

Lenovo

1. Go to the Manufacturer’s Website. For example, our manufacturer is Lenovo; hence the BIOS update will be available on https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/ideapad-u-series-laptops/ideapad-u330/downloads as per the laptop model.
2. Stay on the Drivers And Softwares page.
3. Select Scan Now in the Automatic Update box.

   

4. Accept The Agreement and press Continue.
   

   

5. Download the Lenovo Service Bridge.
   

   

6. Select The Appropriate Disk to install the application.
7. Once installed, tap Start Scan again from the Lenovo Support Page.

   

8. Install the system update application on your computer.
9. Let the downloading complete.

   

10. You will now be prompted to Select Drivers.
11. Click on the blue box, Update Drivers.
    

    

12. Hit Install Now.

    

13. Now, Launch The Application on your computer and pick Next.
14. Let the search finish.

    

15. You will see an available BIOS update for your computer.
16. Select it and choose Next.
    

    

17. Click on Download.
    

    

18. Hit OK from the pop-up.

    

19. Mark The Accept Agreement Box and hit Next.
    

    

20. The update should be ready to install. Click Install.
    

    

21. Choose Finish.
    

    

22. The following dialog box should read, 1 Package Was Successfully Downloaded And Installed.
    

    

23. Pick OK from the Caution dialog box to initiate updating your computer’s firmware.
     

24. 

25. The PC will now Restart.
26. Do not turn off your PC until the update is 100% completed. Do not press any buttons either; the computer will start automatically once the update is finished.

    

Asus

1. Open the MyASUS app on your computer.

   

2. Go to Customer Support from the left panel.

   

3. Move to the LiveUpdate section.
4. Click on Latest.
5. You will see a BIOS Update For Windows file if an update is availble for your PC.
6. Download the file.

   

7. Hit Confirm.
8. Select the disk where you want to save the update file on your computer and press OK.

   

9. Open the BIOS Update Utility file.

   

10. Choose Yes.
    

    

11. Select OK to set English as the primary langauge.

    

12. Click Next.
    

    

13. Mark the agreement box and choose Next.
    
14. Select Install and go Next.
    

    

15. The update should be Ready To Install. 
16. Press Install.
    

    

17. Select OK to proceed.

    

18. Check Yes, Restart The Computer Now, and pick Finish.
    

    

19. The PC will Restart.
20. Choose Yes.
    

    

21. The BIOS update will begin processing.

    

22. Select OK once the process is completed. Your computer will start automatically.

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Dell

1. Go to https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-pk from your browser.
2. Identify your computer using the SupportAssistant.
3. Click on the detected model.

   

4. Open the Drivers And Downloads section.|

   

5. Expand the Find Drivers section.

   

6. Select your current Operating System from the drop-down.
7. Keep the Category as BIOS.
8. It will generate a list of available BIOS files for your computer.

   

9. Open the recently listed update file and compare it to the one installed on your computer.
10. Download the BIOS Update File if it is more advanced than your current BIOS.
11. Open The File after installation.

    

12. Pick Yes.
    

    

13. Click on the Update button.

    

14. It will start Loading Firmware Data.
    

    

15. The computer will go into Restart mode, and the update will begin shortly.

HP

1. Follow the link https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers.
2. Choose Your Product, i.e., Laptop, Desktop, or other.

   

3. Click on Let HP Detect Your Product.
   

   

4. You will see several BIOS Update Files once the computer is detected.
5. Download the recently listed update file.

   

6. Open the installed file on your PC.

   

7. Select Yes from the pop-up.

   

8. Go with Next.
   

   

9. Agree To The Terms and press Next.
   

   

10. Again, click Next.

    

11. Mark the Update circle and proceed with Next.
    

    

12. The dialog box will read, The BIOS File Was Prepared Successfully. 
13. Hit Restart Now.
    

    

14. The computer will Restart.
15. From the next screen, choose Apply Update Now.
    

    

16. It will begin installing the update.

    

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Create And Format Hard Disk Partitions

The process comes in handy when installing the latest operating system on your computer. You can partition the drive to allot a specific part of it to the Operating System, thus providing more storage for the installation.

1. Select the search bar and type Disk Management.
2. Head to Create And Format Hard Disk Partitions from the search results.

   

3. Choose the drive you want to format, for example, Disk 0 Partition 1.
4. Right-Click on the selected drive.
5. Pick Delete Volume.
   

   

6. Confirm the process with Yes.

Disconnect External Devices From The Computer 

A Reddit user detected that too many connected peripherals, like USB, headset mic, and SSD cards, can interrupt the Windows installation and cause the “Windows Could Not Prepare The Computer To Boot” error. Therefore, remove unnecessary hardware which is not required during the installation. Next, restart your computer and initiate the whole process once again.

Check BIOS Compatibility With The Windows Version

Another reason for this error is an incompatibility between the current BIOS and the Windows version you are trying to install. For example, newer BIOS versions may not support older versions before Windows 8. So, make sure to rule out this cause before starting the installation.

Install Windows Via Bootable USB

Check your PC’S disk type before moving ahead with this solution. Additionally, you need two separate computers for this step. 

Check Disk Type

1. Simultaneously press the Windows+R keys on your keyboard.

   

2. Type cmd and hit OK.
   

   

3. It will give you access to the Administrator dialog box.
4. Type diskpart in front of Sources and hit Enter.
5. Next, type disklist in front of DISKPART and press Enter.
6. Note whether there is a * Symbol under Dyn or Gpt. For instance, if we try installing the new Windows in Disk 1, we can see that it is in the Gpt format.

   

7. Close The Dialog Box and Remove Peripherals from your computer.

Create The Bootable USB

1. Move to another computer.
2. Go to https://rufus.ie/downloads/ and download the second link, which says (Portable Version) at the end.

   

3. Open the file once downloaded.
4. Click No on the Rufus Update Policy dialog box.

   

5. You will see a Drive Properties pop-up on your screen.
6. Insert the Flash Drive in your PC and choose it in the Device section.
7. Press the Select button.
8. Choose the Windows ISO file installed on your computer.
9. Pick Standard Windows Installation in the Image Option.
10. Set Partition Type according to the disk type we found in the above section. We will choose Gpt.
11. Keep Target System as UEFI and File System as NTFS.
12. Set the Cluster Size as 4096 bytes.
13. Click on Show Advanced Format Options.
14. Mark Quick Format and Create Extended Label And Icon Files.
15. Choose Start. 
    

    

16. Select OK. Your USB will be formatted, so verify that you do not have any critical data.

    

17. Wait for the process to finish, and Disconnect The USB From This Computer.

    

Begin The Installation

1. Insert The Bootable USB Into The Original Computer, which needs to be updated.
2. Begin the installation by clicking Next.
   

   

3. Choose Install Now.
   

   

4. Accept The Terms and hit Next.
   

   

5. Select Custom: Install Windows Only (Advanced).
   

   

6. Highlight the disk where you want to install the Windows and press Format. For instance, we will select Disk 1 Partition 3.
   

   

7. Confirm the formatting by picking OK.
   

   

8. Close the dialog box.
9. Hit Yes. 
10. Restart the installation by selecting Install Now.
    

    

11. Select your preferred disk (Disk 1 Partition 3).
12. Click Next.
13. The Installing Windows process will now begin without the error.

    

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Delete All Partitions

Deleting a partition removes a separate storage area within a particular hard drive, erasing its data. It can be helpful in certain situations, such as when you need to reorganize your hard drive or create a new partition with a different file system. On the other hand, the data will be lost permanently, so create a backup for your essential files.

1. Once you see the drive partitions dialog box on your screen, select Drive 0 Partition 1: System Reserved.
2. Hit Delete.
   

   

3. Pick OK.
   

   

4. The name should now change to Drive 0 Unallocated Space.
5. The message on the bottom of the dialog box saying Windows Can’t Be Installed On This Drive will also disappear.
6. Click Next to go ahead with the installation. 

   

Create A System Image Backup

The feature allows you to create a backup of the entire operating system, including all installed programs, and system settings. Save the backup in an external hard drive or a USB to restore the system settings, even if your hard disk gets corrupted.

1. Go to Control Panel from the Desktop.
   

   

2. Click on Backup And Restore under the System And Security heading.

   

3. Pick Create A System Image from the left bar.

   

4. It will start looking for backup devices.

   

5. Select On A Hard Disk, choose a drive with plenty of storage, and hit Next.

   

6. Choose a drive where you want to save all the data and click Next.
   

   

7. Click on Start Backup.
   

   

8. Windows will start saving the backup file.

   

9. Click Yes.
   

   

Run CHKDSK In Command Prompt

A Quora user resolved the same issue by running CHKDSK in Command Prompt on their computer. It will scan your hard drive for any errors and help resolve them.

1. Type cmd in the search bar.
2. Select Run As Administrator once the app appears on the results.

   

3. Pick Yes.
4. Type chkdsk/f in the command box and press Enter to initiate the scanning and repair of disk errors.

   

5. Wait for the process to complete.
6. Next, type chkdsk/r and hit Enter. 

Enable UEFI On BIOS

UEFI is an advanced version of BIOS that promotes faster booting time, enhanced security features, and better support for modern hardware. Enabling UEFI may help resolve the Windows installation error.

1. Restart your computer from the Power menu.

   

2. Enter the Boot Mode by pressing the relevant key according to your computer’s manufacturer.
   

   MANUFACTURER	BOOT MENU KEY
   Lenovo	F1, F2 or F12
   HP	F10, Esc, Or F9
   Dell	F2 Or F12
   Asus	F2 or Esc
   Acer	F2 Or F12
   Samsung	F2 Or Esc
   Sony	F1, F2, F3, Or F11

3. Head to the Boot menu.
4. Pick Boot Mode from this screen.
5. Choose UEFI.
   

   

6. Save the settings with F10 and exit the menu.

Final Words

These are all the effective fixes you can use when facing the “Windows Could Not Prepare The Computer To Boot” error on your PC. In addition, remember to turn on BitLocker and AntiVirus apps after the installation or update if you previously disabled them. And do not forget to check out How To Reset PC: The Definitive Guide and How To Fix NVIDIA User Account Is Locked.