Dual Boot MS-01 -> Windows 11 and Promox help

[oharag]

So I bought the MS-01 to see if it can be my primary Firewall/VPN/home server. I installed Promox because it intrigues me - especially with virtualization. I have 4 TB SSD in slot 1 (4X4) and a 2 TB SSD in slot 2 (3X4). I saw it was recommended to install OS on slower SSD (slot 2) and use fastest for virtualization/data. So I managed to install Promox on SSD 2 (slot 2). ATM nothing is on SSD1 (Slot 1).

I was hoping you can provide some insight on my proposed setup:
- I want to install full Win 11 on SSD1 while leaving Promox on SSD2.
- Question: Is there an easy way to select which partition to use for dual boot? With Mac you hold Option key and all available boot drives pop up. do I have to always pound DEL key hoping I get the BIOS setup page - select boot drive - and hot save? Are there easier ways to do this?
- So if I chose to install Win11 on SSD1 would you recommend me creating two partitions - one for OS and the other for data? If yes how does this impact Promox use of SSD1 for file format? I think I selected ZFS during install. Does partition 2 on SSD1have to be formatted in ZFS - and if yes how does this impact Windows if I also want to utilize partition 2.

Eventually I will learn to virtualize Windows (and other OSes) within Promox. But I want to boot into Win 11 without overhead initially and actually play around with MS-01.

Thanks

 

[oharag]

Has anyone managed to install Win 11 on the MS-01? I had a USB boot drive I used before - anytime it said it needed to restart but the whole process just went in a loop. I downloaded the latest Win 11 boot image and tried that. It immediately stated the a driver was missing for Hardrive/CD or USB. I downloaded MS-01 drivers and had it on a separate USB drive. I tried everything. I assume USB drivers are left up to Win install since I do not see anything on the MS-01 driver folder. I searched the nets and found a recommendation to install Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver from the web. I can't pull this off since the install file is an executable - I run MacOS as primary. First off - I hate Windows - I hate PC - I hate BIOS - I hate everything about this old archaic dinosaur of a platform. Just install man.

Well - any help would be appreciated. What is the driver the MS-01 needs installed for windows to move forward? I literally tried installing any and all drivers from the MS-01 folder - nothing. I can't proceed with install. I believe I used the same USB install disk for Minisforum UM790 Pro without issue. What makes MS-01 unique? Thanks

 

[oharag]

Another recommendation is to disable RAID in Bios - I went through the MS-01 BIOS setup - I couldn't find anything regarding RAID in BIOS.

 

[ms264556]

Has anyone managed to install Win 11 on the MS-01?

Maybe re-do your USB stick?

I just grabbed the latest Windows 11 ISO, used the latest Rufus to write it to a USB, then used this to install Windows on my MS-01. When Windows was installed I downloaded the driver pack and ran the batch files minisforum provided on their support site.

This resulted in a perfectly functional Windows install - nothing missing in device manager, no weird issues.

(Edit: using Samsung SSD in slot 1 - first with a 970 Evo, and then again with a 980 Pro).

 

[oharag]

Maybe re-do your USB stick?

I just grabbed the latest Windows 11 ISO, used the latest Rufus to write it to a USB, then used this to install Windows on my MS-01. When Windows was installed I downloaded the driver pack and ran the batch files minisforum provided on their support site.

This resulted in a perfectly functional Windows install - nothing missing in device manager, no weird issues.

(Edit: using Samsung SSD in slot 1 - first with a 970 Evo, and then again with a 980 Pro).

ok. Never heard of Rufus. I used Balenaetcher on Mac. It worked fine with my Promox install USB. I did see others reporting same issue. Thought it was an MS-01 issue. Again I’ve used the same boot USB for another MF computer. So far a pain in the arse on MS-01. I will try on my Windows PC to make boot usb.

 

[oharag]

Maybe re-do your USB stick?

I just grabbed the latest Windows 11 ISO, used the latest Rufus to write it to a USB, then used this to install Windows on my MS-01. When Windows was installed I downloaded the driver pack and ran the batch files minisforum provided on their support site.

This resulted in a perfectly functional Windows install - nothing missing in device manager, no weird issues.

(Edit: using Samsung SSD in slot 1 - first with a 970 Evo, and then again with a 980 Pro).

@ms264556 can I ask you what you use your MS-01 for? Is Win 11 the only OS? If not I would like to know how you use your MS-01 id you are using other OSes. Thanks

 

[oharag]

@ms264556
This is frustrating. I don't remember installing Windows on a PC is this problematic.
I booted up my Windows laptop - downloaded the authentic windows Bootable Installer - created a fresh bootable USB for Win 11 (again Microsofts tools). Inserted this into MS-01 and booted up. USB is first - Promox is second. Win 11 installer pops up - this time not asking for the HD/CD/USB drivers - great. Go to select SSD1 - partition for Windows (500GB). Installer does it thing - installing files and then announces it needs to reboot. Then I get this blue screen - not blue screen of death - just a blue screen. Then nothing. So I thought maybe I needed to yank the USB out of the computer before Windows tries to boot up - well once I do the initial install - Win Installer will never boot up again. So I go into Promox - formate the 4 TB - and start all over. This time yank the USB -> and Promox boots up instead. I just can't seem to advance the Win 11 Install.

Can I ask again - do you have any other OSes installed? I'm wondering if I should uninstall Promox?

So After the initial copy files using WIN 11 installer - if I hold down DEL key and got to boot order - I don't see a Windows partition. Just the USB - Promox and then generic - HD/CD etc... Looking at volume in Promox there is the one 500GB formatted as NTFS. Is there a way to force the NTFS to boot up?

 

[ms264556]

I was using it as my main PC.

I didn't dual boot...

I first ran Win11 inside Proxmox but this was terrible - I could either have video passthrough with HDMI output, or I could have nested virtualization (needed for WSL), but not both.

I ended up installing proxmox inside hyper-v (after enabling nested virtualization and mac address spoofing) with a non-resizable vhdx disk. This works flawlessly - I get perfect Windows performance and compatibility and I can test and stage proxmox VMs.