📎 AI Summary:
The thread is about an HP OmniBook X 16 where replacing the drive with a 4TB Crucial T710 NVMe caused a looped BSOD during “Getting windows ready,” and USB boot/recovery attempts initially seemed problematic. Key troubleshooting advice was to avoid relying on x64 Windows Pro media/Media Creation Tool, instead build proper x64 Windows 11 install media with Rufus (if needed) and strongly try HP’s own recovery tool, with repeated emphasis that RAM is soldered so the likely culprits are the new SSD/boot setup/media mismatch; later guidance also noted HP’s platform storage specs (up to 2TB Gen4) as a potential compatibility factor. Overall sentiment is constructive and optimistic—contributors think the issue is very likely solvable via correct recovery/install steps, but they gradually shift suspicion toward SSD compatibility/initial setup when generic installs fail.
garfish316

garfish316

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Thread Author #1
Hello:

I upgraded my m2 ssd to 4 TB in an HP Omni-book X 16 (16-ar0013dx) laptop. During installation, on the "Getting windows ready" part, I all of a sudden got a looping BSOD. My ram (16gb) is built into the motherboard and is not upgradeable. I tried cloning, that didn't work. I can't get into windows recovery since it's an installation. I tried using Windows Media Creation tool, but the BIOS doesn't recognize the USB in the boot order. I even ordered a new Windows Pro 11 usb, which it will arrive in 2 days (I thought it was that). Can anyone help? Thanks! ......Garett
 

Solution
WindowsForum AI
Hi Garett,
That usually means one of three things: the stick is too small, the tool sees it as not selectable, or the USB needs to be wiped/re-partitioned first. HP’s consumer Cloud Recovery guide says to use a blank USB flash drive and their consumer documentation commonly lists 64 GB minimum; HP’s recovery docs also mention a “Disk not selectable” message and say to make sure the USB has the required free space.

Try this first​

1. Confirm the USB itself​

  • Make sure it is a real USB flash drive, not an external SSD/HDD.
  • Make sure it is 64 GB or larger.
  • Try a different USB port on the Windows PC.
  • Close HP Recovery Tool, unplug the USB, plug it...
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garfish316

garfish316

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Thread Author #21
WindowsForum AI said:
Hi Garett,
That usually means one of three things: the stick is too small, the tool sees it as not selectable, or the USB needs to be wiped/re-partitioned first. HP’s consumer Cloud Recovery guide says to use a blank USB flash drive and their consumer documentation commonly lists 64 GB minimum; HP’s recovery docs also mention a “Disk not selectable” message and say to make sure the USB has the required free space. (support.hp.com)

Try this first​

1. Confirm the USB itself​

  1. Make sure it is a real USB flash drive, not an external SSD/HDD.
  2. Make sure it is 64 GB or larger.
  3. Try a different USB port on the Windows PC.
  4. Close HP Recovery Tool, unplug the USB, plug it back in, then reopen the tool as Administrator. HP says to run the tool in Windows as administrator with a blank USB flash drive connected. (support.hp.com)

2. Wipe the USB completely​

If the tool still does not see it, clean the USB in Windows first.
  1. On the Windows PC, right-click Start and open Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Run these commands carefully:
Code: 
diskpart
list disk
select disk X
clean
create partition primary
format fs=ntfs quick
assign
exit
  1. Replace X with the correct USB disk number.
  2. Then reopen HP Cloud Recovery Tool and try again.
Microsoft’s diskpart documentation says clean removes all partition/volume formatting from the selected disk, create partition primary creates a new primary partition, and format can quick-format the volume. Be very careful to pick the correct disk number so you do not wipe the wrong drive. (learn.microsoft.com)

If it still does not recognize the USB​

At that point, the fastest path is usually to try a different 64 GB or 128 GB USB flash drive. In practice, HP’s recovery tool can be picky even when Windows itself sees the drive, and HP’s own docs explicitly call for a blank USB flash drive with the required free space. (support.hp.com)

What I need from you​

Please reply with these 3 details:
  1. The exact size of the USB drive.
  2. The brand/model of the USB drive.
  3. Whether HP Recovery shows an actual message such as “Disk not selectable” or if the drive just doesn’t appear at all. HP documents that exact error text in its recovery guidance, so the wording matters. (support.hp.com)
If you want, I can stay with you and walk you through the diskpart cleanup step line by line before you press Enter.
Click to expand...
HP Recovery keeps recognizing my C drive

References moved outside the quoted text:
 

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WindowsForum AI

WindowsForum AI

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#22
Yes — do not select C:.
If HP Cloud Recovery is showing only your C: drive, that means the tool is not recognizing your USB flash drive as a valid recovery target. On HP’s documented flow, the USB stage is supposed to let you select your USB flash drive from a drop-down list; HP also has a specific FAQ for “Disk not selectable.”

What to do right now​

1. Cancel out of the tool​

  1. Close HP Cloud Recovery Tool.
  2. Do not continue with C: selected.
  3. Unplug any other removable drives.

2. Make sure the tool is identifying the correct HP laptop​

If you are building the recovery USB on a different Windows PC, HP says you should check “I need to enter Product ID for my HP system” and manually enter your HP laptop’s product ID. Otherwise, the tool may detect the current PC instead of your HP.

3. Reconnect only one USB flash drive​

  1. Insert one blank 64 GB or larger USB flash drive.
  2. Run HP Cloud Recovery Tool as Administrator.
  3. Go back through the wizard.
  4. On the USB selection page, see if the flash drive appears instead of C:.
HP’s consumer Cloud Recovery instructions call for a blank USB flash drive and commonly specify 64 GB minimum for this process.

4. If it still only shows C:​

Then the USB stick is the problem, not the laptop.
Try these in order:
  1. Use a different USB flash drive.
  2. Prefer a simple 64 GB or 128 GB USB flash drive.
  3. Avoid using an external SSD/HDD.
  4. If needed, wipe the USB first with diskpart, then try again.
HP’s recovery docs specifically reference “Disk not selectable” and also note that if you cannot access the recovery USB properly, you might need to replace the USB flash drive.

Most likely cause​

Based on what you described, the HP tool is not accepting your current USB stick. If it only offers C:, I would stop fighting that specific drive and switch to a different flash drive first. That’s the fastest next move.

Reply with one thing​

Please tell me:
  • Are you creating the recovery USB on your HP laptop with the old SSD, or on a different Windows PC?
That will tell me whether your next step is:
  1. Check the Product ID box, or
  2. Replace/reformat the USB stick.
 

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datawizard0103

datawizard0103

Fantastic Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2024
Messages
238
#25
garfish316 said:
Hello:

I upgraded my m2 ssd to 4 TB in an HP Omni-book X 16 (16-ar0013dx) laptop. During installation, on the "Getting windows ready" part, I all of a sudden got a looping BSOD. My ram (16gb) is built into the motherboard and is not upgradeable. I tried cloning, that didn't work. I can't get into windows recovery since it's an installation. I tried using Windows Media Creation tool, but the BIOS doesn't recognize the USB in the boot order. I even ordered a new Windows Pro 11 usb, which it will arrive in 2 days (I thought it was that). Can anyone help? Thanks! ......Garett
Click to expand...
Some HP laptops get picky during setup if the SSD is not initialized as GPT with UEFI boot or if the new NVMe has old partitions from cloning. Since you’re stuck in the install loop, You can pull the SSD, connect it to another PC with an enclosure, completely wipe all partitions on the 4TB drive, then reinstall it and do a clean Windows 11 install. Also in BIOS check for Secure Boot enabled and UEFI mode and try pressing F9 for Boot Device Options instead of relying on boot order because HP sometimes hides USB until it’s detected at startup. If the old SSD still boots, You can also update the BIOS first before trying the 4TB again.
 

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