Stuck trying to reinstall Windows on HP 15s (Ryzen 5500U) — recovery USB won’t boot, need help

Troubleshooting Windows Reinstallation on an HP 15s Ryzen 5500U Laptop: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Reinstalling Windows on modern laptops can sometimes present unexpected challenges, especially with the myriad of hardware configurations and security features in place. If you’re experiencing issues such as recovery USBs failing to boot or encountering error messages during installation, you’re not alone. This article offers a comprehensive overview of common problems and actionable solutions for reinstalling Windows on an HP 15s-eq2158AU equipped with a Ryzen 5 5500U processor.

Understanding the Situation

Assuming you’ve bought the HP 15s-eq2158AU in 2021 and initially operated with Windows 11 Home, you might be attempting to perform a clean installation or upgrade to Windows 10/11 Pro. Challenges often arise during this process, including:

Installation freezes at the HP logo or blue screen.
Error messages such as 0xc0000098, 0xc0000001.
“Load driver” prompts indicating missing media drivers.
Recovery USBs not booting properly or not displaying the expected recovery interface.
BIOS settings adjustments not resolving boot issues.

Common Causes and Troubleshooting Strategies

Verify the Integrity of Recovery Media
Ensure your recovery USB is created correctly. When using tools like Rufus or the Windows Media Creation Tool (MCT), select appropriate UEFI/Legacy settings.
Consider using a different USB drive brand; sometimes, certain brands or faulty drives can cause boot issues.
Check the USB for file system issues or corruption. Formatting the drive with FAT32 (for UEFI boot) and recreating the media can help.
Confirm BIOS/UEFI Settings
Secure Boot: Disable Secure Boot temporarily during installation.
Boot Mode: Switch between UEFI and Legacy BIOS modes to see which allows the media to boot.
Boot Priority: Set the USB device explicitly as the first boot device.
Enable CSM if necessary to support older boot modes.
Use Appropriate Drivers During Installation
When faced with “Load driver” errors, prepare a separate USB containing specific drivers such as AMD chipset, NVMe, or storage controllers.
During Windows setup, select “Load driver” and browse to this USB to see if the installer recognizes the storage device.
Wiping and Preparing the Storage Device
Use Diskpart or disk management to