1) Since a 0X800701B1 error indicates the drive Windows 10 is trying to access is not present, I would immediately there may a problem with the drive.

2) Windows 10 cannot be installed to an external drive connected to a USB port.

 

1) Yes that seems likely, unfortunately I have no other motherboard to test the drive with. I'll borrow one of my friends' time to test it on his PC.

2) I mean I'm installing from a USB I created with the windows media creation tool. I'm installing on the NVMe drive.

Since my first post, I tried all 4 m.2 slots to no avail. The BIOS has a "Device Self-Test" option for the ssd which returns no errors. It only has one option for the ssd which is some NVMe max bandwidth type option with "auto, gen1, gen2, gen3 or gen4" as choices. I tried auto and gen3/gen4 but none worked.

 

Update: I managed to install W11... on an old HDD I had lying around, and used CDI to check the SSD:



I suppose the 2 TB writes come from me running the Device Self-Test utility in my BIOS twice. I have no idea where the 17 TB reads come from. Maybe also the tests. But I am taken aback by CDI giving it 79% when it's brand ****ing new.

Not sure what to do now as Windows just won't install.

 

Return it for a refund or replacement.

 

Yep! I am returning it and getting the same one from another merchant, for even less money. Don't wanna wait more than I already have.

 

That drive has quite the number of Power On Hours for a new one.

 

I got another one, brand new, works beautifully never had a drive this fast

And the defective one is on the way back, hopefully I get refunded without anymore issues

Thanks for your help!!

 

Awesome!