Using Ventoy to Install Windows 11 from a Linux Device

Installing Windows 11 without the need for Installation Media OR another Windows Machine, setup via Ventoy on Ubuntu 22.04.

I could not find a full guide that covered this process all in one spot, so I figured I would create that resource for anyone else having the same issues.

Before we begin, I will note two things:

First: Backup your Data.

This process went smoothly for me and likely will for you but this is good practice to do with any disk wiping, OS installing process.

Second: Unplug all other OS Drives when installing Windows.

When you do get to the OS Install Step, have only one hard drive (the one you want Windows on) physically plugged in.

Windows can and WILL install the boot manager to the very first Boot Loader Partition it sees and will not tell you a thing about it until you go to boot from BIOS and you see “Windows Boot Manager” on a random hard drive you had never selected or touched.

Ask me how I know. Now, let us begin.

The Issues I had:

• Windows 11 checks for Trusted Platform Module (TPM), Secure Boot, and “Windows Compatible” devices… which seems to be a somewhat vague spec for “generic hardware Microsoft likes”.

As my machine is full AMD and on Linux, they were never going to be happy with my setup. Even with a 16 core CPU, 64GB of RAM, and a current gen GPU my machine “couldn’t run Windows”… lol.

• Microsoft prefers the install to be coming from a Windows Machine, the Media Creation Tool, or as an update in OS to an existing Windows install. Any other ways are bad, no good, frowned upon nonsense (at least according to Microsoft).

I did not have a Windows Device readily available.

• Since the Media Creation Tool (the easy way) is an .exe file, this will not work for us. (I saw some people have some luck with VMs / WINE but that seemed over-complicated).

Again, we are on Linux only.

• The Windows ISO image can work, if you meet all the vague and hidden hardware requirements, however, a bootable USB with just the Windows ISO will black screen restart on boot if you do not meet them.

NOTE: If you have access to a Windows Machine, use the Media Creation Tool method. It is really much easier. Or if you want to go the ISO route on Windows, use Rufus with the Windows 11 options selected as well.

• Rufus: https://rufus.ie/en/
• Link to Creation Tool: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11

Use this if you have a Windows Device nearby.

My Setup:

• Main PC / Main SSD: Ubuntu 22.04
• Second PC / Second SSD: Needed to install Windows 11 to New Disk.
• In my case, I simply wanted a Windows 11 Gaming SSD so that I didn’t have to keep messing with WINE, Proton (which is fantastic for what it is), Mod Support, and Kernel Piracy Stuff every time I wanted to relax with a game on my couch.

Things You Need:

• Ventoy installed to a USB drive with room for Windows ISO.
• Official Windows 11 ISO: Download here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11
• BIOS that supports UEFI (most modern ones do).
• Ideally, you should have a Product Key, but it is not required at first.

Part One: Ventoy Setup via Linux

I won’t go into detail on how to install this as the official Documentation does this fine but I will leave a breadcrumb trail of the page you will need to get things installed, as the right pages can be hard to find.

Download Ventoy to Machine

• https://www.ventoy.net/en/download.html

Install Ventoy via Linux GUI (WebUI)

• https://www.ventoy.net/en/doc_linux_webui.html

Once at http://127.0.0.1:24680go to “Option” and select the appropriate Secure Boot option, I could only get mine to work with it set to off as even with Secure Boot on, Windows 11 would not boot on my hardware.

Afterwards, you should see both blue boxes with the same version and icons, they will differ if you have different versions.

Ventoy 1.0.36 with NO Secure Boot selected, Ventoy 1.0.36 with Secure Boot (lock icon) already on Device.

Ventoy Plugin Configuration

• https://www.ventoy.net/en/plugin_plugson.html

Locate your USB device easiest using the “Disks” application (builtin to Ubuntu 22.04), clicking on the device name, and view the “Device” metadata below.

Note mine would be /dev/sdb1

Alternative CLI command to find USB devices:

ls -l /dev/disk/by-id/usb*

Successfully running the “VentoyPlugson.sh” script will allow you to visit http://127.0.0.1:24681where you will want to select “1” for both of these options:

• VTOY_WIN11_BYPASS_CHECK
• VTOY_WIN11_BYPASS_NRO

The first one bypasses the hardware verification issues and the second one allows you to create a local account bypassing the need to tie a login to an online email.

NOTE: You will need to toggle one of these to 0 and back to 1 in order to get the plugin to save the configuration.

It only takes effect if changes are made and these are both set by default already, so it will not write the JSON without an “update”. You can confirm the changes by verifying in the USB that you have a ventoy.json file.

More Info Here: https://www.ventoy.net/en/plugin_control.html

Possible Ventoy Config Options

Part Two: Windows Install

We are in the home stretch now.

Copy / Paste ISO Image

Go back and grab your Windows 11 ISO file and drag it into the partition you see on your USB called “Ventoy”. This is what will show up in your file explorer GUI.

Confirm Backups, Shut Down, Unplug Drives

This is your last chance to make a backup, do it.

Afterwards, Shut Down your device and unplug every hard drive except the Ventoy USB and the disk you want Windows on.

I like to unplug the power cable, turn off the PSU, and the hit the power button a few times to drain any leftover charge.

This process WILL WIPE ALL DATA on the Windows disk you select.

Reboot Device to BIOS, Select Ventoy, Boot into Window ISO

As stated above, reboot your device into your BIOS using F keys (mine was F11 for Disk Selection), boot into Ventoy, select Windows 11 ISO, boot into normal mode.

If running into Verification / Security Errors read this page

• https://www.ventoy.net/en/doc_secure.html

Go Through Standard Windows 11 Install Screen

Select your language, etc, and when you get to Select Setup Option, I like to select “Previous Version of Setup” as it seemed to have a few more options with the disks.

If it asks for a product key, click “I don’t have one” even if you do. We can activate later and if there is any issue with the key (as there so often is, especially with these 3rd Party Key Websites) we have more control over verification that the key is legit from within the OS.

Finally, select your disk (the only one plugged in) and hit Next. It will Install Windows and Reboot.

Part Three: Final Steps

After reboot, it should automatically go to your new Windows Install where it will walk you through the Setup Process. If you did select the local user option in the JSON file, you can get to it by telling Windows you do not have Internet (even if you do) and it will allow you to make a local account on the next screen.

If you are having black screen issues, confirm the JSON is there with the two flags selected or try toggling Secure Boot “Option” in the initial Ventoy Setup. Also, confirm your BIOS supports UEFI and check what it has set with Secure Boot.

Once through setup and logged into Windows you can walk through the Activation process of your key. It may ask you to go through this key verification process with an automated phone call but if so, it takes about 5 minutes and some 2FA type codes to verify.

Conclusion

Finally, run your initial Windows Updates and Driver Installs, reboot, log back in and away you go.

On next Shut Down, remember to plug back in your OS drives. On future reboots, you can select the disk you want from your BIOS (or go further and setup a Boot Manager) and boot into whatever OS you want on any disk.

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions, feel free to comment and I can try to answer them.