I´m not sure the free edition only creates a WinPE. I think it does if the "Download Windows components" option is checked. If not, it creates a WinRE. Also, the ISO created with this option not checked is large, 1 GB+, which is more common of a WinRE.
I installed the Windows 8875 update in a similar AMD ThinkPad laptop (T495s), no problems at all. BitLocker is not active.
I also installed a UEFI firmware update for this laptop, which was published a few days ago, and updates the 2023 Secure Boot certs in the firmware.
This laptop is...
There is no "correct order". The ESP can be at any position in the disk. Because of this, it is usually possible to move it to change its size more easily.
There shouldn´t be any problem using Rufus. I have done in the past and, to check, did it again before writing this post. No problem, fast operation.
I selected Large FAT 32 as file system, which is Rufu´s default.
The message "D:\ is not accessible. The volume does not contain a recognized...
Trim itself does not erases data, but marks the data as "invalid". After a Trim operation, data is read as a deterministic value (DRAT) or as 0s (DZAT). So, effectively, the original data can´t be read, even before the actual erase operation.
Did you revoke the 2011 certs when you Mosby'ed your computers, or will you revoke later with Mosby, or will you wait for Windows Update to eventually revoke?
Samsung 870 EVO are high-end SATA SSDs, SP and Crucial are not. For one thing, Samsung are DRAM SSDs, which may explain at least partially why the prices have gone up.
Out of curiosity, what are "physical vhdx files"? All vhdx files are physical, in the sense that they exist on a physical disk. Or is there another concept involved in this?