HELP! - My laptop is now a Paper Weight

Here are my specs for the Laptop:
DELL Inspiron 5502
Processor 11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-1165G7 @ 2.80GHz (1.69 GHz)
Installed RAM 16.0 GB (15.7 GB usable)
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

Edition Windows 11 Home
Version 25H2
Installed on ‎9/‎20/‎2025
OS build 26200.7171
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.265.0

What do I do now???

I upgrade this laptop from Windows 10 to Windows 11 a month or so ago.

So, I was having trouble with the Google.com voice search not working on Firefox browser. It works on my desktop computer, but not my laptop so I figured I would try safe mode. I restarted in Safe Mode a few times, and somehow, I ended up with the following screen...



I don't know much about computers (enough to be dangerous), so I tried repairing Windows using the Windows 11 recovery USB I have.......no good.

I tried using Dell backup and recovery tool, no good



I then said, ok fine....I'll just recover from my latest Windows 11 system image I have (from November 15, 2025)..........NO GOOD!



During the Restore system-image process, it recognizes the System image on November 15, allows me to choose it, but then I get the above error. When I click on windows Explorer, it shows the SSD has 2 TB of storage capacity.

Anyway, I ended up somehow reinstalling windows (not a clean install, but a refresh), thinking that would restart everything, and I could then recover from the system image, but I get the same error as above.

I then tried installing a fresh clean version of Windows 11 using the Media creation tool (usb flash drive). It doesn't work! Gives me the same error "did not find any disk...."

Wondering what the next step might be. Reformatting the SSD? Then trying the media creation tool?

Using my desktop computer, I was able to recover folders and files from my laptop's backup (on it's external hard drive), so I assume the System Image and backups for the laptop are fine.

So I'm stuck. There is a computer repair place right in town, but of course, they've been closed all week (Thanksgiving). Just wondering what might be next. I've been running Crystal Disk Info on laptop and it was 97% good status. Can't believe safe mode booting did this.

Windows 11 has been a royal pain so far. Between FAST-START option (on both laptop and desktop) suddenly not recognizing the keyboard (after a recent update apparently) and now this issue with my laptop, I'm not a fan of Windows 11 lol.

Did you ever installed windows with usb drive?

It sounds like a failed or failing drive.

I would first try resetting your BIOS to defaults. Then try disabling Fast Boot again.

Reginald_Turnip said:

Wondering what the next step might be. Reformatting the SSD?

Click to expand...

If you decide on a Clean Install...



During step #10 you can delete all partitions on the SSD.
Then you can tell it to use the unallocated space to install Windows.





Another option is to contact DELL and ask them how to do a Factory Restore.
That will take the computer back to the way it was... the day you bought it.

I have the impression that Dell typically set the BIOS to RAID mode, even when using a single drive. A generic USB Windows installation device won't see the drive.

Cromax said:

Did you ever installed windows with usb drive?

Click to expand...

No, I was able to do it using Dell Backup & restore.

In this video, i will guide you on how to fix "A Required Device Isn't Connected or Can't Be Accessed" error on Windows.

Ghot said:

If you decide on a Clean Install...

Clean Install Windows 11

This tutorial will show you step by step on how to clean install Windows 11 at boot on your PC with or without an Internet connection and setup with a local account or Microsoft account. Windows 11 has all the power and security of Windows 10 with a redesigned and refreshed look. It also comes...

www.elevenforum.com

During step #10 you can delete all partitions on the SSD.
Then you can tell it to use the unallocated space to install Windows.

Click to expand...

I can't do that. When I get to that step (step 10), I don't have the option of Deleting. It's not clickable (greyed out). What is this about the disk having an MBR partition table? ugh. One thing to add, this is a cloned SSD. The laptop came with a 512gb SSD, and I cloned it to a 2 Tb SSD. it was working fine. perfect, until I started messing around with safe boot.

This is the process:

@bobkn is correct. Dell sets all their machines disk mode as RAID. You can do one of 2 things. The first is by far the easiest.
1. change disk mode from RAID to AHCI in bios and do a clean install. If the disk is viable the installation process should see it using the default Microsoft storage controller driver.

2 Download Intel Rapid Storage Controller from the support site for your Device. Unzip the downloaded file. Inside you will find a folder called F6.
Copy the F6 folder to a usb drive. Insert both the F6 usb drive and your install media usb drive. Boot from the install media. Use the "load driver" step during the clean install to install IRST driver, See step 10 here. Clean Install Windows 11

You have to delete all partitions on the drive resulting in 100% unallocated space.

glasskuter said:

@bobkn is correct. Dell sets all their machines disk mode as RAID. You can do one of 2 things. The first is by far the easiest.
1. change disk mode from RAID to AHCI in bios and do a clean install. If the disk is viable the installation process should see it using the default Microsoft storage controller driver.

Click to expand...

OK we're making progress! I changed the disk mode from RAID To AHCI. Now when I try installing from the media creation tool. I get the following.

Question, Next step? Which partitions do I delete? Sorry guys/gals, I'm a total newb at this, I need guided instruction until Windows is successfully reinstalled. THANKS for all the help and suggestions so far. Also, I am assuming Windows will know I had a legit Windows installation when I go to reinstall? It won't ask for product key will it?

Reginald_Turnip said:

OK we're making progress! I changed the disk mode from RAID To AHCI. Now when I try installing from the media creation tool. I get the following.

Question, Next step? Which partitions do I delete? Sorry guys/gals, I'm a total newb at this, I need guided instruction until Windows is successfully reinstalled. THANKS for all the help and suggestions so far.

View attachment 154997

Click to expand...

Many people disconnect all other drives when performing that operation, but Disk 0 is the operating system drive. If you're going to perform a clean install, you need to delete all the Disk 0 partitions until you only see Unallocated Space.

Stigg said:

Many people disconnect all other drives when performing that operation, but Disk 0 is the operating system drive. If you're going to perform a clean install, you need to delete all the Disk 0 partitions until you only see Unallocated Space.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I will continue tomorrow. Gotta wake up early, and this process will take some time. fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Reginald_Turnip said:

Thanks. I will continue tomorrow. Gotta wake up early, and this process will take some time. fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Click to expand...

Have you got everything off the drive you need?
By the way. Have you tried booting into Windows again since changing the disk mode?

Overnight while sleeping please run the Dell preboot diagnostics > take pictures > post images or share links

Just follow the tutorial if you are not familiar with clean installing. Clean Install Windows 11

@Reginald_Turnip
Before you proceed to wipe out the disk. You should save all drivers of your current Windows so you can re-install them on the new Windows installation.
1. From the above screen, Press SHIFT+F10 to open the command prompt.
Type: echo list volume | diskpart
Identify the Windows drive and USB drive. (I assume it would be C: and D: for the USB). If correct then
Type: md D:\Drivers
Type: Dism /Image:C:\ /Export-Driver /Destination:D:\Drivers
2. To initialize disk 0 ie. delete all partitions on Disk 0. Type:
diskpart
select disk 0
clean
convert gpt
exit
3. Close the command prompt and back to the screen above, click on Refresh
You'll see disk 0 with one big unallocated space, select it then click next to proceed installation.

WARNING: Install a fresh copy of Windows from MS, you will lose the option to recover the original Windows from the manufacturer. You should be aware of that.

Good luck.

Topgundcp said:

@Reginald_Turnip
Before you proceed to wipe out the disk. You should save all drivers of your current Windows so you can re-install them on the new Windows installation.

Click to expand...

My ultimate plan is to recover all my data from a system image. Wouldn't that system image also recover all drivers?

If you have not resolved the boot problem, what makes you think imaging will help booting problem, as a disk image is a snapshot of a storage device's content – typically stored in a file on another storage device.

zbook said:

Overnight while sleeping please run the Dell preboot diagnostics > take pictures > post images or share links

How to Run Dell Preboot Diagnostics and Hardware Tests on Your Dell Computer | Dell US

Click to expand...

I just ran the thorough advanced Dell preboot diagnostics. NO ERRORS :) "All tests past successfully"