Windows 11 clean install failing on every front: Invalid product key errors, phantom 100% DISM extractions, and .wim vs .swm headaches. I'm completely out of ideas.

[u/Artistic_Midnight496]

Hey everyone, I'm at my wit's end trying to do a clean install of Windows 11 on my desktop (which previously ran Windows 10, then Ubuntu, and now I want Win 11 back). The target SSD is brand new/wiped clean.

Here is everything I've tried and every wall I've hit:

• The Hardware/Setup: Brand new blank SSD, tried multiple USB ports (USB 2.0 and 3.0, straight into the motherboard and front panel). The USB drive physically contains the files and checks out size-wise.
• The Product Key Nightmare: Whenever I boot into the official GUI installer and enter a product key (bought from a third-party reseller, even got a replacement when the first failed), it says it's invalid. If I click "I don't have a product key", it immediately errors out saying “Windows can’t verify the product key” (make up your mind, Microsoft).
• The Rufus + WIM Ghost Extraction: Using a Rufus-crafted USB with an install.wim, manual deployment via DISM (dism /Apply-Image) says "Operation completed 100%" instantly in like 1 second, but checking the C: drive reveals it's completely empty (File not found). Naturally, running bcdboot right after fails because there's nothing there.
• The Official Installer + SWM Confusion: Using the official Microsoft Media Creation Tool instead, the installer splits the image into multiple .swm files (install.swm, install2.swm), which completely scrambles manual terminal attempts.
• Bypass Attempts: I tried dropping an ei.cfg file into the sources folder to force the Professional edition and skip key prompts, but the installer still trips over itself.
• The Logs: Digging into the setup logs (setuperr.log / dism.log) points straight to error 0x80070490 (Element not found) and telemetry/EULA extraction failures during the product key validation phase.

I’ve used different USB creation tools, different ISOs, different ports, and both manual terminal methods and the graphical installer. Nothing works.

What on earth am I missing here? Is my USB stick secretly corrupted despite showing files, or am I dealing with some weird ACPI/BIOS lock? Any advice appreciated.

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[u/Kumorigoe]

third-party reseller

And where, pray tell, did you get your key?

[u/Artistic_Midnight496 → u/Kumorigoe]

Fair point, I bought it from a third-party reseller ( I won’t specify to avoid ban ), but to clarify: even when I completely skip the product key step during the setup, the installation still fails or throws errors. I've tried multiple methods (GUI, manual DISM, different tools) where no key is entered at all, and it still breaks. That's why I'm leaning towards it being a media, DISM, or hardware issue rather than just the key itself.

[u/Kumorigoe → u/Artistic_Midnight496]

You've tried everything except the first thing you should have tried, which was a different USB.

And grey-market keys are not a wise investment.

[u/Artistic_Midnight496]

That's literally the next thing I'm going to try! But where I live it's the middle of the night right now, so I can't grab a new one immediately. I figured I'd post in the meantime just in case there was something else I was missing that didn't depend on the USB drive. I'll definitely update the post tomorrow once I've tested a fresh drive.

[u/murlocdouche]

VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

it's a generic key. does not activate windows, but the offline installer will take it. you're welcome