What happens if I accidentally start a Windows setup of a USB stick even though Windows was already installed?

I recently loaded the setup for Windows 10 onto a USB stick using the Windows Media Creation Tool, which enabled me to install Windows on a new PC that does not have an operating system already installed via this USB stick.

Now wanted to format this USB stick again, I plugged it into a laptop of mine and then raised this. There's already a lot of data on this laptop and Windows was installed years ago.

Now, however, again these steps are displayed, which are executed when installing Windows, so I'm asked if I want to activate Cortana as a personal assistant, activate my location, etc.

Will Windows be reinstalled and will I have to worry about my data being lost from my laptop when I finish the setup? Or do I have to break this somehow? However, I do not know how.

I have already switched off the laptop, pulled out the USB stick and then restarted the laptop, hoping that the normal desktop will reappear as before, but this setup program will start again, where I should first set up my Windows.

I thank you in advance for help!

If you have removed the stick, there should not be a setup program unless you have pulled something else on the stick and broke something while booting from it.

In itself, the installation does not start automatically, but only by pressing a button after selecting the partition.

It may also be because Windows asks for other reasons for Cortane, etc., for example, since you have set up a new user account or any new update you should ask again.

In general, you should first of all run the input dialog, if you are sure that dre USB stick is disconnected, and then see if something has changed.

Okay thanks, I'll try it

Insert the USB stick after PC startup.

As long as in your UEFI / BIOS> Boot sequence of drives, the USB drive is in front of the HDD, with a plugged bootable USB stick will always pass - until you correct the setting.

As long as he has not copied the data just turn off otherwise he formats the partition and then the pc boot up and then connect the stick