Question Can’t boot from new m.2 ssd

[Bruur]

Hey all,
So recently I bought a New NVMe SSD, the WD Black SN770 1tb to put into my Gigabyte B650 Eagle AX.

However, I’m encountering some problems with it. The bios recognizes the drive however it’s not seen as a bootable option.

I’ve made sure AHCI is turned on, the BIOS is UEFI, the disc is partitioned as GPT, CSM is off, secure boot is off, I’ve also used Windows command prompt to create a boot loader on the new SSD. I freshly installed windows on it. Everything seems to work normally, however, it will just not show up as a bootable option in the BIOS. I’m really starting to think this is a faulty drive however I’m posting here in hopes of getting an answer that will help me out with getting this SSD to function.

Thanks in advance!

 

[USAFRet]

In the boot options, do you see "Windows Boot Manager"?

 

[Bruur]

In the boot options, do you see "Windows Boot Manager"?

I only see it in front of my previous SSD. It doesn’t show up as a bootable drive at all. I can see it under the m.2 overview, but not on the boot menu.

 

[evermorex76]

Odd that two people have had the same issue with the same drive in a week. Have you tried @dev_cyberpunk's suggestions from the other thread, even though I think they're useless? Did you have your original drive installed in the PC when you tried to do a fresh Windows install? Take it out to do the install.

 

[USAFRet]

I only see it in front of my previous SSD. It doesn’t show up as a bootable drive at all. I can see it under the m.2 overview, but not on the boot menu.

Windows Boot Manager IS the OS install, on the desired drive.

 

[Bruur]

Odd that two people have had the same issue with the same drive in a week. Have you tried @dev_cyberpunk's suggestions from the other thread, even though I think they're useless? Did you have your original drive installed in the PC when you tried to do a fresh Windows install? Take it out to do the install.

Yeah I read that post and also tried the things mentioned in there. I also asked if the OP resolved the issue, but haven’t received an answer yet.

I did accidentally left the original SSD in, which ironically also happened in the other thread. I wiped my old drive and left it unplugged during the installations thereafter.

 

[Bruur]

Windows Boot Manager IS the OS install, on the desired drive.

I did, but it doesn’t work.

 

[dev_cyberpunk]

However, I’m encountering some problems with it. The bios recognizes the drive however it’s not seen as a bootable option.

If its booting normally, then turn on fast boot and enable NVMe in the boot options. Because for some reason in this consumer board they don't automatically assign the M.2 to the boot menu. My cubi-n does this automatically, so this is a Gigabyte Bios issue apparently. Because in mine, NVMe boot option can be enabled without having fastboot on.

 

[Bruur]

If its booting normally, then turn on fast boot and enable NVMe in the boot options. Because for some reason in this consumer board they don't automatically assign the M.2 to the boot menu. My cubi-n does this automatically, so this is a Gigabyte Bios issue apparently. Because in mine, NVMe boot option can be enabled without having fastboot on.

Thanks for the help but it’s still going straight into the BIOS without showing me the NVMe in the boot tab.

My settings are as followed:
Fast Boot - Enabled
SATA support - All SATA devices
NVMe support - enabled
VGA support - EFI driver
USB support - full initial
Ps2 devices support - enabled
Network stack driver support - disabled

CSM - disabled
Secureboot - disabled
SATA mode - AHCI
NVMe RAID - disabled

 

[SkyNetRising]

I did accidentally left the original SSD in, which ironically also happened in the other thread. I wiped my old drive and left it unplugged during the installations thereafter.

That is the cause of your issue.
If you leave old drive (containing old bootloader) during windows install,
then new drive doesn't get bootloader created on it. There's no need for multiple bootloaders.

Reinstall windows only with single drive connected.
Clean target drive before installing windows onto it.

My settings are as followed:
Fast Boot - Enabled

And set Fast Boot to disabled.

 

[Bruur]

That is the cause of your issue.
If you leave old drive (containing old bootloader) during windows install,
then new drive doesn't get bootloader created on it. There's no need for multiple bootloaders.

Reinstall windows only with single drive connected.
Clean target drive before installing windows onto it.


And set Fast Boot to disabled.

Yeah that was a huge mistake honestly, however I tried what you’re describing many times. I formatted the NVMe countless times and installed windows on it with all other storage drives disconnected. I even wiped my old SSD but even that doesn’t help.

I also used diskpart to manually create an EFI partition and also used bootrec /rebuildbcd. At first it couldn’t find an installed windows on the NVMe but after following a guide of commands it did. But then I try to reboot and it’s going straight back into the BIOS again and the NVMe doesn’t show up in the boot tab.

And I only just now enabled fast boot because advised me to.

 

[evermorex76]

I'm pretty much out of ideas on these. I can't see any way that the drive itself is the issue, but for two people to report it so close together is weird.

 

[dev_cyberpunk]

I'm pretty much out of ideas on these. I can't see any way that the drive itself is the issue, but for two people to report it so close together is weird.

Its the reason why I don't build with these mainstream consumer boards because they go cheap on them. Especially with drive controllers.

So, does this have some sort of AHCI driver disk you have to load when installing the OS? Because I bet this is one of those cheap software raid controllers that don't have native AHCI and have to use a disk.

I wonder if they tried IDE mode on the SATA. Because AHCI was not really designed for NMVe drives and supposed only be used if setting up a RAID with a NMVe drive plus SATA SSD drives.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I also used diskpart to manually create an EFI partition and also used bootrec /rebuildbcd. At first it couldn’t find an installed windows on the NVMe but after following a guide of commands it did. But then I try to reboot and it’s going straight back into the BIOS again and the NVMe doesn’t show up in the boot tab.

Clean target drive with diskpart and do not create any partitions manually.
Try with csm enabled.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Because AHCI was not really designed for NMVe drives and supposed only be used if setting up a RAID with a NMVe drive plus SATA SSD drives.

Sata controller in AHCI mode is necessary, so RAID mode, or NVME cache mode doesn't get used.
That's the only way it is related to NVME drives.

 

[dev_cyberpunk]

Sata controller in AHCI mode is necessary, so RAID mode, or NVME cache mode doesn't get used.
That's the only way it is related to NVME drives.

Its hard to tell without knowing the bios because they could have programmed it as AHCI raid only and the NVME drive is assumed incorporated as a raid. Because modern Windows versions (7 and up) and Linux has its own AHCI driver on their boot/install disk, but with windows you have to install the OEM AHCI driver at setup (if its not native to the controller).

 

[Bruur]

Clean target drive with diskpart and do not create any partitions manually.
Try with csm enabled.

I hate to be the kind of guy that says “I already did that” on every tip, but I already did this multiple times lol. When I leave CSM on I only get a black screen. It won’t boot at all, not even into BIOS. I have to take out the CMOS battery to reset the BIOS to get into it again.

 

[JayGau]

If you reinstall Windows on your old drive does it boot? If it does, put your NVMe back in and see if Windows sees it in the disk manager. If it does, format it and try to copy stuff or install a program on it. If it works then your drive is fine and the problem is with the board.

 

[evermorex76]

Its the reason why I don't build with these mainstream consumer boards because they go cheap on them. Especially with drive controllers.

So, does this have some sort of AHCI driver disk you have to load when installing the OS? Because I bet this is one of those cheap software raid controllers that don't have native AHCI and have to use a disk.

I wonder if they tried IDE mode on the SATA. Because AHCI was not really designed for NMVe drives and supposed only be used if setting up a RAID with a NMVe drive plus SATA SSD drives.

There's nothing wrong with the controllers or mainstream boards. They're built into the system CHIPSET which is matched to the processor being used. AHCI hasn't required a driver disk since Windows XP. RAID is also built into the chipset on these systems and also just works with newer Windows versions like 10 and 11 (probably 8 as well), without a driver disk. Changing settings for the SATA ports will not affect the NVMe controllers in any way, even if you're doing RAID along with a SATA drive. It affects only the protocol used to talk to the SATA drive.

 

[Bruur]

If you reinstall Windows on your old drive does it boot? If it does, put your NVMe back in and see if Windows sees it as a D drive. If it does, format it and try to copy stuff or install a program on it. If it works then your drive is fine and the problem is with the board.

Yes I can still install on the old drive and get into windows effortlessly. The new ssd also shows up in MyPc and is fully functional apart from the booting.

I want to give Macrium Reflect image restore a try tomorrow. I tried cloning it but I got an error because of different cluster sizes.

 

[USAFRet]

So recently I bought a New NVMe SSD, the WD Black SN770 1tb to put into my Gigabyte B650 Eagle AX.

However, I’m encountering some problems with it. The bios recognizes the drive however it’s not seen as a bootable option.

It can't be seen in the BIOS as a bootable option, until there is an OS and boot partition on it.

 

[dev_cyberpunk]

There's nothing wrong with the controllers or mainstream boards. They're built into the system CHIPSET which is matched to the processor being used. AHCI hasn't required a driver disk since Windows XP. RAID is also built into the chipset on these systems and also just works with newer Windows versions like 10 and 11 (probably 8 as well), without a driver disk. Changing settings for the SATA ports will not affect the NVMe controllers in any way, even if you're doing RAID along with a SATA drive. It affects only the protocol used to talk to the SATA drive.

are we going by assumptions?

Unless the motherboard cost $1200 and up they all have software raids of some sort. But some of the boards under $1200 is going to have AHCI built in while others will rely on a driver file(s). But I think this bios automatically makes all drives part of a RAID set because I don't see a mention of AHCI mode which would be the two options of single or RAID.


I just looked at the manual: https://download.gigabyte.com/FileL...1101_e.pdf?v=90178938af27826480a5e99026d17d3c

on pg 33, it says:

4-1 Operating System Installation

With the correct BIOS settings, you are ready to install the operating system.
As some operating systems already include RAID driver, you do not need to install separate RAID driver during
the Windows installation process. After the operating system is installed, we recommend that you install all
required drivers from the GIGABYTE Control Center to ensure system performance and compatibility. If the
operating system to be installed requires that you provide additional RAID driver during the OS installation
process, please refer to the steps below:
Step 1:
Go to GIGABYTE's website, browse to the motherboard model's web page, download the AMD RAID Preinstall
Driver file on the Support\Download\SATA RAID/AHCI page, unzip the file and copy the files to your USB
thumb drive.
Step 2:
Boot from the Windows setup disc and perform standard OS installation steps. When the screen requesting you
to load the driver appears, select Browse.
Step 3:
Insert the USB thumb drive and then browse to the location of the drivers. Follow the on-screen instructions to
install the following three drivers in order.

j AMD-RAID Bottom Device
k AMD-RAID Controller
l AMD-RAID Config Device
Finally, continue the OS installation

So I would assume AHCI would need the raid driver and ide would not as it would treat all storage as single drives, and GPT partition would fallow EFI boot regardless of translation. But AHCI would need a driver so it could treat it as a JOD (just one disk).

 

[dev_cyberpunk]

It can't be seen in the BIOS as a bootable option, until there is an OS and boot partition on it.

The way I've been reading this thread, I think the OP has installed the OS on the drive, but 1st reboot fails because the driver for the controller was not loaded.

 

[USAFRet]

The way I've been reading this thread, I think the OP has installed the OS on the drive, but 1st reboot fails because the driver for the controller was not loaded.

Possibly, but confirmation is needed.

 

[dev_cyberpunk]

Possibly, but confirmation is needed.

I understand, but regardless, an NMVe does not use any part of AHCI , and with a SSD on SATA it would only use the hot swap feature of AHCI and not native command queuing because that inter reacts with the slave controller on a mechanical hard drive.