Question Can’t boot windows with multiple connected drives

[Fl1cks]

* The whole title and text has been changed and updated now so it might differ from some conversations or replies. What’s written here is the current issue that I’m experiencing.

Gonna make this short and quick so that it’s easy and quick to read. I’ve sorted everything by date. I am very pleased with any help given. Thank you so much!


Yesterday:

I installed Windows on Drive 2, with Drive 1 connected to the computer. Seemed like everything worked but I don’t remember restarting the PC, etc.

I’m stuck at the motherboard screen after connecting Drive 3 & 4.


Today:

I’m currently stuck at the motherboard screen and have all drives connected to it.

I removed Drive 3, still stuck at the motherboard screen.

I removed Drive 4, still stuck at the motherboard screen.

At this point I have Drive 1 and 2 connected to the motherboard and I’m still stuck at the motherboard screen.


Today:

I Installed Windows on Drive 1 without any other drives connected to the computer, restarted the computer, etc. Everything seems to work great.

I’m stuck at the motherboard screen after connecting Drive 2, 3, & 4.


Now:

I am really interested in knowing what this could be all about and have been researching this whole day without success. How do I solve this and get my new build finished?


Specs:

CPU - I7-11700K

GPU - Asus RTX 3060 ROG STRIX OC

RAM - G.SKILL 4X32GB Balistix (128GB)

PSU - Corsair RM850X 850W

MB - Gigabyte Z590 UD AC

Drive 1 - WD SN850 500GB (M.2)

Drive 2 - Crucial P5 250GB (M.2)

Drive 3 - Crucial P5 500GB (M.2)

Drive 4 - Samsung QVO 1TB (SSD)


Thanks again in advance. I do really appreciate any kind of help that can be given!

 

[SkyNetRising]

It seems like all your drives (except Drive 1) are bad and causing problems.

Now connect a single drive (you may need to try different M.2 slots),
boot from windows installation media into command prompt and
run chkdsk on all partitions on connected drive.

chkdsk /f c:​

Do that for drives #2,#3,#4.

 

[SkyNetRising]

BTW - check BIOS settings.

Sata controller should be set to AHCI.
There should be no M.2 RAID enabled.

 

[Fl1cks]

BTW - check BIOS settings.

Sata controller should be set to AHCI.
There should be no M.2 RAID enabled.

The sata controller is set to ACHI but I don’t know how to find the setting for M.2 RAID, where can I find this?

 

[Fl1cks]

It seems like all your drives (except Drive 1) are bad and causing problems.

Now connect a single drive (you may need to try different M.2 slots),
boot from windows installation media into command prompt and
run chkdsk on all partitions on connected drive.

chkdsk /f c:​

Do that for drives #2,#3,#4.

Now, I’ve disconnected the other drives and only have Drive 1 connected to the MB but I get stuck at the motherboard screen. When I boot from the USB stick with the Windows installation tool and enter chkdsk /f d: for Drive 1 in the command prompt I get this

https://imgur.com/a/UKszMva

View: https://imgur.com/a/UKszMva

 

[SkyNetRising]

Write protection on SSD can occur, when SSD has exhausted all write cycles.
If that happens, you replace the SSD.

Check the rest of partitions on the drive too. They would all be write protected then.

 

[Fl1cks]

Oh I think drive D: might have been the usb stick and not the m.2 drive. Anyways, suddenly now when I try booting into Windows again on Drive 1 I get in and it works. I entered the disk checking command and what’s shown in the pictures popped up. Now, I’m not sure whether it checked the disk or not and I did not really get any results. I restarted and it told me to press any key to skip checking disk or something and then counted down from 10. I did not press any key. It scanned and repaired the drive in like 5 seconds and I was back to windows within seconds. Also, I want to mention that this WD SN850 drive is brand new and was bought from Western Digital

https://imgur.com/a/0ZDk4kl

View: https://imgur.com/a/0ZDk4kl

 

[SkyNetRising]

I did not ask you to check Disk 1. That one obviously is fine.

Now connect a single drive (you may need to try different M.2 slots),
boot from windows installation media into command prompt and
run chkdsk on all partitions on connected drive.
chkdsk /f c:
Do that for drives #2,#3,#4.

 

[Fl1cks]

I did not ask you to check Disk 1. That one obviously is fine.

Do you know how I can check the other drives without disconnecting Drive 1?

 

[Fl1cks]

I don’t quite understand how this could have to do with one of the other drives if Drive 1 is working properly because when I plug in Drive 1 together with one of the other drives, no matter which drive is connected together with Drive 1 I still get stuck at the same motherboard screen. So if there’s a drive that doesn’t work shouldn’t all of the three other drives be the ones that don’t work? All of these drives except Drive 4 are bought as brand new. I’ve had Drive 4 for about 2 years now and I know that this one has worked well at all times and have had good results after scans so I don’t believe that it has to do with this drive at least. It’s also still under the warranty period from Samsung.

Drive 1 - WD SN850 500GB (M.2)
Drive 2 - Crucial P5 250GB (M.2)
Drive 3 - Crucial P5 500GB (M.2)
Drive 4 - Samsung QVO 1TB (SSD)

I did not ask you to check Disk 1. That one obviously is fine.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Do you know how I can check the other drives without disconnecting Drive 1?

You have to disconnect drive #1. Or else this complicates things.

You boot from windows installation media - USB flash drive with windows install on it.
That one boots the system. No disk 1 necessary.

Then you go into command prompt mode and run chkdsk on any other connected drive.

BTW you can get list of available drive letters with

diskpart​

list volume​

 

[SkyNetRising]

All of these drives except Drive 4 are bought as brand new.
Drive 1 - WD SN850 500GB (M.2)
Drive 2 - Crucial P5 250GB (M.2)
Drive 3 - Crucial P5 500GB (M.2)
Drive 4 - Samsung QVO 1TB (SSD)

So the drives #1,#2,#3 are brand new.
Do you have any data on drives #2,#3, you would need to recover?

If there's no recovery necessary, then
boot from windows installation media with single drive connected (#2, then #3)
and clean them using diskpart.

diskpart​

list disk​

select disk 0​

clean​

(Have only single drive connected. It will be wiped clean. No data on it will be left after this. Do not clean the wrong drive.)

 

[SkyNetRising]

All of these drives except Drive 4 are bought as brand new.
Drive 1 - WD SN850 500GB (M.2)
Drive 2 - Crucial P5 250GB (M.2)
Drive 3 - Crucial P5 500GB (M.2)
Drive 4 - Samsung QVO 1TB (SSD)

BTW if those drives are new - why did you choose getting 3 small nvme drives instead of getting single large one?
You may later want more nvme storage, but all M.2 slots are used up.

 

[Fl1cks]

I separate the program, project files, and media cache to boost performance and rendering speed in programs such as After Effects

 

[Fl1cks]

So the drives #1,#2,#3 are brand new.
Do you have any data on drives #2,#3, you would need to recover?

If there's no recovery necessary, then
boot from windows installation media with single drive connected (#2, then #3)
and clean them using diskpart.

diskpart​

list disk​

select disk 0​

clean​

(Have only single drive connected. It will be wiped clean. No data on it will be left after this. Do not clean the wrong drive.)

I’ve done this now and all disks are now wiped

https://imgur.com/a/XsSYclk

View: https://imgur.com/a/XsSYclk

 

[SkyNetRising]

I’ve done this now and all disks are now wiped

All disks? Only disks #2 and #3 were to be wiped.

Oh - you wiped Disk 1 too.

Then have only single disk connected, where windows will be installed.
Install windows on it.
Connect remaining nvme drives after that.

 

[Fl1cks]

All disks? Only disks #2 and #3 were to be wiped.

Oh - you wiped Disk 1 too.

Then have only single disk connected, where windows will be installed.
Install windows on it.
Connect remaining nvme drives after that.

I removed all disks except Disk 1 and installed windows on it and rebooted. Everything seems to work great and I come into Windows without any issues. I connected all of the other disks and now I’m stuck at the motherboard screen when booting.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Everything seems to work great and I come into Windows without any issues.
I connected all of the other disks and now I’m stuck at the motherboard screen when booting.

Connect them one by one ( not all at the same time).

 

[1234John1234]

I know someone who had a similar issue about a year ago but I don’t remember how he solved it. Maybe it has to do with some settings inside the BIOS or drivers that were too old

 

[SkyNetRising]

Also make sure in BIOS you have

fast boot disabled and​

secure boot disabled.​

 

[Fl1cks]

Connect them one by one ( not all at the same time).

Also make sure in BIOS you have

fast boot disabled and​

secure boot disabled.​

I’ve got fast boot set at “Disable Link” and secure boot set at “Disabled”. I’ve connected the drives one by one now but that has not changed anything. I still get the motherboard screen when I boot with another drive, no matter which drive is connected together with Drive 1.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Probably something is wrong with BIOS settings.
Show screenshots for every setting related to
storage, sata, M.2, nvme or similar.

Switch BIOS to advanced mode first.

 

[Fl1cks]

I haven’t messed with the settings other than the boot option priorities as well as fast & secure boot which you suggested. Here are screenshots on everything related to storage

https://imgur.com/a/DEW9oxv

View: https://imgur.com/a/DEW9oxv

 

[SkyNetRising]

What is "KDI MSFTWindows 10PMAP" ?
Is that USB flash drive?

Anyway - have only single boot device in Boot priorities. Remove the other from boot priority list.

 

[Fl1cks]

What is "KDI MSFTWindows 10PMAP" ?
Is that USB flash drive?

Anyway - have only single boot device in Boot priorities. Remove the other from boot priority list.

Yes, that’s the USB flash drive with the Windows installation. I’ve booted multiple times with only one single boot device in Boot Priorities but that has not solved this.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I saw Secure boot on Auto. Try disabling it.
You may try to enable CSM.

What are other options under Windows 10 features?
Try setting it to other than Windows 10.