Can't boot from M.2 NVMe SSD

[dominik.bielinski2]

I had a Samsung 850 SSD (SATA) with Windows 10 on it. I bought Samsung 970 SSD (M.2). Turned off the computer, plugged it in, inserted a bootable USB stick with Windows 10 on it. Went directly to BIOS and changed boot priority to boot from the stick. Then, I installed Windows 10 on the new drive (the old drive was still connected with Windows 10 on it).

Now, when I boot from the old drive, I have to choose which Windows installation I want to launch, every single time. It works without any problem, even when I choose the new Windows. But when I go to boot priority in BIOS and change to boot from this new M.2 drive, it does not work. I get a message saying, "reboot and select proper boot device". In the boot priority list, I have 2 options:

UEFI Windows Boot Manager: Samsung 850

Hard disk: Samsung 970

I'm assuming it doesn't work because 970 does not show as UEFI.

What did I do wrong? Is there any way to fix this or will I have to format again?

Motherboard: Z270 M3, got latest BIOS

Thank you for help.

 

[Calvin7]

The NVMe M.2 drive should be the only storage drive connected.

NVMe SSDs do not appear within the BIOS until Windows creates the system partition with the EFI Boot Sector. Your M.2 SSD contains UEFI driver information within the firmware. By disabling the CSM module, Windows will read and utilize the M.2-specific UEFI driver

Go into the BIOS, under the boot tab there is an option for CSM. Make sure it is disabled.

Click on the secure boot option below and make sure it is set to another OS, not windows UEFI.

Click on key management and clear secure boot keys.

Insert a USB memory stick with a bootable UEFI USB drive with Windows 10 Setup* on it, USB3 is quicker but USB2 works too. A Windows DVD won’t work unless you’ve created your own UEFI Bootable DVD.

Press F10 to save, exit and reboot.

Windows 10 will now start installing to your NVME drive as it has its own NVME driver built in.

When the PC reboots hit F2 to go back into the BIOS, you will see under boot priority that windows boot manager now lists your NVME drive.

Click on secure boot again but now set it to Windows UEFI mode.

Click on key management and install default secure boot keys

Press F10 to save and exit, Windows will finish the install. Once you have Windows up and running, shutdown the PC and reconnect your other SATA drives.

*How to create a bootable UEFI USB drive with Windows 10 Setup
https://winaero.com/blog/how-to-create-a-bootable-uefi-usb-drive-with-windows-10-setup/

The Windows 10 ISO link is broken in the above. You can obtain the ISO file here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

 

[Prostar Computer]

Double check how things were partitioned in Disk Management. Windows has a habit of placing some system files on one drive, and the OS partition on another (i.e. you might have to remove the 850 and then reinstall Windows to the 960).

 

[cbsmall]

The NVMe M.2 drive should be the only storage drive connected.

NVMe SSDs do not appear within the BIOS until Windows creates the system partition with the EFI Boot Sector. Your M.2 SSD contains UEFI driver information within the firmware. By disabling the CSM module Windows will read and utilize the M.2-specific UEFI driver

Go into the bios, under the boot tab there is an option for CSM, make sure it is disabled.

Click on secure boot option below and make sure it is set to other OS, not windows UEFI.

Click on key management and clear secure boot keys.

Insert a USB memory stick with a bootable UEFI USB drive with Windows 10 Setup* on it, USB3 is quicker but USB2 works also. A Windows DVD won’t work unless you’ve created your own UEFI Bootable DVD.

Press F10 to save, exit and reboot.

Windows 10 will now start installing to your NVME drive as it has its own NVME driver built in.

When the PC reboots hit F2 to go back into the BIOS, you will see under boot priority that windows boot manager now lists your NVME drive.

Click on secure boot again but now set it to WIndows UEFI mode.

Click on key management and install default secure boot keys

Press F10 to save and exit and windows will finish the install. Once you have Windows up and running, shutdown the PC and reconnect your other SATA drives.

*How to create a bootable UEFI USB drive with Windows 10 Setup
https://winaero.com/blog/how-to-create-a-bootable-uefi-...

The Windows 10 ISO link is broken in the above. You can obtain the ISO file here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Let us know if this worked! Calvin's response was beautifully written!

 

[dominik.bielinski2]

This is how the drives show up right now when I boot into new Windows:
https://imgur.com/a/4cGcOts

I'm gonna try what Calvin suggested right now and let you know about the results

 

[Prostar Computer]

This is how the drives show up right now when I boot into new Windows:
https://imgur.com/a/4cGcOts

I'm gonna try what Calvin suggested right now and let you know about the results

That seems to reflect what I suspected, but do let us know how Calvin's post treats you (I'm genuinely interested in how that works for you).

 

[dominik.bielinski2]

Well, seems like there are no CSM and other options in my BIOS (or I can't find them). So I just plugged off old disk before installing Windows to new one. Now it works great (boots from NVMe). Here's how it shows up now: https://imgur.com/a/lt1okyy. It is just Windows installation being dumb or? Anyway, thanks for the help!

 

[Prostar Computer]

Well, seems like there are no CSM and other options in my BIOS (or I can't find them). So I just plugged off old disk before installing Windows to new one. Now it works great (boots from NVMe). Here's how it shows up now: https://imgur.com/a/lt1okyy. It is just Windows installation being dumb or? Anyway, thanks for the help!

Windows likes to place the OS partition on one drive and the recovery and/or system partition on a separate drive when available. I think the idea is to insulate the repair/recovery files should the OS get damaged - anyway, yes: It's common, or "dumb." The only ways to avoid it are to physically remove other drives, or to leave them with no volume ("unallocated").

 

[fahmy.hady]

I have the same problem except that I disabled my hard drive slot from bios (I think it's the same as physically removing it) the Windows installer only saw my ssd but after installing it still didn't boot or show in boot menu only thing in boot sequence is the usb I installed from. I have Dell G3 and XPG SX 6000

 

[mjncad]

I'm new to Tom's Hardware, and I'm having a similar problem with a Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVMe SSD and a Supermicro X11-SAT workstation motherboard. Calvin7's answer has gotten me the closest to date; but should I continue discussing my related matter in this thread or start a new one?

Thanks!

 

[fahmy.hady]

I'm new to Tom's Hardware, and I'm having a similar problem with a Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVMe SSD and a Supermicro X11-SAT workstation motherboard. Calvin7's answer has gotten me the closest to date; but should I continue discussing my related matter in this thread or start a new one?

Thanks!

For me nothing worked so i went back to the dealer and the SDD didn't boot on a different Laptop so he replaced it and the replacement worked fine... One weird thing that happened is the SSD was supposed to be 256 GB but the parition shown in windows was 272 GB and i couldn't boot from it... When replaced worked fine with a bit less than 256 GB shown... so i guess it was a faulty hardware for me.

Simply try it on another laptop. If it works then try the online solutions, but i busted my back trying everything for 2 days before i went back to the dealer in vain.

 

[mjncad]

I'm new to Tom's Hardware, and I'm having a similar problem with a Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVMe SSD and a Supermicro X11-SAT workstation motherboard. Calvin7's answer has gotten me the closest to date; but should I continue discussing my related matter in this thread or start a new one?

Thanks!

For me nothing worked so i went back to the dealer and the SDD didn't boot on a different Laptop so he replaced it and the replacement worked fine... One weird thing that happened is the SSD was supposed to be 256 GB but the parition shown in windows was 272 GB and i couldn't boot from it... When replaced worked fine with a bit less than 256 GB shown... so i guess it was a faulty hardware for me.

Simply try it on another laptop. If it works then try the online solutions, but i busted my back trying everything for 2 days before i went back to the dealer in vain.

I have a feeling the SSD will be going back.

 

[mjncad]

It turns out the first SSD was a dud. Once I got a good one installed, I was able to install Windows 10.

 

[fervi]

It turns out the first SSD was a dud. Once I got a good one installed, I was able to install Windows 10.

I'm having the exact same issue with my 970. You say yours was a dud, and I've exhausted every option I've come across, but my computer still allows me to use the 970 for storage, the bios just refuses to recognize it as a boot option even though I've run the windows installer on it. Did yours act the same way? Maybe I need a replacement unit.

 

[mjncad]

Since I wanted the SSD as my boot and operational drive, I got a replacement. I was able to format the dud when I had it; so I assume I could use it for storage if need be. But since I have two 2TB HDD's that I can use for storage of little used stuff, I couldn't see keeping the dud and then having to get a PCIe card to mount it to in order to use it.

For what these SSD's cost, especially the 2TB versions; I wanted one that worked as advertised.

 

[fervi]

Since I wanted the SSD as my boot and operational drive, I got a replacement. I was able to format the dud when I had it; so I assume I could use it for storage if need be. But since I have two 2TB HDD's that I can use for storage of little used stuff, I couldn't see keeping the dud and then having to get a PCIe card to mount it to in order to use it.

For what these SSD's cost, especially the 2TB versions; I wanted one that worked as advertised.

Yeah, absolutely- I dropped money for the 2TB version as well. That sounds like the issue I'm having. I'll see about requesting a replacement and see if that does it. Fingers crossed!

 

[mjncad]

Keep at it. So far I'm happy that I finally got it running. Windows 10 boots faster than the POST process, which is more lengthy since I'm using a workstation/server motherboard.

I'm also noticing AutoCAD and other similar programs start quicker too.

 

[fervi]

Mine is just a gaming rig, but still, you spend the money, you want to get what you paid for.

 

[fervi]

Hey, just wanted to post an update- I got my replacement unit today and installed it- and it worked instantly! Did all the exact same steps as I had previously, but this one worked. Guess it was just a dud original unit after all. Anyway, I'm hugely relieved- thanks for the insight / help!

 

[CobraCalhoon]

The NVMe M.2 drive should be the only storage drive connected.

NVMe SSDs do not appear within the BIOS until Windows creates the system partition with the EFI Boot Sector. Your M.2 SSD contains UEFI driver information within the firmware. By disabling the CSM module Windows will read and utilize the M.2-specific UEFI driver

Go into the bios, under the boot tab there is an option for CSM, make sure it is disabled.

Click on secure boot option below and make sure it is set to other OS, not windows UEFI.

Click on key management and clear secure boot keys.

Insert a USB memory stick with a bootable UEFI USB drive with Windows 10 Setup* on it, USB3 is quicker but USB2 works also. A Windows DVD won’t work unless you’ve created your own UEFI Bootable DVD.

Press F10 to save, exit and reboot.

Windows 10 will now start installing to your NVME drive as it has its own NVME driver built in.

When the PC reboots hit F2 to go back into the BIOS, you will see under boot priority that windows boot manager now lists your NVME drive.

Click on secure boot again but now set it to WIndows UEFI mode.

Click on key management and install default secure boot keys

Press F10 to save and exit and windows will finish the install. Once you have Windows up and running, shutdown the PC and reconnect your other SATA drives.

*How to create a bootable UEFI USB drive with Windows 10 Setup

How to create a bootable UEFI USB drive with Windows 10 Setup

Read these instructions to create a bootable UEFI USB flash drive with Windows 10 setup.

winaero.com

...

The Windows 10 ISO link is broken in the above. You can obtain the ISO file here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

I followed this steps, and after exiting the BIOS nothing will display on my monitor.

I even removed the graphics card and tried to run it with VGA off the motherboard on a known working Monitor. Nothing. Now I can't get into the BIOS to even restore defaults. Any advice?