[SOLVED] Can't boot from Samsung 970 EVO after swapping out a few components

[hybrid978]

I've been using this PC for about 4 or 5 years now. The PSU has made a high pitched electrical noise since I got it (it was a work PC and they didn't care), and I recently decided to replace it.

Here are some of the specs of my PC:

PSU: Thermaltake 650w PSU
CPU: Ryzen 5 2600
Mobo: B450M Pro4
Primary drive: Samsung 970 EVO
GPU: 1050ti

I swapped the Thermaltake out for a Corsair 550w PSU earlier today and added a secondary 480gb SSD. When I booted it up, I got a "Reboot and select a proper boot device" message and have never been able to boot from the Samsung drive again. I haven't made any changes to the BIOS.

I've tried putting the old PSU back in and removing the new SSD (100% back to original config) but the problem persists. I did a clean install of windows on the new SSD and am able to see/use/scan the 970 EVO without issue, but it's still not recognized as a boot device.

I'd really appreciate any advice anyone could give.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I haven't made any changes to the BIOS.

When adding additional storage device, boot sequence may change automatically.
You have to go into BIOS boot priority section and change boot priority appropriately.

Can you show screenshot from BIOS boot priority settings and
Disk Management in windows ?
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

 

[hybrid978]

When adding additional storage device, boot sequence may change automatically.
You have to go into BIOS boot priority section and change boot priority appropriately.

Can you show screenshot from BIOS boot priority settings and
Disk Management in windows ?
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

The BIOS actually has a pop up asking which drive to boot from. Choosing the 970 EVO brings me back to the same "select proper boot device" message. I've also made sure the boot order was correct.

 

[SkyNetRising]

If windows was installed in UEFI mode, then first boot device has to be Windows Boot Manager.

 

[Mr.Spock]

if you did a clean install on the 2nd SSD, you've marked that as your boot drive and UEFI will enforce that. you probably need to boot in legacy/CSM mode with only the original drive to have any chance of using it as boot.

 

[hybrid978]

If windows was installed in UEFI mode, then first boot device has to be Windows Boot Manager.

That is not an option in my bios. I've tried changing everything in the boot section within reason

if you did a clean install on the 2nd SSD, you've marked that as your boot drive and UEFI will enforce that. you probably need to boot in legacy/CSM mode with only the original drive to have any chance of using it as boot.

I'm able to disable the second SSD in my bios and boot only from the Samsung drive. My windows boot USB also recognizes both drives as having windows, but it fails to do anything to the Samsung drive. I've tried to do the simple repair process and have tried restoring the boot manager using command line.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I've tried to do the simple repair process and have tried restoring the boot manager using command line.

Please show screenshot from Disk Management.

That is not an option in my bios. I've tried changing everything in the boot section within reason

Show screenshot.

 

[hybrid978]

Having trouble adding photos directly, so here's an imgur link:

https://imgur.com/a/POUuMjv

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

 

[SkyNetRising]

250GB drive is not bootable. It doesn't contain a bootloader.
And your Disk Management screenshot doesn't show all the drives. Drive 0 is not visible.

If you want to make 250Gb drive bootable, then execute following from elevated command prompt:
(if you get any errors, then stop immediately and show screenshot)

diskpart​

list disk​

select disk 1​

(select 232GB disk)​

list partition​

select partition 1​

(select 232GB partition)​

shrink desired=500​

create partition primary​

format fs=ntfs quick​

active​

assign letter=H​

exit​

bcdboot d:\windows /s H:​

If everything goes well and there were no errors, then

shutdown,​

change boot priority so 250GB drive is boot option #1 (in Hard Drive BBS priorities)​

save BIOS settings and reboot.​

​

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[hybrid978]

It worked!

You are a god!

Any chance you could try to explain to me what happened/what I just did to solve it?

 

[SkyNetRising]

Any chance you could try to explain to me what happened/what I just did to solve it?

Basically you made a free space on M.2 drive,
created a new partition there and
set up it to be the new bootloader.
That way M.2 drive has now become bootable.

Diskpart command reference.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/diskpart


You can also remove drive letter from partition H: .
In Disk Management right-click on partition H: , chose "Change drive letter and paths" and remove assigned drive letter.

 

[hybrid978]

I can't thank you enough!

I was minutes away from formatting the drive and reinstalling windows. It would have taken me days or even weeks to reinstall/reconfigure everything.