[SOLVED] Driver Update sent PC into boot loop - what to do?

1Reality1

Honorable
Nov 25, 2016
112
0
10,690
Just got it back up-and-running, and now a driver update sent it into a boot loop.
It was a silly mistake that I'll not make again. It was a driver I didn't need, but since it was on my mobo's driver page, I installed it anyway.

Here's all I've tried:
Windows Repair - didn't repair anything
Booting into Safe Mode - can only access BIOS
Booting from Windows Factory USB - didn't work, because it's already installed on the entire drive (100% partition)


So, now am needing very much to know how to do a fresh install once again, but this time with an existing partition taking-up 100% of the drive space.

SPECS:
Win 10
ASUS ROG Maximus X Hero (Wi-Fi AC)
I7-8700k @ 3.7GHz
EVGA AIO
32GB (4x8GB DDR4-2747)
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080Ti EVGA Hybrid FTW3
M2 Samsung SSD 970 EVO (1TB boot drive)
(970 EVO is the only drive currently plugged-in)
Samsung SSD 850 EVO (1 TB gaming drive)
... and two other HDs, one hybrid and one mechanical, for recordings and archiving, respectively
EVGA Supernova 750 G3
 
Last edited:

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
what was the driver you installed?

I can get you into safe mode to uninstall the driver

Does it let you boot off the USB?

boot from installer

on screen after languages, choose repair this pc, not install.

choose troubleshoot

choose advanced

choose command prompt

Enter these BOLD commands and press ENTER after each.

(Note the colon after C with no space; then the spaces which are important - one after T before / & T before { & } before B & Y before L)

C:

BCDEDIT /SET {DEFAULT} BOOTMENUPOLICY LEGACY

EXIT


You are back to the boot screen -> Shutdown the computer.

Boot back up and "immediately" start tapping F8 (That means power button - then F8).

Hopefully that should get you into Safe Mode.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To reverse that you can use the same steps and type these (again note spaces)

C:

BCDEDIT /SET {DEFAULT} BOOTMENUPOLICY STANDARD


Restart but F8 will not work now.
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
intel rapid storage tech - its also used for RAID but I don't think it can change the settings in BIOS to turn it on there.

Unless you have optane, you don't really need it. It can replace the nvme drivers, could be why you can't boot now.
 

1Reality1

Honorable
Nov 25, 2016
112
0
10,690
boot from installer
on screen after languages, choose repair this pc, not install.
choose troubleshoot
choose advanced
choose command prompt
Enter these BOLD commands and press ENTER after each.

(Note the colon after C with no space; then the spaces which are important - one after T before / & T before { & } before B & Y before L)
C:

BCDEDIT /SET {DEFAULT} BOOTMENUPOLICY LEGACY

This happens:
View: https://imgur.com/a/rOLeqjs

Tried it two ways, just to ensure was doing it correctly.
 

1Reality1

Honorable
Nov 25, 2016
112
0
10,690
look in your bios on the Advanced menu,
Under PCH Storage, there is a choice called SATA Mode Selection
Under it there are 2 choices,
AHCI which you should choose
Intel RST Premium with optane acceleration - if this is on, choose AHCI

Page 3-17 here - https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/...646_ROG_MAXIMUS_X_HERO_WI-FI_AC_UM_V2_WEB.pdf

Man, that's epic! Is exactly what was needed.
Am back into the OS just as it was.
Will have time remember that setting, in case it somehow happens again.
Thank you for the help!
 

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