MSI B75MA-P45: Can't boot with SSD

[Douglas Bacon]

So I've installed Windows 10 to my SSD via USB. Got activated, drivers sorted, personalised it a bit... All good and dandy.

Went to restart for the sake of hypothetical cleanliness after installing and all... I can't boot with the SSD.

Having read other threads, so as to save time and effort:
- The SATA mode is set to AHCI
- My BIOS doesnt have a Secure Boot option, so I'm led to believe that it isn't the issue, although I'm sure I could be wrong
- I've made sure that the drives are set as the first boot preference
- The boot preference is set to the SSD specifically, although no other drives are plugged in at present anyway
- It's plugged into the first SATA port

Any and all help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[COLGeek]

When you install Windows to the SSD, were any other drives (SSD or HDD) attached to the system?

 

[Douglas Bacon]

There was not, COLGeek.

 

[COLGeek]

Have you attempted a startup repair?

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/rescue-an-ailing-system-launch-windows-10-startup-repair-from-the-recovery-drive/

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/fix-windows-10-wont-boot-startup-repair-bootrec/

 

[Douglas Bacon]

I have. It's the same result.
To clarify, it's asking me to "Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key_".
Earlier on I attempted the bootrec and mbr commands as well, no dice.

 

[COLGeek]

You may need to perform a a secure erase and then completely reinstall Windows. The boot record seems to be the issue.

https://partedmagic.com/secure-erase/

Is this a new SSD? What make/model is it?

 

[COLGeek]

Just to verify something from your original post. You booted and installed Windows from a USB drive, with the SSD installed in your computer (attached to a SATA or m.2 port) , is that correct?

 

[Douglas Bacon]

A 120GB Sandisk SSD. Afraid I don't know the model, and can't find it on the drive itsel. I can give you the boot name, SanDisk SDSSDA120G, although I'm unsure if that'll help.

Via SATA, and aye that's correct.

How would one go about doing a Secure Erase? The link you provided didn't seem to say how to get to the point of peforming one?

 

[COLGeek]

You can purchase for $11 here. Several mods use this product and swear by it.

https://partedmagic.com/downloads/

Sandisk offers help here as well:

https://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/16678/~/secure-erase-and-sanitize

 

[Douglas Bacon]

Well... I was having a play with variour options, and it turns out that all I needed to do was change...

Boot Configuration:
Other PCI device ROM priority

... From 'LegacyOpROM' into 'UEFIOpROM'.

Then I had 'UEFI: Windows Boot Manager' as a boot option thereafter, and I've had that selected since with no issues. Windows 10 is booting fine from the SSD now.

Edit: I'd select this as the answer... But apparently I can't. Don't know if a mod could do that for me?

 

[COLGeek]

Well done.