[SOLVED] NVMe Boot Drive How?

[hayden01527]

I have been fighting with computer to figure out how make to make an samsung 960 evo use the windows boot manager. i am using a gigabyte z370XP SLI motherboard with i7 8700. I have read countless forums attempting to understand this issue. I am using a USB Boot drive, and am certain that the windows information has been placed onto the M.2 SSD. However when it restarts, and i attempt to check for the windows Boot Manager it does not appear. Any help will be appricated.

To clarify parts:

Motherboard: Gigabyte Z370XP SLI
CPU: I7 8700
M.2 SSD: samsung 960 EVO
Ram: 16GB

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

Is it the only drive attached while you are installing windows?

 

[hayden01527]

yes.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

Is it showing in the BIOS under storage options?

 

[hayden01527]

What is most annoying is when i put the BIOS into the simplified mode, the SSD Shows up as Windows Boot Manager, which tells me that windows boot manager is on the device it just isnt showing up when attemting to boot from it.

 

[karenjoly]

This procedure works, so give it a try.

Create an up to date USB install media by following the steps outlined here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10

Then disconnect or disable all hdd /ssd drives but the one where you will install windows.

Insert the USB media tool, with the windows install files, into the board. Next, startup and go to the board setup and ensure the board is configured to use UEFI boot settings, CSM is enabled.

On the motherboard boot device menu, select the command that identifies both the firmware mode and the device. For example, select UEFI: USB Drive / Windows Boot Manager will also work, and list that device in the first boot slot on the board.

Reboot. Install begins.

When choosing an installation type, select Custom. On new disks, the drive will show a single area of unallocated space. If there are partitions, select each one and then "delete".

Select the unallocated space and click Next. Windows detects that the PC was booted into UEFI mode, partitions the drive using the GPT and begins the installation.

Any data on the drive will be lost

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

What is most annoying is when i put the BIOS into the simplified mode, the SSD Shows up as Windows Boot Manager, which tells me that windows boot manager is on the device it just isnt showing up when attemting to boot from it.

Calvin7 posted a nice guide here , works most of the time:

Note: Secure boot may differ on your system, but here is a guide:

Your problem may be you aren't using a bootable UEFI USB drive with Windows 10 Setup.
Another link at the end here.


1- The M.2 drive has to be the only drive installed.

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

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

4 - Click on key management and clear secure boot keys.

5 - 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.

6 - Press F10 to save, exit and reboot.

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

8 - 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.

9 - Click on secure boot again but now set it to WIndows UEFI mode. (see #3 above)

10 - Click on key management and install default secure boot keys

11 - 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.

I would also recommend installing the Samsung NVME driver at this point to replace the Windows one. (optional)

# 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/

 

[hayden01527]

What is most annoying is when i put the BIOS into the simplified mode, the SSD Shows up as Windows Boot Manager, which tells me that windows boot manager is on the device it just isnt showing up when attemting to boot from it.

Calvin7 posted a nice guide here , works most of the time:

Note: Secure boot may differ on your system, but here is a guide:

Your problem may be you aren't using a bootable UEFI USB drive with Windows 10 Setup.
Another link at the end here.


1- The M.2 drive has to be the only drive installed.

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

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

4 - Click on key management and clear secure boot keys.

5 - 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.

6 - Press F10 to save, exit and reboot.

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

8 - 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.

9 - Click on secure boot again but now set it to WIndows UEFI mode. (see #3 above)

10 - Click on key management and install default secure boot keys

11 - 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.

I would also recommend installing the Samsung NVME driver at this point to replace the Windows one. (optional)

# 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/

I dont have an option for Windows UEFI within the secure boot.

 

[hayden01527]

for clarification - Do i put secure boot on or off? I also cant find a 'other OS' or 'Windows UEFI' anywhere in secure boot.

 

[hayden01527]

Also it is A UEFI Bootable USB, when i Select it in the boot sequence to install windows it says UEFI: Generic Flash Disk 8.07

 

[karenjoly]

Never mind about secure boot or other OS . They are irrelevant.

I noted above

On the motherboard boot device menu, select the command that identifies both the firmware mode and the device. For example, select UEFI: USB Drive / Windows Boot Manager will also work, and list that device in the first boot slot on the board.


So can you boot from the usb you ID as " UEFI: Generic Flash Disk 8.07 " ?

 

[hayden01527]

Never mind about secure boot or other OS . They are irrelevant.

I noted above

On the motherboard boot device menu, select the command that identifies both the firmware mode and the device. For example, select UEFI: USB Drive / Windows Boot Manager will also work, and list that device in the first boot slot on the board.


So can you boot from the usb you ID as " UEFI: Generic Flash Disk 8.07 " ?

Yes that is my Windows Install Usb.

 

[karenjoly]

So the problem remains as you describe above:

" I am using a USB Boot drive, and am certain that the windows information has been placed onto the M.2 SSD. However when it restarts, and i attempt to check for the windows Boot Manager it does not appear. Any help will be appricated."

OK, You install using the USB we ID' above and consider that you have installed windows. But you cannot find the install disk on a reboot.

Can you post a screen of what you do find when you look for the boot disk ? What happens, what do you see when you shut down, remove the USB and then boot up ?

 

[hayden01527]

with CSM Enabled I see the samsung SSD 960 EVO 250GB. If CSM is disabled i see nothing. I will attempt to get a screen shot now, however it will be a photo - cant screenshot bios.

 

[hayden01527]

https://imgur.com/a/w9EeEB0
https://imgur.com/a/jwFJk8X

 

[karenjoly]

Ok, the news is bad. The drive is dead. What should display is an "UEFI aware" drive , like the USB drive,, the physical description preceded by the firmware mode "UEFI" or Windows Boot Manager.You have followed tried and true install instructions and the drive fails to boot windows. So you can claim it is DOA. Can you conveniently replace it ?

 

[hayden01527]

that is both infurating and unsurprising. i have 2 hard drives and an second ssd which i will try to run the system from. I will also attempt to see if i still have warranty for the drive, however its around 1 - 2years old so that is very unlikely. What i find extremely odd is i have used this drive before, while i was running my machine on an older Mobo only a week ago.