Question PC not booting after new M.2 SSD install ?

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Filski

Sep 11, 2023
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Hi all,

I just got a 1 TB Samsung 980 Pro M.2 SSD to use as my new boot drive instead of my current 250gb SSD.

However, when I install the M.2 SSD, my PC won't boot from my current SSD and only shows a blinking cursor on a black screen.
I'd like to avoid doing a fresh install and just want to clone the boot drive over, hence still wanting to boot from the existing SSD with the new M.2 installed.

I made sure to use the correct Sata port (and not the disabled ones due to the M.2) and even went into the BIOS to confirm the correct boot order, and even manually booted from the current drive.

All my drives show up in the BIOS, even the new M.2 SSD, but still, my PC refuses to boot while the M.2 is installed. If I take it out and reboot, everything boots fine. I have even moved around the Sata connection, unplugged all the other drives, and still I can't boot while the M.2 is in.


Any suggestions on how to fix this issue?

Mobo: Z170A Krait
 
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Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

When posting a thread of troubleshooting nature, it's customary to include your full system's specs. Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model. BIOS version for your motherboard at this moment of time?

I'd like to avoid doing a fresh install and just want to clone the boot drive over, hence still wanting to boot from the existing SSD with the new M.2 installed.
I would still advise on reinstalling the OS after fabricating the bootable USB installer for your OS.
 
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Filski said:
Any suggestions on how to fix this issue?
Mobo: Z170A Krait
Click to expand...
Disable Intel RST.
Make sure sata controller is set to AHCI mode.
Turn off Secure Boot and turn off Fast Boot.
Check Boot Priority settings.
Show screenshots, if possible.
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

Try changing boot modes.
If system is installed in legacy mode, then you can boot into legacy mode only.
If system is installed in UEFI mode, then you can boot into UEFI mode only (Windows Boot Manager Boot entry).
 
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Lutfij said:
Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

When posting a thread of troubleshooting nature, it's customary to include your full system's specs. Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model. BIOS version for your motherboard at this moment of time?

I'd like to avoid doing a fresh install and just want to clone the boot drive over, hence still wanting to boot from the existing SSD with the new M.2 installed.
I would still advise on reinstalling the OS after fabricating the bootable USB installer for your OS.
Click to expand...
CPU: Intel i7-6700k
Motherboard: Z170A Krait
Ram: Corsair Vengeance Pro 32GB DDR4
SSD/HDD: Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250g (boot drive)
GPU: RTX 3060 Ti
PSU: EVGA 750W G2 (2015)
OS: Windows 10
 
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SkyNetRising said:
Disable Intel RST.
Make sure sata controller is set to AHCI mode.
Turn off Secure Boot and turn off Fast Boot.
Check Boot Priority settings.
Show screenshots, if possible.
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

Try changing boot modes.
If system is installed in legacy mode, then you can boot into legacy mode only.
If system is installed in UEFI mode, then you can boot into UEFI mode only (Windows Boot Manager Boot entry).
Click to expand...
I've uploaded a few pictures of some of the things I tried here:
https://imgur.com/a/FIthlvJ
View: https://imgur.com/a/FIthlvJ


At this point, I'll likely just do a fresh install of Windows on the new drive which should likely work. Not sure what else to do to be able to clone onto the new drive.
 
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SkyNetRising said:
Use Windows Boot Manager boot option.
If windows was installed in UEFI mode, then that is the only boot option, that would work.

What other drives do you have there?
If bootloader is located on dive you removed, then your system becomes unbootable.
Bootloader may not necessary be on the same drive as windows.
Click to expand...
I tried booting in UEFI mode and got this
https://imgur.com/a/s0MJOsGI
View: https://imgur.com/a/s0MJOsGI


Not sure if this is what you meant, but didn't really make progress beyond that.
 
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Bootloader is on 250GB drive. So you should be able to boot from 250GB drive alone.
But you have very little free space on 250GB drive.
Also pagefile is located on 1TB drive (D: ).

If you try to boot without 1TB drive connected, pagefile gets created on 250GB drive and you run out of space.
That can cause problems.

Free more space on 250GB drive. Move away some large user files to other drives.
If you have hibernation enabled, then you can free some space by turning it off.
powercfg -h off​

Do not use sata ports SATA5, SATA6 (2 white SATA ports located closest to ram modules).
Those get disabled with M.2 drive installed.
 
Last edited:
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SkyNetRising said:
That is EFI shell boot. Not it.
Boot from Windows Boot Manager.
Click to expand...
Weirldly enough, the option for Windows Boot Manager is gone from my BIOS. No clue how it disappeared though.

I reset my CMOS battery and booting up my computer a few times, and somehow while not even selecting a boot option, my windows started up.

Honestly not sure how that happened. It mightve had something to do with the low space on my boot drive? And finally it just happened to load for once. Not sure, but to avoid risking not getting to this point again, I'm in the process of migrating the data to the new drive while I have access to it.

I'll post an update if I'm able to determine how this was fixed
 
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