[SOLVED] Unable to boot Windows 10 after a clean install on SSD or HDD

[Skywalker2000]

Hey all, just finished building my first PC today, but I am having a bit of trouble installing Windows 10.

I first tried to install it with an official Windows 10 usb with a product key that was bought a bit ago for another computer but never used. I booted up the PC with only the ssd and usb connected, moved the windows install to the top of the boot list, and reset. It took me back to the bios anyway, so I just booted it manually from the boot tab and did the installation without any issues. When it rebooted at the end, I was taken back to the boot screen again. I manually booted the Windows boot manager and got some loading screens before I once again went back to the bios. Manually boot the ssd, get an error and a request to select a proper boot device. I make a new windows installer from my laptop on a different usb stick, and use that to reinstall windows on the ssd. Same results. I now try everything I just did with the HDD. Only difference is now, manually booting the HDD and not the boot manager (but only while the usb is still in) will start the installation over instead of giving me an error. Not a helpful development. And throughout this whole process, every single time I turned on my PC it booted to the bios, and NEVER what was on the top of the boot priorities, whether they be the usb installer or the windows boot manager.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

"When it rebooted at the end, I was taken back to the boot screen again"

You have to remove the USB pen drive just before PC reboots.

 

[Skywalker2000]

"When it rebooted at the end, I was taken back to the boot screen again"

You have to remove the USB pen drive just before PC reboots.

I did that, letting Windows fully install to my HDD and removing my USB during the countdown to resetting at the end. When it turned back on, I was at the post screen.

 

[onespeedbiker]

Did you make any changes to the BIOS prior to installing Windows? Is the BIOS set at CSM? Try disabling Safe Boot if enabled. Did you partition GPT or for MBR?

 

[Skywalker2000]

Did you make any changes to the BIOS prior to installing Windows? Is the BIOS set at CSM? Try disabling Safe Boot if enabled. Did you partition GPT or for MBR?

I have tried with BIOS defaults multiple times, but just changed my CSM boot options to UEFI from legacy, which let me override boot Windows boot manager and get to Windows, where I was able to get everything set up. (USB was still in this whole time, though. Removed it after a shutdown).

Upon startup after setting up some stuff on Windows, (and removing USB) I was once again back at the cursed post screen. Override booting boot manager gets me back into Windows, thankfully, but not on startup.

 

[onespeedbiker]

What about safe boot?

 

[Skywalker2000]

What about safe boot?

Where would I find that in BIOS? Is it the same thing as secure boot?

 

[onespeedbiker]

Yes, my bad, Secure boot.

 

[Skywalker2000]

I have an ASUS motherboard, and seem to be unable to disable secure boot...

 

[onespeedbiker]

Checkout this link https://www.techjunkie.com/disable-secure-boot-asus/

 

[Skywalker2000]

Fixed it, and boy am I mad. My post screen had some error about cpu fan speed (my cpu fan was plugged into the optional port), and apparently if you never mark that error ignored it will forcibly boot you to the post screen every time. I went to monitor and set "CPU fan" to ignore and my next reboot went straight to windows.

Glad I spent so long trying to fix my supposedly broken settings.

 

[onespeedbiker]

Great! A lot of boards will not allow a boot if the fan is not plugged into the correct plug. It is to protect the CPU, but it can be a PITA if you don't know about it.