Question Updated BIOS.... now won't post. Asus Maximus Xi Formula

avi8tir

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Nov 21, 2006
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I think I made a rookie mistake...... in the process of doing a clean install of windows, etc, I decided to update the bios before doing so. Bringing it to the latest version for my MB - 2004. Now, PC won't post. Read online and some advice was to clear CMOS, which I did. Now, I get HDD CMOS Error. I am guessing this could have something to do with my M.2 drives..... This PC has been one of the most stable I have built with no issues.

Please help!!

Asus Maximus XI Formula
i9-9900K
RTX 2080Ti
32 GB Corsair 3200
2 x 2TB Samsung 970 NVME
 

avi8tir

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Nov 21, 2006
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ok, so more troubleshooting..... disconnected everything from USB's and switched to HDMI for video and got it to post. now, I am getting bios safe mode. also, first shot shows both my M.2 drives.... shows M.2_1, which is my boot dirve and M.2_2, which is my storage drive.

However, when I get into bios, M.2_1 is not an option as the boot drive.

First, how do I fix the safe mode issue and, second, why cant I see M.2_1 as a boot drive option?


 

avi8tir

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Probably bootloader is on some other drive (not M.2_1).
You had both M.2 drives connected, while installing windows. Right?
Then it's quite possible, windows is on one drive and bootloader on another drive.
You boot from drive containing bootloader.

I think you may be right... honestly dont remember if I had both installed when I originally built it. Next step I took was to remove the M2_2 and just have my windows drive. So, just M2_1. Now, I am getting the A2 error..... HDD Post error.

all I want to do is reformat this drive and do a fresh windows install anyways. I've got a USB boot disc but not sure if it will load or not. will try it and see. BUT - at this point I am back to not being able into bios as it is not posting.
 
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Just boot from the other M.2 drive - Windows Boot Manager M.2_2.
It will still load your windows.

If you decide to reinstall windows, then have only single drive connected.
Clean the drive before installing windows. Clean - means all info on it is gone, so make backups before that, if necessary.
 

avi8tir

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Just boot from the other M.2 drive - Windows Boot Manager M.2_2.
It will still load your windows.

If you decide to reinstall windows, then have only single drive connected.
Clean the drive before installing windows. Clean - means all info on it is gone, so make backups before that, if necessary.

ok, all sorted. thanks everyone for the tips. have no idea what happened but using the usb boot drive to do a clean install worked. problem solved..... for now. always nice to tear apart your PC unexpectedly!