What Does BOOT_DEVICE_LED Mean?

[TheFaceOff]

Hey everyone.

Recently my computer hasn't been booting, I've been getting this error, along with VGA_LED. What does it mean? Mobo is an asus sabertooth 990 fx

 

[ko888]

If the BOOT_DEVICE_LED is lit it means that the motherboard's BIOS has detected a problem with your boot device (e.g. Hard disk drive, SSD, optical drive like a CD or DVD or Blu-Ray drive, bootable USB flash drive, ..., etc.). If the device is functioning it may mean that you don't have an operating system installed on the device.

 

[TheFaceOff]

If the BOOT_DEVICE_LED is lit it means that the motherboard's BIOS has detected a problem with your boot device (e.g. Hard disk drive, SSD, optical drive like a CD or DVD or Blu-Ray drive, bootable USB flash drive, ..., etc.). If the device is functioning it may mean that you don't have an operating system installed on the device.

okay, so i have my windows 10 installed on my SSD, so does this mean my SSD isnt working? i also have an HDD plugged in.

 

[Chicano]

BOOT_DEVICE_LED
Is a boot device (HDD/SSD) issue most likely. [strike]Disabling the HDD S.M.A.R.T. BIOS setting may help boot the HDD so you can scan it with a HD Diagnose tool such as Hard Disk Sentinel... If not successfull,[/strike] use the Windows disk to run a CHKDSK following the instructions in the kb.wisc.edu/page. Doesn't apply to SSD as for bad sectors but it does fix NTFS File System Errors.

VGA_LED
Is GPU driver issue most likely. I've also read RAM and GPU issues are seemingly mistaken by the BIOS... comments in the thread are just one example of RAM causing a GPU issue. And according to comments in the thread and other google results there is also a possibility it's a motherboard issue
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/303268-31-p8p67-hangup-newbuild-problem


Asus motherboard Boot Device Led
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2066089/asus-motherboard-boot-device-led.html

What does BOOT_DEVICE_LED on ASUS Z97-A being lit up mean?
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2274270/boot-device-led-asus-z97-lit.html

Hard Disk Sentinel download
http://www.hdsentinel.com/

Windows 7 & Vista (or any post OS) - Running Checkdisk from a Boot CD/DVD
https://kb.wisc.edu/page.php?id=6565

 

[TheFaceOff]

BOOT_DEVICE_LED
Is a boot device (HDD/SSD) issue most likely. Disabling the HDD S.M.A.R.T. BIOS setting may help boot the HDD so you can scan it with a HD Diagnose tool such as Hard Disk Sentinel... If not successfull, use the Windows disk to run a CHKDSK following the instructions in the kb.wisc.edu/page.

VGA_LED
Is GPU driver issue most likely. I've also read RAM and GPU issues are seemingly mistaken by the BIOS... comments in the thread are just one example of RAM causing a GPU issue. And according to comments in the thread and other google results there is also a possibility it's a motherboard issue
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/303268-31-p8p67-hangup-newbuild-problem


Asus motherboard Boot Device Led
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2066089/asus-motherboard-boot-device-led.html

What does BOOT_DEVICE_LED on ASUS Z97-A being lit up mean?
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2274270/boot-device-led-asus-z97-lit.html

Hard Disk Sentinel download
http://www.hdsentinel.com/

Windows 7 & Vista (or any post OS) - Running Checkdisk from a Boot CD/DVD
https://kb.wisc.edu/page.php?id=6565

Well, the problem is I can't even boot the PC to go to the BIOS and disable the HDD S.M.A.R.T. setting. I switched my motherboard out for a different one. I have a new GPU on its way hopefully that works, intended to upgrade nonetheless even if the GPU isn't the issue. However, the issue with the boot device still remains, what can I do to solve this?

 

[ko888]

Is the SSD set as the first boot device in the boot order in the motherboard's BIOS setup?

 

[TheFaceOff]

BOOT_DEVICE_LED
Is a boot device (HDD/SSD) issue most likely. [strike]Disabling the HDD S.M.A.R.T. BIOS setting may help boot the HDD so you can scan it with a HD Diagnose tool such as Hard Disk Sentinel... If not successfull, use the Windows disk to run a CHKDSK following the instructions in the kb.wisc.edu/page.[/strike] Doesn't apply to SSD

VGA_LED
Is GPU driver issue most likely. I've also read RAM and GPU issues are seemingly mistaken by the BIOS... comments in the thread are just one example of RAM causing a GPU issue. And according to comments in the thread and other google results there is also a possibility it's a motherboard issue
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/303268-31-p8p67-hangup-newbuild-problem


Asus motherboard Boot Device Led
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2066089/asus-motherboard-boot-device-led.html

What does BOOT_DEVICE_LED on ASUS Z97-A being lit up mean?
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2274270/boot-device-led-asus-z97-lit.html

Hard Disk Sentinel download
http://www.hdsentinel.com/

Windows 7 & Vista (or any post OS) - Running Checkdisk from a Boot CD/DVD
https://kb.wisc.edu/page.php?id=6565

Also, if I do not have a boot device (currently working) or any operating system installed on a hard drive would it not boot? I thought it would boot the BIOS, correct? I don't think both my SSD (boot device) and HDD (storage device) would stop working at the same time.

 

[TheFaceOff]

Is the SSD set as the first boot device in the boot order in the motherboard's BIOS setup?

yes it was, but i swapped out my 990 fx sabertooth r2.0 motherboard for my fatal1ty killer 990 fx one and the result is the same. still no boot. i also manually reset the bios doing the CMOS battery trick, and pressing memOK button which supposedly sets your BIOS to default.

 

[Chicano]

If it doesn't run enough to access the BIOS, where do you see the error messages?... I've edited the answer to remove part of the suggestions. Check it again.

Without a boot device installed it should boot up to the BIOS post and to access the BIOS... if it's not even doing that, it may be a PSU issue but sometimes the BIOS stops working like that... resetting it can remove corrupted settings and make it run... try resetting it according to the instructions here:
http://www.wikihow.com/Reset-Your-BIOS

 

[TheFaceOff]

If it doesn't run enough to access the BIOS, where do you see the error messages?... I've edited the answer to remove part of the suggestions. Check it again.

Without a boot device installed it should boot up to the BIOS post and to access the BIOS... if it's not even doing that, it may be a PSU issue but sometimes the BIOS stops working like that... resetting it can remove corrupted settings and make it run... try resetting it according to the instructions here:
http://www.wikihow.com/Reset-Your-BIOS

I've already done this and swapped out my motherboard for a different one. I don't think its a PSU issue because everything turns on, it could be a GPU issue because it doesn't display anything.

 

[Chicano]

If you replaced the motherboard and are still getting the same exact issue... it could be the PSU or GPU... The PSU can make leds and fans work but the wattage may be to low to allow display or boot...

So, if you're getting display (VGA only, it's not yet clear to me if you are or not), it's not the PSU. It can be the GPU running on VGA mode only. So the question remains are you getting display?

If it were the GPU not working at all, you would hear BIOS beep codes.. If it's working partially, in VGA mode (according to the message), it may be a driver issue, and possibly caused by the SSD not being accessible.

 

[TheFaceOff]

If you replaced the motherboard and are still getting the same exact issue... it could be the PSU or GPU... The PSU can make leds and fans work but the wattage may be to low to allow display or boot...

So, if you're getting display (VGA only, it's not yet clear to me if you are or not), it's not the PSU. It can be the GPU running on VGA mode only. So the question remains are you getting display?

If it were the GPU not workig at all, you would hear BIOS beep codes.. If it's working partially, in VGA mode (according to the message), it may be a driver issue, and possibly caused by the SSD not being accessible.

I'm getting VGA_LED and BOOT_DEVICE_LED if that's what you're asking. Sadly I don't have the microphone as it broke while I was installing it haha, so I wouldn't know. If the SSD is not accessible, and it ends up being that the GPU works, how could I fix it?

 

[Chicano]

What I'm asking is: How/where do you read; "VGA_LED and BOOT_DEVICE_LED" If as you said:

I've already done this and swapped out my motherboard for a different one. I don't think its a PSU issue because everything turns on, it could be a GPU issue because it doesn't display anything.

You're giving opposed and conficting information, so which is it?

I repeat: If it doesn't display anything, how or where do you read VGA_LED and BOOT_DEVICE_LED? This may not seem important to you but I need to know which is the fact... "No Display" means a completely blank screen, or a monitor message saying "No video signal".. "Getting display" means any message from the BIOS or even a blinking dash/hyphen.

 

[TheFaceOff]

What I'm asking is: How/where do you read; "VGA_LED and BOOT_DEVICE_LED" If as you said:

I've already done this and swapped out my motherboard for a different one. I don't think its a PSU issue because everything turns on, it could be a GPU issue because it doesn't display anything.

You're giving opposed and conficting information, so which is it?

I repeat: If it doesn't display anything, how or where do you read VGA_LED and BOOT_DEVICE_LED? This may not seem important to you but I need to know which is the fact... "No Display" means a completely blank screen, or a monitor message saying "No video signal".. Getting display means any message from the BIOS or even a blinking dash/hyphen.

on the mobo itself it has those two led lights that glow red, and it says both of those things physically on the mobo, sorry for the confusion.

 

[Chicano]

OK, so the monitor itself remains completely blank?... And the "VGA_LED and BOOT_DEVICE_LED" are labels on the mobo LED lights. So the issue may be the PSU... or both SSD and GPU... but the PSU may be causing both SSD and GPU issues.

Suggestions:
1. Try a different PSU
2. Try the GPU on a different PCIe Slot (both your motherboards have 2/3 PCIe slots)
3. Try resetting the BIOS
4. see if there is any similarity with the causes in these threads.
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2191249/boot-device-led-stays-red.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2010918/asus-z77-pro-vga-led-light-remains-red.html

 

[ko888]

You don't need any boot device to be connected to be able to see the BIOS setup screen. If you don't see anything on your display then you should suspect the graphics card.

 

[TheFaceOff]

OK, so the monitor itself remains completely blank?... And the "VGA_LED and BOOT_DEVICE_LED" are labels on the mobo LED lights. So the issue may be the PSU... or both SSD and GPU... but the PSU may be causing both SSD and GPU issues.

Suggestions:
1. Try a different PSU
2. Try the GPU on a different PCIe Slot (both your motherboards have 2/3 PCIe slots)
3. Try resetting the BIOS
4. see if there is any similarity with the causes in these threads.
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2191249/boot-device-led-stays-red.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2010918/asus-z77-pro-vga-led-light-remains-red.html

okay thanks!

ive tried all but the psu one.