Will not boot unless I enter BIOS settings or manually select boot device first

[dgcomputers]

This is an HP Pavilion desktop computer that will not boot unless I enter the BIOS settings first or manually select the boot device. I've reset to default settings and removed and replaced the CMOS battery. Any thoughts?

 

[WyomingKnott]

What does it do when it "will not boot?" Does it go into the POST and then display a message when it stops? If so, what message?

 

[dgcomputers]

What does it do when it "will not boot?" Does it go into the POST and then display a message when it stops? If so, what message?

It says "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device".

 

[WyomingKnott]

Truly strange thought, but this helped me once. Is the desired boot device on the first SATA port? I've had issues where attaching an external drive, or even a USB drive, caused my boot order to reset. If there was a non-OS hard drive with a lower port number than the one I wanted to boot from, it tried to boot from that one. Moved my boot drive to port 1 and never had a problem after.

 

[Chicano]

I think I can explain that WyomingKnott... afaik installing the Boot HDD/SSD in other than the 1st SATA Port can cause the HDDs list in the BIOS to show it as #2 when you connect a USB HDD or USB Flash drive, which the BIOS reads as HDDs and includes them in the HDDs list, and because the BIOS will boot the 1st HDD in the list, it will try to boot whatever occupies #1 in the list, and the Windows HDD will not boot as long as you don't remove the USB drive, connect the HDD to #1 SATA port or move the HDD to #1 place in the BIOS HDD list.

 

[dgcomputers]

Truly strange thought, but this helped me once. Is the desired boot device on the first SATA port? I've had issues where attaching an external drive, or even a USB drive, caused my boot order to reset. If there was a non-OS hard drive with a lower port number than the one I wanted to boot from, it tried to boot from that one. Moved my boot drive to port 1 and never had a problem after.

I checked that. It is on SATA1. Nothing else was connected when the issue was occurring.

 

[Chicano]

1. Try fixing the boot sector/bootloader with the Windows Startup Repair (W7)/Automatic Repair (W8) from the Windows DVD, USB or with F8 Safe Mode options if you have the Startup Repair included in the options list. Or with a Repair Disk.

2. And run a Hard Drive tool such as Hard Disk Sentinel to see what the HDD condition is.

3. Also run a disk check = Start / All Programs / Accessories / right click Command Prompt / Run as Administrator and in the CMD window type: CHKDSK /R and press Enter.


Windows 7 Repair Disk
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=38435

 

[dgcomputers]

1. Try fixing the boot sector/bootloader with the Windows Startup Repair (W7)/Automatic Repair (W8) from the Windows DVD, USB or with F8 Safe Mode options if you have the Startup Repair included in the options list. Or with a Repair Disk.

2. And run a Hard Drive tool such as Hard Disk Sentinel to see what the HDD condition is.

3. Also run a disk check = Start / All Programs / Accessories / right click Command Prompt / Run as Administrator and in the CMD window type: CHKDSK /R and press Enter.


Windows 7 Repair Disk
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=38435

I did the Windows recovery option before I realized it wasn't a hard drive issue. I checked the smart status of the hard drive and ran a short test. The issue is with the BIOS/CMOS or the motherboard, not the hard drive. It boots to Windows just fine if I enter and exit BIOS settings or choose to manually select the boot device.

 

[Chicano]

Well, if the HDD boots is not the motherboard... so it's likely to be the BIOS first boot device setting, HDD order setting, or the SATA Controller setting.
1. Then you should check the boot device sequence,
2. the HDD order if you happen to have more than one HDD installed or SSD and HDD. In such case check that the Windows HDD is #1 in the HDDs list.
3. And check the SATA controller configuration and set AHCI with SATA or IDE mode.
4. If not successfull, reset the BIOS with the battery removed for 5 to 10 minutes.. for better results, remove the AC cable from the PSU and press the power button for 60 seconds while waiting the 5-10 minutes.
5. If still not successfull, try updating the BIOS in case it's corrupted.

It can also be the Quick Post BIOS setting (or similar name for different BIOS brands). The setting can cause slow boot times, irregular boots where screen can go blank where Windows should start loading, and requres a reboot before Windows can load, etc. If that setting is enabled, disable it for normal complete Post with RAM size count and Boot devices detected and listed in the Post... that takes a few seconds longer to post but booting the HDD is faster and more stable. With Quick Post the Post goes by quickly and starts the Windows load, but can sometimes cause said issues.

 

[Hoosiers68]

Did anyone ever find an answer to this issue? I have tried everything suggested and still have to select the HD in BIOS to get it to boot correctly. Thanks!

 

[majjinbuuhoo]

Your boot order has it at the top(SATA for example, trying it with only the boot drive attached, i.e. unplug a CD-ROM drive if you have one) and you used all of the bootrec commands (run from outside of Windows and use /? after bootrec to see the list of them)with no errors?