Question Newly built PC now boots directly to BIOS...Please help!

[Vic_Mackey]

Hello all…desperate for your help.

Situation: Newly build PC boots to BIOS now

Specifics: PC started off booting properly the first week to windows no problem. All of a sudden, it started booting directly to BIOS and I cannot figure out why. NOTE: I do recall originally having an issue with Windows 10 installation NOT seeing my SSD in the M.2…but then after several attempts to install, it all of a sudden popped up and recognized it. Not sure if this is an indication of something important.

What I’ve done so far to try and fix:
- Ensured all things are connected properly (i.e. RAM, CPU, CPU heat sink/fan, etc.
- Looked into BIOS and cannot see my SSD drive which is properly inserted into the M.2 slot.
- Tried reinstalling Windows 10, but its having the same issue I wrote about above - - it does not see my SSD and therefore cannot reinstall windows.

For now I am holding back my frustration and needing to put my fist through the screen…LOL. Hope you guys can help. Thank you!!!!

The important PC parts:
- CPU/Video Card Combo: Ryzen 5 2700G w/Radeon RX Vega 11 Graphics
o https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079D8FD28/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Hard Drive: Crucial P1 1 TB 3D NAND NVEMe PCIe M.2 SSD
o https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07J2Q4SWZ/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 2666 MHZz DDR4 DRAM
o https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XJ68LK5/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Motherboard: Gigabyte B450M DS3H
o https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FWVJSHC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home/USB Flash Drive
o https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075RM5BHV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Power Supply: EVGA 500 BR, 80+ Bronze 500W
o https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DTMXD83/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Other items
o Case: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071SHFRTP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
o Fan splitter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BWFT253/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[UsandThem]

It sounds like you have an issue with your NVMe drive, or much less likely, your M.2 slot

Probably the easiest way to find out for sure is to try another NVMe drive in the slot (or try your NVMe drive in another computer). If not, you can always return the drive and get a replacement to find out that way.

 

[Vic_Mackey]

It sounds like you have an issue with your NVMe drive, or much less likely, your M.2 slot

Probably the easiest way to find out for sure is to try another NVMe drive in the slot (or try your NVMe drive in another computer). If not, you can always return the drive and get a replacement to find out that way.

Hi UsandThem...I will definitely give that a try. To clarify, you are suggesting we see if the SSD is faulty or not, right?

 

[UsandThem]

Hi UsandThem...I will definitely give that a try. To clarify, you are suggesting we see if the SSD is faulty or not, right?

Yeah, the Crucial P1.

Generally when the motherboard does its power on cycle, it will hang if it detects something like no boot disk, so that's why I think you are going right into the UEFI (BIOS) when turning on the PC.

 

[Vic_Mackey]

Yeah, the Crucial P1.

Generally when the motherboard does its power on cycle, it will hang if it detects something like no boot disk, so that's why I think you are going right into the UEFI (BIOS) when turning on the PC.

How interesting. I say that because I have this perception that its impossible my brand new Crucial 1TB SSD could have anything wrong with it...ya know? I bought the same one for my wife's PC and had zero probs. :-(

 

[VirtualLarry]

Yeah, going directly into UEFI at boot, is a sign that either (most likely) your boot drive has bit the dust, or (less likely) you've reset the CMOS and / or fiddled with the Secure Boot On/Off, OS Type setting, or CSM/Legacy boot mode.

I would clear CMOS, power everything down and disconnect power and other cables from the back, press the front power button a few times, plug everything back in, boot and hit the BIOS hotkey (if necessary), and then set Secure Boot to whatever state it was in when you first installed, and then Disable CSM mode, and try to boot.

Edit: Also, if the M.2 SSD doesn't show up anywhere in the BIOS, that could also be a bad sign. Try booting and hitting the "Boot Menu Hotkey", or look under the "Boot" BIOS section, for "Boot Override(s)". If the NVMe isn't listed in either of those places, then it's likely toast and should be replaced.

 

[UsandThem]

How interesting. I say that because I have this perception that its impossible my brand new Crucial 1TB SSD could have anything wrong with it...ya know? I bought the same one for my wife's PC and had zero probs. :-(

Every component out there will always have some defects. It's just that quality brands have a lower defect rate. Heck, I had a defective Samsung 850 SSD (which Samsung is considered the gold-standard) a few years back, so it can happen.

Generally, if their is a manufacturing defect/issue with electronics, it appears pretty quickly.

 

[Vic_Mackey]

Yeah, going directly into UEFI at boot, is a sign that either (most likely) your boot drive has bit the dust, or (less likely) you've reset the CMOS and / or fiddled with the Secure Boot On/Off, OS Type setting, or CSM/Legacy boot mode.

I would clear CMOS, power everything down and disconnect power and other cables from the back, press the front power button a few times, plug everything back in, boot and hit the BIOS hotkey (if necessary), and then set Secure Boot to whatever state it was in when you first installed, and then Disable CSM mode, and try to boot.

I'm on it!!! Will report back on how it went tomorrow morning. Thank you!

 

[Vic_Mackey]

Update: Did like you said, VirtualLarry. Turned PC back on and BOOOOOM...Windows login screen came up! Just to make sure, I restarted PC five more times and each time it loaded perfectly (and not directly into BIOS). I then checked the BIOS and my SSD drive now shows up. Time will tell if the SSD is truly "ok", but for now it looks like problem solved. Serious thank you's to both VirtualLarry & UsandThem. Appreciate you taking the time to assist!!!!

 

[VirtualLarry]

Well, that's good news, but let me tell you about my experiences.

I have an ASRock DeskMini H110W unit, it's a very small (like 5"x5"x3") desktop mini-PC. It takes an M.2 NVMe (only) SSD. I had an Adata SX6000 (not the newer "SX 6000 Lite" model). That drive has the same controller as the Intel 600p NVMe M.2 SSD.

Which apparently had issues.

I would leave the computer running, in monitor-sleep mode, until I would come and wake it up to use it. Half of the time, if I left it running for a few days, it wouldn't come back up. I would reboot, and the BIOS and the SSD wouldn't detect. At all.

I would have to pull the power cord, and then wait 30 seconds, and then plug it back in and boot up. Then, it was good to go again. Well, for another week.

So, keep an eye on it, see if it happens again in a week or so. If it does, return the SSD. I don't know if I trust Adata M.2 NVMe SSDs anymore.

Edit: Hmm, yours is a Crucial brand. I don't know then. Glad it's working currently, at least.