Checking the SATA connection for any issues. If it's not secure, it might be loose or damaged.
Checking the SATA connection for any issues. If it's not secure, it might be loose or damaged.
I've got an outdated computer with a legacy motherboard. After receiving it, I installed a brand new 1TB 2.5SATA drive as my startup disk. Recently, I added a larger 2TB 2.5SATA drive to store more movies and TV shows, replacing some of the old external drives. I used the PC all day, then returned from dinner to find it still running but with no display—just lights on the keyboard and mouse. After turning it off and back on, I saw a black screen with a cursor. Checking the BIOS, I noticed the new SSD was recognized as the boot drive, though it wasn’t installed in the priority list. I could override it to boot into Windows, but when I tried to power it up again, it wouldn’t start or access the BIOS at all, only showing a black screen. I disconnected and reconnected the SATA cables on both drives, which resolved the issue. Now the PC boots normally. This suggests the problem might not be with the SATA drive itself, but rather something else—possibly related to the motherboard or power connections. Given its age (FM2), it’s possible a hardware fault is developing. I’m concerned about potential failure, so I’d like to investigate further before assuming a complete system crash.
It doesn’t seem like a loose cable is stopping you from accessing the BIOS, though unpredictable connections might cause surprises. It’s likely the motherboard is failing, but I won’t assume anything just yet—check again later.
Thanks for your message. Your experience sounds similar to what some users face when switching cables or ports during setup. It’s possible the mismatch in cable orientation or port could affect the boot process. Reconfiguring BIOS settings might be necessary if you change the boot drive connection. Always ensure proper connections before powering on.