System fails to start with PCIe SSD installation
System fails to start with PCIe SSD installation
This is the setup:
Model: Asus Tuf Gaming 570x plus
Storage: WD Blue SN580 2TB
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7
Memory: 16GB RAM (2x 8GB)
Tools Used: Secure boot, Fast boot, NVMe only enabled, CSM
It appears the PC doesn't recognize the NVMe when installed and also fails to read SATA when it is. The inability to enter BIOS is unusual and confusing.
I'm operating a system with both a SATA SSD and an SATA HDD. I started from the SSD and wanted to switch to a PCIe M.2 SSD. Using a USB enclosure, I formatted the drive to GPT. Then, with DiskGenius, I copied the SATA SSD to the M.2 slot. But after installation, the system freezes on the motherboard logo screen. It won't boot or enter BIOS; it just stays on the logo. Even if I set it to boot from SATA, having the M.2 card in the slot prevents it from starting and entering BIOS. The system works properly with SATA when the M.2 isn't installed.
This is the setup:
Model: Asus Tuf Gaming 570x plus
Storage: WD Blue SN580 2TB
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7
Memory: 16GB RAM (2x 8GB)
Tools Used: Secure boot, Fast boot, NVMe only enabled, CSM
It appears the PC doesn't recognize the NVMe when installed and also fails to read SATA when it is. The inability to enter BIOS is unusual and confusing.
2nd Make sure:
Secure boot disabled,
Fast Boot disabled,
SATA controller is set to AHCI.
No NVME raid, no Storemi, no some other weird storage configuration.
Your motherboard has two M.2 slots.
Put NVME drive into other M.2 slot.
First boot from cloned drive has to be done with old drive
physically
disconnected.
This step is not optional.
If you fail to do this and boot with old drive connected, then drive letters get messed up and you'll have to redo cloning.
_ItzYoloHD_
04-21-2025, 01:27 AM #21st There's no need to use any USB M.2 enclosures. Why are you using it exactly?
2nd Make sure:
Secure boot disabled,
Fast Boot disabled,
SATA controller is set to AHCI.
No NVME raid, no Storemi, no some other weird storage configuration.
Your motherboard has two M.2 slots.
Put NVME drive into other M.2 slot.
First boot from cloned drive has to be done with old drive
physically
disconnected.
This step is not optional.
If you fail to do this and boot with old drive connected, then drive letters get messed up and you'll have to redo cloning.
The secure boot feature in my BIOS is disabled, it’s hidden and I can’t turn it off.
Other adjustments I made included disabling Fast boot, setting SATA to AHCI, and turning off NVMe RAID.
I also tried checking the M.2 slots, but they didn’t work.
Even after installing the NVMe, it doesn’t boot and won’t open BIOS when I press F2/Del. It just stays on the MOBO logo page.
I was only using the USB enclosure to make sure the drive was initialized or formatted properly and to clone it since it wasn’t being recognized by Windows. The computer only sees the NVMe when connected through a USB port.
The secure boot feature in my BIOS is disabled, it’s hidden and I can’t turn it off.
Other adjustments I made included disabling Fast boot, setting SATA to AHCI, and turning off NVMe RAID.
I also tried checking the M.2 slots, but they didn’t work.
Even after installing the NVMe, it doesn’t boot and won’t open BIOS when I press F2/Del. It just stays on the MOBO logo page.
Without proper NVMe drivers, the system cannot start from an NVMe drive in Windows.
Insert the NVMe drive into the M.2 slot.
Restart and install the NVMe drivers to ensure full detection before proceeding with cloning.
Consider enabling CSM mode.
This should disable secure boot.
Check a different M.2 slot on the motherboard.
YukiSienna
04-21-2025, 01:27 AM #4This indicates that the necessary NVMe drivers are missing.
Without proper NVMe drivers, the system cannot start from an NVMe drive in Windows.
Insert the NVMe drive into the M.2 slot.
Restart and install the NVMe drivers to ensure full detection before proceeding with cloning.
Consider enabling CSM mode.
This should disable secure boot.
Check a different M.2 slot on the motherboard.
The issue seems related to a driver problem, as suggested by the advice. I verified Windows, the motherboard, and the SSD, with all drivers updated. After flashing the BIOS, the computer now identifies the NVMe SSD! Thank you for your assistance!
I performed a proper clone. I can boot from it, but the startup fails due to corrupted Windows files. Currently, I'm using the original SATA boot with the NVMe installed as an additional drive (though not booting directly from it). Is there any method to scan or repair the drive using Windows files on the unbooted version? Or would downloading recovery tools to a USB and booting from there be necessary to fix the corrupted version?
kenziecraft30
04-21-2025, 01:27 AM #5These changes didn't alter anything.
The issue seems related to a driver problem, as suggested by the advice. I verified Windows, the motherboard, and the SSD, with all drivers updated. After flashing the BIOS, the computer now identifies the NVMe SSD! Thank you for your assistance!
I performed a proper clone. I can boot from it, but the startup fails due to corrupted Windows files. Currently, I'm using the original SATA boot with the NVMe installed as an additional drive (though not booting directly from it). Is there any method to scan or repair the drive using Windows files on the unbooted version? Or would downloading recovery tools to a USB and booting from there be necessary to fix the corrupted version?
(upload to imgur.com and post link)
I'm not entirely sure, you're interpreting error message properly.
Pay attention to this quote. This is important:
Simonhudik
04-21-2025, 01:27 AM #6Can you show a photo of error message?
(upload to imgur.com and post link)
I'm not entirely sure, you're interpreting error message properly.
Pay attention to this quote. This is important:
It says, it can't find winload.efi file.
Probably bcd store configuration is wrong.
Please show screenshot from Disk Management with all drives connected (clone source and clone target).
l_swimmer_f
04-21-2025, 01:27 AM #8And where exactly in that error message did you see anything about corruption?
It says, it can't find winload.efi file.
Probably bcd store configuration is wrong.
Please show screenshot from Disk Management with all drives connected (clone source and clone target).
and the target is on Disk 2 (D. Link provided: https://imgur.com/a/w4rMyEg
The help page indicated that error code 0xc000000e typically results from corruption. In the image, the cloned source is on Disk 1 (C and the target is on Disk 2 (D. Link provided: https://imgur.com/a/w4rMyEg
To resolve this, try the following steps:
1. Redo the cloning process.
2. After cloning, expand or increase drive D.
3. Once done, fix the bootloader.
Run from an elevated command prompt; avoid using the regular one as it may cause errors. No errors should occur. If any arise, stop immediately and provide a screenshot of the output.
Boot files created successfully.
thebomb1216
04-21-2025, 01:27 AM #10There appears to be an issue with your clone. The cloned drive D contains more data than the source drive C. With only 95MB of free space, you're unlikely to start Windows. Windows log files will consume that space quickly and the system will crash during loading.
To resolve this, try the following steps:
1. Redo the cloning process.
2. After cloning, expand or increase drive D.
3. Once done, fix the bootloader.
Run from an elevated command prompt; avoid using the regular one as it may cause errors. No errors should occur. If any arise, stop immediately and provide a screenshot of the output.
Boot files created successfully.