System starts up but fails to launch Windows.
System starts up but fails to launch Windows.
Hello everyone, here’s what I’m facing: My rig loads into BIOS but can’t start Windows. It happened unexpectedly about two weeks ago, around the same time as the Crowdstrike problem. In the past two years, my system has never had any issues with Windows, even though it’s been running smoothly.
Specs: CPU – Ryzen 5800X, Motherboard – MSI MPG B550 Gaming Edge Wifi (BIOS v7C91v1H), RAM – Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro SL (32GB DDR4 3600 CL18), Boot Drive – WD Black SN 770 (1TB), GPU – Asus ROG Strix 3080, OS – Windows 11 (23H2).
I’ve tried several fixes: reseating parts, using a known good boot drive, swapping RAM, trying single-channel mode, and even upgrading to an AM5 motherboard. The BIOS doesn’t show Windows Boot Manager, and I’m confident the problem isn’t with the drive or BIOS update. Since I can’t test another CPU, I’m leaning toward a possible CPU failure. Before moving forward with the RMA, I’d like some outside advice. In short, the PC would randomly stop booting Windows despite all previous upgrades.
I changed it to a reliable SSD but didn’t get what I expected. The old boot disk worked fine with my new setup of MOBO, CPU, and RAM.
You've already noted that point. It seems quite arbitrary. Would it be possible to boot another system, such as a Linux image from a USB drive like Ubuntu? Also, do you have TPM and secure boot enabled? If so, consider disabling them or testing the other M2 slot.
I haven't experimented with another M2 slot yet. Secure boot was active; I disabled it but couldn't load Windows. I also attempted to switch to CSM* (not sure what that does; saw a suggestion online) and had no success there either. I'm planning to repurpose my existing components for a new PC for my wife, which will include a replacement PSU. Once the new PSU arrives, I'll try troubleshooting by booting from the other M2 slot and checking if it works, though I'm not very optimistic since I didn't have success with another MOBO. Also, I haven't tried loading a Linux image yet—I managed to install Windows from USB but couldn't finish the setup.
To start Windows 11, Secureboot must be turned on and CSM should be turned off. CSM is also referred to as legacy boot mode in older BIOS versions. This setting lets you boot from an MBR partition rather than a UEFI one. Be careful not to alter these settings after installation, as they can cause boot issues and may require fixing or reinstalling the operating system.
I received my components and set everything up as planned. I used the alternate M.2 port and managed to boot into an installer USB, trying to reinstall Windows on a new NVMe drive. Formatting issues persisted in the command prompt, and the motherboard continued displaying VGA codes even after proper connections. Performance remained unstable—sometimes RAM failed to appear in BIOS, other times it froze at VGA. I attempted to move the CPU to a different board with new RAM, but still couldn’t install Windows on a new drive. Based on what you described, it seems the CPU may have encountered problems or is malfunctioning.