System starts up but gets trapped on the motherboard display, unable to reach Windows.
System starts up but gets trapped on the motherboard display, unable to reach Windows.
Hello, My system starts up to the motherboard screen but doesn't progress past Windows. It boots into BIOS as well. We've also tried using a new M.2 drive with Windows installed, which still didn't work. We've attempted recovery mode too, but the PC won't trigger it after multiple forced restarts. Right now the machine is in a breadboard state with only one RAM stick (we've swapped it with others). TL;DR fixes tried: different SSD with OS, recovery mode unsuccessful, various motherboards, updated PSU BIOS, and RAM swap.
You’ve confirmed the motherboard can reach the video signal and the monitor is reacting. A dead PSU likely won’t stop you here. Try loading a USB drive with the Windows installer to access the setup. If it works, proceed with the instructions. If the SSD is present but requires formatting, it will guide you through that. Be aware, without a backup, any personal data could be lost.
I've tested another drive and various ports. Still nothing worked. The bios is now up to date.
Used a USB stick with the Windows setup, but the display remains unchanged and it doesn’t start the installation. Currently, no other devices are connected.
Ouch... the board supports Q-Flash, which lets you save or update the BIOS via a flash drive. Consider downloading the latest bios or asking a friend to place them on a USB thumb drive and test. Make sure to remember or remind someone that proper placement is essential when transferring files.
Consider using the USB with the newest BIOS. Turn off the computer, unplug it from the wall, let any leftover power from the PSU fade away for a few minutes. Take out the CMOS battery and enjoy a coffee or tea. Spend about five minutes checking the motherboard, then once that time is up replace the CMOS battery. Put the USB thumb drive in the right slot, reconnect power, and attempt to restart. See if the BIOS updates automatically or overwrite existing data.
Power on the system via BIOS settings, navigate to the Boot section. Confirm whether it uses UEFI firmware or an older CSM/Legacy setup. Turn off Fast Boot when UEFI is active. Ensure the USB installer has a GPT file configured for UEFI devices. If you used Rufus or created the drive with Media Creation Tool, insert the flash drive and repeatedly press F12 to enter the boot menu. You’ll see an option to change the boot order, select the flash drive, and the computer will start installing.