Unable to start from SSD into Windows 10 using UEFI, secure boot enabled or not.
Unable to start from SSD into Windows 10 using UEFI, secure boot enabled or not.
I recently purchased a new Crucial MX500 500GB SSD for my old Dell Optiplex 9020 SFF. It worked properly after installation, and the system recognized it. However, it won’t boot into Windows 10. Initially, I copied the OS and files using Acronis True Image, hoping that would resolve the issue. But when I tried to boot, the screen remained black. Even after forcing a boot from the SSD, nothing appeared. I considered reinstalling Windows, but that didn’t help either. In UEFI mode it failed completely, though it worked in legacy mode. I attempted to change the disk format from MBR to GPT via Command Prompt, but it didn’t resolve the problem. I searched for solutions in the Windows recovery menu using the USB stick, such as assigning a drive letter or creating an ISO file with Windows Installer. I even tried using Rufus to generate a bootable ISO in UEFI mode, but it still didn’t work. I’m still stuck and would appreciate any advice or steps that might help. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thank you!
Restore BIOS to factory settings. Erase the USB and rebuild the installation media normally (with Windows Media Creation Tool). In BIOS, navigate to General > Boot Sequence and position your USB at the top. After Windows installs, update it to the SSD entry (it should now be labeled Windows Boot Manager). You can also boot directly by pressing Delete and then F12 during startup, choosing the USB. Ensure UEFI is selected under Boot List Option. If installation fails, consider using a different USB drive. If you're okay with data loss on the SSD, during installation, remove all partitions and perform a fresh setup.
The unusual part is that the hard drive previously used was in UEFI Secure Boot mode, and it started up correctly. I wasn't sure about that, though—it might have been in Legacy Mode instead. The initial menu setting was UEFI Secure Boot, so it shouldn't have caused any problems, but it appears to work only with that specific drive.
I purchased a SanDisk USB 3.0 32GB drive. Used Windows Media Creation Tool to check it, but nothing appeared. It was configured for UEFI /w Secure Boot. I plan to test without Secure Boot and again in Legacy Mode.
I attempted it without UEFI Secure Boot and used Legacy Boot. Disabling Secure Boot only caused minor visual issues. Switching to Legacy Mode resolved the problem. After a brief pause, the installation completed successfully. I encountered some initial glitches but eventually got through. Would it be safe to proceed?
It seems secure boot primarily ensures only trusted Windows versions can start up, blocking malicious software and rootkits. It makes system changes more difficult. Personally, I don’t use secure boot, though I find it annoying to see the loading screen appear twice.