My PC goes directly into BIOS on startup instead of automatically loading Windows. I can still reach Windows by repeatedly pressing F11 and selecting the Windows boot option, but I want it to boot normally without using the boot menu every time. I've already updated the BIOS, removed other drives, checked the boot order, disabled Fast Boot, confirmed UEFI mode, changed the M.2 slot from Auto to Gen 4, wiped and recreated the drive partitions, and re-registered the Windows bootloader. The system uses an Intel Core i9-13900K, MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi motherboard, 64GB of RAM, an RTX 4060 Ti, and a Samsung 990 Pro 2TB SSD. What else could cause the system to ignore the normal Windows boot entry?
2 Answers
It may be worth checking the motherboard’s CMOS battery. If the battery is weak, BIOS settings or boot entries can reset or become unreliable after the system is powered off. Replacing the battery, then setting the Windows Boot Manager as the first boot option and saving the changes, could help rule that out.
A useful next step would be isolating whether the problem is specific to the Samsung M.2 drive or happens with any boot device. Testing a separate SATA SSD would normally help, but since you only have M.2 storage, that option may not be available. You could also check whether the BIOS is consistently saving the Windows Boot Manager entry after shutdown and whether the drive is detected reliably on every startup.
I only have M.2 storage available, so I can’t test with a 2.5-inch SATA drive right now.