I'm reinstalling Windows 11 on my brother's PC using a USB installer created with Microsoft's Media Creation Tool. The installation initially appeared to work, but after restarting, the system went straight back into BIOS instead of booting from the NVMe drive or USB.
The BIOS also refuses to retain any changes. Boot order and other settings revert after pressing F10 and restarting. I replaced the CMOS battery and tried draining the remaining power, but that did not help. I also attempted a BIOS flash using a FAT32 MBR USB containing the firmware file, but the motherboard's flash light only stays on instead of completing the update. I may have accidentally downloaded firmware for the B650 rather than the B650M model.
Creating the installer with Rufus produced a black screen with garbled text and a message mentioning Secure Boot, but I can't change Secure Boot settings because the BIOS won't save them. I also tried installing Windows onto the NVMe drive from another computer, without success.
The debug VRAM and BIOS LEDs only flash briefly during startup. The system uses a Ryzen 7 7800X3D, MSI B650M Gaming Plus WiFi DDR5 motherboard, and RTX 2060 Super, although I removed the graphics card while troubleshooting. What should I check next?
3 Answers
First, verify the exact motherboard model and revision before trying another BIOS update. Firmware for a B650 is not interchangeable with firmware for a B650M, and using the wrong file can prevent the flash process from starting. Follow MSI’s Flash BIOS instructions exactly: use the correct renamed file, a FAT32 USB drive, the dedicated flash port, and only the required motherboard power connections. Don’t interrupt it once a valid update begins.
Windows 11 needs a compatible UEFI configuration, including TPM and Secure Boot, but those settings are irrelevant until the BIOS can actually save changes and complete a normal reboot. Once the firmware issue is fixed, recreate the installer with the official Media Creation Tool or Rufus in GPT/UEFI mode, then select the UEFI entry for the USB or NVMe drive in the boot menu. If the board still forgets every setting after a proper CMOS reset and the correct firmware, the motherboard may be faulty and should be tested or replaced.
The fact that BIOS settings never survive a restart is more important than the Windows installation itself. Clear the CMOS properly with the system unplugged, remove the battery, hold the power button for several seconds, and use the motherboard’s clear-CMOS pins if available. Then boot with only the CPU, one RAM stick, keyboard, monitor, and power connected. Disconnect drives, front USB cables, and other accessories while testing.
Also check that the clear-CMOS pins and the battery are installed correctly. A shorted front-panel or internal USB connection can sometimes interfere with startup, so disconnecting those headers is worth testing.
I realized the file may have been for the B650 instead of the B650M, so I’ll verify the exact model and try again with the proper firmware.