I recently got a new PC case and CPU cooler, and after swapping everything over, my system started up fine, but I noticed it was running on integrated graphics. Turns out my SATA cables were preventing my GPU from fitting properly. After shutting down, I connected the GPU correctly, but now my PC is stuck on the bootloader and won't load. I've tried changing boot priorities, using just my SSD and HDD (both previously had Windows installed), and even switched RAM slots, but nothing seems to help. Unplugging my GPU and using integrated graphics still results in the same issue. My temps are normal, and I can see all my components in BIOS. When I power up, the VGA LED blinks briefly but then turns off—does that mean the motherboard recognizes no GPU? It looks like Windows might be corrupted, but I'm not sure what that entails. I attempted to reinstall Windows via USB, but it said some media files were missing, possibly due to the way my friend set it up using Linux. I'm planning to try setting it up with Rufus instead tomorrow. Here's my setup: 1 TB HDD, 240GB SSD (Kingston), i7 8700 CPU, MSI z370A Pro MOBO, AMD Asus 6750XT GPU, and an EVGA GQ 750W Gold PSU with 16GB Corsair RAM. Any ideas on what might have gone wrong?
3 Answers
What type of cable are you using to connect from your GPU? HDMI can be pretty finicky, so trying another cable or a different output slot might be worth a shot. It sounds like a Windows installation issue to me. You can also securely erase your SSD from the BIOS before reinstalling Windows to clear out any issues.
It’s actually not likely that mixing up integrated graphics and your GPU would corrupt Windows. When you mention being stuck at the bootloader, can you clarify what you mean? Windows usually hides its bootloader from users, so it's a bit unusual. Check those power connections again, but if you can get into BIOS, that suggests the GPU is probably fine.
Have you been able to access the BIOS with your GPU connected? If you can see the BIOS but not Windows, it could point to a Windows issue. Also, make sure all power cables are securely connected to your GPU and that the monitor is plugged into it instead of the motherboard. I’ve had trouble with using Ventoy for Windows ISOs; I usually prefer creating a USB installer with Rufus instead.
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