I'm having a strange issue with my newly built PC after fresh Windows installation. My motherboard seems unable to recognize the M.2 hard drive as a boot option. Here's my setup for context:
- MoBo: Asrock B850 Riptide
- CPU: Ryzen 7, 7800X3D
- RAM: 2x Crucial DDR5 16GB 6400mhz
- NVME: Crucial P.3 Plus 1TB Gen4 M.2
Here's what I did:
1. Started the PC and disabled CSM in the boot menu.
2. Booted from a flash drive with the Windows installation media.
3. Opened the Windows console and cleaned the M.2 drive.
4. Installed Windows on the M.2.
5. After installation, I removed the flash drive and restarted.
But now, I'm back at the boot page, and I can't choose the M.2 as a boot medium. It only lists the flash drive! The current boot settings are:
- CSM: disabled
- PXE OPROM policy: do not launch
- Storage OPROM policy: UEFI only (disabling this doesn't help).
Any advice would be appreciated!
3 Answers
It sounds like your M.2 drive isn't being recognized as a boot option. Try clearing the CMOS and doing a secure erase of the SSD from the BIOS. Don’t change any other settings. After that, reinstall Windows and see if it detects the drive properly this time.
When you mention cleaning the disk via the Windows console, what commands did you actually use? Just curious how you formatted it before installation.
I used these commands:
1. diskpart
2. select disk x
3. clean
4. make gpt
5. exit
Make sure that your M.2 drive is actually enabled in the BIOS boot options. Sometimes it can be hidden due to settings. If you toggle CSM on, you might see it, but then you run into compatibility issues. Find where the boot priorities are listed and see if the M.2 can be enabled there.
I’ve looked everywhere, and it’s just not showing up as an option! If I turn CSM on, it appears, but it still won't boot.
I tried that multiple times, but it didn’t change anything.