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Windows won't boot from HDD

Tags:
  • Windows
  • Storage
  • Boot
  • Hard Drives
  • Boot priority
Last response: in Storage
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August 13, 2014 4:06:52 AM

Hi!

I recently installed a new GPU, which for some reason required me to flash my BIOS (GPU was freezing at desktop).
All was then working correctly, and I happily went to leave my PC to download some games during night. Then in the morning I turned on my monitor, only to see "An operating system wasn't found" message. I tried restarting my PC, but I either get "detecting IDE drives" (only for 3 HDDs I have, DVD-ROM is okay) or same "OS wasn't found" message.

I have a GA-M720-US3 (rev. 1.0) motherboard, 1 Phillips HDD, and two Seagate HDDs (one of which contains Windows 8.1).

NOTE: Changed boot priority, and now it's all good. How could have PC changed boot priority in the first place?

More about : windows boot hdd

August 13, 2014 5:19:53 AM

Never mind, HDD is making weird noise, looks like it's failing.
Still, no idea how booting priority in BIOS could have changed while computer is at desktop.
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a c 365 G Storage
August 13, 2014 9:28:19 AM

When you downloaded the new BIOS version, it reset itself to some default settings. This includes a default setting for which device to boot from. You should have done a BIOS Reset after the download, as follows:

When doing a BIOS Reset there are four steps.
1. Disconnect the power cord. On the mobo, remove the battery and move the Reset jumper to the "Reset" pin pair, leaving it there for 10-15 sec. Then reposition the jumper to the storage position and replace the battery.
2. Reconnect the power cord and boot into BIOS Setup directly. Go to one of the last pages and find the menu choice to Load Optimized Defaults. Do that.
3. IF you know you had any changes in place - like, using an added vid card instead of the on-board chip, or setting SATA Port Mode, etc, re-do those. Make sure you set the Boot Priority Sequence the way you want.
4. SAVE and EXIT so your changes become permanent.

Step 2, Load Optimized Defaults, is important. A Reset, even if done properly, may NOT install all the correct default settings. And of course re-establishing your own custom settings is important.
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August 13, 2014 10:21:56 AM

I checked all options in BIOS and made sure they were as they were before downloading newer version. Booting priority was changed sometime in the middle of the night, while computer was on, at desktop.
I managed to get to desktop few times, I can move my mouse and press e.g. Caps Lock, but I can't do anything.
Also, it made that distinguishing noise most HDDs make when they are about to die. It's the Seagate one, with OS installed on it.

Anyways, my dad had some spare parts so he built a PC to do a complete factory format of a disk.
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