Windows 7 only boots after re-connecting my SSD into a different SATA slot.

k0zu

Reputable
Apr 30, 2015
2
0
4,510
Hey,

My computer has been acting up lately. Every time I launch it I will get a No Boot Device screen and I have to restart, but that doesn't work. The only way my OS will launch is if I disconnect my SSD and stick it in a different SATA slot. It won't work if I try to plug it into the same slot twice in a row. It is so annoying and weird... I have made sure that the SSD is the 1st boot option within my bios, so I'm really clueless why this happens. My computer:

MSI Z97-GD65
i7 4790K
Gigabyte GTX 960 Windforce 3X
Samsung Evo 128GB SSD
WD 2TB HDD
Corsair CX750M
Corsair H105

Windows 7 Home.

All suggestions are welcome.
 
Solution
Welcome to the community, k0zu!

I'm sorry to hear about your booting issues. While in BIOS, I'd recommend to check if the SATA mode for the SSD is in AHCI.
Another thing you should try is using a different SATA cable to connect the SSD. It might also be a good idea to check for updates on the SATA drivers from your motherboard manufacturer's website.
I'd also suggest you to try to fix this issue by resetting BIOS using one of the methods listed here: http://www.wikihow.com/Reset-Your-BIOS
However, keep in mind that afterwards you'd need to re-configure your BIOS setting again, because the reset would put everything back to factory defaults.

Keep me posted! Hope this helps though! :)
SuperSoph_WD
Welcome to the community, k0zu!

I'm sorry to hear about your booting issues. While in BIOS, I'd recommend to check if the SATA mode for the SSD is in AHCI.
Another thing you should try is using a different SATA cable to connect the SSD. It might also be a good idea to check for updates on the SATA drivers from your motherboard manufacturer's website.
I'd also suggest you to try to fix this issue by resetting BIOS using one of the methods listed here: http://www.wikihow.com/Reset-Your-BIOS
However, keep in mind that afterwards you'd need to re-configure your BIOS setting again, because the reset would put everything back to factory defaults.

Keep me posted! Hope this helps though! :)
SuperSoph_WD
 
Solution
Try setting your WD HDD to be the 1st boot drive in the BIOS and see what happens.

Beginning with Vista, Microsoft let you install Windows on a different drive than the boot drive. Unfortunately, this has led to a lot of people inadvertently installing Windows on their second drive (usually a SSD that was added at a later date) thinking it's their first drive. When what's really going on is the HDD is still the first drive. The computer is booting off the HDD, and the bootstrap there tells it to load Windows on the second drive (the SSD). When they try to set the BIOS up "right" and set the SSD as the boot drive, there is no boostrap on it and they get a "no operating system" error.

If setting the HDD as the boot drive fixes it, then you can either live with it that way. Or you can disconnect the HDD, boot off the Windows install DVD, and run a repair to try to make the SSD bootable.
 

k0zu

Reputable
Apr 30, 2015
2
0
4,510


Thank you for the reply :). This will be a mission, because the BIOS needs to be updated to recognize my GPU (since it is a newer model) \( T~T )/. Oh well it has to happen I guess, hopefully I won't be going in circles.

I'll update the thread once I finish work and get a chance to implement some of the mentioned solutions!
 


Just be careful when flashing BIOS and make sure you back up your existing BIOS first! It's not that difficult of a procedure but it does require your full attention and care, Here is a tutorial that you might find useful: http://www.7tutorials.com/how-update-bios-your-computers-motherboard-5-steps

Good luck! Let us know how it went! :)
SuperSoph_WD