Motherboard stucks at BIOS Logo screen when HDD has GPT (solved, problem is gone, still don't know what was that)

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romanshuvalov

romanshuvalov

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Apr 22, 2017
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Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B150M-DS3H
CPU: Intel Core i3 6100
Memory: 2 x 4GB PC17000 Hynix, connected to 3rd and 4th slots
No external video card
SSD OCZ TR150, connected to SATA0
HDD WD6400AAKS (8 years old), connected to SATA1

Everything worked fine, but eventually after reboot computer stucked at logo screen:

0_9443f_847bff69_orig.jpg


It doesn't completely "freeze", pressing Num lock changes its state, I can even press Del and get "Entering Setup..." message:

0_94440_a4edf104_orig


But it doesn't boot nor enter setup. Just this screen and nothing more.

Problem appears only if this specific HDD (WD6400AAKS) is plugged in:
- If I unplug HDD, everything works fine.
- If I plug another HDD instead, everything works fine.

HDD itself is fine, it works correctly with another PC.

I tried different SATA slots, different cables, no effect. Also tried "hot plug" after system booted, it worked, so motherboard can operate with this HDD, but for some reason it just can't startup.

PC doesn't startup even if I connect this HDD through USB<->SATA dongle! Buf if I connect the dongle after booting, it works.

Tried full BIOS factory reset with removing battery.

In BIOS, if I disable SATA slot with this HDD, system boots successfully (but, of course, without HDD).

I have no idea what to do. Looks like motherboard's personal protest against this particular drive.

Any ideas?
 
Solution
romanshuvalov
Figured out that problem appears if HDD has GPT table with Windows bootloader (and with 100 MB EFI partition at first). I'm not sure why, but I successfully solved this issue by renaming "EFI" directory to anything else, rebooting and then renaming back to EFI. Done.

Still not sure what was that, but problem is gone, if anyone have any ideas it would be good to see.
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romanshuvalov

romanshuvalov

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Apr 22, 2017
3
0
520
Update: it looks like problem is related to GPT. I've accidently broken partition table (used gdisk) and now startup problem is magically gone. After analyzing and restoring partition record (using testdisk) only MBR has been written and now PC starts successfully. But I lost boot data from Windows OS installed on first partition of this HDD, and restoring it (or re-installing entirely OS) will re-create GPT record and startup problem will probably appear again.

I mean, to install Windows I need to create GPT record manually first, I used gdisk to do it, maybe it didn't worked perfectly and that's the reason of startup problem. Is there other way to create GPT safely? Or I can use gdisk again, but I need method how to remove GPT record and restore original MBR in case startup problem will appear again.

P.S. HDD partitions layout:
[--- 90 GB for OS ---] [-- 2 GB SWAP, old and useless --] [-- about 500 GB of important data --] [-- 40 GB --]
 
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romanshuvalov

romanshuvalov

Prominent
Apr 22, 2017
3
0
520
Figured out that problem appears if HDD has GPT table with Windows bootloader (and with 100 MB EFI partition at first). I'm not sure why, but I successfully solved this issue by renaming "EFI" directory to anything else, rebooting and then renaming back to EFI. Done.

Still not sure what was that, but problem is gone, if anyone have any ideas it would be good to see.
 
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Solution
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