Can't get past BIOS stage after installing new M.2 SSD

The Brayster

Hi guys,

Pretty much the title.

PC works fine in general, no issues. I already have an M.2 SSD from when I built this PC a couple of years back, but as my motherboard has two M.2 slots I figured, why not more? Especially with the Prime Day sales.

Anyway, if I attach the new SSD and boot up, I'm caught as the Asus boot creen where you can 'Press F2 or DEL' to load up BIOS, or else you wait and the PC loads up the Windows login after a few seconds. When the SSD is attached to the motherboard, I can't get past this screen, and pressing the suggested keys (or any keys) does nothing, I'm stuck there.

I've tried loading in with no USB/Peripherals attached to no avail.

However, if I take the new SSD back out and boot up, everything loads up fine. So at least I haven't wrecked any other components of the PC through a botched installation or anything, it seems to be tied purely to the new hardware.


Is there anything else I can try? Or is it the case that I may well have had a dodgy bit of hardware sent to me?

Phoenix-D

Go into the BIOS and check your boot order. You may have the new SSD at the top and failover turned off. i.e. the computer is trying to boot a blank drive.

Mugsley

Yup, this. You can also try swapping M.2 slots for the two drives but I don't know how much that will help.

hiraeth

^ Yes if the boot order is ok try putting your OS drive in the 2nd slot to make sure that slot works.

The Brayster

Thanks for the suggestions.

For context this is an Asus BIOS we are dealing with.

I don't know if I'm just being silly, but I can't figure a way to tell the system to boot a specific drive no matter what, or to pass over one in favor of another. All I can find is a drag & drop boot order, but naturally it is only displaying the harddrive that is already installed so there's naturally nowhere to drag it. Also not all that useful if the stated hypothesis is true and the new drive is putting itself first on the list, because I can't even get into the BIOS in that scenario.

As stated before, I can't so much as even get into the BIOS when the new M.2 is physically installed so any action I take needs to be before I attach it, as far as I can tell.

hiraeth

I would still try just taking out the new ssd and test the 2nd m2 slot with the OS ssd to see if that slot is faulty.

And if it's not than put only the new ssd in and see if you can get to a windows install to see if the new ssd is faulty.

Chrysis

Check the manual and see if the 2nd M.2 slot shares pcie lanes with anything else. It's possible plugging a second SSD in is disabling some other piece of hardware. Although that's usually SATA ports or expansion card slots.

Mugsley

This is a bit of a hail Mary

Grab a USB stick and plop the Windows installer on it.

Update boot order, then run Windows installer to see if it detects the new drive. You can also try doing it with the OS drive removed.

Or you can pick up a M.2 USB enclosure/adapter and format the new drive from your working OS. This option should determine if the drive is faulty

tsmvengy

Maybe this drive was returned and has an OS already installed on it? You never know with Amazon.

The Brayster

So.


I opened my PC back up and did a couple of things:

1) I swapped the existing SSD over to the other slot I had been trying to use, with nothing else in there. No problems, boots as normal, so it isn't a bust slot.

2) I then left the original drive in Slot #2, and fitted the new drive into Slot #1 (where the original drive has been up to now). Problem again, won't proceed to windows, DEL/F2 don't work for BIOS.


So I just took it out, but then I had another thought.

I put it in my PS5.

And.... it works???


Given that the PS5 will wipe a drive you format to it, it may very well have been the case that perhaps there was something on the drive that my PC just wasn't impressed with, that the PS5 has now wiped away.


So I guess I should cry... victory?? It's not the win I necessarily set out for, but I find this outcome - Acceptable. I've always meant to add an SSD to my digital-only PS5 for obvious reasons, so I guess I just brought that goal forward?

I might give it a go in the PC again at some point, I dunno.


Either way, I haven't lost anything by this, and I haven't had to send the drive back, so this could definitely have been a worse scenario. Thank you all for chipping in with advice everyone.

V1m

If your PS5 is happy with it then it makes sense to leave it where it is, unless it's an especially expensive model you had plans and hopes for.

Jimbo

What model is the motherboard? If it is an older model board, it may not be compatible with an nvme type m.2 drive.