Bios Keeps changing boot order...

Hi i have a problem, i recently upgraded my sony vaio pc with a SSD.

originally it had 2x500gb RAID0 as the C disk but i clean installed on my new vertex 2 SSD and set everything up, BUT my bios keeps changing the boot order and i keep getting 'boot manager missing' press ctrl+alt+del to restart.

the RAID 0 is under Volume0 in the bios (limit bios as its from sony)

but it keeps putting [SONY] as the 1st boot and the best i can gues this is the in-built card readers.

I ve tried everthing and i cant get it to stay as i set it.

Also i cant update my bios as the .exe update tool gets a 'Cannot read system information' error message.


please and help would be amazing, ive been pulling my hair out for hours.

When you reinstalled with the single HD, did you change the SATA controller to AHCI or IDE mode? Or is it still set ot RAID? Check all BIOS settings related to SATA, IDE or RAID drives controller.

How many HD's are connected? Try booting with only the Win7 HD plugged in.

You say that "SONY" is listed as the First boot device. Sony what? Can you be more specific as to what device this is? Try setting the HD upon which Win7 is installed as first to boot if it's not.

Next try resetting the CMOS: Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS

See if you can update the BIOS now, or if the problem clears. Post back a screenshot of the full Disk Mgmt drive map with listings, using Snipping Tool in Start Menu.

There are 4 drives.

C: SSD
D: 2X500GB RAID0
E:1TB

i have not idea what sony is, and i have tried setting the OCZ(SSD) DRIVE AS 1ST and it works to boot into windows, but then next boot it changes it again.

I cant actually edit the SATA configuration nor do i know how to.

tbh i wanted to get rid of it as its more trouble than its worth and i dont need the added read speed on a storage HD.

ive tried startup recovery, and fixboot from command prompt, and they both havnt fixed the bootmngr problem.


It doesnt happen when i restart the PC, only power down then on again.

also when it happens i press ctrl+alt+del, and it will login normal on the next boot.

Does this help in diagnose why im getting the error?

Switch everything off. Take the plug out of the wall socket. Open the case, and switch the sata cables over.

Close everything.

Boot again. Windows should now find everything OK. If Not set the boot order again.

This time windows should retain the settings.

Regards....Mike Connor

Hi mike, already tried that .

It has 4 pull out bays on the front, originally it was:

Bay 1: 500gb raid0 with bay 2
Bay 2: 500gb raid0 with bay 1
Bay 3: 1TB
Bay 4: SSD

then I switched it to

Bay 1: SSD
Bay 2: 500gb raid0 with bay 3
Bay 3: 500gb raid0 with bay 2
Bay 4: 1TB

But the problem persists.

After shutting down for the night, i booted up this morning and checked the bios boot order, and the SSD was not even there, but the PC booted fine anyway, and in My Computer' All looks good.

Its a very weird case that seems to keep change depending on the PC's mood.

It's the most common cause of the problem you describe, especially after changing drive setups. Windows can't find the boot disk, then goes to default and finds it on a reboot, etc.

The cables to the discs should be consistent with the board drive headers. It is not enough to just switch them around. Device 0 on the board must also go to device 0 in the boot order.

Only other things that usually cause that are defective plugs and cables.

Of course it COULD be software related, but I have no idea what to suggest there.

Sometimes one has to just keep plugging away ( if you'll pardon the pun! :) ) until one finds a solution, or the machine with the problem is outdated and can be replaced without a guilty conscience, and with a good excuse for the wife, "But it wasn't working dear, and I need it for all sorts of things" ( pick several convincing sounding reasons here ).

Seriously, if that hasn't fixed it I have no further clues. I would at least try setting up the boot order again, and booting at least twice. If you use a shadow BIOS, or an automatic BIOS copy to HDD make sure you copy your new settings to it, or you will end up with it defaulting back to the wrong boot order when you shut down and start again.

Regards....Mike Connor

Just spoke to a friend of mine who services laptops.

He advised this;

Go to BIOS and change the boot sequence to CD then HDD.Sony: (F3) while you are starting the PC, then (F2) or (F1) .

On the Vaio, the BIOS access key is either <f2>or <f3>, if the POST is too fast, hit the "PAUSE" key to read the text, if you get the Sony Logo, hit <ESC> to see the text.

Once in the BIOS you can change the boot order (and possibly the drive order in the newer BIOS versions).

You could set it for cd1, cd2, floppy, hard drive.

Don't know whether it will help, but it can't hurt!

I still think there is something wrong with your boot order, or the cables are attached to the wrong headers, and he says that is the most common problem when customers do upgrades.

Hope you get it sorted.......

Regards....Mike Connor

Mike Connor said:

It's the most common cause of the problem you describe, especially after changing drive setups. Windows can't find the boot disk, then goes to default and finds it on a reboot, etc.

The cables to the discs should be consistent with the board drive headers. It is not enough to just switch them around. Device 0 on the board must also go to device 0 in the boot order.

Only other things that usually cause that are defective plugs and cables.

Of course it COULD be software related, but I have no idea what to suggest there.

Sometimes one has to just keep plugging away ( if you'll pardon the pun! :) ) until one finds a solution, or the machine with the problem is outdated and can be replaced without a guilty conscience, and with a good excuse for the wife, "But it wasn't working dear, and I need it for all sorts of things" ( pick several convincing sounding reasons here ).

Seriously, if that hasn't fixed it I have no further clues. I would at least try setting up the boot order again, and booting at least twice. If you use a shadow BIOS, or an automatic BIOS copy to HDD make sure you copy your new settings to it, or you will end up with it defaulting back to the wrong boot order when you shut down and start again.

Regards....Mike Connor

Also you may a defective CMOS/ BIOS battery.