Solved Strange boot message

[TEAPOT2]

Hello Guys.
I have an ASUS laptop running Win 7 Service Pack I. When I boot from cold I get this message (Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected device and press enter).
I then press Ctrl+ alt+Del and Windows happily starts up.
If I do a hot restart there is no problem.
I tried cloning the boot drive (drive 1) to a backup drive (drive 2), installed this as boot drive and powered up with no problem. The problem did not transfer to drive 2.
At first I thought this was a Bios problem, but I think this experiment eliminates that.
I would be extremely grateful for any thoughts and help for this aggravating problem.
Teaot2

 

[file3456]

On its face, It does sound like a BIOS issue. Go into BIOS and make sure your drive is the first boot drive and absolutely nothing else.

The other possibility is the boot loader, but I kinda doubt that because if it was the computer wouldn't even boot me thinks. I mean, that's the small amount of code on the drive that's activated via BIOS for Windows to load.


Since the second (cloned) drive worked, I'm thinking there might be some kind of auto configuration for boot devices set in BIOS.

When you see that message it means exactly that, i.e., there's no boot device (hard drive) being detected. So it's either BIOS related, a cable or the boot loader.

 

[TEAPOT2]

Hi F22 Simpilot
I have just checked the boot order, which was 1st DVD or CD, 2nd HDD. I reversed this and this rebooted from the BIOS setup and the machine booted straight to Windows.
I shut down and did a cold booted and got the boot device missing message again.
I also did a hot restart which did not bring up the missing device message.
How do I check for the boot loader and for an auto configuration for boot devices set in BIOS?
The hard drive connection on this laptop is a fixed connector with no cable.
I also did a chkdsk from a DOS prompt with parameters /f/r/v/b. All five stages finished NFF. When rebooting after chkdsk there was a DOS message Checking drive C, Drive is clean.
TEAPOT2

 

[file3456]

What is the exact make and model of the laptop so I can look at the manual on its BIOS options?

You said after you changed the boot order BIOS just simply restarted on its own? That shouldn't have happened. Usually you have to save & exit.

Check BIOS again. Is that reversed order still in place?

Look in ALL the BIOS settings for some kind of automatic configuration for boot devices. It may be named something else.

 

[TEAPOT2]

I forgot to put in the last reply that I exited BIOS with F10 (Save and Exit)
Double checked the boot order using my two drives and a borrowed one from a friend no changes.
The Laptop is ASUS Pavilion DV6 UL50V. MB Version is UL50VT ID : 2B (MB presumably mother board). There is another number SCN0AS602467538 unknown to me.

 

[file3456]

Where did you get the information for make and model? Because DV6 is a product line for HP, and UL50V is a product line for ASUS. I can't discern from which is which since both can run Windows 7.

Try this:

Begin typing system information in the Windows search facility and under summery you'll see make and model. You could just create a print screen if you want.

In case you don't know, to take a print screen do one of the following:

1) Enter the words sniping tool in the Windows search box and use that. I'd save it as a JPG for smaller size. Then you just right click the created image and select copy and then right click here in the post box and paste via the right click context menu.

2) Press the Print Screen key on you keyboard, go into your favorite paint program and select paste. Now you can edit the image and what have you. Once done, save and do the copy/paste maneuver I described above via the right click context menu.


If this is an HP, try disabling Secure Boot if it's on. Consequently, if this is an ASUS laptop, see if Secure Boot is on in there.

Once I know for sure what laptop you have I might be able to further narrow down why BIOS is not booting the drive straight away.

 

[TEAPOT2]

The bit about a DV6 was a mistake, that is my wife's laptop. Mine is definitely an ASUS ulv50.
Attached is a Jpeg file from a snip of system information.

 

[file3456]

Okay, the manual I found didn't include anything on BIOS options, so I have to assume the following options exist in your BIOS.

Go into BIOS and in the BOOT tab.

Select Boot Option #1 and make sure your C drive is selected.

Now go into Hard Drive BBS Priorities and make sure Boot Option #1 is again your Windows C drive.

Save & exit BIOS and this should do the trick.

For more information on Hard Drive BBS Priorities refer here.

While you're at it, if you find a Secure Boot option, make sure it's off. I doubt it would be on since Windows 7 doesn't support it, but if it's on then turn it off for Windows 7.

 

[TEAPOT2]

Weirder and weirder.

I have three hard drives available, one from my wife’s laptop and one I use for backup, plus the one with the problem, all with the same operating system. As an experiment I booted my laptop with each one. Only the original drive had the problem. I then booted my wife's laptop with the problem drive and it came up with the same boot problem, I.e. needed Ctrl/Alt/Del to boot successfully. Decided to bite the bullet. Deleted the two partitions on the disk, created new partitions and re-installed Windows. The problem did not go away. It appears something is peculiar with the drive so I have decided to use it as backup to the good drive.
Thanks for the suggestions, you have reminded me of things about BIOS that 25 years of retirement had deleted form memory.
Regards
TEAPOT2

 

[file3456]

Very interesting. Thanks for the follow up. I'll make sure I file that bit of information away in case someone else has a similar issue.