Installed a brand new SSD on laptop, but can't install Windows.

Nicoseb · October 1, 2018

Hello LTT forums! I'll make this short, I hope you guys can help me, you're my only hope.

Recently my HDD broke down, so I bought a new SSD to replace it. (Samsung 860 EVO).

I installed the HDD, and powered up the laptop with my boot media (USB), I went to BIOS first, to set Boot Option #1 as the UEFI USB.

Then, I got the white text on black background saying:

"Reboot and Select proper Boot device
or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key"

So I tried to change things around in BIOS, to no avail.

Next, I tried my old trusty Windows 7 install disc. I went to BIOS and set the BIOS boot options as follows:

1. DVD drive
2. SSD
3. UEFI family controller (i guess USB?)
4. UEFI DVD

And now, I'm at a point where I'm getting an error saying CDBOOT: Couldn't find BOOTMGR.

What is going on? :/

Thanks for reading.

LukeSavenije · October 1, 2018

try it with uefi dvd first

Hewie · October 1, 2018

It could be an issue with your USB for windows. Try making it again on another USB and boot directly off it once it is made. Your laptop should allow you to do a one time boot (You can see how to do it for your laptop here http://www.disk-image.com/faq-bootmenu.htm)

SydneySideSteveSomewheres · October 1, 2018

Is secure boot not selected (turned off), pretty sure the BIOS just says first boot device -> USB or whatever you select (DVD, SSD) not UEFI USB?

Nicoseb · October 1, 2018

30 minutes ago, Hewie said:

It could be an issue with your USB for windows. Try making it again on another USB and boot directly off it once it is made. Your laptop should allow you to do a one time boot (You can see how to do it for your laptop here http://www.disk-image.com/faq-bootmenu.htm)

Thank you Hewie, your reply solved everything.

I literally didn't know a thing called "Boot Menu key" existed until I saw your link.

For whatever reason, BIOS did not list the USB I was installing Windows 10 from, but when I accessed the BOOT MENU, it showed up. So I clicked it, and then the Windows install started.

So thank you very much for enlightening me and fixing this mysterious issue. I still can't figure out why I couldn't install from CD, but at this point it doesn't matter.

Thanks to everyone else for replies as well.