NUC8i7HVK - "A bootable device has not been detected." despite SSD inserted and OS installed

[Robert_G_Intel]

Hi,

I've set up my Hades Canyon and was able to on first boot get Win 10 installed, added all the drivers, rebooted a couple times along the way. Didn't touch any BIOS settings, just wanted to get everything installed first before tweaking anything. I left the system off and went to boot it the next day and saw the message "A bootable device has not been detected."

I promptly went into BIOS and my Intel 760p SSD was no longer showing in the PCIe devices list. I had installed it into SSD Slot A. At this point I was on BIOS *.0029.*, so I went to see if a newer BIOS had been relased. *.0040.* was available so I installed that. System still refused to detect the installed SSD.

Only after unplugging and reinstalling the SSD, into either slot A or B, does it boot from SSD. But if I dare power down and attempt to restart, I'm stuck with the bootable device not detected message until the next time I manually intervene and reseat the SSD. I've installed SODIMMs and m.2 SSDs in the past and was sure to seat the device pins properly. I'm running out of ideas here! I've even cleared CMOS via the BIOS_SEC jumper inside the case.

I'm very confused because this isn't a total failure, as I was clearly able to make use of the SSD up until it quits being detected. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

-Robert

[LeonWaksman]

Hello Robert,

You didn't describe how you did the bios update (from ver 0028 to 0040).

The best way to update bios is to use recovery method: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005532/mini-pcs.html BIOS Recovery Update Instructions for Intel® NUC

The easiest is to recover bios from Power Button Menu:

1. Prepare USB stick fully formatted to FAT32 (disable quick format option during format). Format your USB on Windows machine (rather than Linux or MAC). Save the Bios file HN0040.bio (https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27808/NUCs-BIOS-Update-HNKBLi70-86A-?product=126143 Download BIOS Update [HNKBLi70.86A] ) on this stick and insert it into USB slot (NUC shall be OFF).
2. Press Power Button for about 3 seconds. You should release the Power Button soon as the power led changes color from blue to amber. NUC will reboot into Power Button Menu.
3. Press F4 and the recovery shall start (it can take up to 30 seconds for messages to appear on the screen).
4. When the recovery finishes, pull out the power cord.
5. Replace the power cord and press Power Button to switch the computer to ON.
6. Enter Bios setting by pressing F2 during boot process.
7. Press F9(followed by "Y"), to set Bios to default settings. Press F10 (followed by "Y"), to save the settings and exit to O.S. Let the NUC fully reboot.
8. You can enter again to Bios setting to change the necessary settings.

Note:

If for some reason you have difficulty to boot into Power Button Menu, you shall recover your Bios using Security Jumper method

Leon

[MLevi]

Great response lw1948!

[Robert_G_Intel]

Issue still persists, even after attempting to reinstall HN0040.bios using fully formatted FAT32 drive and resetting to defaults. BIOS installation says it was successful.

Swapping slots does allow SSD to be recognized for literally just that boot. Any power cycling, heck even going into Sleep and attempting to Resume causes the SSD to stop being recognized. While I had the OS loaded I fired up CrystalDiskInfo and saw no SSD health issues. When this issue is happening, I will see an empty list for PCIe Devices. When the SSD is successfully detected Visual BIOS does show a drive in the PCIe Devices list.

OS was installed while BIOS was at version 0029, and had been able to restart once or twice successfully before the initial Bootable device not detected message.

Any other ideas? Thanks!

[LeonWaksman]

Hello,

1. Did you install Windows from UEFI option of USB? (after entering Boot Menu with Windows installation media inserted, you can see two option of this media: Legacy and UEFI).

2.Check in Bios Advanced ->Devices->SATA , if the Chipset SATA Mode is set to AHCI and enable SATA Port (checkbox). Check here if your SSD is recognized.

3. You may try to fix your boot problem from Windows Advanced Option Menu. This menu you can reach after booting from Window Installation Media USB:

3.1 Boot from your Windows 10 installation USB.

3.2 Select your language preferences and click/tap on Next.

3.3 Click/tap on Repair your computer at the bottom.

3.4 Click/tap on Troubleshoot.

3.5 Click/tap on Advanced options.

3.6 Click/tap on Startup Repair .

4. And my last advice for now - after the event of "A bootable device has not been detected" , instead of replacing the SSD in place, disconnect the Power Adapter cable for 15 minutes and then reconnect it again. See if problem still exists.

Leon

[Robert_G_Intel]

Thanks Leon and Noxxle for the replies! Not sure what else I could try short of an RMA or new SSD?

Based on the device not showing in the Visual BIOS under default settings, I can only suffice the device is not being recognized at a hardware level. I attempted to use Windows 10 Recovery from installation USB and the SSD doesn't show in the Recovery OS either (assumption: if SSD doesn't show in BIOS, of course any subsequently run software on top of that would not see the SSD).

At the time of installing the OS, back when the SSD was consistently detected for the first few bootups, the BIOS settings were at factory defaults and with factory BIOS version, version 0029 in my case. I never modified any settings pertaining to SATA or AHCI. The only BIOS settings I modified after installing Win10 were to change the skull colors; this was prior to SSD "vanishing" but not sure if this is simply coincidence. Only after the SSD became undetectable to the BIOS did I attempt anything more drastic, like moving BIOS up to v. 0040 or removing the BIOS_SEC jumper inside the case.

I tried letting the device sit unpowered before reinstalling the SSD, sometimes the SSD is recognized, other times not. I don't know how to mount the SSD any more precisely than I already have (Noxxle's advice). I have been sure to have the SSD angled slightly upwards, but straight (left vs right), the I push the SSD towards the connector and down lightly until the notch for the screw lines up with the standoff on the motherboard allowing me to secure the SSD with the screw. Hopefully as a testament to my precision, my two RAM sticks always show up in the BIOS.

Thanks!

[idata]

Hello, robertjg.

Is this SSD working in another system? Also, have you tried using another SSD with the NUC?Antony S.

[idata]

Hello, robertjg.

I would like to know if you still need assistance. If so, please do not hesitate to reply to this thread.Antony S.

[BSaun]

Could it be worth cleaning the contacts on ssd with contact cleaner or alcohol? How about trying a small shim under the holddown screw to slightly change the contact profile of the ssd?

[Robert_G_Intel]

Hi Antony, sorry for the extended delay I was out of town with family. I will swap SSDs tonight between my desktop and the Hades Canyon NUC and report back by morning.

Can't wait to get this beast of a machine running reliably. During one of the times I had it booted, I was getting DooM 2016 running at respectable settings at 1440p, so I'm excited to see what else it can handle.

[JNels3]

Nuc m.2 slots are alignment sensitive. Try re-seating and make sure the ssd is aligned perfectly.

[Robert_G_Intel]

My testing seems to conclude there's something wrong with the NUC.

1. Plugged NUC SSD into my desktop. Desktop recognizes the SSD from NUC

2. Plugged my desktop's m.2 SSD (a 600p 256GB) into the NUC. NUC fails to recognize the SSD.

[n_scott_pearson]

Robert,

Your conclusion is probably correct, but let's look for a moment at whether this is a one-off or systemic issue. Please look carefully at the M.2 socket and how the M.2 card is being oriented in the connector, especially as a result of the orientation imposed by the screw post, etc. Does the M.2 card, for example, seem to go further into the connector when not held in place by the screw and screw post? If you put this M.2 card into the other M.2 socket, is there a difference in how it orients in the connector? Do you have the latest BIOS installed? [You might have answered this earlier, but I can't tell; the way the Reply display works, I can only see your most-recent post.]

...S

[Robert_G_Intel]

Thanks Scott, I've had the NUC go from bootable to not bootable only due to power cycling. My thought process is that if the problem were purely a physical connection issue, the drive would also then stop being accessible during operation on one of the lucky times I've gotten things booted.

As for mounting m.2 devices, I load it in straight (not slanted left or right), but vertically slanted a bit as to ease it in, then I push in toward the connector while also flattening out the vertical slant and maintaining a straight side-to-side alignment. I stop once I can center the semi-circular screw cutout over the motherboard standoff, and then secure it down with the screw. While securing I hold the card in place so the screw doesn't shift the card sideways.

This process was what I did when initially installing the hardware, which did allow me to install Win 10 to the SSD, and even "boot, install drivers, restart, repeat" a couple of times until maybe the fourth or fifth reboot. All was with the stock BIOS 0029 it came shipped with. I didn't even touch BIOS settings until drivers had been all installed and I simply changed the skull lighting color. Upon having the issue I then installed the latest (at the time) BIOS 0040, still had the no bootable device issue. At the recommendation of Intel Support Team I tried another BIOS, version 0034, which still had the issue.

Let me know if I'm glossing over any other details that would be helpful to know! Try this /thread/126543 link to full thread ? I could also record a video of me installing the SSD up close and then attempting booting.

Thanks again!

Robert

[n_scott_pearson]

You'll need to do actual experiments to answer the questions that I asked. If you don't want to, so be it. I would hate for you to go through the whole replacement process only to find that the same thing occurs with the replacement (though I rather doubt it will).

...S

[NSuko]

Not sure if it's the same issue, but I had a similar problem upon updating the BIOS from version 29 to 40. The reason for me was for some reason with update 37 intel removed legacy boot, rendering my non-UEFI drives unbootable. I'm guessing it was a legacy stability issue, as the reason I updated in the first place was because legacy PXE boot was freezing and displaying a blank screen right after getting a DHCP response.

I probably would have thought twice about buying this had I known non-uefi booting wasn't an option. I use pxe for ghosting and uefi network boot is a nightmare to configure server-side.

I'm going to revert to bios 0034 and see what happens (was originally on 29)

[idata]

I have exactly the same issue that Robert had described above.

The NUC boots from the SSD after power cycle. Even when Windows boots, it crashes really soon, and at the next boot attempt it will show "A bootable device has not been detected." error.

I've updated the BIOS to the latest available, and it didn't solve the issue. (By the way the "Correct Answer" above, is obviously not correct)

I cleaned the SSD M.2 connector with alcohol, still no luck.

Is there a solution for that yet, or should I just submit and RMA for both NUC and SSD? (I don't have another device with M.2 connector nor another SSD with M.2 so I can't really do "let's swap and see" type of experiments.

Thanks,

Sergey

[JPira]

Hi,

I have the same issue with a NUC7i7BHN, Windows runs, there is a system crash, and I get "no boot device detected". CTRL-ALT-Del makes it restart but the no boot device error remains. I need to pull the cord and plug it back in, then it works great.

Any idea what is happening?

[idata]

Hello all,

Thank you for joining this Intel Community.I understand that you are getting an error message "A bootable device has not been detected".Because you have different Intel® NUC models, I recommend you to create new threads since BIOS and drivers may be different. Wanner G.

[MBacz]

Hey Sergey, Robert and others with the same issue.

I encountered the same problem, and I found a peculiar solution, that, at least for me, is 100% reproducible. I believe that the black plastic top plate (the one held by 6 hex screws) is exerting pressure onto the M.2 drive, though the inner metal shield (held by 1 Phillips screw) and the thermally conductive foam, pushing the SSDs contacts out of alignment. Try opening your NUC, unplug and replug the M.2 drive to make sure it has proper contact, place back the metal shield but do not put the black plastic cover on, just turn it on and see if it boots in this state. In my experiments, the NUC would boot every time without the top cover, or with the top cover placed but not screwed down. Yet, when I tighten the six hex screws in place, the computer no longer boots.

Please try this method and let me know if it worked for you.

[LeonWaksman]

Hello exclamationMarek

I suspect that your SSD is not installed correctly:

1. On one side, the SSD should be inserted into M.2 slot.

2. On the opposite side, there is an M.2 stand with small M.2 screw.

3. You shall remove the screw from the stand and fasten firmly the SSD with this screw to its stand.

If the SSD is firmly fastened to this stand, the pressure from the top cover shall not affect its connection in the slot.

Leon