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Any user would naturally become anxious when faced with the inability to access their computer system, particularly right after starting it up. Furthermore, some individuals may encounter issues such as system malfunctions, crashes, or freezes. Instead of the operating system loading as expected, a black screen emerges, accompanied by a clear error message that reads, “Reboot and Select proper Boot device.” This issue occurs when the system’s BIOS cannot locate the boot device where the operating system is installed. This problem has become increasingly prevalent, particularly among users of ASUS, Acer, Toshiba, and Gigabyte laptops, and it can manifest at any time due to various underlying causes. Regardless of the specific trigger, resolving the “Reboot and select proper Boot device” error demands a precise approach. In the following sections, we will delve into a comprehensive exploration of the methods that can rectify this error on systems running Windows 10, 8, and 7.
Understanding ‘Reboot and select proper Boot device’ and its causes
The message ‘Reboot and select proper Boot device’ occurs when the computer’s BIOS program cannot locate the hard drive that holds the essential instructions for loading and initiating the operating system. This issue can stem from various physical and logical factors.
- The boot disk has a broken or damaged slot
- The power cable connecting the disc to the system is faulty
- Incorrect connection settings between hard drive and BIOS
- Boot device has become obsolete or damaged
- No active partition to save boot files
- The Master Boot Record (MBR) of the device is gone corrupt or heavily damaged
- Incorrect sequence in BIOS
- The operating system is corrupt
- Boot files are missing
Given the diverse factors contributing to this problem, employing any of these methods will undoubtedly assist you in swiftly resolving it.
The boot drive, responsible for the startup and operation of your operating system, is linked to your computer via a power cable. When this cable is damaged, malfunctioning, or improperly connected, it can lead to errors. To address this issue, you should power off the computer and thoroughly inspect the power cable for any signs of physical damage or improper connection. If the problem is significant, it is advisable to replace the cable promptly.
The first approach is to check whether the BIOS of the system detects the boot drive. It is a common occurrence for the drive to get disconnected.
- Reboot your system and press the designated key to enter the BIOS program. This could be Del, F2, F8, F10, F12, and Esc.
- You will be able to go through the full list of devices that are connected to the BIOS.
- If your disk is not on the list, shut down your computer.
- Try plugging the disk into a different SATA slot or reattaching it using an alternate cable. This action will establish a successful connection, causing it to appear in the list of connected devices.
If your hard disk is still disconnected, it is a clear sign that it is damaged, corrupted, dead, or obsolete. You must take some tips for recovering data from crashed hard disk, especially all the important files.
Numerous examinations of this matter have consistently revealed a disordered boot sequence as its root cause. This chaotic arrangement often results from the presence of various interconnected devices such as hard drives, networks, USB drives, and DVDs. Among these devices, it is imperative that the primary boot drive remains the top priority among all bootable options.
- Enter the BIOS menu and select the Boot tab.
- Drag and drop the boot drive to be on top of the list.
- Save all the changes and restart your system.
A primary partition of the drive is where the operating system is installed when the computer begins loading from it. This partition needs to be kept on Activate mode at all times to prevent any such errors.
- Insert a recovery disk to your system and keep it as the connected boot devices in your BIOS.
- Click on the Command Prompt available under the System Recovery Options.
- Type the following commands and hit Enter each time:
list disk
select disk Z (Z, being your Boot drive)
list partition
Special partition 1
Active - Reboot the PC and check if the problem still exists.
The MBR is the Master Boot Record of any hard disk, which carries information about the partitions and helps in loading the operating system. If the MBR gets damaged, you will be stuck at the reboot error, and hence, it must be fixed and built again.
- Open the Command Prompt in the BIOS. Type the following and press enter after:
Bootrec/fixmbr
Bootrec/fixboot
Bootrec/rebuildbcd - Close this window and restart the system.
Few devices have a Legacy Boot feature which, when active, can throw certain errors. You need to simply turn it off to prevent any further errors.
- Go through the settings in the BIOS environment. Select the Legacy boot option.
- Disable this choice and save all the changes made.
The default settings are automatically assigned to a program such that the user can make the most of it and avoid any kind of instability while it runs. This instability in BIOS can also be the reason behind the issue of ‘Reboot and select proper Boot device.’ Simply load the BIOS and apply the Best Defaults settings.
In case the error has nothing to do with the BIOS environment, it could be due to a fault in the boot files. However, they can be repaired, and they will remove all the corrupted ones.
- Insert the Windows media installation disc and allow it to run.
- Once you are on the Windows setup screen, click on Repair your computer, which is present in the bottom left corner.
- The Windows Recovery Environment will appear and now, open the Command Prompt. Now, type the commands below and press Enter one after the other:
For UEFI users-
: /windows
For legacy BIOS users-
Bootrec/fixmbr bcdbootC
Bootrec/fixboot
Bootrec/rebuildBCD
There are two possibilities if the issue is being caused by your RAM. If it has not been cleaned for a long time, you must shut down your system and clean all the dust off using a soft cloth. If there is a major fault with the RAM, it must be dealt with professionally.
If no method works, then the last resort is to reinstall the current Windows version. It will remove all the files, and users will begin from a clean slate.
Many errors such as this one can hamper files and documents on your system to the extent that they get removed or go missing. To successfully get out of any such situation, Kernel for Windows Data Recovery is the way to go. It runs a scan on Windows hard drives and recovers all the lost and deleted files, folders, media data, documents, and emails from corrupted partitions and external devices. It has three scanning modes from which you can choose depending on the level of recovery needed.
Read Also : PS4 White Light of Death – Easy Solutions
Conclusion
When a user encounters the ‘Reboot and select proper Boot device’ error, it prevents them from accessing any of their computer’s content by preventing the operating system from loading. This issue can arise from various sources, such as problems with the power cable, BIOS program, boot files, or system RAM. Therefore, it is crucial to address this error with great care and attention. You can use some quick methods to recover deleted Windows files that have been mentioned above.