Aspire 3 boot device missing - won't boot from Win10 USB in UEFI mode BIOS / GPT USB

Hi. Have an Aspire 3 with Default boot device missing or boot failed message. Windows 10 is corrupt/missing so need to reinstall. Used Rufus to create Win10 bootable USB in GPT scheme, set BIOS to UEFI, disabled Secure boot, set boot order for USB to be first, restarted but still get the same error message; could not get laptop to boot from the USB with several tries. Is there any way to get it to boot from the Win10 USB formatted as GPT and UEIF BIOS mode, or do I need to go to Legacy mode BIOS and use Win10 USB in MBR scheme? Or is there something else I can try? Please help. Thanks!

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JackE

BIOS must be in UEFI mode. BIOS INFORMATION tab must also show the HDD or SSD is present. Jack E/NJ

tdmachines

Info tab shows HDD0 Model Name (TOSHIBA MQ04ABF100) and Serial Number. No model name or S/N for HDD1 (None). USB is bootable because when I change BIOS to Legacy and reboot off USB it gives me the message ERROR: BIOS/LEGACY BOOT of UEFI-ONLY MEDIA. Switched back to UEFI BIOS and Secure Boot Disabled but still get the "Default boot device missing or boot failed" message.

tdmachines

Can you please tell me what I can try next to get Windows 10 to boot from the USB so I can install?

JackE

There is something wrong with your Rufus-prepared USB iso since it should also boot in UEFI mode. I suggest that you remake the stick using Microsofts media creation tool instead. It must booted and installed in BIOS UEFI mode with a BIOS supervisor password and secure boot disabled. Jack E/NJ

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

tdmachines

Hi, I remade the USB stick using MS Media Creation tool but am getting same results... "default boot device missing or failed". Sending pics of BIOS info, Boot order, and error. Please let me know next can be done.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/ga/3u5gdpwhbhtx.jpg

Boot order

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/g8/ze4k1wsid1kr.jpg

After save of Boot mode and order and restart:

JackE

(1) Is the F12 boot option turn on in the BIOS Main tab?

(2) Have you set and saved a BIOS supervisor password?

(3) Have you re-entered the BIOS menu with the supervisor password to disable secure boot?

(4) Then have you tried to turn on the machine and immediately tapped the F12 key in order to bring up the menu to either boot from the USB installation stick or Windows Boot Manager?

Jack E/NJ

tdmachines

F12 was not turned on but I enabled it, Yes to both #2 and #3. I tapped F12 right after reboot and selected USB for boot but no luck, still getting same error.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/68/m1gaajyqzg31.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/fh/cjmfjygdyl35.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/2a/a70pc9hxoj9a.jpg

JackE

Your security tab image shows that you do not have a BIOS password set. It's still clear. Secure boot also seems to be enabled in standard mode despite your F12 boot menu. Jack E/NJ

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/v9/viyczh7nbs55.jpg

JackE

This means your USB boot stick or USB port has a problem. Are you still using the same stick that you used before? Try another USB port if there is another. What happens when you choose option #2 WinBootMgr? Jack E/NJ

tdmachines

Hi JackE. below are sceen shots through the whole process. I did have a BIOS password and secure boot disabled before, but reset the pw and tried again but still getting same error. I tried all 3 USB ports and same result. The WinBootMgr does the same thing.

Reset Supervisor PW:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/6d/tcqiqk2ci0pw.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/66/zhbj0k5iuyr7.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/bk/c6egghy21dgd.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/q5/jlnncpogt5j0.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/qg/yy49xqk3qlto.jpg

JackE

>>>Used Rufus to create Win10 bootable USB in GPT scheme>>>

>>>I remade the USB stick using MS Media Creation tool but am getting same results.>>>

Are you still using the same USB stick for all these tests? Because none of your USB ports seem to be accessing it or seeing it as bootable device. Do you see the same F12 boot manager screen and result without the stick even being inserted? Jack E/NJ

tdmachines

Yes I'm using the same USB stick for all tests. I also have a Recovery USB I bought from Acer and I get the same error when have it in the USB while in UEIF BIOS. Full story: when I received the Recovery USB it would not boot in UEFI BIOS so I changed it to Legacy BIOS and the Recovery USB booted. I thought that was a good thing since it would not boot in UEFI BIOS mode. After performing the Recovery/restore from the Recovery USB, I got a Windows BSOD with error code WDF Violation. The recovery USB was not successful and Win10 was not installed on the hard drive. There hard drive had some files installed but no Windows directory. So I went back to trying to reinstall Win10 from USB but still cannot get the Win10 installation USB to boot from UEFI mode. Is the BIOS corrupt at this point? Does it need to be reloaded? Is the hard drive toast? Thanks.

JackE

>>>Full story: when I received the Recovery USB it would not boot in UEFI BIOS so I changed it to Legacy BIOS and the Recovery USB booted. I thought that was a good thing since it would not boot in UEFI BIOS mode.>>>

You somehow seem to have received the wrong Win10 recovery USB. The A315-21 recovery USB for Win10 should boot in UEFI mode only, not legacy mode. If you only got partway through the installation in legacy mode, the HDD is now corrupt and must be cleaned, repartitioned and formatted using diskpart at the command prompt.

I thus suggest that you use Microsoft's Win10 USB media creation tool to make a new USB recovery drive. Then boot from that Microsoft USB drive in UEFI mode to the Win10 setup. Then we will use the advanced section of the Microsoft Win10 setup to clean up, repartition and format the HDD with diskpart. Then install Win10. Jack E/NJ

tdmachines

I did previously create a USB Drive from the MS Win 10 USB media creation tool but it also failed during boot in UEFI mode. But I tried it again... from a Dell Inspiron laptop, I downloaded the MS USB media creation tool from the link and created the USB drive. Plugged it into the Acer, made sure BIOS was UEFI, disabled secure boot, changed boot order, etc but got the same error message. And again was able to boot from USB when in Legacy mode. Somehow it does not create a UEFI USB Drive. Should I try Rufus again to create the USB Drive?

JackE

Try enabling option to wake on USB with lid closed in the BIOS Main tab. Then tap the F12 key at boot time in UEFI mode to bring up the USB stick. If it still doesn't find a boot device then I'd have to guess that the BIOS is corrupted since it only recognizes legacy option. In that case, we can try to install Windows in legacy mode but must clean and convert the HDD/SSD to MBR. Once Win10 installed, we can then decide if it's worthwhile flashing the BIOS with the latest version in hopes of installing in Win10 UEFI mode. Jack E/NJ

tdmachines

Enabled wake on USB with lidclosed but no luck. Do I need to clean and convert the HDD to MBR before installing Windows in Legacy mode? How do I go about cleaning and converting it to MBR? Thanks.

DavidR8

I have this same problem. Was this ever resolved?

JackE

Some versions of Windows installation USB media will perform the conversion during the installation process. While others require cleaning and converting to MBR from GPT using the command prompt. Watch for progress on this link for a similar problem that's being tried right now.

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