Predator HeliosPH315-55-70ZV shows'No Bootable Device',UEFI option greyed out,can't switch to legacy

My Predator laptop had displayed No Bootable Device. The original SSD seem to have been corrupted or died, So I have a new SSD that I want to install Windows on. I have set a supervisor password, I have disabled Secure Boot, and I have enabled the F12 boot option, but the boot mode is still set to UEFI and is greyed out. I have searched around to try and see how to enable this so that i switch over to Legacy mode so it can see the USB. Any help would be appreciated,

Not sure if original post was deleted for TOS violation or if there was an actual answer, but please message me if im doing something wrong. Thanks

[Edited the thread to add model name to the title]

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Kiriko

this is a common issue you wil need to download the raid drivers for windows and place them somewhere on the thumbdrive your using once the installer has the correct raid drivers it will see your ssd

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/726503/predator-helios-300-issue-no-bootable-device

can you include what is your exact Predator Helios 300 model number like PH315-xx so we can give you further advice.

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tmoe01

Thank You, model number is N22C3 / PH315-55-70ZV

Puraw

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1346422#Comment_1346422

Hi, Here's the bullet list I posted earlier for troubleshooting the Predator Helios PH315-55-70ZV showing "No Bootable Device" and a greyed-out UEFI option:

🛠️ Steps to prep for clean SSD install:

Set a Supervisor Password in BIOS to unlock restricted settings.
Disable Secure Boot to allow unsigned installations.
Enable F12 Boot Menu for manual boot device selection.
Confirm your new SSD is recognized in BIOS (under Storage or Information tab).

📦 Windows Installer Setup:

Use Windows Media Creation Tool to make a bootable USB.
Download Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) RAID drivers from Acer’s support site.
Extract the drivers and place them in a folder on the USB installer.
During installation, click "Load Driver" and point to the RAID folder when prompted.

📴 If UEFI is greyed out:

Some Acer BIOS versions lock Boot Mode to UEFI when Secure Boot is disabled. Legacy boot might not be supported at all.
Try resetting BIOS to defaults, then repeat changes.

🔧 Other considerations:

Make sure the SSD is properly seated and compatible (NVMe vs SATA).
Try creating the installer with Rufus in UEFI/GPT mode to match the BIOS.
If install still fails, test the SSD on another machine to verify it's functional.

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1346422#Comment_1346422

Why do you want to switch to legacy mode? Your Predator will NOT work with Win-11 on MBR/Legacy format, as it only works in UEFI mode, as its default format for Win-11 is the GUID (GPT) M.2 SSD format, which the PH315-55 should operate with.

Leave things on default, make sure that the bios version is up to date and then construct an installation bootable USB with Rufus 4.9 and follow its guide and then put the PH315-55s oem IRST drive version 19.0.1015.0 on the installation USB drive and then start the Win-11 24H2 USB boot drive and at :

Where do you want to install windows? > Load driver > install the IRST drive above as then you will be able to continue and install the Win-11 OS

After clicking on Load driver > you install the IRST driver as you will get a similar screen like below:

As after you do all the above, it should recognize the new M.2 SSD drive and you will be able to install Win-11 24H2 version and all its update to OS build: 26100.4484, do all the above as it will work, good luck and hope this helps you out.

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tmoe01

I was going by what I found on Google and Reddit, I will try these steps and let you know what happens.

tmoe01

GM StevenGen, I feel like I am missing something in your steps. I put the BIOS back to the default, with the exception of the F12 boot menu, I created the bootable USB with Rufus, put the IRST drive on the USB, and I added the latest version of BIOS(1.10, I have 1.07). If I go to the Boot Menu, there is no boot option available. If I go into BIOS and go to Boot, the Boot Priority is blank. If I go to Security > Select an UEFI as trusted for executing I can see the USB and all the files, but when you drill down into them they only lead to < . >(which doesnt do anything) and <.. >(which after drilling down goes back to the USB menu). I'm sure that there is a step I'm missing…

Kiriko

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1346481#Comment_1346481

you may need to run rufus again but make sure the drive is formatted in GPT or it wont appear if i had a usb drive near by i would show what you would need to change

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1346481#Comment_1346481

Leave the bios at Default Settings > DO NOT change the bios settings, as the installation problem is NOT because of the bios settings. When you constructed the Rufus 4.9 bootable USB bootable drive tmoe01, and when you install the Rufus 4.9 software onto a USB drive, it automatically formats the USB to FAT32 Default NOT GPT format, as after you constructed the Rufus USB with the Win-11 24H2 correctly, your PH315-55 will boot straight into the Rufus Win-11 installation USB, you don't need to change the boot order in bios, that method does not apply in a UEFI type bios in Win-11 it only applies to an MBR/legacy bios!

The WD_Black_SN7100 M.2 SSD drive that you are using and have fitted into your PH315-55 laptop, is a PCIe® Gen 4x4 NVMe™ and its been tested to work at Seq MB/s : 6,997MB/s and a Copy MB/s: 2,049 is an excellent and perfect M.2 SSD drive for your PH315-55 laptop and that will not be the problem as it should be recognized 100% in the Win-11 24H2 OS installation.

All you need to do is turn off your PH315-55 laptop, put the Rufus bootable USB into its USB slot, then reboot the laptop as it will either go into the installation USB automatically and start the Win-11 installation or it will come up with a black screen to press a certain key (can't remember exactly which key) and then the Win-11 will start. the Rufus USB boot sector must be bad and you have constructed the Rufus bootable USB incorrectly, that is why the laptop doesn't boot into the Rufus bootable USB.

Try the Clean Install in installation again as it will work 100%, (btw, my PHN16-71 bios is very similar as the PH315-55 bios, so I know, as it works the same as yours) I've just done a Win-11 24H2 Clean Install that perfectly installed into my friends Predator Neo PHN16-72 as he couldn't install windows also and it worked 100% with the Rufus v4.9 and their guide, so follow their guide, its a bit tricky to construct and get right, but if the bootable USB is constructed correctly, it works perfectly like I've described above. Good luck.

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tmoe01

We are very close to getting this! I have returned the BIOS settings to the defualts. I believe I have correctly setup Rufus with the Win11 iso. While the laptop was off I plugged in the USB and booted and I get a Security Boot Failed screen. What did I miss or do incorrectly?

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1346548#Comment_1346548

This could be an internal mainboard or EC, Chipset or bios chip issues which a hard reset should fix, as a clean install is also a method to use to fix this “Security Boot Fail” error message. I suggest that you do a Hard Reset like the guide below and see if that works.

Hard Reset - Remove eleven (11) screws from the base cover to the upper case of your PH315-55 laptop, starting from the upper side, pry to release the upper side latches, continue releasing the remaining latches. Then remove the lower case.

Press the power key for 15 seconds to release all power to the laptop and then disconnect the main battery cable from the mainboard, then take the main battery out. Then disconnect the RTC/BIOS battery and then short the bios batteries + & - pins at the mainboard plug (as shown in caption below) to reset CMOS and then take all the memory modules out.

Leave the laptop like that for at least 30 min so that EC and Chipset chips reset completely and then reconnect everything then insert the Rufus bootable USB and see if the Win-11 installation process starts. If it doesn't then you have internal issues that a qualified technician should look at and fix. Good luck.

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tmoe01

Did what you suggested, disconnected everything and let it sit all day. Came back and put it together, still get the Security Boot Failed screen. Thanks for all your help and insight on this!

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1346679#Comment_1346679

That is not good, take your laptop to a technician and get them to sort this out. Good luck.

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AnhEZ28

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1346679#Comment_1346679

Try to disable the secure boot temporarily. After you have finished installing the Windows, you can turn it back on later.

tmoe01

@AnhEZ28

So I have temporarily disabled Secure Boot and it starts the Windows Installation. When I get the installation type, I choose Custom. When it asks where to install Windows, it says it couldn't find any drives. Could I have still done the Rufus setup incorrectly?

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1346935#Comment_1346935

If you have already got to the Win-11 installation section at above of "Where do you want to install Windows?" then there is nothing wrong with your Rufus bootable USB, as afterwards > CLICK on "Load driver" > and then install the IRST driver (that you should also have on the Rufus USB) as afterwards the IRST driver 19.0.1015.0 for the PH315-55 will be seen on the Rufus USB and should look something like the caption below and then install that IRST driver, its a simple process.

This is an example of an IRST driver after clicking on "Load driver" from your caption above:

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Kiriko

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1346823#Comment_1346823

do what me and Steven have suggested this will fix your issue with the drives you need to download the Intel RST VMD drivers and select the one that is 09AB if you put those drivers in a folder like lets say Intel RST is the name of the folder for example once those drivers are loaded into the installation your drives will appear

tmoe01

I really appreciate your guys help, I must be doing something wrong cause the drivers are not found. I have screenshots of the Rufus Drive and the installation error.