XPS 8910, no boot, disabled secure boot, reset BIOS

Question

I installed a Samsung 250 GB m.2 SDD. I used Macrium software to clone HDD (because I was unable to download Samsung Migration software or the Samsung driver, apparently because of some of my settings). Computer worked fine after installation and cloning, except I wanted to set it to boot from SSD. In BIOS software I was unable to select SSD as #1 boot, as my choices were Boot Manager, IPV4 and IPV6. I read that changing the BIOS settings from secure boot enabled to disabled, and Load Legacy … would enable me to see the SSD as one of the possible boot drives. So, I disabled secure boot, using the BIOS software that comes up after pressing F2 on startup.

Then computer refused to boot and only gave a black screen. I have tried all three options in the Boot Rescue software (ESC+Ctrl on start) several times. It re-writes the boot file, seemingly correctly, then still just get a black screen upon startup. I have taken the battery out and waited 6 minutes. That didn't help either. I have used a second computer to create an XPS 8910 BIOS file, but computer does not seem to recognize it when I start with it inserted. Just get a black screen. Also, Ctrl+ESC does not seem to work when the USB is inserted.

I made no other changes to the BIOS--just disabled secure boot.

Vic384 · Answer

@Kalvin22 You need to keep Secure Boot enabled. With a UEFI BIOS, you need to keep #1 boot as Windows Boot Manager. Did you disconnect your original boot drive? If not, you need to boot using the F12 Boot Menu then select the SSD as the drive to boot from.

Kalvin22 · Answer

Okay, thanks.  But I cannot boot using the F12 menu and I cannot change back to Secure Boot enabled, because it will not boot at all.  All I can get is blank screen and resetting the BIOS has not helped.  I may try disconnecting the original HDD and see if that helps.  Thanks.

RoHe · Answer

To add to what @Vic384 said, if the original boot drive is still connected along with the new SSD, but BIOS is set to RAID, it's not going to boot. That RAID setting is probably why the Samsung cloning software wouldn't work too.

You may want to start over. Remove the new SSD and boot with only the HDD connected. Then change BIOS to AHCI, but you have to do it the right way:

At the desktop, open a Cmd prompt window, run as administrator
Copy-paste this command, which will start Windows in Safe Mode the next time you reboot:
bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal and press Enter
Restart the computer and tap F2 to enter BIOS setup
Change the SATA operation mode from RAID to AHCI
Save the change and exit Setup and Windows will automatically boot to Safe Mode
Open Cmd again, as in step #1
Copy-paste this command, which will start Windows in Normal Mode the next time you reboot:
bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot and press Enter
Reboot and Windows will automatically start with AHCI drivers enabled
Install the new SSD again and clone the HDD with Macrium onto the SSD
To confirm the cloned SSD is bootable, reboot and tap F12. When the menu opens, select option to boot from the SSD.
Assuming everything works properly when booted from SSD, you have to use Disk Management in Windows to initialize the HDD (ALL FILES DELETED!). Then reboot normally and it should boot from the SSD and the HDD can be used for routine storage.

NOTE: Until you initialize (or unplug the HDD), the PC will always boot from the HDD unless you use the F12 menu to select the SSD. And you can't initialize the HDD if PC booted from the HDD...

Vic384 · Answer

@Kalvin22 I agree with everything @RoHe wrote. You also said you were not able to download Samsung Migration software or the Samsung driver. I assume you mean you were not able to install the Samsung software and driver. Samsung SSDs and software prefer SATA operation set to AHCI which @RoHe procedure does. Personally, I prefer to clone in RAID mode, disconnect the HDD after cloning, then change the SSD to AHCI. My reason is that the HDD is the backup and I prefer not making changes to the HDD until the cloned SSD is working.

Kalvin22 · Answer

Thanks everyone.  At the moment, cannot get computer to boot, and cannot get Boot Rescue to start anymore either.  I removed SSD, and temporarily disconnected power and data cables from HDD (with power off) but that seems to have made things even worse.  I reconnected the HDD but it's still just a black screen (although I can hear the HDD working).  I am going to have a technician come tomorrow and try to fix my mess and I will share with him what you have written.  Thanks.

RoHe · Answer

Did you reset BIOS by removing the motherboard battery and pressing/holding power button for ~30 sec?

Resetting BIOS will probably set BIOS to AHCI, so the PC may not boot now because Windows on the HDD was installed with BIOS set to RAID. So after clearing BIOS, go back into setup and change it to RAID. Save the change and see if it boots now.

What color is power button on PC when all you see is black screen? And steady or blinking? Count the blinks which are an error code.

BTW: After doing all that work inside the case, did you reconnect the monitor to your add-in video card (AMD or NVidia), assuming you have one, and not to any onboard Intel Graphics port? Connecting to an onboard Intel port when there's an add-in video card could likely give you a black screen.

Kalvin22 · Answer

FYI, the computer tech found that the video card had failed.  Why it failed after I fooled around with things I do not know.  Power button was blinking 6 times, amber.  So, hooked computer up to TV using an HDMI cord and it booted.  Then the tech re-cloned the SSD drive using his software (I had used Macrium) saying he never had problems with SSD booting using that software--whatever it was.  He removed the HDD and computer is booting just fine on the new SSD.  Thanks everyone.

XPS Desktops

XPS 8910, no boot, disabled secure boot, reset BIOS

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