DELL G15 5511 Windows missing from boot sequence after BIOS update

Question

Hello

I bought a Dell G15 5511 6 month ago and have been using it with Windows 11 since then.
Earlier this week, when I turn off my computer, an update of the BIOS firmware was apparently scheduled.
During the update, the fan made a lot of noise but it happened from time to time during update so I thought nothing of it.
When I came back to my computer, on the screen was the HTTPS boot screen, I don't remember exactly when but it eventually switch to a screen requiring an ethernet wired connection (the BIOSconnect menu).
No ethernet connection was available to me at the time so after seeing nothing change for ten minute, I eventually turn off and turn back on the laptop.
It showed the HTTPS boot screen again but eventually show a screen telling "No bootable device found".
I eventually restarted the computer and access the BIOS menu with F2.

The current version of the BIOS seems to be 1.21.1
On the BOOT configuration menu, it is stated that it is in "Boot mode UEFI only".
There is 3 thing in the boot sequence: UEFI HTTPs Boot, ONBOARD NIC (IPV4),ONBOARD NIC (IPV6)

In the system log the update is notified as successful but was followed by an apparent fan malfunction.

(I tried to do a BIOS recovery using CTRL+ESC at some point the following day)
When checking the storage menu, it seems that the SSD drive is detected
When trying to add a boot option I either can't push the "Browse file" button or can't submit anything that appear in the menu (can't 'explore' anything either when selecting one of these).

During the initial update I had a external hardrive pluged in throught a USB port (it is still working properly).

I eventually accessed the PRE BOOT Task menu using F12 and did a quick diagnostic of the system and a diagnostic of the disk in thorough mode without any issue appearing.
I also did a two analysis using the SupportAssist OS recovery tools without anything going wrong.
When using the same tool to try and save the files on an external drive (just to see what is detected) only a Z:\ drive appears (with folders drivers, api, images, Boot, EFI and sources in it with a bootmgr.efi file).
I also tried to clone the disk to see how the computer reacted but after two hours without anything "progressing" I eventually turn off the computer.

I'm not familiar with BIOS stuff but from what I gathered it seems that the issue is either from the BIOS or the OS.
I believe I've read that by trying to install Windows throught a usb stick for instance a similar issue can be solved.
But won't it overwrite the previous windows installation if it still exist or act as a another OS like if I were to dual boot with an ubuntu for instance?
I would like to try get back my files or at least salvage some of it if possible (though I'm pessimistic at this point).

From the menu access by pressing F12 it seems that I'm able to update the BIOS to 1.22.1 (BIOS Flash update remote).
I can also apparently restore the OS as it was when the machine left the factory (but won't it completely erase the data on the drive?)

Hopefully someone can help me and shine some light on this issue.

Thanks

Mohamedhamel · Answer

Bonjour !

J'ai exactement le meme soucis depuis l'installation de la MAJ du BIOS, par contre tout s'est bien déroulé lors de la MAJ, c'est juste au démarrage suivant que s'est arrivé.

sur le menu du BIOS, impossible de sélectionner une autre méthode de boot, avez vous trouvé des solutions ?

merci et bon courage

Chino de Oro · Answer

To increase the chance of recover your data, take the drive out of the machine to avoid any further accidentally data loss due to automatic repair by the system. Put the drive into a USB adapter to access it from a working computer and backing up your needed data if found.

When the data is no longer a concern, you can install the drive back into the G5 and perform a Windows installation. I suggest to download the latest Windows Creation Tool and creating a USB drive for a clean install with the latest build.

By then, you can perform BIOS firmware update as it will need to access and create a firmware recovery image to your drive.

JOcean · Answer

@Chino de Oro has offered spot on advice. Just curious though, can I assume you never changed from RAID to AHCI or vice versa since you purchased the system? Also in the first screen there is an option to add boot option. Have you clicked on that and added Windows Boot Manager?

Pajo · Answer

Thanks for the answers.

I want to avoid losing the warranty so I won't open the laptop to extract the hardrive.
I'll try to install a new Windows installation through a USB drive as soon as I'm able to.

Concerning RAID/AHCI I haven't touch anything about that (or at least, to my knowledge, not intentionally).
About the boot option, depending on the current settings of the BIOS, in the add boot option, the button "Browse Files" either does nothing when push or lead to a screen (third picture of my original post) with 3 option that don't load any other file to explore and can't be submittted as a boot option.
When plugging in an external hardrive, it appears with the "explorer" working properly it seems.
The Windows Boot Manager does not appear anywhere.

Chino de Oro · Answer

From previous community posts involving warranty questions, I gathered that:

Open the laptop to extract or replace the hard drive DOES NOT void the warranty.

However, if you cause damage during the process, the repair won't be covered under warranty.

Issue with third party parts will not be covered under warranty nor support.

Also, Dell does offered customer kits for self installation https://www.dell.com/en-ca/shop/pfydresults/273279?categoryId=5683

Pajo · Answer

I tried to install windows using a USB stick, but at the step where you're supposed to select the drive/partition it was impossible to do anything.
There is a drive with unallocated space but I can't create a partition, if I select it and click next I received an error 0x80300024.
After doing some research, I tried a few things like using the command prompt and diskpart to create partitions but I also encountered an error (cyclic redundancy check) making it impossible to go further.

After that I tried to see if Ubuntu had any issue with the hard drive/parition part of the installation. I did not encountered any issue but stop before actually installing the OS.
I booted a live ubuntu with a USB key and use "testdisk" to scan the drive, and using that I manage to access my data and use that to copy some stuff on a USB key.

After that I did a BIOS update (it did not change anything) and try to restore the OS as it was when the machine left the factory using SupportAssist OS recovery tools but I also got an error right at the beginning of the process.

So after that I try and install Ubuntu and managed to do so successfully.

Inspiron

DELL G15 5511 Windows missing from boot sequence after BIOS update

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