dianehelenORL, The procedure uses an alternate boot manager which is always on a UEFI system. Which means, for some reason, the system could no longer see the normal boot file.
If you are technically savvy, maybe you can figure out what broke. I feel, leaving your system booting to the alternate method might get you into trouble later. What does the BCD store show for a current boot and non-functioning boot?
Why does it happen? There may be more than one reason but someone in one thread suggested it was happening if the battery got very low, but I believe many of them happen because of Win 10 updates changing the Boot process. Maybe you will be the one to figure it out.
Thanks for that explanation of sorts. This is actually my sons laptop, I dont care for win10 and keep my win7 pro on my work PC. His was a brand new Dell laptop, and after only about having it 2 weeks this happened, so I wont really have it long enough to figure anything out. But the low, or empty battery does sound like something he would do. Also it rings a bit of a bell with the kind, but useless Dell tech I called. He wanted me to open up the case the drain the battery. I was not able to do that at the time, but that seems to be somehow connected to what you are saying. That something in a low, or empty battery, is maybe trapping some of the boot info, and once power is restored, that trapped data is still cached? Does that make any sense? Would be be worth a try, IF it happens again to open the case to fully drain the battery? So at this point, is the laptop still booting to UEFI or has the alternate method somehow taken it back to legacy BIOS? Thanks for the explanation. He is getting this laptop back tomorrow, and I will advise him to not let the battery run low, or out
@Saltgrass so do you think, turning off all updates would safeguard it happening again, if indeed an update did cause this? Also what trouble would you perceive leaving it to the alternate method could cause? My son is coming down today and I will take one last look at this before turning it over to him.
Thanks
*update. I went back to the boot sequence, and first just moved the windows boot mgr up to first order, left my alternate as second. Laptop booted up normally. Ok so then back into boot sequence & unchecked my alternate. Once again, booted up fine. Does this indicate whatever caused the error in booting has now corrected itself? And that is no longer needing the alternate? Would it cause any harm if I just left the alternate as a backup boot sequence in the event the original spasms out again, would it just use the next one on my list , my alternate, and continue to function? The fact that the original now seems ok again, sorta indicates, the power loss issue may have been if not the entire cause, at least a contributing factor. Thoughts?
It is hard to make any suggestions. I am glad it got it back to normal, but if changing the boot order first would help the original situation then most folks would not have needed to use the alternate procedure.
It may never happen again, but if it does then you know how to get it back. I don't think I would delay the updates. If it did have anything to do with the battery, he might watch where the battery warning levels were set.
Now, if Dell or Microsoft could stop it happening it would be great....
Saltgrass
4 Operator
•
4.3K Posts
1
December 20th, 2017 10:00
dianehelenORL, The procedure uses an alternate boot manager which is always on a UEFI system. Which means, for some reason, the system could no longer see the normal boot file.
If you are technically savvy, maybe you can figure out what broke. I feel, leaving your system booting to the alternate method might get you into trouble later. What does the BCD store show for a current boot and non-functioning boot?
Why does it happen? There may be more than one reason but someone in one thread suggested it was happening if the battery got very low, but I believe many of them happen because of Win 10 updates changing the Boot process. Maybe you will be the one to figure it out.
dianehelenORL
3 Posts
0
December 24th, 2017 14:00
Thanks for that explanation of sorts. This is actually my sons laptop, I dont care for win10 and keep my win7 pro on my work PC. His was a brand new Dell laptop, and after only about having it 2 weeks this happened, so I wont really have it long enough to figure anything out. But the low, or empty battery does sound like something he would do. Also it rings a bit of a bell with the kind, but useless Dell tech I called. He wanted me to open up the case the drain the battery. I was not able to do that at the time, but that seems to be somehow connected to what you are saying. That something in a low, or empty battery, is maybe trapping some of the boot info, and once power is restored, that trapped data is still cached? Does that make any sense? Would be be worth a try, IF it happens again to open the case to fully drain the battery? So at this point, is the laptop still booting to UEFI or has the alternate method somehow taken it back to legacy BIOS? Thanks for the explanation. He is getting this laptop back tomorrow, and I will advise him to not let the battery run low, or out
ieee488
4 Operator
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11.1K Posts
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December 24th, 2017 19:00
Just know that Dell only gives you 30 days to return for a full refund.
dianehelenORL
3 Posts
1
December 25th, 2017 05:00
@Saltgrass so do you think, turning off all updates would safeguard it happening again, if indeed an update did cause this? Also what trouble would you perceive leaving it to the alternate method could cause? My son is coming down today and I will take one last look at this before turning it over to him.
Thanks
*update. I went back to the boot sequence, and first just moved the windows boot mgr up to first order, left my alternate as second. Laptop booted up normally. Ok so then back into boot sequence & unchecked my alternate. Once again, booted up fine. Does this indicate whatever caused the error in booting has now corrected itself? And that is no longer needing the alternate? Would it cause any harm if I just left the alternate as a backup boot sequence in the event the original spasms out again, would it just use the next one on my list , my alternate, and continue to function? The fact that the original now seems ok again, sorta indicates, the power loss issue may have been if not the entire cause, at least a contributing factor. Thoughts?
Saltgrass
4 Operator
•
4.3K Posts
1
December 25th, 2017 07:00
It is hard to make any suggestions. I am glad it got it back to normal, but if changing the boot order first would help the original situation then most folks would not have needed to use the alternate procedure.
It may never happen again, but if it does then you know how to get it back. I don't think I would delay the updates. If it did have anything to do with the battery, he might watch where the battery warning levels were set.
Now, if Dell or Microsoft could stop it happening it would be great....