No Boot After NVMe 2.1 SSD Boot Drive Replacement or Operating System Reinstall

Summary: Learn how to resolve issues booting with NVMe 2.1 solid state drive (SSD) boot drives and motherboards after part replacement or operating system reinstall on Intel-based computers.

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Symptoms

This issue appears differently depending on if the boot drive has been replaced with an NVMe 2.1-compliant Drive or a Non-compliant Drive. Refer to the appropriate symptom description for more information.

Note:
  • All Dell M.2 SSDs are compliant with NVMe 2.1 specifications.
  • When the motherboard is replaced in a Dell Intel-based computer, flashing of the BIOS is also required to ensure that the BIOS and the BIOS recovery image on the EFI System Partition (ESP) match.

NVMe 2.1-compliant Drive

Note: The NVMe 2.1 requirement only applies to the boot SSD.

When the boot SSD is replaced on a 2026 and later Dell Intel-based computer, the EFI System Partition (ESP) on the boot drive is no longer available. This partition is required for BIOS Recovery on computers and is a component required for BIOS restoration.

When a boot M.2 SSD is replaced with a NVMe 2.1 compliant SSD or the SSD partitions are removed during an operating system installation in a 2026 Intel-based computer and it boots, a message is displayed, "We need to set up your new SSD to support System BIOS firmware recovery. Please do not unplug or turn off your PC."
"We need to set up your new SSD to support System BIOS firmware recovery" message

The computer is configuring the drive during this process to store BIOS recovery information.

Once the message is no longer shown (drive configuration takes up to a minute), a second message is displayed, "Warning: The BIOS recovery image is missing. Re-install BIOS to create the recovery image. Failure to re-install BIOS may result in a boot failure."
"The BIOS recovery image is missing" error

Note: If a third-party NVMe 2.1 compliant drive is installed, it may still display an error due to the optional Dell specifications.

Non-compliant Drive

If the boot SSD is replaced with a non-NVMe 2.1 specification drive, the following error appears every time the computer is booted, "Hard drive - Drive error detected. A non-compliant SSD is installed, resulting in missing backup files. Replace with a compatible SSD. Failure to replace may result in boot failure."
"Hard drive - Drive error detected. A non-compliant SSD is installed, resulting in missing backup files" error

Clicking Continue allows the computer to complete the boot process.

This error message cannot be bypassed or disabled in the BIOS settings.

Affected Platforms:

  • Dell Pro 14 Premium PA14260
  • Dell Pro 3 14 P314260
  • Dell Pro 3 14 P314265
  • Dell Pro 3 16 P316260
  • Dell Pro 3 16 P316265
  • Dell Pro 5 14 P514260
  • Dell Pro 5 14 P514265
  • Dell Pro 5 16 P516260
  • Dell Pro 5 16 P516265
  • Dell Pro 7 13 2-in-1 P703260
  • Dell Pro 7 13 2-in-1 P703265
  • Dell Pro 7 13 P713260
  • Dell Pro 7 13 P713265
  • Dell Pro 7 14 2-in-1 P704260
  • Dell Pro 7 14 2-in-1 P704265
  • Dell Pro 7 14 P714260
  • Dell Pro 7 14 P714265
  • Dell Pro Precision 5 14S PW514260
  • Dell Pro Precision 5 14S PW514265
  • Dell Pro Precision 5 16S PW516260
  • Dell Pro Precision 5 16S PW516265
  • Dell Pro Precision 7 14 PW714260
  • Dell Pro Precision 7 16 PW716260

Cause

The boot drives on these computers are designed to meet NVMe 2.1 specifications that allow the BIOS Recovery Image to be stored on the boot SSD. If the computer boots with a blank boot drive, these messages are displayed.

Resolution

The resolution differs depending on if the boot drive has been replaced (or partitions have been removed) with an NVMe 2.1-compliant Drive or a Non-compliant Drive. Refer to the appropriate symptom description for more information.

NVMe 2.1-compliant Drive

Install the latest BIOS revision (or reinstall the currently installed BIOS version) to re-create the BIOS Recovery Image on the SSD.

Note: Before starting the update, perform the following:
  • Back up all personal data. For more information, refer to Back Up and Recovery.
  • Connect the AC adapter if updates are being run on a laptop.
  • Ensure that power remains connected if updates are being run on a desktop.

Updating the BIOS to the latest version on the computer resolves the issue. To download and install the BIOS, refer to the BIOS Update Guide.

Non-compliant Drive

The only way to disable the error is to install a NVMe 2.1-compliant boot drive.

Affected Products

Dell Pro 3 14 P314260, Dell Pro 3 14 P314265, Dell Pro 3 16 P316260, Dell Pro 3 16 P316265, Dell Pro 5 14 P514260, Dell Pro 5 14 P514265, Dell Pro 5 16 P516260, Dell Pro 5 16 P516265, Dell Pro 7 13 2-in-1 P703260, Dell Pro 7 13 2-in-1 P703265 , Dell Pro 7 14 2-in-1 P704260, Dell Pro 7 14 2-in-1 P704265, Dell Pro 7 13 P713260, Dell Pro 7 13 P713265, Dell Pro 7 14 P714260, Dell Pro 7 14 P714265, Dell Pro 14 Premium PA14260, Dell Pro Precision 5 14S PW514260, Dell Pro Precision 5 14S PW514265, Dell Pro Precision 5 16S PW516260, Dell Pro Precision 5 16S PW516265, Dell Pro Precision 7 14 PW714260, Dell Pro Precision 7 16 PW716260 ...
Article Properties
Article Number: 000461319
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 04 Aug 2026
Version:  8
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