No Boot Device Found Error in Windows 11? 9 Ways to Fix It

When you turn on your Windows 11 PC, it displays a “No Boot Device Found” message instead of Windows starting normally. This usually means your computer cannot find a drive containing the Windows installation or the boot information needed to start it. Sometimes, the cause is simple, such as an incorrect boot order or a temporary BIOS/UEFI glitch. In other cases, the SSD or hard drive may not be detected, or the Windows boot files may be corrupted.

You may encounter this error after a Windows update, BIOS or firmware change, SSD replacement, or changes to BIOS settings. It can also appear unexpectedly without any obvious change to your system. In this guide, we’ll explain what causes the “No Boot Device Found” error and share practical solutions to fix it and start Windows 11 normally.

What Causes the “No Boot Device Found” Error in Windows 11?

When you power on your PC, the BIOS or UEFI firmware checks the available storage devices and looks for a valid boot entry that can start Windows. If it cannot find one, the system may stop with a “No Boot Device Found,” “No Bootable Device,” or “Boot Device Not Found” message.

There are several possible reasons for this:

• Incorrect boot order: Your PC may be trying to boot from the wrong drive or a removable device.
• SSD or hard drive not detected: The storage drive may be loose, disconnected, disabled in BIOS/UEFI, or experiencing a hardware problem.
• Damaged Windows boot files: The drive is detected, but the files required to start Windows may be corrupted.
• Incorrect BIOS/UEFI settings: Changes to settings such as the boot mode or storage controller configuration can stop Windows from booting.
• Failed or problematic drive: An SSD or hard drive that is starting to fail may intermittently disappear from BIOS/UEFI.
• Recent system changes: A BIOS update, Windows update, or hardware replacement can sometimes affect the boot configuration.

Before trying advanced repairs, it is worth checking whether your SSD or hard drive is actually detected by the BIOS/UEFI. This can help determine whether you are dealing with a boot configuration problem or a possible drive problem.

1. Remove External Devices and Restart Your PC

Start with the simplest solution. A connected USB flash drive, external hard drive, memory card, or other bootable device can sometimes interfere with the boot process, especially if your PC is configured to check removable devices before the internal SSD.

1. Turn off your computer completely.
2. Disconnect all unnecessary USB devices, external drives, memory cards, and other peripherals.
3. Leave only essential devices such as the keyboard, mouse, and monitor connected.
4. Turn on your PC and check whether Windows starts normally.

If Windows boots after removing an external device, the problem was likely related to the boot order or the connected device. You can reconnect your peripherals after Windows starts.

2. Check if Your SSD or Hard Drive Is Detected in BIOS/UEFI

If removing external devices didn’t help, check whether your computer can actually see the internal storage drive. If the SSD or hard drive is missing from BIOS/UEFI, Windows cannot boot from it.

The exact BIOS/UEFI screen varies by manufacturer, but the process is generally similar:

1. Restart your PC and repeatedly press the BIOS/UEFI key as soon as it starts. Common keys include F2, Delete, F10, or Esc.
2. Look for a section such as Storage, System Information, NVMe Configuration, SATA Information, or Boot.
3. Check whether your SSD or hard drive is listed.

If the drive appears in BIOS/UEFI, the hardware is being detected, so the problem may be related to the boot configuration or Windows boot files. You can move on to the next fixes.

If the drive does not appear at all, avoid changing Windows settings for now. A loose connection, disabled storage controller, incompatible BIOS setting, or failing drive could be responsible. On a desktop, you can also check the drive’s power and data connections. For an M.2 SSD, make sure it is properly seated if you are comfortable opening the PC.

3. Check and Correct the Boot Order

If your SSD or hard drive is detected in BIOS/UEFI but Windows 11 still shows “No Boot Device Found,” the PC may be trying to start from the wrong device. This can happen after changing BIOS settings, installing another drive, or making certain hardware changes.

1. Enter the BIOS/UEFI settings again.
2. Open the Boot or Boot Options section.
3. Look for Windows Boot Manager associated with your internal Windows drive.
4. If it is listed, move Windows Boot Manager to the top of the boot priority list.
5. Save the changes and exit BIOS/UEFI.
6. Restart your computer and check whether Windows starts.

On a UEFI-based Windows 11 installation, Windows Boot Manager is normally the entry you want to boot from, rather than selecting a generic USB or storage device entry.

If Windows Boot Manager is missing even though the SSD is detected, the boot configuration may be damaged. In that case, the next step is to use Windows Recovery Environment to check and repair the startup configuration.

4. Run Startup Repair in Windows Recovery Environment

If your SSD is detected and the BIOS/UEFI settings look correct, the problem may be with the Windows boot configuration or startup files. Windows includes a built-in Startup Repair tool that can automatically detect and fix common issues that prevent the operating system from starting.

Since you cannot boot into Windows normally, you’ll need to access the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).

• Turn on your PC and wait until the No Boot Device Found message appears.
• Hold the power button to turn off the PC.
• Turn it on again and repeat the forced shutdown process two or three times. Windows should eventually enter the Automatic Repair or Recovery screen.
• Select Advanced options.

• Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair.

• Select your Windows account if prompted and enter your password.
• Let Windows scan and attempt to repair startup problems.

Once the process finishes, restart the computer and check whether Windows boots normally.

5. Rebuild the Windows Boot Configuration

If Startup Repair doesn’t fix the problem, the Windows boot configuration may be damaged. You can try rebuilding it from Windows Recovery Environment using Command Prompt.

• Open Windows Recovery Environment and go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.

• Type the following command and press Enter:

bootrec /scanos

This checks your drives for Windows installations that are not currently included in the boot configuration.

3. Then run:

bootrec /rebuildbcd

If Windows finds your installation and asks whether you want to add it to the boot list, type Y and press Enter.

4. Restart your PC and check whether Windows 11 starts normally.

If these commands don’t find your Windows installation, don’t keep repeating them. On systems using UEFI, the problem may involve the EFI system partition instead. In that case, the next step is to repair the EFI boot files.

6. Repair the EFI Boot Files

Most modern Windows 11 PCs use UEFI and store important startup files on a small EFI System Partition. If these files are missing or corrupted, Windows may fail to boot even though the SSD is detected correctly.

You can recreate the boot files using BCDBoot from the Windows Recovery Environment.

1. Open Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

diskpart

3. Then run:

list volume

Look for the small FAT32 volume. This is usually the EFI System Partition. Note its volume number.

4. Select that volume, replacing X with the correct number:

select volume X

5. Assign it a temporary drive letter:

assign letter=S

6. Type:

exit

7. Now you need to identify the drive letter assigned to your Windows installation in the recovery environment. It may not be C:. You can check by trying:

dir C:\Windows

If you don’t see the Windows folder, try D:\Windows, E:\Windows, and so on until you find the correct installation.

8. Once you know the correct Windows drive letter, run:

bcdboot C:\Windows /s S: /f UEFI

Replace C: with the correct Windows drive letter if necessary.

You should see a message indicating that the boot files were successfully created. Close Command Prompt and restart the computer.

Be careful when using DiskPart. Selecting or formatting the wrong partition can cause data loss. The commands above only assign a temporary drive letter and recreate the boot files; do not format or delete any partitions while following this method.

7. Reset BIOS/UEFI Settings to Default

If the SSD is detected but Windows 11 still won’t boot, an incorrect BIOS/UEFI setting could be preventing the system from accessing the Windows installation. This can happen after manually changing firmware settings or updating the BIOS.

You can try restoring the default BIOS/UEFI configuration.

1. Restart your PC and enter the BIOS/UEFI settings.
2. Look for an option such as Load Setup Defaults, Load Optimized Defaults, Restore Defaults, or Reset to Default.
3. Select the option and confirm the change.
4. Save the settings and restart your computer.

After resetting the settings, check that your Windows Boot Manager is still selected as the first boot option.

Important: If you previously changed a specific BIOS setting to make your Windows installation work—for example, a storage controller mode—resetting everything to default may create a different boot problem. If you know a particular setting was changed intentionally, note its current value before resetting it so you can restore it if needed.

8. Check the Drive for Errors

If the SSD or hard drive is detected and the boot configuration appears correct, the drive itself may contain file system errors that prevent Windows from starting. You can check the Windows partition from the Windows Recovery Environment using CHKDSK.

1. Open Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
2. First, find the drive letter assigned to your Windows installation. For example:

dir C:\Windows

If the Windows folder isn’t found, try D:\Windows, E:\Windows, and other available drive letters.
3. Once you identify the correct Windows drive, run:

chkdsk C: /f /r

Replace C: with the correct drive letter if necessary.

The /f The parameter tells CHKDSK to fix file system errors it finds. Depending on the size and condition of the drive, the scan can take some time.

When it finishes, close Command Prompt and restart the PC.

If CHKDSK reports serious errors or the drive appears to be failing, don’t run repair commands repeatedly. If the drive contains important files, back up your data before attempting further repairs.

9. Check the SSD or Hard Drive for Hardware Failure

If none of the previous fixes worked, the storage drive itself could be the problem. An SSD or hard drive that is failing may disappear from BIOS/UEFI, show errors, or work intermittently before eventually becoming inaccessible.

Here are a few things you can check:

• Check the drive in BIOS/UEFI: If the SSD or hard drive is no longer listed, the issue may be hardware-related.
• Check the drive’s health: If you can connect the drive to another working PC, use the manufacturer’s storage diagnostic tool or another reliable drive-health utility to check its condition.
• Check connections: On a desktop, make sure SATA power and data cables are firmly connected. If you’re using an M.2 SSD, make sure it is properly seated.
• Try another connection: For SATA drives, a faulty cable or motherboard port can sometimes cause detection problems.
• Listen for unusual sounds: Mechanical hard drives that make repeated clicking or grinding noises may be experiencing a hardware failure.

If the drive is consistently missing in the BIOS/UEFI or a diagnostic tool reports a serious hardware issue, replacing the drive may be necessary. If it contains important files that haven’t been backed up, consider data recovery before replacing or formatting it.

If the drive is healthy and Windows is still unable to boot after these steps, you may need to use Windows installation media to access additional recovery options or reinstall Windows 11. A clean installation should be considered a last resort because it can remove your files, apps, and settings.

If “No Boot Device Found” Still Appears

If you have gone through all nine fixes and Windows 11 still won’t start, the next step depends on what you found during troubleshooting.

• The SSD is not detected in BIOS/UEFI: This points more toward a drive, connection, or motherboard problem than a Windows issue.
• The SSD is detected, but Windows Boot Manager is missing: The EFI or boot configuration may still need to be repaired.
• The drive is detected and appears healthy, but Windows won’t boot: Windows system files or the installation itself may be damaged.
• The problem started after changing BIOS settings: Review those changes and restore the settings that were previously working.

If your files are important, avoid formatting the drive or performing a clean Windows installation immediately. Try to recover or back up your data first, especially if the drive is showing signs of failure.

If the SSD is healthy but Windows remains unbootable, using a Windows 11 installation USB to access recovery tools or reinstall Windows may be the final option.