Question:

How to troubleshoot a PC that freezes on the BIOS splash screen due to a faulty SSD?

I have a PC that was working fine until it suddenly froze on the BIOS splash screen and became unresponsive. I cannot access Windows or the BIOS settings. The motherboard VGA LED is on, indicating a possible GPU issue. I checked the connections of the GPU, RAM, and PSU, but nothing changed. I discovered that the problem only occurs when my SATA SSD boot drive is plugged in. When I remove it, I can access the BIOS and see my NVME SSD storage drive. However, when I reconnect the boot drive, the PC freezes again, even with a different SATA cable and port. I suspect that the boot drive is corrupted or damaged, but I want to confirm this before updating the BIOS or reinstalling Windows on the NVME drive. Can anyone help me diagnose and fix this issue? Any advice or suggestions would be very welcome. Thank you for your time and expertise.

Answer:

If your PC freezes on the BIOS splash screen and becomes unresponsive, it could be a sign of a faulty SSD. A solid state drive (SSD) is a type of storage device that uses flash memory to store data. Unlike a hard disk drive (HDD), an SSD has no moving parts and is faster, quieter, and more reliable. However, SSDs can also fail or malfunction due to various reasons, such as power surges, physical damage, firmware bugs, or wear and tear.

In this article, we will explain how to troubleshoot a PC that freezes on the BIOS splash screen due to a faulty SSD. We will also provide some tips on how to prevent or recover from SSD failure.

What causes a PC to freeze on the BIOS splash screen due to a faulty SSD?

The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is a program that runs when you turn on your PC. It performs a series of tests to check the hardware components and initialize the system settings. The BIOS splash screen is the first screen that appears when you boot up your PC. It usually shows the manufacturer’s logo, the BIOS version, and some options to enter the BIOS setup or boot menu.

If your PC freezes on the BIOS splash screen and does not proceed to load Windows or the BIOS setup, it could indicate a problem with your SSD. The BIOS may not be able to detect or communicate with your SSD, or your SSD may have corrupted data that prevents it from booting. This could happen due to several reasons, such as:

• Loose or faulty connections: If your SSD is not properly connected to the motherboard or the power supply, it may not receive enough power or data signals. This could cause the BIOS to fail to recognize your SSD or cause errors during the boot process.
• Bad sectors or corrupted files: If your SSD has bad sectors or corrupted files, it may not be able to read or write data correctly. This could cause the BIOS to hang or crash during the boot process. Bad sectors or corrupted files can occur due to physical damage, power outages, malware infections, or improper shutdowns.
• Firmware issues: The firmware is the software that controls the operation of your SSD. It manages the performance, reliability, and compatibility of your SSD. If your SSD has outdated, buggy, or incompatible firmware, it may not work well with your BIOS or your operating system. This could cause the BIOS to freeze or display errors during the boot process.
• Wear and tear: SSDs have a limited lifespan, depending on how much data they write and erase. Each time you write or erase data on your SSD, you consume a portion of its flash memory cells. Over time, these cells wear out and lose their ability to store data. This could cause your SSD to slow down, degrade, or fail. The average lifespan of an SSD is about 3 to 5 years, depending on the usage and quality.

How to troubleshoot a PC that freezes on the BIOS splash screen due to a faulty SSD?

If

your PC freezes on the BIOS splash screen due to a faulty SSD, you can try the following steps to troubleshoot and fix the issue:

– Check the connections: The first thing you should do is to check the connections of your SSD. Make sure that your SSD is securely plugged into the SATA or PCIe slot on the motherboard, and that the power and data cables are firmly attached to the SSD and the power supply. You can also try to use a different SATA or PCIe port, or a different power and data cable, to see if that solves the problem. If you have multiple SSDs or HDDs, you can also try to disconnect the other drives and leave only the boot drive connected, to see if that helps.

– Enter the BIOS setup: The next thing you should do is to enter the BIOS setup and check the settings related to your SSD. To enter the BIOS setup, you need to press a specific key (such as F2, F10, or Del) when you see the BIOS splash screen. The key may vary depending on the manufacturer and model of your PC. You can usually find the key on the BIOS splash screen, or in the user manual of your PC. Once you enter the BIOS setup, you should look for the following settings:

– Boot order: The boot order is the sequence of devices that the BIOS tries to boot from. You should make sure that your SSD is the first device in the boot order, or at least before any other storage devices. You can usually change the boot order by using the arrow keys and the Enter key, or by dragging and dropping the devices with the mouse. If your SSD is not listed in the boot order, it means that the BIOS does not detect your SSD, which could indicate a connection or firmware issue.

– SATA mode: The SATA mode is the mode of operation of your SATA devices, such as your SSD or HDD. There are three main SATA modes: IDE, AHCI, and RAID. IDE is the legacy mode that supports older devices, but has lower performance and compatibility. AHCI is the advanced mode that supports newer devices, and offers higher performance and features, such as hot swapping and native command queuing. RAID is the mode that allows you to combine multiple devices into a single logical unit, for increased performance or redundancy. You should make sure that your SATA mode matches the mode of your SSD, or the mode that your operating system supports. For example, if your SSD supports AHCI, and your operating system supports AHCI, you should set your SATA mode to AHCI. You can usually change the SATA mode by using the arrow keys and the Enter key, or by selecting the mode from a drop-down menu. If you change the SATA mode, you may need to reinstall your operating system, or enable the appropriate drivers, to avoid compatibility issues.

– Secure boot: Secure boot is a feature that prevents unauthorized software from running during the boot process. It verifies the digital signature of the boot loader and the operating system, and blocks any software that does not have a valid signature. Secure boot can enhance the security of your PC, but it can also cause problems with some devices or operating systems that do not have a compatible signature. You should make sure that your secure boot setting matches the requirement of your operating system. For example, if your operating system supports secure boot, you should enable secure boot. If your operating system does not support secure boot, or if you have dual boot or custom boot options, you should disable secure boot. You can usually change the secure boot setting by using the arrow keys and the Enter key, or by selecting the option from a drop-down menu.

– Update the firmware: Another thing you should do is to update the firmware of your SSD. The firmware is the software that controls the operation of your SSD. It manages the performance, reliability, and compatibility of your SSD. Updating the firmware can fix bugs, improve stability, and enhance features. However, updating the firmware can also be risky, as it can cause data loss, corruption, or bricking of your SSD. Therefore, you should only update the firmware if you are sure that it is necessary, and if you have backed up your data. To update the firmware of your SSD, you need to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of your SSD. You can usually find the instructions and the firmware files on the official website of your SSD manufacturer, or in the user manual of your SSD. The instructions may vary depending on the model and type of your SSD, but they usually involve the following steps:

– Download the firmware file: You need to download the firmware file that matches the model and version of your SSD. You can usually find the firmware file on the official website of your SSD manufacturer, or in the user manual of your SSD. The firmware file may be in the form of a ZIP, EXE, ISO, or BIN file. You need to save the firmware file to a USB flash drive, a CD/DVD, or another storage device that you can boot from.

– Boot from the firmware file: You need to boot your PC from the firmware file that you saved to the USB flash drive, the CD/DVD, or the other storage device. To do this, you need to change the boot order in the BIOS setup, and select the device that contains the firmware file as the first device in the boot order. Alternatively, you can use the boot menu option, which allows you to choose a device to boot from without changing the BIOS settings. To access the boot menu option, you need to press a specific key (such as F12, F9, or Esc) when you see the BIOS splash screen. The key may vary depending on the manufacturer and model of your PC. You can usually find the key on the BIOS splash screen, or in the user manual of your PC. Once you boot from the firmware file, you will see a screen that guides you through the firmware update process.

– Follow the firmware update process: You need to follow the firmware update process that is displayed on the screen. The process may vary depending on the model and type of your SSD, but it usually involves the following steps:

– Select the SSD: You need to select the SSD that you want to update. You may see a list of SSDs that are connected to your PC, or you may need to enter the model or serial number of your SSD. You should make sure that you select the correct SSD, as updating the wrong SSD can cause irreversible damage.

– Confirm the firmware update: You need to confirm that you want to update the firmware of your SSD. You may see a warning message that