Can't boot from SSD after UEFI update

[humandroid95]

tl;dr: updated BIOS, now it won't boot system from mSATA SSD while SATA HDD is connected. All system partitions are intact, boots via EFI file on the EFI partition of SSD, with HDD connected, but UEFI can't do it on it's own.

I've been using mSATA SSD in my notebook as a system drive, HDD is storage-only – has only one non-bootable partition. After installing an SSD to my system I had similar problem, but got it solved somehow.

Windows 8 was installed way back in UEFI mode (not Legacy/CSM) with secureboot enabled (wouldn't boot from an SSD at first, but after some unrecoverable steps was starting up all right; the problem right now is of the similar nature). Then it got upgraded to 10 when it became available, but I strongly believe, this doesn't matter.

So, moving to today. I was checking drivers for another HP notebook and decided to update mine as well, and the only updated piece of software (apparently, not-)worth of installing was newer UEFI firmware, F.68.

So, yeah. UEFI upgrade, wow, much security, very protection, was hoping for more features, like, ACTUAL BOOT ORGANISER. I just fired it up, did everything by the book, after first reboot it has rewritten the boot section of firmware/ssd/hdd/whatever (finished too fast to remember what it was exactly).

Rebooted again, passed POST, and then "No bootable device found". Enjoy your transparrent updates, boyah.

I'm a bit of a techie and experienced something like that in the past, so dive in the UEFI to check, if anything is out of place. And it seems, that everything's allright. Legacy mode disabled, Intel Rapid Storage shows both HDD and SSD, can't enable secureboot for whatever reason. (Seems like "secureboot codes" got wiped out by this FW update, not sure. There's option to restore to factory defaults, though I'm reluctant to do this, because it may affect my windows license, will try this if anyone explains how this would help.)

Okay, so let's do it dirty way. Enabled legacy boot, pressed F9 and there you go. All devices there, and even this peculiar "Boot from EFI file" entry! So, why not? AND IT FREAKING WORKED. Okay, I had to locate the correct one, sitting in "EFI\Microsoft\Boot", but it did start my OS. Really. Booted up without any hiccups. And, no matter how slow (if ssd boot time could be anywhere close to "slow") this workaround is, it works three days straight.

Worked. Let's check if it'll work without my storage drive then! So, SATA HDD unplugged (while I have chance, GOD BLESS ENGINEERS BEHIND MY ENVY'S BACKPLATE DESIGN), Legacy disabled, and yeah – it can boot like that too!

Maybe our little grumpy piece of silicon and stuff named as "UEFI chip" will understand his mistake and use SSD as a boot device then? NOPE.

Tried to backpedal to my previous UEFI firmware with this Win+B trick, seemed like it worked, BUT THIS PIECE OF CODE JUST WROTE OWN IMAGE OVER OLD BACKUP BEFOREHAND AND RESTORED ITSELF, DARN IT! Tried to install F.56 from Windows, but it didn't work, saying that my system is not suitable for this update.

Tried startup recovery from Windows 10 Install USB as well as from boot menu of already existing system. Failed to "repair" anything (cause something besides UEFI had to be broken before that).

So here you have it. I don't know, what to do, but I do hope, that someone here does and is able to help me with advice.

[humandroid95 · Accepted solution]

Fine. I give up.

I warn you not to repeat my solution, despite the fact that it worked. It is dangerous and may be harmful for your device.

I take no responsibility for any stupidity that may be assumed from reading my posts.

While my notebook was lying on the table with interiors exposed, battery and HDD pulled out, i accidentally pulled the power cord. Usual power outage shutdown, and not dangerous to the hardware (except power distribution schemes on the motherboard) — only thing that really gets hurt from this is HDD's, which was unplugged.

So, I decided to get my HDD back in place, because why the hell not? I accepted my fate to press F9 after each power-on and navigating to bootwhateverx64.efi at this point.

And it booted Windows! Hell if I know, never try unsafe power-offs for sake of your harddrive and notebook as a whole longevity, but this actually did it. I'm not going to recreate this conditions and test my theory of what happened, but yeah.

Pulling the cord from working notebook with only the system SSD installed and battery removed made it boot this same drive while HDD was installed on "SATA 0" afterwards.

Again, do not repeat this. Even if you're desperate. I was, and I wouldn't do it if this post existed while i was crawling through tech forums. And I was desperate. And, again, being sane, I wouldn't do it, and won't recommend anyone doing so.

[Kevinsx]

If this is the only option to boot from SSD while original HDD is on, then HP is really pathetic... I see around 2000 posts here that asking the same question, boot from SSD!!!, HP, put yourself together and do something about it. It is frustrating.  I just upgraded my Dell and Apple the same way by adding SSD, none of them has this kind of low level issue.