HP ProDesk 405 G6 SFF cannot boot Windows 10/11 if M.2 NVMe PCIe card is installed

[baki25]

Hi,

I've just bought an HP ProDesk 405 G6 SFF machine and I've installed an extra M.2 NVMe SSD with a PCIe adapter. If the PCIe adapter is installed with the SSD, Windows (nor 10, nor 11) cannot boot, the computer displays the HP logo, and then nothing happens (the animated circle is not appearing). I've tried with two different PCIe adapters, none of them works:

Axagon PCEM2-S https://axagon.eu/en/produkty/pcem2-s

Icy Box IB-PCI215M2-HSL https://icybox.de/en/internal_storage_solution/IB-PCI215M2-HSL

The SSD is a Samsung 970 EVO PLUS 500 GB.

The extra SSD is only for storage, I don't want to boot from it. The BIOS can see the Samsung SSD, the HP diagnostics can run tests on it.

The Samsung SSD and the PCIe adapter is working in another computer.

The BIOS, the drivers and Windows 11 are the latest version. If I disable the PCIe x16 port in BIOS, then Windows can boot fine.

I've tried to boot a Windows 11 install image from USB, but it doesn't boot either.

How can I troubleshoot this is issue? Is this an HP or a Microsoft bug/error?

Thanks for any help!

[NonSequitur777]

@baki25,

Welcome to our HP User Forum!

[EDIT:] The secondary M.2 drive using a PCIe x16 adapter should work just fine.  Please make sure that in your BIOS Boot Options (under "Advanced") it shows the extra drive at the bottom.  If it isn't, please use the edit (arrow) function to park your drive down.

Here is a screen shot of one of my PCs, where a 1TB Samsung 970 EVO Plus happens to be the primary (boot) drive, plus two additional M.2 NVMe SSDs as secondary drives:

Also, make sure that you check the "UEFI Boot Order" box, and uncheck the "Legacy Boot Order" box.

Hope this was helpful.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[baki25]

Hi NonSequitur777

Thank you for the tips, UEFI Boot is enabled (I cannot disable it).

It is strange, that the HP Diagnostics shows the Samsung (in the PCIe adapter) as the first SSD, and the Hynix on the motherboard the second.

The boot order shows "M.2 SSD1: Windows Boot Manager". The Samsung has "M.2" before the name, the Hynix has nothing.

It seems that the PC can only boot from the first SSD, which is the Samsung and it has no OS installed on it, only formatted (NTFS). I've even switched the two SSDs (Hynix in PCIe adapter, Samsung in motherboard), but the boot problem was the same.

The IcyBox PCIe adapter has activity LEDs and when the HP logo appears I can see that there is activity on the Samsung SSD (a few blinks), but after that, Windows doesn't boot, the PC freezes (caps lock and num lock keys are not switching the LED on the keyboard).

[NonSequitur777]

@baki25,

OK, you need to move up the "SK hynix BC711 HFM256GD3Jx013N" UP the UEFI Boot Order!

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[baki25]

I've moved the Hynix SSD to the second place on the list, the first was Windows Boot Manager. Windows couldn't boot. When I entered BIOS again, the Hynix was at the bottom of the list. I've moved up to the first place, but Windows couldn't boot, and then Hynix was again on the bottom of the list.

I've reset the BIOS settings to factory default, but it hasn't solved the problem.

I've removed the PCIe card and installed a 2.5" SATA SSD and Windows was able to boot.

It seems to me that I cannot use PCIe SSD card with this PC. Unfortunately I don't have any other low profile PCIe cards to test.

[NonSequitur777]

@baki25,

In addition to a SATA SSD drive connection, according to: HP ProDesk 405 G6 Small Form Factor PC Specifications | HP® Customer Support, your desktop is supposed to have two M.2 PCIe x4 2280 (for storage) slots.

Meaning, your desktop should easily accommodate three storage drives.

Kind Regards,

NOnSequitur777