Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device Error in Windows – The pop-up” Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” on your computer is an unexpected one, especially if you just used your laptop a few minutes ago without any fault.
You might be wondering what the heck happened? What exactly does the message mean? How can you fix it and get back to work on your pc?
If this message just popped up on your computer immediately after you switched it on, well, you are in the right place.
This article will explain what the Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device Error in Windows means and fix it immediately.
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Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device – What Does It Mean?
The error seems self-explanatory. It is a way of your system telling you that it cannot find the OS for your computer and that you have to restart your computer and select and select the device to boot up correctly.
In your system, the BIOS/UEFI figures the hard drive your operating system is on during the boot process. The error message happens when the system can’t figure out the hard drive your operating system uses.
Causes of Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device Message
The error message appears on the black screen before Windows starts up. Most often than not, the error message could be a result of the following:
- Corrupted BIOS during the boot-up process – the system BIOS stands for Basic Input Output System. It is software permanently installed on your PC. If the BIOS has a weak or incorrect setting, your hard drive won’t be recognized during the boot-up process.
- The Windows boot loader is broken and not working correctly – if the BIOS is working perfectly well; if the window system needs repair.
- The Hard drive is damaged – if the hard drive has a hardware error or is corrupted, it cannot be accessed during boot-up and hence the error message.
How You Can Fix the Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device Error
I will quickly delve into the procedures and how to fix these errors once and for all. The below guide will come in handy. Follow it carefully.
- Check the Hard Drive and Other Connections
If the hard drive has hardware damage, you will have to call a professional to help you fix it. But if it is not connected correctly, you can handle that yourself.
Keep in mind that most computers use a SATA interface to connect hard drives. The cables used in the SATA interface connection may get dusty or lose contacts. Once this happens, your system won’t be able to recognize your hard drive.
Follow the steps to connect your hard drive to your system properly:
- Unplug your computer and disconnect the SATA cables from the hard drive and motherboard
- Clean the contacts with a wipe.
- To rule out a faulty SATA cable, you can connect it to another system to see if it’s working.
- Also, remove the hard drive when the system is turned off and try it on another computer to ensure that the hard drive is not damaged or corrupted.
2. Check the BIOS to Make Sure It Recognizes Your Hard Drive
A weak BIOS may not recognize your hard drive even if it’s properly connected to the motherboard.
Your hard drive is the first thing your system looks for when loading/booting, and if it can recognize or find it, the error message will appear when you switch your computer on.
To check the BIOS. Follow the steps
- During boot up, press F2, F10, DEL, or ESC.
- These keys are used to access the BIOS in most systems.
- The BIOS will load, navigate until you locate the “Boot Device Priority or Boot Option Order” if you can’t find any tab with these names. Just click on any tab with the word “boot” in it. The term usually varies based on the manufacturers and programmers of the system.
- Click on the “boot” tab, and first of all, check if your hard drive is on the list. Secondly, check if the hard drive is in a boot position as it should be the first thing to load.
- Save the BIOS settings and restart your system again.
3. Try Windows System Repair Can Help Repair the Boot Loader
If the hard drive and faulty BIOS installation are ruled out, the next thing to consider is the Windows boot loader.
If the boot loader can no longer be found, you can replace it with a Windows installation DVD or a bootable USB drive. These media contain Windows installation files that will help you repair the operating system or recover your data.
Follow the steps outlined below:
- On the Recovery options screen, click on the troubleshooting option to either refresh your pc or use advanced tools.
- Click on “Repair your computer” as you don’t want to change or reinstall a new window.
- This option takes you to another dialog window where you can restore your PC to the factory settings.
- You can also choose “Advanced Options” after restoring your pc to ensure that the damaged Windows system is up and running.
Be patient as the Run Startup Repair runs its course. It usually takes a few minutes. Click on Restart in the repair options, then Remove the Windows DVD from the drive or disconnect the USB drive and then restart the PC.
If you are using a Windows 10 installation media, follow the steps outlined:
Insert the media and turn on your pc
Tap F2, F10, F12, or ESC to enter the system boot menu.
Press Shift + F10 to open the Command Prompt.
Enter the following commands in order, pressing Enter each time:
exe /fixmbr
bootrec.exe /fixboot
bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd
Once the process completes, you can restart your computer, removing the Windows 10 installation media and booting as normal.
4. Set Active Partition
If other options don’t work, you can try resetting the partition using the Windows Disk Part. The method is used to manage your hard drives and disk partitions. Follow the steps outlined.
- Follow the steps above, and when it gets to the input disk part, enter the disk part tool.
- Find the drive that contains your operating system. The drive letter for your operating system usually is C.
- Once you have located the correct disk, enter select disk X (where X is the corresponding disk number).
- Input list partition to list the partitions on the disk. You need to select the system partition, which contains the bootloader (the bit of code that launches the operating system).
- Input active to mark the system partition as active.
- Reboot your system. You won’t reencounter the error message.
Computer Compatibility – Make Sure The Instruction is Applicable to your Systems.
The method listed in this article applies to the following operating systems:
Windows XP (all editions)
Windows Vista (all editions)
Windows 7 (all editions)
Windows 8 (all editions)
Windows 8.1 (all editions)
Windows 10 (all editions)
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Conclusion
Then reboot and select proper boot device error is aggravating. You just finished using your system this minute, and the next minute, the error message appears without warning.
Once the error code appears, you can access your system and probably the essential files you have in your system.
Provided it is not a hardware problem, the fixes mentioned in this most can get your system working in no time at all.
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Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device Error in Windows – How to Fix It Fast
