Reboot and select proper boot device; the error itself tells you what to do. Yes, you’ve guessed it right; you need to restart your system and set the correct hardware selection order for your system to boot up to the operating system. How to do that? We are here to help you with the step-by-step instructions you need to follow to fix the reboot and select proper boot device error.
The Basic Input and Output System (BIOS) is the basic permanent software in your system that includes instructions on how to load the fundamental computer hardware. The Reboot and select proper boot device error points straight at the issues in the BIOS settings of your Windows PC. There are chances that it may be a software issue or it can be a hardware error also.
The moment we turn on the computer, BIOS comes into action; it checks if all the boot devices are functioning and then loads the operating system from the boot device. Here BIOS follows the saved order of boot devices in the search for OS. If the boot order is incorrect or the desired hard drive (boot device) is not responding, the system will show the reboot and select proper boot device error. Let’s check the main causes and their solutions for the reboot and select proper boot device error.
Reboot and select proper boot device 5 solutions
- Incorrect boot order or Wrong boot device selected in the BIOS
A wrong boot sequence is the main reason for the reboot and select proper boot device error. If the correct boot device is not selected in the BIOS settings Windows will fail to load and you will not be able to use the system. To check the boot sequence and related settings we need to open the BIOS menu. Here are the steps you need to follow to execute this fix.
Step 1:
Turn off your system by pressing the power button and turn it on again.
Step 2:
Press the BIOS menu key according to your PC manufacturer. You may check the user manual or Google search to find the BIOS menu key of your system. The most common BIOS keys are Esc, Del, F2, F8, F10, or F12.
Step 3:
From the BIOS setup screen locate the boot tab and click on it.
Step 4:
Set the correct drive as the primary boot device and save the changes.
Step 5:
Restart your Windows system.
Once the boot sequence error is rectified, the BIOS will be able to find the operating system and complete the boot without the reboot and select proper boot device error. You can use the “↑”, “↓”, “+”, and “−” keys to select the boot devices and change the sequence. Always set the hard drive you want to start Windows 10/8/7 from as the first boot device. Restart the system and check the status after changing the boot sequence. If you are still not able to start the device let’s check the next methods to fix the reboot and select proper boot device error.
Fix the Windows Boot Loader error
The moment you turn on your Windows PC, a bootloader is launched by a bootable medium like a hard drive or USB device. If the boot loader search is failed the system will return the error message reboot and select proper boot device. We can repair the boot loader using an external source of installation like a USB install disc or a Windows installation DVD.
You need to follow the below steps to complete this process.
Step 1:
Turn on the PC after connecting the external boot device. From the start-up, menu select your language.
Step 2:
Most of the time a complete re-installation of Windows is not required to troubleshoot the reboot and select proper boot device error. Click on Repair your computer option.
Step 3:
The Windows recovery environment will ask you to choose an option, select Troubleshoot.
Step 4:
On the troubleshooting page you have options to restore your system to an older version using a restore point or you can repair the startup settings. First, we will try startup repair so click on that option.
Step 5:
Windows will display all the operating systems found in your system and you need to select the one you want to repair. In most cases, there will be a single OS and you can select it.
Step 6:
Windows will diagnose the problems in startup and attempt all the possible repairs. Restart your PC after this troubleshooting is completed.
If the Windows Startup Repair is unable to fix the issue, we recommend you to restore your OS to the factory settings or using a restore point saved in your system. Make sure you have made a backup of all the important data in the system before attempting this fix.
Disable the Legacy boot settings (Only for UEFI enabled PCs)
If you are using a UEFI enabled PC, your system has a UEFI system instead of the BIOS. It is observed that legacy mode booting is the main cause for the reboot and select proper boot device error in such devices. You can resolve this in a few simple steps.
Step 1:
Start your system and enter the UEFI menu using the appropriate key. ( check the user manual or google it with your manufacturer name)
Step 2.
Switch to the startup tab and disable the legacy option.
Step 3:
Save the settings and exit from the UEFI menu. Restart your PC.
1. Use DiskPart to set an active partition.
We can use the Windows DiskPart tool to confirm the operating system hard drive is active. If the hard drive containing the OS is not set as an active partition system will return the reboot and select proper boot device error.
Step 1:
Open the command prompt from the Windows recovery environment. Check the above steps to know how to open the Windows recovery environment.
Step 2:
Type diskpart in the command prompt and allow administration approval.
Step 2:
Type list disk to see a list of hard drive discs on your PC.
Step 3:
Type select disk X, where X is the number mentioned with the disk that contains the OS.
Step 4:
After selecting the disk type list partition to see all the partitions of that disk.
Step 5:
Select the partition that contains the bootloader. Usually, it is named System partition. Input select partition #, where # is the number mentioned with the system partition.
Step 6:
Now type active to make this selected partition active.
Restart your PC after this and check the status.
Check for hardware error and replace CMOS battery
If your system is not able to locate the boot files there might be a chance of hardware error related to the hard drive or the cables connecting them. Check the hard drive and connecting cables for any possible damages and replace them if required. Also, check the CMOS battery in the motherboard and replace it if it is not working.
We believe the above methods will fix the reboot and select proper boot device error in your PC. Let us know in the comments which method worked for you.
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