No boot sequence after switching to secure boot in bios

Resolving Boot Sequence Issues After Enabling Secure Boot on X570S Aorus Elite AX Motherboard

Upgrading to Windows 11 often requires enabling Secure Boot in your system BIOS, as it is a key security feature mandated by Microsoft. However, users sometimes encounter boot-related challenges after enabling Secure Boot, such as the absence of a boot device in the boot sequence or the system failing to boot altogether. This article provides troubleshooting guidance specifically tailored for users with the X570S Aorus Elite AX motherboard who face such issues.

Understanding the Context

The goal: Transition your PC to Windows 11 by enabling Secure Boot. The process typically involves:

• Disabling Compatibility Support Module (CSM)
• Enabling Secure Boot Mode

These BIOS changes ensure your system firmware complies with Windows 11 requirements. Nonetheless, these modifications can sometimes lead to the system not recognizing bootable devices properly, resulting in a blank or missing boot sequence.

Common Causes

• BIOS settings misconfiguration
• Missing or improperly configured Secure Boot keys
• CD/DVD/USB boot entries not being re-detected after BIOS changes
• Legacy mode being disabled prematurely, affecting device recognition

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

1. Verify BIOS Settings

2. Access BIOS during system startup (commonly by pressing DEL or F2)

3. Ensure CSM Support is disabled: this promotes UEFI mode, necessary for Secure Boot
4. Confirm Secure Boot is enabled: Set to “Standard” or “Enabled” mode

5. Check boot mode: Should be set to UEFI rather than Legacy

6. Save and Restart

7. Save the changes and restart your system

8. Observe if the system now detects your boot device (SSD/HDD) in the boot options menu

9. Reconfigure Boot Priority

10. Enter BIOS setup again

11. Navigate to the “Boot” menu
12. Manually add or prioritize your Windows boot device (e.g., EFI partition)

13. Save settings and reboot

14. Check Secure Boot Keys

15. Some motherboards require manually installing or enrolling Secure Boot keys

16. Navigate to the “Security” or “Secure Boot” menu

17. Verify the key database or, if necessary, reset Secure Boot keys to default

18. Confirm Bootable Drive Integrity

19. Use a bootable USB or Windows recovery media

20. Ensure the drive contains a valid Windows installation with a proper EFI boot loader
21. If the drive isn’t detected, consider reconnecting or formatting and reinstalling Windows