[SOLVED] T100TA Hard drive not seen in BIOS....just boots straight into BIOS

[ukiltmybrutha]

I recently made an attempt to install Windows 8.1 Enterprise via USB drive and during the process I was greeted with an error message indicating that the USB drive I had did not contain appropriate drivers.

I researched the error message and there were lots of alleged fixes. I tried most of them but to no avail. Finally, I went to the ASUS website and loaded up as many drivers as I could to that USB drive. I pointed and clicked. It found some drivers, but I could never install Windows 8.1.

I removed the USB drive and rebooted.

Now whenever I boot it, it just boots right to the BIOS and super quickly. It doesn't see the hard drive at all. It sees the USB drive if I try to boot off of that, but that is it.

I tried to boot off of a Macrium Reflect USB drive that I created for my other T100TA, and it sees the hard drive. It identifies the drives etc, but the drive ID (I think that is what it is called) is identified with straight 00000's and I cannot select the drive.

I tried to create a DBAN usb to boot off of that, but the machine won't boot off of it.

I also set reset the BIOS to default settings and played with a myriad of settings all to no avail.

Any idea what's up?

Thanks!

[Rocket_Scientist]

Since Reflect did not work when USB boot is WinPE, your attempt to install Windows 8.1 Enterprise may have killed the partition table.
Linux distros won't boot, yet.
I think you're out of luck, see this:
Cannot boot Windows 8.1 - Windows can't detect its install partition

[Asus_USA]

I recently made an attempt to install Windows 8.1 Enterprise via USB drive and during the process I was greeted with an error message indicating that the USB drive I had did not contain appropriate drivers.

I researched the error message and there were lots of alleged fixes. I tried most of them but to no avail. Finally, I went to the ASUS website and loaded up as many drivers as I could to that USB drive. I pointed and clicked. It found some drivers, but I could never install Windows 8.1.

I removed the USB drive and rebooted.

Now whenever I boot it, it just boots right to the BIOS and super quickly. It doesn't see the hard drive at all. It sees the USB drive if I try to boot off of that, but that is it.

I tried to boot off of a Macrium Reflect USB drive that I created for my other T100TA, and it sees the hard drive. It identifies the drives etc, but the drive ID (I think that is what it is called) is identified with straight 00000's and I cannot select the drive.

I tried to create a DBAN usb to boot off of that, but the machine won't boot off of it.

I also set reset the BIOS to default settings and played with a myriad of settings all to no avail.

Any idea what's up?

Thanks!

ukiltmybrutha - We're very sorry to hear that you're having this issue with your T100TA. Please contact us via email at socialsupportus@asus.com with a copy of this problem description and the serial number of your T100.

If you have any further questions, comments or concerns please do not hesitate to let us know. We will be more than happy to assist you. Once again, thank you for choosing ASUS products and services.

Thank you.


-In Search of Incredible-

Technical Support Department
ASUS :: http://service.asus.com/

[azazel1024]

BIOS won't see the eMMC drive inside of the T100? How did you create either USB boot drive? Did you do it such that it'll support 32-bit UEF?

What about trying WinPE to reparition things if the Windows installer isn't seeing/allowing you to? https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/.../hh825110.aspx

[Rocket_Scientist]

BIOS won't see the eMMC drive inside of the T100? How did you create either USB boot drive? Did you do it such that it'll support 32-bit UEF?

What about trying WinPE to reparition things if the Windows installer isn't seeing/allowing you to? https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/.../hh825110.aspx

OP said: "I tried to boot off of a Macrium Reflect USB drive that I created for my other T100TA, and it sees the hard drive."
This is a WinPE USB drive. I also use Reflect which is used to create the USB boot disk & only WinPE will boot, Linux boot disk won't boot.

[azazel1024]

I am not familiar with Macrium Reflect.

WinPE can boot even if the partition table is slanted three ways from Sunday. It should also have no bearing on being able to repartition the drive to reinstall Windows on it. It WOULD prevent a recovery partition from working though.

By selecting the drive, you mean you litterally cannot do anything with it? Generally you should be able to select it and format it. If it sees an existing (even if damaged) partition currently existing, it can't put windows there without formatting it, because there isn't sufficient free space to create a new Windows partition.

In WinPE you can repartition the existing drive and format it as well, not just the formating and limited partitioning you can do in Windows installation.

[Rocket_Scientist]

...By selecting the drive, you mean you litterally cannot do anything with it? Generally you should be able to select it and format it...

That's what the OP said: "It identifies the drives etc, but the drive ID (I think that is what it is called) is identified with straight 00000's and I cannot select the drive."
"It" refers to the WinPE boot disk that Macrium Reflect creates.

I'd say the T100 needs to be returned to Asus for repair or replacement.

[azazel1024]

I have no idea what Macrium Reflect creates. I am rather familar with WinPE though and using Diskpart. Generally you get a full up error, not simply that it cannot be select. Just trying to dive in to what is going on.

"cannot select" doesn't give a lot of info. Windows recovery is also vastly different than WinPE and I have/had no idea what kind of environment and tools might be in whatever Macrium Reflect creates.

Probably it does need to go back to Asus. That said, if the hardware itself isn't screwed, there isn't a whole lot that the OP could have done that can't be fixed in a recovery environment with the right tools. The MBR or partition table being hosed would not prevent you from being able to format or repartition the drive, it would just screw over any existing data on the drive.

[ukiltmybrutha]

Sorry guys, I resolved the issue but can't remember how. I think that things just kind of started working again. I'll try to recall what I did, but I think that I'd rather forget.

Thanks for trying to get me through.