How to Fix No Bootable Devices Found on a Dell Computer

To fix “No bootable devices found” on your Dell computer, disconnect external storage, check the internal drive in BIOS with F2, then run diagnostics with F12 before repairing Windows. If BIOS cannot detect your drive, investigate the hardware; if it detects the drive, check its boot settings and Windows startup files. Stop troubleshooting when your computer boots normally.

Disconnect external devices and drain residual power

Shut down your Dell and disconnect USB storage and other unnecessary peripherals. Turn it back on and check whether it boots. If the error remains, shut it down again before trying a power drain.

Disconnect AC power and remove the battery only if it is user-removable. Hold Power for 15 to 20 seconds, reconnect power, and restart. For a laptop with an internal battery, follow its model manual for battery access.

Check whether BIOS detects the internal drive

Turn on the computer and tap F2 at startup to get into your computer’s BIOS. Open Storage and look for the internal SSD or hard drive. On Dell models using the other menu layout, open General > System Information.

Check for the physical drive itself, not just a Windows boot entry. If the drive is missing, continue to diagnostics and hardware checks. Windows repair cannot fix a physical drive detection problem.

When BIOS detects the drive, open General > Boot Sequence. The alternate Dell path is Boot Configuration > Boot Sequence. Put the internal operating system boot entry first, save your changes, and restart.

Run Dell diagnostics and address drive failures

Restart and tap F12 at the Dell logo, then select Diagnostics. Let the hardware checks run and record any error code, validation code, and Service Tag. Keep those details for arranging service.

For a thorough storage check, press Esc in diagnostics and select Advanced test. Clear Select all, select the storage test, enable Thorough mode, and select RUN TEST. The available tests depend on your hardware.

If diagnostics reports a failure, use your phone to scan the diagnostic QR code and follow Dell’s repair options. Supply the recorded codes and Service Tag when requested. If the drive passes and BIOS detects it, continue to the boot settings checks.

For a missing, serviceable drive, shut down and disconnect power and the battery as directed by your model’s service manual. Reseat the removable M.2 drive or SATA data and power connections. On an applicable desktop, try another SATA port to help isolate the fault, then reassemble the computer and rerun diagnostics.

If you cannot carry out the model’s servicing procedure, arrange repair. You can also check a removable drive for detection on another computer using a compatible USB enclosure. Persistent failure after reseating calls for Dell repair or drive replacement; a replacement drive needs an operating system installed or restored before it can boot.

Restore the boot settings your installation needs

If the error began after changing BIOS settings, restore the previous configuration first. For a UEFI Windows installation accidentally switched to Legacy, press F2 at the Dell logo, open Boot Sequence, select UEFI, and choose Apply. Changing this setting does not convert a Legacy installation into a UEFI installation.

For Dell’s documented UEFI Windows configuration, open Advanced Boot Options and disable Enable Legacy Option ROMs. Next, open Secure Boot and turn on Secure Boot Enable to enable Secure Boot on your PC, then apply the changes and exit. Affected newer Dell systems support only UEFI for internal boot, so switching them to Legacy is not a fix.

Check the storage controller setting if startup stopped after a BIOS or real-time clock reset. In BIOS, restore SATA Operation to its previous RAID On or AHCI value, save, and restart. Do not switch an existing installation to AHCI just to try it, because changing the controller mode can cause an INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE error.

If your detected drive has no Windows boot entry, you may need to restore that entry. On the Vostro 15 3535, open Boot > File Browser Add Boot Option, select the existing EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi file for Windows Boot Manager, then choose Exit > Exit Saving Changes. For other Dell models, follow the model manual’s procedure; if the file is missing, continue to recovery tools.

Repair Windows with SupportAssist OS Recovery

On a supported Dell with factory-installed Windows, restart, tap F12, and select SupportAssist OS Recovery. Choose Repair on the Repair software tile, then select START REPAIR. Unlock the encrypted drive when requested and select DONE after a successful repair.

If recovery asks for a BitLocker key, open your Microsoft recovery key account page on another device. Sign in and match the displayed key ID to the saved key. You can also retrieve the key from a saved printout or USB text file.

If local recovery is missing or damaged, you can download the recovery environment on a BIOSConnect-capable Dell. Open BIOS Setup or System Setup from the F12 menu, locate SupportAssist, and enable BIOSConnect and SupportAssist OS Recovery. Depending on your model, these controls sit under Update, Recovery or Maintenance.

Save your changes and restart through F12 > SupportAssist OS Recovery. Connect Ethernet, or select your Wi-Fi network and choose Connect, then allow recovery to download. If your model does not support this route or the repair fails, use Windows recovery next.

Use Windows Startup Repair and rollback options

When internal recovery will not start, create compatible Windows installation media on another computer. For an Intel or AMD x64 Dell running Windows 11, open Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page, find Create Windows 11 Installation Media, and select Download Now. Use the downloaded tool to create the installation media.

Connect the USB to your Dell, tap F12 at startup, and choose its USB boot entry. Complete the language preferences in Windows Setup, select Repair my PC, and choose Next. This opens the Windows Recovery Environment without relying on the internal bootloader.

Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair > Restart. Provide your BitLocker recovery key if requested. If Startup Repair cannot fix the problem, choose a rollback option that matches what happened before startup failed.

For a failure immediately after a Windows update, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates > Uninstall latest quality update. Some updates cannot be removed. For other recent system changes, open System Restore from Advanced options, choose a suitable existing restore point, and select Next > Finish.

Rebuild Windows EFI boot files

If your drive is readable and Windows is intact but Startup Repair failed, you can use BCDBoot to recreate Windows boot files and the UEFI boot entry. You need to identify the Windows volume carefully because its letter may differ in recovery. Stop if you cannot identify it, and do not format the EFI partition as a shortcut.

Boot compatible Windows installation media and press Shift + F10 to open the command prompt. Start DiskPart with this command.

diskpart

Display the volumes using the command below. Identify the volume containing your Windows installation before continuing.

list vol

Leave DiskPart with the following command. Keep the Windows volume letter you identified for the next step.

exit

Run BCDBoot with your actual Windows volume letter. The example below uses D:, so replace it if your installation uses another letter.

bcdboot D:\Windows

Restart after the repair and check whether Windows boots. If the command fails or the error remains, move to backup and recovery rather than guessing at partition changes.

Back up your files before resetting or reinstalling

Before a reset or clean installation, back up any readable files. In SupportAssist OS Recovery, select Start under Back up Files/ Disk Cloning, then choose Back Up Files > Next > Start Backup. Select the folders and external storage for your backup; encrypted storage must be unlocked first.

To factory reset your Dell computer through SupportAssist, select Start Reset and choose Reset to factory settings or Reset and update. Complete the backup prompts, confirm erasure when you are ready, and follow the reset prompts. Both options erase existing data, and the available choices depend on your model and recovery image.

You can also reset a laptop through Windows recovery using Troubleshoot > Reset this PC. Choose Keep my files or Remove everything, then Cloud download or Local reinstall. Back up first even when keeping files, because the reset removes apps and settings. You need a network connection for Cloud download.

If you need recovery media, install the Dell OS Recovery Tool on a working Windows computer. Choose For another computer, enter the affected Dell’s Service Tag, and search for its recovery image. Select an available image and a blank USB drive of at least 16 GB, acknowledge USB erasure, then select Download. Boot the affected Dell through the USB entry in the F12 menu and follow the recovery prompts.

For a clean installation on a healthy or replacement drive, boot compatible Windows media through F12 and complete the language and keyboard selections. Choose Install Windows 11, acknowledge erasure, and use the licensed edition. Select the verified target disk and delete its partitions only when you intentionally want a full wipe, then select its unallocated space and choose Next > Install. A clean installation deletes the target’s files, applications, and existing configuration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you load BIOS defaults to fix this error?

Loading defaults can help when firmware settings are incorrect, but the defaults may not match your existing installation. Record the current settings, enter BIOS with F2, and choose Load Defaults or Restore Settings, then confirm, save, and exit. Recheck the boot mode and storage controller configuration afterward.

Will disabling SupportAssist OS Recovery make the computer boot?

Disabling automatic SupportAssist recovery does not fix an unbootable drive. The Auto OS Recovery Threshold setting controls how many failed starts trigger recovery, with a default of two failures. Changing that threshold changes recovery behavior, not drive detection.

Can you use the same recovery tools on a Qualcomm Dell?

Dell excludes Qualcomm processors from SupportAssist OS Recovery. For a compatible Qualcomm system, you need Windows ARM64 installation media rather than an x64 installer, and Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool does not create ARM64 media. Check your model’s driver and recovery requirements before preparing installation media.

What should you do if your Dell runs Ubuntu?

Use your model’s Ubuntu Recovery Image when reinstallation is necessary; SupportAssist’s Windows repair does not repair Ubuntu. Dell says modern Ubuntu configurations generally support Secure Boot enabled, so disabling it is only a temporary compatibility test. Back up your files first because an Ubuntu recovery installation can erase existing data.

Why can BIOS detect the SSD while Windows Setup cannot?

On applicable Intel VMD or RST configurations, you may need to load the model’s storage controller driver in Windows Setup. Extract the Intel Rapid Storage Technology package for the affected Dell’s Service Tag to USB, then select Load driver > Browse in Setup. Choose the package’s VMD folder, select Intel RST VMD Controller, and select Next. This procedure does not apply to AMD or Qualcomm systems.