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544
December 19th, 2023 13:10
Nvme Secure Erase loop, cannot use laptop at all
Inspiron 14 5435
Hey, I have a problem with the mentioned laptop.
I wanted to clear SSD, so I selected the Data Wipe feature from within BIOS.
Since then, the Secure Erase starts every time I boot the laptop, I cannot stop it.
What happens is:
- I boot the laptop
- "Select target storage" prompt appears to select the SSD I want to format
- after pressing Enter, it starts secure erase
- after it finishes, it says it "will shutdown in 2 mins"
- it shuts-down properly
- after booting again... same story, "Select target storage" appears again and it formats the SSD again.
What I tried:
- press F2 just before "Select target storage" appears - "Setup" highlights for half a second but it's not respected, BIOS does not open, instead "Select target storage" appears as always.
- inserting a bootable USB and pressing F12 for Boot Menu - same story as with F2 - it highlights but does not start, instead it proceeds straight to formatting again.
- pressing ESC on "Select target storage" screen makes the laptop restart, but then... nothing changes, same story - format loop.
Can someone tell me how to stop this loop? I guess all I need is to enter BIOS but it seems like I cannot do so.
konradmalik
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January 3rd, 2024 08:59
thanks guys, sorry for late reply. I went with disconnecting the main and CMOS batteries for 1 minute.
Then after starting the laptop BIOS settings were reset and secure erase was no longer looping.
ejn63
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28.7K Posts
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December 19th, 2023 16:26
Attach a UEFI-bootable flash drive, preferably one made with the Microsoft Media Creation tool. Press F12 a few times immediately after you press the power button, and a boot menu should appear. Boot from the flash drive and start the install of the operating system.
konradmalik
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December 19th, 2023 18:51
@ejn63 thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, this does not help.
I've created a bootable USB using Media Creation tool with Windows 11.
Pressing F12 after boot highlights Boot Menu, but Boot Menu does not appear as I've stated above (I've already tried this but with a different USB drive).
F12 is "pressed correctly" because if I don't do it in the exact proper moment, if won't even get highlighted.
Sometimes screen flashes right before "Select target storage". To me it looks like both BIOS setup and Boot Menu open properly but this Nvme Secure Erase is somehow overriding everything and opens on top of it, immediately.
(edited)
ejn63
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28.7K Posts
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December 19th, 2023 19:03
Remove the SSD -- will the system then boot from the external flash drive?
remixedcatmusic
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December 20th, 2023 03:07
@ejn63
and also try booting from a linux live usb to see if the media creation tool might not have made it bootable... use something like rufus from a working pc
TrixieGizmo
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1 Message
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May 30th, 2024 19:23
@konradmalik I'm having the same exact problem (trying to clear stored fingerprint data in BIOS), can you explain what disconnecting the main and CMOS batteries entailed? Hoping this fix with give me access back to my laptop.
Asimpson0770
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1 Message
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February 18th, 2025 16:06
@konradmalik I have the same issue, can you tell me where the CMOS battery is at? I disconnected the main battery already. Thanks