You might have faced a “Reboot and Select proper boot device issue” in your Windows. It has been one of the most common problems people face on their PCs. This can happen when a device driver fails to load or initialize correctly or when the wrong driver is selected when installing a new device. It can also be caused by a corrupt registry entry or an incomplete uninstall process. If you have encountered this problem before and are seeking a solution, you may be interested in the following article.
Sometimes, this error can be caused by a virus or malware infecting your computer. However, if you see this message at boot-up and can’t get passed it, try rebooting in Safe Mode (as described above).
The most likely cause of this error is when you have multiple operating systems installed on your PC. For example, if you have Windows and Linux installed on your PC, the computer will find both operating systems when trying to boot up. An issue with one of these operating systems (such as a virus or malware) can cause this issue.
Another possible cause of this error is if you are using a USB flash drive as a boot device rather than an optical disc drive (CD/DVD). This may occur because Microsoft changed the default location for BIOS files in Windows 10 to a USB flash drive instead of an optical disc drive (CD/DVD).
Why does Reboot and Select Proper boot device error happen?
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Let us now look at the symptoms due to which the “Reboot and select Proper boot device” error happens. If you have a problem with your computer freezing or not responding to any input, and you can boot into Safe Mode, the problem is that the Boot Order is most likely wrong.
The Boot Order tells Windows which device should be used to start the computer. If it’s not set correctly, you won’t be able to boot into Windows. Rebooting your computer is the best way to fix the problem. If you have a new computer, it’s easy to fix this problem by rebooting. If you have an older computer or are using a laptop, check if you can reboot into safe mode or repair mode.
There are many reasons which can be responsible for it:
Boot Order is incorrect- This is usually caused by an incorrect or missing entry in the BOOT.INI file. This guide will show you how to fix this issue within minutes!
Legacy Mode issues- Some programs – for example, anti-virus scanners – create a low-level system restore point (LRS) folder when installed on your computer, which can cause issues if it gets corrupted and prevents Windows from being corrupted loading properly. This can be fixed by removing all unnecessary LRS folders from your hard drive and rebooting the computer once more after doing so!
HDD functioning failure- If your hard drive stops functioning and no longer boots up correctly, try using another hard drive as an alternative boot device instead of using your primary one until you replace it.
Ways to fix Reboot and Select Proper boot device error
Now we will be guiding you on how you would be able to fix this error on your PC so that your PC starts functioning normally. There are several ways this error can be solved, and all of them are equally effective. Some of those ways are as follows-
Making changes to the Boot order
The first and most effective way is to change your Boot order, which is known to resolve the issue altogether. We all know that the wrong Boot order can be one of the most common reasons behind which this issue happens. So, let us have a look at how you would be able to resolve this issue within a few steps. The steps which need to be followed are-
- It is necessary to restart the PC first of all. When the users would restart their PC, it would become easier to change the boot order than it was before.
- Now the users have to enter the BIOS menu. This menu is essential as it helps the users to change their Boot orders immediately and resolve the issue. But the users need to check which key they need to press to enter the BIOS menu. The keys would be displayed on the menu, and when the users press that specific key, they will enter the BIOS menu. These keys can either be Esc, Del, F10, F8, F2, or F12.
- When the users would have entered the BIOS menu, they have to enter the Boot tab. It would be displayed in the BIOS menu, and they would have no issues locating the same.
- Now the users have to make changes to their Boot tab and also check the list of Hard Drives of their computer. When the users are done with the same, they just have to save the list of changes they had made.
- After saving the changes, restart your PC.
Hard Disk functionality
It is not sure that the first way would help to fix this error. This is why users need to check all of the required ways out, of which one is Hard Disk functionality. Hard disks have several components that must work well for the data to be retrieved correctly. Here are some common signs that indicate a failing hard disk:
Slow performance: When you open a file, programs or the operating system take longer to load. When opening files and programs, this may happen in one application or across the board.
Strange noises: Generally, when you hear strange noises coming from your computer, it means there’s something wrong with its hardware components (hardware). An example of this could be loud clicking sounds or grinding noises from your PC’s case when you have taken no particular action or are not using it at all.
A huge number of corrupted files: Over time, as files are opened, deleted, and created on your PC, they accumulate into an ever-growing pile of junk data. This makes them unusable because they can’t be opened by programs running on your machine.
Another sign is that the file system on your computer is not standard NTFS but one of the other file system types. This can cause problems with some applications that don’t work with the different types of file systems.
When a hard drive has failed, it’s unlikely that you will be able to recover data from it. If you want to save some money and prevent further damage to your computer, it’s best to replace the failing drive with a new one as soon as possible.’
Turning off Legacy Boot
If both of the above ways did not work, you could also try this way out. Many PCs have Legacy mode pre-built in them, due to which their boot order shows issues like “Reboot and select proper boot device.” But this method can only be used if your PC has UEFI and not the BIOS system. If this is the case, then this is how you will be able to disable your Legacy mode real quick-
- The users have to restart their computer to enter the UEFI mode.
- When they have restarted their PC, the next step is to enter the UEFI menu, which is done by pressing the dedicated keys appearing on the screen. These keys may be different for different users, and the method of opening the UEFI menu is quite similar to that of the BIOS menu. The keys can be either F2, F12, F8, or the Del key.
- Now the users have to turn off the Legacy option. They would be able to find the Legacy tab under the Security tab, which would be displayed on the main screen of the UEFI menu.
- The users have to turn it off and then ensure that they have saved the changes to the same. When they have kept the changes, they just have to close the menu and wait for a few minutes.
- After a few minutes, the users have to restart their PC. So that the changes are saved successfully, and the issue is resolved.
Cleaning the Registry
The Windows Registry is a database that stores information about your computer. It is used by Windows to store settings, files and applications that are important for the current user. This database can be challenging to navigate because it can contain hundreds of thousands of entries.
If your registry becomes cluttered with junk files, it may not run as fast as it should — or at all. The easiest way to fix this problem is through a third-party registry cleaner program. These programs allow you to scan your registry for problems and then remove them automatically.
There are many different types of registry cleaners available for download today. So choose one based on what features you want:
Registry cleanup software that scans for junk files in the registry and deletes them automatically;
Registry repair software that fixes problems in the registry; or
Registry defragmenter software that optimizes the size of your registry so that it runs more efficiently.
In addition, if you frequently uninstall applications from a particular program group in Windows Vista or Windows 7. Their related registry keys remain behind even after uninstalling them from Add/Remove Programs control panel applet. This can cause a slowdown in performance as every time you launch an application from Start Menu. It checks which key has been registered by using this key’s value as query parameter for its own program interface.
