No Device Found AHCI BIOS Not Installed Windows 10/11, Quick Fix

AHCI BIOS Not Installed Windows 10/11

According to reports, Windows boot issues & errors block you from starting up the operating system as normal so you can’t perform further operations and tasks. For example, various blue screen error codes, Windows Boot Manager errors, etc. make you fairly frustrated. Here, we focus on AHCI BIOS not installed.

This topic has a heated discussion in many forums and communities. If you search for it in Google, you will notice this error happens on PCs from Dell, HP, and more. During the startup of Windows 11/10, the error message shows:

“No device found

AHCI BIOS not installed

No boot device available – strike F1 to retry reboot, F2 or setup utility

Press F5 to run onboard diagnostics”

or “No supported device found AHCI BIOS not installed” or a similar one.

Common Causes for AHCI BIOS Not Installed

Don’t know why this error happens on your PC?

AHCI, short for Advanced Host Controller Interface, refers to a technical standard that enables software to communicate with Serial ATA (SATA) devices. The AHCI BIOS, in charge of managing this communication, should be installed properly and configured to ensure peak performance.

In case the error of AHCI BIOS not installed occurs, something may go wrong. After an investigation, it may come down to:

• Incorrect hardware connections: there are faulty cables or loose connections between your hard drive and motherboard, preventing the proper detection of AHCI BIOS.
• BIOS setting issues: a change in BIOS settings interrupts the installation of AHCI BIOS.
• Operating system issues: Windows issues may cause an interference, triggering AHCI BIOS not installed.

After knowing so much information on this error, you should try some measures to troubleshoot your issue. Without further ado, let’s explore some effective ways.

Back up Files in Advance

Before troubleshooting your issue, we strongly recommend creating a backup for your important files to avoid data loss. The following fixes involve changing BIOS settings, checking disk health, and completely installing the Windows system. Incorrect operations to BIOS, disk errors, and system reinstallation are likely to trigger data loss.

For data backup, run the professional backup software, MiniTool ShadowMaker. It features file backup, folder backup, disk backup, system backup, partition backup, file/folder sync, and disk cloning in Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7.

Even though your Windows fails to boot to the Desktop, this backup tool plays its role. By creating a bootable USB drive or DVD/CD, it is feasible to boot the PC that has the error of AHCI BIOS not installed from the created drive, open MiniTool ShadowMaker, and then begin file backup. Get this tool and follow the instructions.

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Step 1: Launch this software on a working PC and click Keep Trial to continue.

Step 2: Go to Tools > Media Builder, connect a USB drive, choose it, and then start creating a bootable drive.

Step 3: Boot the problematic PC from the USB drive and launch MiniTool ShadowMaker.

Step 4: Go to Backup, choose the files you want to backup, and select a target drive.

Step 5: Click Back up Now to execute the file backup task.

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Next, take action to troubleshoot your AHCI error.

Tip 1: Check Hardware Connections

Loose connections between your hard drive and the motherboard could cause the AHCI BIOS issue, thus, check if all the cables that connect the hard drive to your motherboard are securely plugged in. If you find some faulty cables, replace them.

Tip 2: Change Some Settings in BIOS (Only for Dell)

If you suffer from AHCI BIOS not installed on your Dell Optiplex, changing some BIOS settings works. This trick has been proven to be helpful by many users.

Here is how to do that task:

Step 1: On the screen saying “no device found AHCI BIOS not installed”, press F2 to run the setup utility.

Step 2: Click Date/Time under General, set the current date and time.

Step 3: Hit Diskette Drive under Drives and tick Disabled to disable this option.

Step 4: Click Drives from Drives, allow all the drives by ticking the boxes for SATA-0, SATA-1, and External SATA.

Step 5: Go to General > Boot Sequence and then uncheck Onboard or USB Floppy Drive.

Step 6: Save all the changes and apply them.

Step 7: Again, press F2 to open the setup utility and choose the first boot order, then begin to start up your PC and it should run properly without the not installed AHCI BIOS error.

Tip 3: Change to AHCI Mode

Another way to fix the AHCI error is to switch the SATA configuration to AHCI.

To do so:

Step 1: Restart your PC and press a specific key such as F2, Del, Esc, etc. (depending on your computer model) to enter the BIOS menu.

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Step 2: Look for a setting that is related to SATA Configuration or SATA Mode that may be under Storage or Advanced.

Step 3: If you set it to IDE or RAID previously, change it to AHCI.

Step 4: Save the change and exit BIOS, then reboot the machine. You won’t suffer from AHCI BIOS not installed.

Further Tip:

According to Microsoft Community, changing from IDE to AHCI after Windows has been installed can give rise to system errors or a boot loop as the system has drivers loaded for the old storage mode (IDE) and it cannot load the new drivers for AHCI. To prevent this situation, try to boot into Safe Mode.

In Windows 11/10, force reboot the PC three times until it enters the automatic repair interface. Then, click Advanced options to enter Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, and press F5 to enable Safe Mode with Networking. In Safe Mode, Windows should automatically install the correct AHCI drivers. Then reboot the machine, it should run normally.

Alternatively, you can enable AHCI by using the ways in the given guide.

Tip 4: Run Startup Repair

Windows 11 and 10 come with a feature, namely Startup Repair which detects issues that prevent Windows from loading and fixes them. Run this tool now via these steps:

Step 1: In WinRE, visit Troubleshoot > Advanced options.

Step 2: Tap on Startup Repair and then perform the repair operation according to the prompts on the screen.

Tip 5: Check Your Hard Drive

AHCI BIOS not installed could be related to hardware issues, such as hard drive having errors. Therefore, consider checking your disk health.

Step 1: Under WinRE, go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.

Step 2: In the CMD window, type in chkdsk c: /f /r and press Enter. This will check for disk errors and repair them. Don’t cancel or interrupt the disk check to avoid any trouble.

If your hard drive has bad sectors or errors, don’t forget to back up your important files with MiniTool ShadowMaker. For the details, refer to the above corresponding part.

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Tip 6: Rebuild BCD

If your hard drive is fine and all the BIOS settings are configured correctly, but AHCI BIOS not installed Windows 11/10 still exists, the culprit could be the corrupt Boot Configuration Data (BCD). Rebuild it now:

Step 1: Also, open Command Prompt in WinRE.

Step 2: Run these commands in turn:

bootrec /fixmbr

bootrec /fixboot

bootrec /rebuildbcd

This helps rebuild BCD and fix some boot issues.

Tip 7: Perform SFC & DISM Scans

When there are damaged system files, you likely encounter many system issues such as no device found AHCI BIOS not installed. By repairing the corruption in the system files, you may start up Windows normally.

Step 1: Launch Command Prompt.

Step 2: Perform the DISM scan by executing the following commands one by one:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Step 3: Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.

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Later, reboot Windows 11/10 and see if you still meet the AHCI BIOS not installed error.

Tip 8: Try a Clean Windows Installation

In case the issue persists after trying all the troubleshooting tips above, consider a clean installation of Windows 10/11. This is the last resort you should take.

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Next, take these steps to install Windows.

Step 1: Visit the download page of Windows 10 or 11 from Microsoft, scroll down to the correct section, and download Media Creation Tool.

Step 2: Launch this tool on a working PC and accept notices & license terms.

Step 3: When seeing the following screen, tick the second option to create a bootable USB drive for another PC.

Step 4: Choose a language, architecture, and edition as per your preferences.

Step 5: Select USB flash drive to continue.

Step 6: Connect a USB drive, refresh the list, and select it.

Step 7: Media Creation Tool begins downloading Windows and creating a Windows installation USB. Wait patiently.

Step 8: Connect the USB drive to the machine that has the AHCI BIOS not installed error, enter the BIOS menu, and set the USB drive as the first boot order.

Step 9: After configuring the language, time format, and keyboard method, click Install now.

Step 10: Finish the installation process by following the prompts.

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Now, you have a fresh operating system.

If you still fail to fix your issue, seek assistance from a professional technician.

Create a System Image: Suggestion

System boot issues always bore you and you need to spend much time finding solutions. To quickly restore the PC to a previous version in case of computer issues, we suggest creating a system image beforehand. MiniTool ShadowMaker also comes in handy.

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Step 1: Launch this backup tool in Windows 11/10.

Step 2: Under Backup, system partitions have been selected. To run a system backup, choose an external drive to save the system image file.

Step 3: Begin the backup process by clicking Back Up Now.

Bottom Line

That’s all the information on AHCI BIOS not installed Windows 11/10 including causes and solutions. If you are confronted with such an issue, try those troubleshooting tips. For security, don’t forget to back up your files.

For suggestions or problems with MiniTool ShadowMaker, contact [email protected] and we will reply to you as fast as we can.

AHCI BIOS Not Installed FAQ