I recently bought an Intel NUC from the MP supposedly with Windows 10 Pro installed and am having problems with it. When I switch on I see the BIOS notification and the message to press ESC to skip startup.nsh or any other key to continue. Whichever key I press I get a Shell> prompt. Isn't that a Unix prompt? The NUC was apparently run as a Steam client, does that mean Windows has been wiped? If I press F2 to access the BIOS it freezes on an 'Entering Setup' message. If I press F7 it starts the BIOS Update Flash tool and shows 3 partitions on the hard drive but no other options other than to flash or exit. Has something failed or am I missing something obvious? Although I have a Windows 10 Pro recovery drive I can't see a way of using it.
The 'Shell>' sounds like the UEFI Shell. Tbh it sounds like the UEFI has thrown a strop and at the very least i'd re-flash it if I could. Which NUC is it?
It's an Intel NUC DN2820FYK. I've also found how to access the boot menu via F10 and can see the SSD. Using a Win 10 recovery USB stick I can also see that there's a windows installation on a C:\ drive but can't get it to run but can see there's around 48GB free. I'm trying a recovery USB drive but when I try to run it it gives an error that there's insufficient space. A diagnostics repair fails but without a proper error message. If I try to select the Boot loader part of the disk it just ends up at a blank screen. The Boot Manager appears to start Windows Loading but just goes to the Troubleshooting The indications are that the SSD isn't being recognised even though I can see it in the F10 boot menu and navigate to it as a c:\ drive. For some reason when I try to get into the BIOS by pressing F2 it hangs on 'Entering setup' message. I've just taken an SSD out of one of my other systems and after putting that in the options to do a recovery from the USB stick disappeared so I'm formatting the drive now presumably using the commands available from the USB recovery stick. I'll look up how to flash a UEFI EDIT: Just had a thought but if I flash the UEFI will that wipe the Windows 10 Pro product key?
I think I'll hang fire on that until I can research whether it would remove the Product Key and think instead about returning it to the seller if another SSD doesn't work.
Things look more promising. I formatted my other SSD and then ran the boot menu again and was given the option to do a recovery. Without thinking I've started it though so will let it complete and check it runs OK then put the original SSD in and format that and try a recovery. Presumably this method wipes the recovery partition that's normally on the SSD and means repairs in future would need the USB stick rather than an on-board repair. Even if this works there's still a problem in that I can't get into the BIOS which I'll have a think about.
Recovery onto the other SSD failed without leaving a clue why, it's possible it may not be compatible. I managed to get into the BIOS using the Power Button option and reset it to the defaults. The SSD isn't visible in the UEFI boot settings but it is in the Legacy settings. Unfortunately it won't boot when set to the Legacy Boot option so completely baffled especially as a chkdsk completed on the SSD without errors. Diskpart shows 4 partitions with the main Windows one of 58GB showing as GPT and Active which is apparently normal. I can see the normal Windows and Program File etc. folders. Baffled!
I noticed that the SSD was occasionally showing up in the UEFI boot settings but only at random times. I removed and reseated both the SATA power and data cables at each end and the problem seems to be resolved. Maybe there was a bit of corrosion on the connectors or a loose wire but anyway I was able to boot into Windows and set it up without any further problems. I'll look to buy spare cables just in case but they don't seem to be available in the UK.
