Insider Dev Builds of 21H2 and Windows 11 fail to boot on an Asus ROG G703GXR

Anonymous
2021-07-03T19:52:10+00:00

I've tried just about every release of 21H2 as well as the new release of Windows 11.

So far, they all react the same way.

Download works fine.

Update during restart works fine.

If further updates need to install, that boot sequence works fine and updates continue to install.

Once it reboots with no further updates to install, the post finishes, there is a bit of disk activity after the post before the spinning circle of dots would normally appear.

That is as far as the boot goes.

It just hangs there, indefinitely.

I've left it sit there for over 48 hours to no avail.

My only recourse is to physically power off the laptop, wait, turn back on and the upgrade is rolled back to the 21H1 installation I am running from the insider beta channel.

The G703GXR is a desktop replacement laptop.

It runs an Intel Core i9, 9980HK, 8 core (2.4Ghz to 5Ghz).

It also has an NVidia RTX 2080.

64GB RAM, 8GB VRAM

1 x Samsung 970 Pro 512GB NVMe for boot.

2 x Samsung 980 SSD 1TB (part of storage space)

1 x Samsung 860 QVO 2TB (part of storage space)

2 x Samsung 970 Pro 512GB NVMe inside ROG ESD-S1C USB-C enclosures.

I've checked and triple-checked all the CMOS/UEFI settings, trying different combinations.

I've gone as far as re-installing from scratch using the 21H1 USB ISO image (which cost me my W10 Pro for Workstations digital license when not all the devices matched the prior install).

I then attempted the 21H2 and W11 insider previews again, same hang at the same place.

What are the differences in the boot sequence for 21H2 and W11 from 21H1?

Is there a way to get any logs or debug information from the boots?

Windows Insider program | Windows Insider preview | Install, activate, and Windows update

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  1. CrazyKats 19,415 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2021-07-26T21:45:51+00:00

    Please confine your posting to ONE thread.

    Your 2 other duplicate threads have been deleted.

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-07-05T15:18:02+00:00

    All available updates have been applied prior to every insider dev build upgrade attempt...

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-07-05T11:35:30+00:00

    Download Windows update

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  4. Anonymous
    2021-07-04T17:35:59+00:00

    Yeah, utilized the diskpart clean command to wipe away all partitions prior to re-installing.

    Tried the 20H2 release, then straight to Win11 and still the same issue.

    It will end up being something stupidly simple, but for the life of me, so far at least, I dinna know what it is.

    I really wish there was a way to do a debug boot to find out where exactly it is hanging.

    If it wasn't for VA disability, I'd be either living in a cardboard box or dead as I've been battling leukemia for almost 17 years now.

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  5. Johnny55 5,155 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2021-07-04T16:53:04+00:00

    Sorry to hear this. Have no idea what, if anything would have changed on 21H1 and 21H2 bootloaders.

    With all the data MS is getting back on so many having issues installing, hopefully this gets corrected in next update. On your clean installs, are you using a custom install and deleting all existing partitions. Other than that, I really do not know what else to try.

    Also didn't realize you had to remove extra drives internally. Thought you were using a external dock for storage. Sorry that did not help as it worked for some others. If you do happen to get to Win11, ensure you verify your MS account in a previous build as verification does not work in Win11. Found that out on a clean install of Win11.

    By the way, that is one nice laptop you have. Went through the specs, it indeed is a Desktop replacement. Quite the machine. Cost wise, I have to resort to a new Desktop to get current. The joy of pensions.

    Have a great day Dark Knight.

    Regards,

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