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. Anonymous
    2021-08-31T05:54:14+00:00

    Yup.

    It is right up there with the guy who's computer rebooted every time he flushed the toilet...

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-08-31T05:32:13+00:00

    19043.1200

    Then it does have all the same updates as 19044.1200.

    Something is really fishy !

    Curious to see how this will end.

    I guess for now it is to be continued .... 😉

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-08-31T05:19:29+00:00

    19043.1200

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  4. Anonymous
    2021-08-31T05:08:26+00:00

    @TDK,

    Just be patient then.

    What Build level is the 21H1 that is working ? 19043.1165 or 19043.1200 ?

    There are users reporting that some updates on 21H1 too had problems recently.

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  5. Anonymous
    2021-08-31T04:52:34+00:00

    As for getting 21H2 iso, downloaded from Microsoft while it was available prior to W11 hitting beta channel.

    And then you used Rufus to make the crappy installation media that doesn't finish booting . 😉.

    If you know how to install an update manually with DISM command and if you have a working 21H1 system you can just manually install KB5003791 and it will update to 21H2 Build 19044.xxxx.

    Image

    No surprises with drivers or booting issues.

    Good luck !

    Since the 21H2 failed to boot from either the USB DVD-DL or Flash Drive, or direct insider build update, I stand firm that something did change with 21H2, identical to the change in W11 that causes the same problem.

    No need to attack the Rufus option as that obviously works for 21H1.

    KB5003791 is not available for download from Microsoft, and I am not about to grab it from a random web-site.

    Just knowing that every 21H2 preview release that was made available prior to W11 taking the dev and beta slots had the same failure that the W11 ones do is sufficient to know that something is bollixed in the boot loader or drivers.

    Worth mentioning, that I used the same media that will not finish booting on the G703GXR, works just fine on my ASUS Vivo notebook, so it isn't "bad media".

    Since I know of 4 owners of the same platform, facing the same problems that I am, there is something wonky between the 21H2 and W11 builds and the hardware platform.

    Only time will tell.

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