Most computers are configured to boot from their C or system drive. However, if your system is connected to a second hard drive and you find that it will not boot under these circumstances, this message will help you.
Computer does not start with the second hard drive connected
If your Windows 10 computer won’t boot with the second hard drive plugged in, first make sure the drive is working properly and that there are no problems with it. That done, try these suggestions:
- Physically check connections
- Change the boot sequence
- Delete boot.ini files
- Update hard drive drivers
- Run Windows USB troubleshooter
- Perform startup repair
Let’s go on.
1]Physically check connections
You may have left a loose cable when installing the new drive. To verify this, shut down your PC, unplug the power, and open the case. Make sure there are no loose cables. The hard drive mainly has 2 cables:
If one of them is not properly connected or badly connected, the BIOS will not recognize the drive and the computer will not be able to use it for startup.
2]Change the boot sequence
Boot into the BIOS and check the boot order. If USB is listed higher in the boot sequence, this can cause this problem. You experience a similar problem when you try to connect another USB hard drive to your PC. So be sure to move the USB or USB hard drive under the original hard drive. Then restart and check if the problem is resolved.
3]Delete boot.ini files
Try connecting your external hard drive to another system, open File Explorer and see if you can find hidden files stored in the root directory. For example, if you see a boot.ini file, Windows will recognize your USB drive as the boot device. Delete this file.
It has been observed that when you copy files between computers or other devices, some hidden system files may be copied to the external drive and therefore cause an error.
4]Update hard drive drivers
Update your device drivers to the latest versions available. You can download the drivers directly from the manufacturer’s website.
5]Run Windows USB troubleshooter
Connect the hard drive to another Windows 10 computer and run the Windows USB troubleshooter and see. It will automatically check and resolve any problems if necessary.
5]Perform startup repair
If your Windows 10 is not loading or it starts up but freezes, try to run the automatic repair. It fixes most of Windows 10 startup issues.
Good luck!