Have you encountered the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” error on your Windows 10 or 11 computer? This common Windows boot error can be frustrating, especially when you’re unsure of the cause. Fortunately, there are several effective troubleshooting steps you can take to get your system working again.
The “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” error typically appears when your computer tries to boot from an incorrect drive or device, preventing Windows from loading properly. This issue can stem from BIOS misconfigurations, a failed hard drive, or incorrect boot order settings.
In this blog post, we’ll guide you through how to fix the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” error and help you restore your Windows system to working condition.
Common Causes of the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” Error
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Common Causes of the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” Error
Like other common Windows 10 and Windows 11 issues, the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” error can have multiple causes. You might be facing this issue due to one of the following reasons:
- Incorrect boot order configuration.
- Legacy mode is incorrectly enabled or disabled.
- A malfunctioning HDD (hard disk drive).
- The system partition is deactivated.
- Issues related to the Windows Registry.
If you’re encountering any of these problems, fixing the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” error will require some troubleshooting. Let’s explore the step-by-step solutions to resolve it!
Step-by-Step Guide to Fix the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” Error
Method 1 – Check and Adjust the Boot Order
If you’re encountering the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” error, a simple fix is to check and adjust the boot order in your BIOS. Ensuring that your system is set to boot from the correct hard drive or SSD can solve this issue. Here’s how you can do it:
- Reboot your computer.
- Enter BIOS by pressing the key shown on the first screen (usually one of the following: Esc, Del, F2, F8, F10, or F12).
- Navigate to the Boot tab using the arrow keys on your keyboard.
- Set your HDD or SSD with Windows installed as the first boot device.
- Save your settings and restart your computer.
Once your system disk is prioritized in the boot order, check if this resolves the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” error. If the issue persists, continue with the next troubleshooting step!
Method 2: Check for Hard Disk Failure Using Automated Repair Tool
If you suspect a hard disk failure is causing the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” error, you can use the Automated Repair tool in Easy Recovery Essentials to diagnose the issue. This tool will check your hard drive and RAM memory for any potential problems. Here’s how to do it:
- Download Easy Recovery Essentials from the official site.
- Create recovery media by either burning a bootable ISO image or creating a recovery USB boot device.
- Restart your computer and boot from the media you created.
- Select the Automated Repair tool, then click Continue.
- Wait for the tool to run and fix your system. Once completed, it will generate a report indicating any issues found with your hard disk.
After running the tool, you can evaluate whether your HDD or SSD is malfunctioning and determine if a hardware replacement is necessary.
Method 3: Disable Legacy Boot (UEFI)
If your system uses UEFI instead of BIOS and you’re facing the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” error, disabling Legacy Boot mode might resolve the issue. Follow these steps to disable it:
- Reboot your computer.
- Before the system boots, access the UEFI menu by pressing the key displayed on the first screen (it could be Del, F2, F8, or F12).
- Navigate through the menu and locate the Legacy Boot option, typically found under Security > Legacy Support.
- Disable Legacy Boot by adjusting the settings accordingly.
- Save your changes and exit the UEFI menu.
- Restart your computer to check if the Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device error is resolved.
This method is especially useful if your computer is running on UEFI mode.
Method 4: Use the Diskpart Tool to Resolve the Error
If you’re encountering the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” error, it’s often due to your primary partition becoming inactive. Fortunately, using the Diskpart tool can help you fix this by reactivating the correct partition. Here’s how to do it:
- Insert your Windows installation disc and boot from it.
- Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
- Type “diskpart” (without quotes) and press Enter to launch the Diskpart tool.
- Run the following command to select the correct disk:
select disk 0
(Make sure to replace “0” with the disk number where Windows is installed).
- Input these commands:
list partitionselect partition 1active - After executing these commands, reboot your system to check if the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” error is resolved.
By setting the correct partition as active, this method should get your system back on track.
Method 5: Fix the Windows Registry to Resolve the Error
Leftover Registry files from uninstalled applications can cause various issues, including the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” error. If this is the root cause, cleaning your Windows Registry could be the solution.
Important: Before making any changes to your Registry, it’s highly recommended to create a System Restore point to avoid potential complications.
To clean your Registry, you can use free tools like CCleaner or Auslogics Registry Cleaner. Simply download these tools from their official websites and run the specialized Registry cleanup tools to repair any issues.
Conclusion
By following the methods above, you can fix the “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device” error on Windows 10 or Windows 11 and get your system back to normal. If you have additional questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact our support team at SoftwareKeep. Good luck!
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