First time post (see introduction in the introduction section momentarily):

Basically, I am attempting to install Windows onto a Samsung 960 Pro m.2 drive (the only hard drive attached). I've scoured every source I could find (including these forums), Tom's Hardware, etc. with no luck. No matter what I do, while I can get Windows to install, I cannot get the system to boot into Windows when turning the system on. Instead it always boots into the UEFI bios and the only way I can start Windows is to select the "boot override" option for the m.2 drive.

I'm tearing my hair out over here. :mad: Any suggestions are appreciated.

In order to start from scratch, during a previous install of windows, I updated the SSD firmware and the MB bios, so I'm working with updated firmware.

*note: this is a long read, I wanted to present each and every step I took in case there was something small I screwed up".*

1. Turned on power supply
2. Cleared CMOS
3. Plugged in USB stick to USB 3.0 port on the back of the MB.
4. Turned on computer
5. Hit F8 repeatedly with no result.
6. Presented with the option to hit del or press F2 to enter bios.
7. Presented with screen with "American Megatrends" AMIBIOS (C) American Megatrends, Inc.
ASUS MAXIMUS IX FORMULA ACPI BIOS REVISION 1301
CPU; Intel (R) Core (TM) i7-7700K CPU @ 4.20GHz
Speed: 4200MHz

Total Memory: 32768MB (DDR4-2133)

USB Devices total: 1 Drive, 1 Keyboard, 1 Mouse, 0 Hub
USB Drive #0: SAndisk

Detected ATA/ATAPI Devices...


Please enter setup to recover BIOS setting.
CPU Fan speed error detected.
Ensure that the CPU fan is properly installed on the CPU_FAN header or adjust/disable the Fan Speed Low Limit option the UEFI BIOS.
After setting up Intel(R) Optane Memory or the RAID configuration was built, SATA Mode election must be changed to RAID mode to avoid unknown issues.
Press F1 to Run SETUP."

8. Pressed F1
9. In Boot: (I think due to previous install I have listed: Boot option #1: Windows Boot Manager (M1: Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512GB), Boot option #2: UEFI: SanDisk, Partition 1 (58656MB), Boot Option #3 M1: Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512GB, Boot option #4: Sandisk (58656MB)
10. Selected UEFI Sandisk, Partition 1 (58656MB) for Boot override.
11. System started again: This time with message: "CPU Fan speed error detected.
Ensure that hte CPU fan is properly installed on the CPU_FAN header or adjust/disable the Fan Speed Low Limit option the UEFI BIOS.
Press F1 to Run SETUP.
12. Pressed F1
13. Again selected UEFI Sandisk, Partiion 1 (58656MB for Boot override. Was presented with ROG logo and Windows Setup.
14. Selected next and "install now".
15. Entered product key and selected "next". Accepted license agreement.
16. Selected Custom: Install Windows Only
17. Presented with 4 options for "Where do you want to install Windows: Drive 0 Partition 1: Recovery, Drive 0 Partition 2 System, Drive 0 Partition 3 MSR (Reserved), Drive 0 Partition 4 Primary. The only selection which will allow installation of Windows is Drive 0 Partition 4.
18. Deleted all partitions so all that was left was Drive 0 Unallocated Space, Size 476.9GB, Free space 476.9GB with options for "refresh", "load driver", and "New" (delete, format, and extend were grayed out).
19. Clicked red "X" button
20. Answered Yes to "Are you sure you want to quit?" Returned to initial Windows Setup Screen.
21. Clicked red "X" button
22. "To install Windows you must run Windows installation. If you cancel the installation, your computer might restart. Are you sure you want to cancel Windows installation?" Clicked "Yes".
23. Computer restarted: Back to Step 11 Above. Turned off power to computer (power button), then at power supply.
24. Turned power supply back on.
25. Cleared CMOS
26 Started again, pushing F8.
27. Back to step 7. Pushed F1
28. Navigated to "Boot".
29. Boot options are #1 UEFI: Sandisk, Partition 1 (58656MB), #2 M1: Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512GB, #3 Sandisk (58656MB).
30. Disabled fastboot
30. Clicked "exit" and "Save Changes & Reset", confirming the fastboot change.
31. Computer restarted, back to Step 11. Pushed F1 again.

**Here I don't understand why the system didn't boot from the UEFI SanDisk Partition 1 (Boot option #1)** 😞

32. Back to the boot menu: Used boot override for UEFI: Sandisk, partition 1
32. Presented with ROG logo and windows setup. Entered product Key, accepted license, etc.
33. For "Where do you want to install Windows", clicked "next" when highlighting the only option: "Drive 0 Unallocated Space"
34. Windows installed....computer restarted to......step 7.
35. Pushed F1.
36. Now fastboot seems to be enabled again.
37. Boot options now are: #1 Windows Boot Manager (M1: Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512GB), #2 UEFI: Sandisk, partition 1, #3, M1: Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512GB, #4, Sandisk.
38. Used boot override for #1 Windows boot manager and was presented with the ROG logo with the "Getting ready" message.
39. Computer rebooted by itself, back to Step 7, pushed F1
40. Removed Sandisk UEFI drive from the system, selected boot override for #1 Windows Boot manager. Now proceeding with Windows setup (region, keyboard, wifi, declining Cortana, etc. Presented with the Windows desktop after "This might take several minutes, don't turn off your PC"....Let Windows update itself.

41. Restarted windows: (Start, restart)
42. And...back to step 7. Pushed F1
43. Boot option #1: Windows Boot Manager (M1: Samsung SSD.....), Boot option #2 M1: Samsung SSD 960....
44. Boot override option #1 and back into Windows.

What the heck am I doing wrong? I keep booting back into the UEFI BIOS. :mad:

45. Restarted, with windows USB drive back in.
46. back to UEFI bios, boot override to windows install media
47. This time selected "repair your computer", troubleshoot, command prompt, diskpart, clean, exit, turn off PC
48. Turned off.
49. Restarted....nothing.....
50. Pushed restart.
51. Back to UEFI bios, re-installed windows. Same situation.

Please please, please, any suggestions are welcome!