I've had my R13 for a few months now and have also found it to be a rock-solid gaming platform, which is what I got it for. To be sure, not everyone has had a problem-free go of things. There have been some technical issues and some users have had issues. I've updated the BIOS three times now, the latest to 1.5.0 with no problems. I never use Support Assist for BIOS updates...it's just too chancy for my preferences. I manually d/l the update file, then before I do the update, I go into the BIOS and disable overclocking prior to doing the install. Once the update is successfully installed, I re-enable overclocking in the BIOS. Given your problem description, I agree with Tesla1856 that this sounds as though there might be a problem in your Windows installation. A wipe and clean reinstallation of Windows would be a good first step in isolating where the issue is. Answer from AnClar on dell.com
Reddit
reddit.com › r/alienware › boot failure on device
r/Alienware on Reddit: Boot failure on device
March 17, 2025 -
Hello everyone. My aurora r13 PC is giving issues.
It is saying boot failure on device.
Any guides to fix this?
Top answer 1 of 3
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How old is your Aurora R13? "boot failure on device" means that BIOS was not able to find an operating system to load into. Your harddisk could have failed, and BIOS cannot access it, and therefore it didn't find any operating system to load.
2 of 3
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Boot to the F12 1-time boot menu, select diagnostics. Run the diags on the HDD and see if it is detected. If you get an error like 2000-0142 or 2000-0155 you will need a new drive.
Dell
dell.com › support › kbdoc › en-us › 000179529 › alienware-computer-does-not-turn-on-or-go-into-windows
Troubleshoot Alienware Not Turning on or Booting into Windows | Dell US
Reconnect the devices one at a time and check if the computer functions. For a laptop, press and hold the Fn key and then press the power button. This starts the preboot testing and launches the How to Run a Preboot Diagnostic Test on a Dell Computer. In case you have a Desktop, at the Alienware logo screen tap the F12 key to access the Boot Menu.
"Boot Failure on Device" ?
After a sudden blue screen, my Alienware 13 R3 on Windows 10 is not able to boot. It says "detecting media presence" then "no media present". Then it goes to Support Assist page showing "Boot Failure on Device" I tried restarting the PC by clicking F2 and came up with the BIOS menu as below... More on forums.tomshardware.com
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0
June 21, 2022Boot Failure on Device
I'm using Alienware R13 on Windows 10. I was just browsing youtube and suddenly my laptop had blue screen. It happened a few times already but after troubleshooting no issues were found. And I was still able to turn on after that. However, this time it keeps telling me Boot Failure on Device. More on learn.microsoft.com
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56
June 20, 2022Aurora R13, BIOS 1.5.0, boot failure
I recently installed updates from the SupportAssist Application, which installed the new Alienware Aurora R13 BIOS 1.5.0 update. After installing this update my Aurora R13 was failing to boot ... More on dell.com
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September 1, 2022Alienware 15 R4: "No bootable devices found." & "Boot failure on device"
After I turn it on, though, it shows the Alienware loading screen as normal and then shows a black screen with text in the top left saying "". After about 30 seconds, it then enters into SupportAssist and runs a hardware scan. It usually takes about a minute or 2 and always comes back with 1 of 2 different results. It'll either have a red cross next to some text that says "Boot failure on device... More on forums.tomsguide.com
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January 7, 2019Videos
How to do No Boot troubleshooting | Dell US
04:35
How To Fix an Alienware With A No Boot Device Found Problem - YouTube
15:18
How To Fix Dell No Boot Device - Boot Device Not Found ...
04:18
Troubleshoot No Boot Issues - Alienware - YouTube
How To Fix An Alienware Computer With A No Bootable Device Problem
03:13
how to fix boot failure in device dell - YouTube
Dell
dell.com › dell community › laptops › alienware
13 R3, boot failure on device HELP | DELL Technologies
October 25, 2020 - You could also have a corrupted Windows installation. Grab another PC and install Windows onto an 8gb+ USB flash drive using the Windows Media Creation Tool. Insert the USB in your 13 and power it on.
Tom's Hardware Forum
forums.tomshardware.com › home › storage
Question - "Boot Failure on Device" ? | Tom's Hardware Forum
June 21, 2022 - After a sudden blue screen, my Alienware 13 R3 on Windows 10 is not able to boot. It says "detecting media presence" then "no media present". Then it goes to Support Assist page showing "Boot Failure on Device" I tried restarting the PC by clicking F2 and came up with the BIOS menu as below...
JustAnswer
justanswer.com › software › tg1xq-boot-failure-during-startup-alienware-17r4-says-boot.html
Boot failure during startup Alienware 17R4. It says boot failure on device. Windows 10. Just started. I reset the
Boot failure on the Alienware 17R4 can stem from corrupted boot files or faulty storage devices. Start by accessing BIOS to ensure the SSD/HDD is detected and set as the primary boot device.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › answers › questions › 4316740 › boot-failure-on-device
Boot Failure on Device - Microsoft Q&A
June 20, 2022 - Under File Browser Add Boot Option - it says No Media Device · Under File Browser Del Boot Option - There is Windows Boot Manager · Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage · Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage ... Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question. ... That should being up the temporary boot menu nd from there, you should be able to choose to boot from the USB.
Top answer 1 of 6
1
I've had my R13 for a few months now and have also found it to be a rock-solid gaming platform, which is what I got it for. To be sure, not everyone has had a problem-free go of things. There have been some technical issues and some users have had issues. I've updated the BIOS three times now, the latest to 1.5.0 with no problems. I never use Support Assist for BIOS updates...it's just too chancy for my preferences. I manually d/l the update file, then before I do the update, I go into the BIOS and disable overclocking prior to doing the install. Once the update is successfully installed, I re-enable overclocking in the BIOS. Given your problem description, I agree with Tesla1856 that this sounds as though there might be a problem in your Windows installation. A wipe and clean reinstallation of Windows would be a good first step in isolating where the issue is.
2 of 6
0
Any error messages? Its always a good idea to at least load BIOS defaults when updating a BIOS on these systems. Sometimes a coin cell battery reset is needed.
Tom's Guide
forums.tomsguide.com › home › laptops › laptop tech support
Solved! - Alienware 15 R4: "No bootable devices found." & "Boot failure on device" | Tom's Guide Forum
January 7, 2019 - After I turn it on, though, it shows the Alienware loading screen as normal and then shows a black screen with text in the top left saying "<Checking media presence...>". After about 30 seconds, it then enters into SupportAssist and runs a hardware scan. It usually takes about a minute or 2 and always comes back with 1 of 2 different results. It'll either have a red cross next to some text that says "Boot failure on device." or it will complete the scan and say "No bootable devices were found!"
JustAnswer
justanswer.com › computer › mlrh0-having-boot-failure-alienware-17r4-windows-11.html
Alienware Boot Failure Solutions | Expert Q&A on JustAnswer
For boot failure on Alienware 17R4, first perform a hard reset by removing power and battery, then hold the power button for 30 seconds. Check BIOS settings to ensure correct boot order and disable Secure Boot if needed.
Eleven Forum
elevenforum.com › windows support forums › windows 11 news
KB5062660 Windows 11 Cumulative Update Preview build 26100.4770 (24H2) - July 22 | Windows 11 Forum
August 12, 2025 - When enabled, it automatically detects and fixes widespread issues on Windows 11 devices using the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). This reduces downtime and avoids the need for manual fixes. If a device experiences a widespread boot issue, it enters WinRE, connects to the internet, and Microsoft can deliver a targeted fix through Windows Update.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › answers › questions › ca24bd9d-2f9c-4e25-b402-4dd077b70670 › alienware-17-r4-displays-no-boot-device
Alienware 17 R4 displays No Boot Device - Microsoft Q&A
September 2, 2018 - Select Startup repair, let it finish the job and see if the computer can boot afterward. Disclaimer: Tenforums is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products).
EA Help
help.ea.com › home › technical issues › how to use secure boot
How do I use Secure Boot on my PC?
Heads-up: This article is a general ... contact a professional or your manufacturer’s customer support. Incorrectly configuring BIOS settings can cause issues with your computer, including failure to start up.We highly recommend that you read your computer or motherboard ...
Win-Raid
winraid.level1techs.com › special topics › intel management engine
Alienware cold boot black screen issue, IME corrupted? - Intel Management Engine - Win-Raid Forum
July 22, 2020 - Hello Guys, I have an AW 18 r3 laptop, every time I cold boot it, there is a 30 seconds completely black screen right after I push the power button, and after that everything just fine. This problem only happen when cold boot. I found that the in windows device management tool there is a yellow icon on the "Intel Management Engine", I tried to use MEAnalyzer to get the IME info, but it said "Error 63: Unknown or unsupported hardware platform."
Windows 10 Forums
tenforums.com › general-support › 165478-brothers-alienware-desktop-fails-boot.html
Brother's Alienware Desktop Fails to Boot Solved - Windows 10 Forums
September 29, 2020 - alright, so I tried replacing the battery with another we had in a cabinet, that battery was dead, we only got 5 flashing alienware power button lights, so I put the old battery back in, and ran the desktop with both the mouse and keyboard plugged into the back usb ports. 3 restarts in, it was working, so I made sure the settings were back to what they were before, and about 1 restart later, the keyboard problem happened again .....it was working when secure boot was off and I think it was in legacy mode, so maybe ill try setting both to that, and get back later on
Dell
dell.com › support › home › en-us › pre-boot-analysis
Dell SupportAssist Pre-Boot System Performance Check
SupportAssist Pre-Boot diagnostics test your hardware without using the operating system.
Top answer 1 of 15
1
If you just want to use a single brand new 2.5' Sata SSD then it's pretty simple, relatively speaking. Setting up RAID is a little more complicated. If you've had Windows 10 loaded on the laptop before then you should be able to do the following and get an activated version of Windows 10. UEFI is the better way to go because it will allow you to upgrade your GPU to a 900 series. To reinstall Windows from scratch you will first need an 8gb Flash drive. Use the Microsoft Media Creation Tool to download a Windows ISO image onto the flash drive and keep aside for later. It's best to remove all the old drives before continuing so there aren't any weird issues. 1. Make sure the BIOS is set to AHCI 2. Change the boot mode to UEFI, Set Load Legacy ROM to Disabled, Set Windows Secure Boot to Disabled. 3. Save and Exit and shutdown the laptop 4. Install the 2.5' SSD and insert the flash drive 5. Boot the laptop and press F12 to get into the boot menu. Select the USB 6. The Windows installer will start and you will get to a screen where you select the disk to install Windows on. Select your new SSD. 7. Windows will now complete its installation and this new SSD should be set as the primary boot drive. You should now be able to put one of your old HDD's back in and then you can use Disk Management in Windows to format it and use it for storage.
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And please ignore the failed battery, I'm planning on keeping it plugged in and not moving it around.
TikTok
tiktok.com › discover › how-to-fix-boot-failure-device-on-alienware-r6
How to Fix Boot Failure Device on Alienware R6 | TikTok
May 25, 2026 - Learn how to fix boot failure issues on your Alienware R6 device with these step-by-step troubleshooting tips and solutions.See more videos about How to Fix Secondary Gadgets Not Deploying R6, How to Fix Qb Anticheat Error R6, How to Fix E6 Error on My Smart Tank, How to Fix Settings Reverting ...
Dell
dell.com › support › kbdoc › en-us › 000128655 › no-boot-device-found-when-you-change-the-boot-sequence-to-legacy-mode-or-install-os-under-legacy-mode
Resolve No Bootable Device Found Error in Legacy Mode on Dell Computers | Dell US
How to Enable Boot from CD or DVD Option with UEFI Boot Mode Enabled · Alienware, Dell Pro All-in-One, Dell Pro Max Micro, Dell Pro Max Slim, Dell Pro Max Tower, Dell Pro Micro, Dell Pro Slim, Dell Pro Tower, Dell Tower, Inspiron, OptiPlex, Vostro, XPS, G Series, G Series, Alienware, Dell Pro, Dell Pro Max , Dell Pro Plus, Dell Pro Premium, Inspiron, Latitude, Dell Pro Rugged, Vostro, XPS, Fixed Workstations, Mobile Workstations, Dell Pro Max Micro XE FCM2250 ...
MiniTool
minitool.com › home › backup tips › how to fix an alienware laptop stuck on boot screen
Alienware Laptop Stuck on Boot Screen? 12 Quick Fixes Here!
2 weeks ago - An Alienware laptop may get stuck ... can be fixed by disconnecting external devices, running Startup Repair, rebuilding boot files, checking disk health, resetting BIOS settings, or reinstalling Windows....