PC stuck in BIOS loop during Windows reinstallation (MSI B760 Gaming Plus WiFi)

Question

PC stuck in BIOS loop during Windows reinstallation (MSI B760 Gaming Plus WiFi)

Богдан діда 20

Hello,

I am experiencing an issue where my PC is stuck in a BIOS loop while trying to reinstall Windows. Every time I boot or restart the computer, it goes straight into MSI Click BIOS 5, and I cannot proceed with the installation.

Here are the details of the problem and what I’ve already tried:

• Hardware: Motherboard is MSI B760 GAMING PLUS WIFI with an Intel Core i5-12600KF.

• The Issue: During the Windows installation process, the PC rebooted and started booting directly into the BIOS. No matter what I do, it keeps looping back to the BIOS screen.

• Boot Menu (F11): I tried pressing F11 to open the boot menu and manually select my USB flash drive, but it doesn't boot into the setup and just throws me back into BIOS.

• Recreating the USB: I even used another laptop to completely recreate the Windows installation media on the USB drive, but the issue persists.

• BIOS Status: In the BIOS (as shown in the attached file image.png), my BIOS mode is currently set to CSM/UEFI.

Could you please advise on how to fix this loop? Do I need to change specific Storage/Boot settings (like switching completely to UEFI, disabling Secure Boot/Fast Boot, or changing VMD/SATA controller settings) so the system can properly recognize the bootable drive and the SSD?

Thank you in advance for your help!

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Answer 1

Follow these steps in order, focusing on UEFI-only boot and verifying the boot device and disk layout.

Set firmware to pure UEFI (no CSM/Legacy)
- Enter MSI Click BIOS 5.
- Locate the firmware boot mode option (often under Boot or Advanced settings).
- Change from CSM/UEFI (or Legacy/UEFI mix) to UEFI only.
- Save and exit.
- Reason: Windows 11 is designed to install in UEFI mode with GPT. Mixed/legacy modes can cause the firmware not to see the USB or SSD as valid boot targets.
Disable Secure Boot temporarily (if needed)
- Still in BIOS, find Secure Boot (usually under Security, Boot, or Authentication).
- Set Secure Boot to Disabled.
- Save and exit.
- This removes Secure Boot as a variable while troubleshooting USB boot. Secure Boot can be re-enabled after Windows is installed and booting correctly.
Verify the USB boots in UEFI mode
- Re-enter BIOS and open the Boot Menu (F11 on MSI) or Boot Priority list.
- Ensure the USB entry shows as a UEFI device (for example, UEFI: <USB name>). If there is a non-UEFI entry for the same USB, do not use it.
- Select the UEFI USB entry and confirm whether it starts Windows Setup. If it still returns to BIOS, recreate the USB on another machine ensuring:
  - It is created as a UEFI bootable Windows 10/11 media.
  - The USB is connected to a standard USB 2.0/3.0 port directly on the motherboard I/O (avoid front-panel hubs while testing).
Check disk mode and partition style alignment
- For a successful UEFI boot, the system drive must be GPT, not MBR.
- If Windows Setup previously started and repartitioned the SSD, but the firmware is still in mixed/legacy mode, the system can fail to find a bootable OS and drop back into BIOS.
- If the installation is incomplete and there is no OS yet, the BIOS will also fall back to its setup screen.
Ensure the SSD is visible and first in UEFI boot order
- In BIOS, verify the SSD appears under Storage or NVMe/SATA information.
- In the Boot section, after Windows Setup completes and reboots, ensure the Windows Boot Manager entry (on the SSD) is at the top of the boot order.
- If the system repeatedly returns to BIOS after Setup’s first reboot, it usually means:
  - The firmware is still trying to boot in Legacy/CSM mode, or
  - The UEFI boot files on the EFI System Partition are missing or misconfigured.
If Windows was partially installed and now won’t boot
- Boot from the Windows installation USB in UEFI mode.
- Choose Repair your computer instead of Install.
- Go to Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Command Prompt (WinRE).
- Use diskpart to verify the disk and partition layout:
  - diskpart
  - list disk → confirm the system disk shows a * in the GPT column for UEFI.
  - list vol → identify the SYSTEM (EFI) partition and the OS partition.
Rebuild boot files if the SSD has a valid OS but no boot entry
- From WinRE Command Prompt, after identifying the OS and SYSTEM partitions:
  - Assign drive letters if needed (for example, OS = D:, SYSTEM = R:).
  - Run:
```
       bcdboot D:\windows /s R: /f ALL
```
  - This writes both UEFI and BIOS boot files, but with firmware set to UEFI-only, the UEFI path will be used.
- If the BCD store is corrupt or missing, bootrec /rebuildbcd can also be used to recreate entries.
If the system still always opens BIOS with no OS installed
- Confirm:
  - Firmware is UEFI-only.
  - Secure Boot is Disabled while testing.
  - The USB is recognized as UEFI: <USB name> and selected.
- If Windows Setup never starts from the USB despite this, recreate the USB again or test with a different USB stick/port.
Avoid switching between Legacy and UEFI mid-install
- Once Windows installation is started in UEFI mode, do not switch to Legacy/CSM. Changing firmware mode or disk partition style mid-process can cause boot failures and BIOS loops. If a mode change is required, fully clean the disk and restart the installation in the new mode.

These steps align the firmware mode (UEFI), disk partition style (GPT), and boot files so that the system can boot from the USB to install Windows and then from the SSD without looping back into BIOS.

References:

Answer 2

Ivan B 114.8K Independent Advisor

Hi,

In this case, disable Secure Boost and CSM.

Change the boot default to UEFI and check if the storage configuration is AHCI.

After that, change the boot order to USB Flash drive first and UEFI Hard disk second > Save the BIOS.

Press F10 to access the boot menu and select the USB Flash drive and try installing Windows.

Thanks

Богдан діда 20 Reputation points

2026-06-01T13:50:48.23+00:00

Hello,

I am trying to clean-install Windows on my PC, but I am stuck in a complete BIOS loop (MSI Click BIOS 5). Every time I try to boot from my installation USB flash drive, I get a black screen with the following UEFI:NTFS error:

[FAIL] Windows bootmgr encountered a security validation or internal error

Press any key to exit.

After pressing a key, it loops straight back into the BIOS.

Following the advice from an Independent Advisor, I went into the BIOS settings to apply the recommended fixes, but I am completely locked out. Here is my current status:

1. BIOS Mode: It is already set to UEFI (CSM is disabled).

2. SATA/Storage Mode: Intel VMD is disabled, meaning the storage configuration is running in AHCI mode.

3. The Core Problem (Secure Boot Locked): Secure Boot is currently set to Enabled. However, the option is completely grayed out/locked, and the BIOS does not allow me to click on it or change it to Disabled.

My Hardware:

• Motherboard: MSI B760 GAMING PLUS WIFI

• CPU: Intel Core i5-12600KF

Since I cannot disable Secure Boot to bypass this validation error, and my USB media is being rejected by the motherboard's current security keys, what should I do? Do I need to clear the keys in "Key Management", or is there another way to force the BIOS to unlock the Secure Boot toggle?

Thank you for your help!
Ivan B 114.8K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-06-01T14:06:07.64+00:00

Hi,

An alternative would be to update the BIOS, but if possible, take a picture of the secure boot screen and post it here in the BIOS.

Thanks
Богдан діда 20 Reputation points

2026-06-01T14:12:22.7333333+00:00
Here is the photo of my Secure Boot screen. As you can see, the Secure Boot option is completely grayed out and locked on [Enabled], so I cannot change it to Disabled.

Should I try clearing the keys in "Key Management" to unlock it, or do I need to update the BIOS? Photo here
Ivan B 114.8K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-06-01T14:20:59.46+00:00

Hi,

That's strange. If possible, could you take a picture of the boot menu and post it here?

Thanks
Богдан діда 20 Reputation points

2026-06-01T14:27:09.6366667+00:00

https://ibb.co/0LwMB5q
Ivan B 114.8K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-06-01T14:38:49.33+00:00

Hi,

The best option is to update the BIOS and then reset the keys.

You can get the BIOS here, get the latest version.

https://br.msi.com/Motherboard/B760-GAMING-PLUS-WIFI/support

AMI BIOS

Versão7D98vHD

The procedure to update:

https://storage-asset.msi.com/files/pdf/How_to_flash_the_BIOS.pdf

Remember that updating the BIOS is recommended, but it presents risks. If you interrupt the process, your laptop or desktop may not boot.

While this is not a Microsoft website, it is the official site of [B760 GAMING PLUS WIFI/ MSI].

Thanks
Богдан діда 20 Reputation points

2026-06-02T14:44:55.94+00:00

Thank you so much! Updating the BIOS and clearing the Secure Boot keys completely solved the problem. Everything works perfectly now, I really appreciate your help!
Ivan B 114.8K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-06-02T15:14:16.8933333+00:00

Hi,

I'm glad it worked out. You can always count on the Microsoft Q&A community, and have a good week.

Thanks
Ivan B 114.8K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-06-02T16:54:43.1066667+00:00

Hi,

Enjoy the game!

Thanks

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PC stuck in BIOS loop during Windows reinstallation (MSI B760 Gaming Plus WiFi)

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