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George Wells 0 Reputation points
2026-09-07T00:15:55.9+00:00

Dell desktop stuck on "Preparing one time boot menu

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Performance and system failures
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  1. Ian-T 11,970 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-07T06:37:44.4466667+00:00

    Hi @George Wells

    This appears to be happening before Windows starts, so it may be a Dell BIOS, boot, or drive issue.

    Disconnect any USB devices, shut the desktop down completely, then restart and repeatedly press F12. Choose Diagnostics and run the storage test. You can also press F2 during startup and confirm that the SSD or hard drive is listed.

    If the drive is detected and passes diagnostics, try Windows Startup Repair from Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair. Microsoft explains the Startup Repair process here.

    If an error code appears during Dell Diagnostics, please post the exact code and the Dell model.

    Hope this helps.

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