Help with [ No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key]

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by christian666, May 20, 2012.

  1. christian666

    christian666 MDL Senior Member

    Feb 24, 2010
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    Hi everyone,

    I have the following message on my envy 15t:

    No bootable devices -- insert boot disk and press any key

    the laptop was working just find I have just reinstall the OS to factory conditions,(because a virus/malware tool off all my programs folders from the start menu).

    like I said the computer was working fine after the reinstall of the OS. I left it on table for a few hours (I need to do stuff).But the computer was fine not doing anything just left it on.
    When I came back I had the message on my screen:

    No bootable devices -- insert boot disk and press any key

    What could it be?

    any suggestions?


    thank you all
     
  2. FFManHole

    FFManHole MDL Member

    Nov 27, 2009
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    @ christian666

    Sounds like your HDD's boot sector is missing (since it's asking to insert boot disk) or maybe the HDD has bad sectors. I'd suggest running chkdsk /r from your Win 7 disk (command line option) or from a bootable CD (or other similar WinPE) like Hiren's. Or you could run Win 7's (native) Startup repair to verify file(s) integrity BUT I, personally, would run chkdsk first.
     
  3. christian666

    christian666 MDL Senior Member

    Feb 24, 2010
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    so when I run a bootable usb w. w7,
    i hit installed and i get a message

    no devices drivers were found.

    when I use cmd from the bootable w7 usb

    i get

    x:\Sources>

    then I type chkdsk /r

    and i get this

    the type of the file system is NTFS
    Cannot lock current drive.
    Windows cannot run disk checking on this volume because it is write proctected.
    -------------------------------------

    but here is something weird

    i took the hd out out the laptop
    and hook it it so my desktop could read and when I went to Disk Management

    I see my Hdd as unolocated (I hope i type that correctly)
     
  4. PhaseDoubt

    PhaseDoubt MDL Expert

    Dec 24, 2011
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    Check to make sure your HDD is set as the first bootable drive. If you have more than one HDD, make sure the system drive is first in its list.
     
  5. christian666

    christian666 MDL Senior Member

    Feb 24, 2010
    297
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    how to I go from doing this
     
  6. nodnar

    nodnar MDL Expert

    Oct 15, 2011
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    hmm..

    the strangest fault...
    even if you deleted ntldr or the mbr on a
    running system, the system would only find out
    when you try to reboot it..and you did not..;

    if you are dead sure the install was completely
    finished, that is..

    certainly some bad blocks in essential
    places could make the system want to
    reboot..like when it cannot read explorer
    or cmd.exe..
    the same if some memory adresses in ram are
    suddenly dead. [ heat problem?]

    from what i understand you hooked up the
    disk to your desktop, and it cannot read it..

    it is kind of hard to find out if you cannot
    get your hands on the machine from afar..

    all i can do is tell you what i would try to
    do, if it was my machine..

    -hook the disk up to your desktop.
    -boot desktop from usb. i would use a bootable
    dos stick with ntfs driver rather than w7 stick..
    -try dir from cmd.exe or command.com
    -use a filemanager [ not explorer] from usb
    and try to acces the drive.
    -if this works, you can back up the files
    that you need.
    and maybe even run chkdsk..
    -then, you can format the thing, leaving
    the oem restore partition [if any] alone.

    -then put the drive back into the laptop,
    -try to run system restore from bios.
    -if it does not work, try to reinstall os
    on laptop from cd.
    -you could try this with minimal banks of ram
    installed on the laptop, and exchange the
    banks in turn..

    -if it does not work, throw away harddisk
    and buy a new one..the write protected
    message is not good news. disk may be dead.

    just my 2 cents.
     
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  7. christian666

    christian666 MDL Senior Member

    Feb 24, 2010
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    Now that I remember this also happen:

    I had bios set us so it would run
    1st) usb
    2st) cd(but my comp does not had cd drive)
    3th) hard drive
    -----------------
    I restart my comp(laptop) while another hard drive was connected via a usb.

    I think the comp started to think the usb hard drive was its own.

    then I exist this, cause I knew what was happening.

    I turn on my comp. and all work fine.
    you know I was able to go online, check email, so my OS re installing was finalize.
    then I left my comp there for a few hours. and then came back to check on it.
    and I had that message:

    No bootable devices -- insert boot disk and press any key

    -----------------------------------------

    I had a similiar situation like 2 years ago, when something very similiar happen to me.

    and it was that the boot section (i believe) was erase or that was written or damage.

    so I ran cmd by a usb bootable w7 and did type some codes and I had my OS back working fine.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    But the strange this is that my hard drive is showing as Unallocated.
    ------------------------------

    my guess is that first I need to first fix my unallocated situation.
    I dont care I have to format the drive since I have a back up.
    But I want to is to is have my hard drive as factory conditions.(odd-- but here is why)
    ---
    the factory condition had a partition where hp design a os where I could access with out having booting into W7,
    -------
    I I could find a envy 15 t recovery image. I could just re install everything from there
     
  8. christian666

    christian666 MDL Senior Member

    Feb 24, 2010
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  9. nodnar

    nodnar MDL Expert

    Oct 15, 2011
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    well, thats a lot of extra info, christian..
    if you have backups, you could initialize what
    your desktop calls hd1..and it should work again..
    only question is how to put an os on it on your
    lappy, with only usb to work from..
    still trying to work that out..
     
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  10. christian666

    christian666 MDL Senior Member

    Feb 24, 2010
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    wait to tell me to do what? sorry I couldn't understand.

    so here:
    I have back up my personal files and programs on an external hd, so the laptop hd info is not important that much.
    i'm worry more about the original recovery partition that was there and that I no longer able to see.
    I could potentially installed the os via usb using my usb stick with w7.
    but I want to have to recover the recovery partition what was originally inside the hd.:(
    any suggestion ?:worthy:
     
  11. nodnar

    nodnar MDL Expert

    Oct 15, 2011
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    sorry man,

    trying hard, but i cannot work it out..
    so many questions..
    like what if you attach the lappies drive via usb to it..
    i just dunno at the moment, apologies..:(
    just hope some guru has a look at it..
     
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  12. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

    Dec 2, 2011
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    what OS is on the recovery partition?
     
  13. christian666

    christian666 MDL Senior Member

    Feb 24, 2010
    297
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    is okay,
    thank you for your help
     
  14. christian666

    christian666 MDL Senior Member

    Feb 24, 2010
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    hi there,
    w7
     
  15. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

    Dec 2, 2011
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    also if you are able to go into computer management look at event viewer to see why it shut down
     
  16. christian666

    christian666 MDL Senior Member

    Feb 24, 2010
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    with hard drive attach or no ?
    i assume with hard drive correct
     
  17. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

    Dec 2, 2011
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    So I am clear ..your OS was previously on disk 1 which says unallocated now correct?...
    Disk 0 or C:\ is another install of W7?
     
  18. christian666

    christian666 MDL Senior Member

    Feb 24, 2010
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    yes disk 1 is my laptop hard drive attach to to desktop via usb attachment.
    disk 0 is my desktop hardrive and currently using to write now
    --------------------------
    disk 1 which is showing as unollocated is the hd that i'm problems with