The error ‘no bootable devices found’ indicates that the computer cannot locate the boot drive, which holds the files required for the machine to boot. If the problem is not resolved properly, it may result in data loss and the inability to power up your computer.
Before replacing, formatting, or reinstalling Windows, try troubleshooting in this article if your computer won’t boot and displays “No bootable device” or a similar error message.
solutions For No Bootable Devices Found Error In Windows
- Disassemble and reassemble hardware components
- Repairing the System
- Examine the hard drive for faulty sectors
What does it imply when it says “No Bootable Devices Found”?
- Boot Device
A bootable device is a piece of hardware that stores the information needed to start a computer. It can be a hard drive, a floppy disc drive, a DVD, a CD-ROM drive, or a USB flash drive.
A bootable device is a device that may be used to start a computer. Otherwise, the machine cannot start from the bootable media.
The most widely used bootable device or boot drive is a hard disc that contains an operating system such as Windows. The boot files and drivers required to load the system are stored on the system partition.
When the system fails to boot, or you try to reinstall the operating system, you must boot the computer from a bootable disc.
To do so, ensure the boot sequence is configured correctly in the CMOS setup and that the bootable disc is plugged into the computer; the system will then be loaded from the disc rather than the hard drive.
- There is no bootable device.
The computer has built-in software independent of the operating system and is responsible for loading or booting the computer into operation. BIOS stands for Basic Input/Output System (Basic Input Output System). BIOS displays error warnings such as “No bootable device- hit F1 to attempt boot, F2 for setup utility.”
An error message appears on the screen when it cannot load an operating system from any device. The operation taken by BIOS to load the operating system is referred to as booting.
The boot device is a storage device that stores installed system data, such as a hard disc, USB flash drive, or DVD.
The error notice appears if the device cannot be found or if the files on the device are wrong. The boot sequence in BIOS should be configured to the hard disc or external device currently in use.
Why does the computer indicate it can’t find a bootable device?
“No bootable device” is part of the error message that appears onscreen, which scares many customers who do not know how computers function.
This problem occurs when the computer cannot locate a device or file to start the operating system. Here are some of the probable reasons for this error.
- An unbootable device is used to start the computer
- Damage to the hard disc occurs
- The operating system has become corrupted
- Virus infection
- Error on the motherboard
1. An unbootable device is used to start the computer
Users may accidentally insert an unbootable disc or CD into their machine and configure it as the boot device or incorrectly modify the boot order in BIOS.
Normally, we should set the device that often loads the operating system as the bootable device on the boot order page to guarantee a smooth computer startup.
As a result, if you accidentally reset the boot device or fail to designate the disc as the initial boot, you will undoubtedly encounter the issue. If you’re having trouble with this, check your BIOS settings first.
2. Damage to the hard disc occurs.
Damage to the hard drive or faulty sectors might also cause the error. The operating system and boot files are stored on the hard drive. If you haven’t changed the boot procedure, the boot device is still the internal hard disc.
A damaged hard disc will not be able to perform routine read or write tasks, and the boot process will also fail. Furthermore, if a hard disc is severely damaged, the computer may not recognize it, implying that there is no longer a boot device.
3. The operating system has become corrupted.
This computer boot device issue can also be caused by the installed operating system crashing due to a virus attack or mistakenly erased system data. Furthermore, MBR (Master Boot Record) corruption contributes to the problem.
The MBR sector is a PC boot section that directs the system to read the necessary information to boot. It’s extremely likely that if this sector is destroyed, you’ll have boot device not found problems.
4. Virus infection
If a virus infects your computer and ruins important system files and directories, your computer may still identify your hard drive, but you may experience booting issues. This can also happen if you accidentally remove some system files.
5. Error on the motherboard
Sometimes hardware components fail, such as a motherboard fault, resulting in issues ranging from the loss of wireless capabilities to the inability to recognize an external power supply.
If the motherboard fails to recognize the hard drive, the computer will be unable to receive signals from the drive, resulting in a lack of bootable media.
How can I resolve the issue of a non-bootable device?
- Disassemble and reassemble hardware components
- Repairing the System
- Examine the hard drive for faulty sectors
Method 1: Disassemble and reassemble hardware components
To troubleshoot the issue, restart the computer and hit F2 or whatever key the computer suggests to enter BIOS. For example, to enter BIOS setup, you may need to press “Del” or F10.
Then select the “Primary Hard Drive” option. If the value is “none,” the computer does not recognize the attached hard disc.
Then, turn off the computer and detach the power cord so you may remove any devices linked to it, such as the hard disc, USB drives, mouse, and so on, and check whether the problem can be remedied.
A loose connection of a hardware item can frequently generate a discussion error. However, if all of these devices are properly connected and the issue persists, you should continue to read the remainder remedies.
Method 2: Repairing the System
- Restart the computer by inserting a Windows installation media or a bootable USB drive with installation files for the same Windows version into the USB port. This section will use the Windows 7 installation DVD as an example.
- First, change the boot order in BIOS to make the DVD boot. When the computer starts up, you’ll see instructions on how to enter BIOS on the screen. To enter BIOS, you may need to use Del, F2, or another key, which differs per machine.
- To modify the boot order, go to the Boot tab and follow the instructions at the bottom or in the right pane. Save your modifications, then exit BIOS and reboot your machine.
- After the disc has loaded, click “Next” to pick your language, time zone, and keyboard or input method. The following screen appears, on which you should click “Repair your machine” in the bottom-left corner.
- After the computer has finished scanning itself, choose one installation from the list, select the most appropriate one from it, and proceed. A fault may be noticed during the starting procedure, and the system may urge you to remedy the problem automatically. You have the option of allowing the system to fix itself or just selecting No.
- First, try “Startup Repair.” You’ll notice a range of options when you come to the “System Recovery Options” interface, which can help you fix boot a broken Windows 7. The first option, “Startup Repair,” may solve various startup difficulties immediately.
- If this option fails to resolve your machine’s “no bootable device” problem, you’ll have to use the Command Prompt option to resolve the problem manually.
- In the Command Prompt window, type “bootrec.exe /FixMbr” and click enter. “The operation finished successfully” will appear if it is performed successfully. This indicates that the Master Boot Record (MBR) has been restored. If the starting problem persists, use the command “bootrec.exe /RebuildBcd” to rebuild the BCD.
Method 3: Examine the hard drive for faulty sectors
The problem might be with the hard disc if nothing is amiss with the system or other hardware components. You should inspect the hard disc where the operating system is installed for any problems or faulty sectors.
Because the computer is now unable to boot, you can proceed with the procedures below after connecting the hard drive to another computer.
- Select “Open” from the desktop computer icon using the right mouse button.
- Locate and right-click the drive letter corresponding to the afflicted hard disc, then choose Properties.
- Click “Check Now” on the “Tools” tab. Then you’ll see two options: “Fix file system faults automatically” and “Scan for and try recovery of damaged sectors.” You should check both to scan fully and correct issues on this disc.
How can you retrieve data lost due to a system crash?
Most computer users are dissatisfied with their experience with system boot issues since they are difficult to resolve and can even result in data loss. No matter how diligent your operations are, a system error can happen to anyone.
When your computer fails to start, you will do all you can to remedy the problem, such as repair errors, restore or reinstall the operating system, format the hard drive, and so on.
It may affect anything from a few damaged files to the entire computer, which can be devastating. How can you recover data that has been lost due to a system problem, deletion, formatting, or other errors?
Eassos Recovery Free is a free and effective solution to rely on and use in data loss scenarios to recover data entirely and safely. After an OS crash, it may assist users in looking for and recovering lost data from hard drives, external disks, flash drives, SSDs, SD cards, and other storage devices.
Here’s a step-by-step instruction for using Eassos free data recovery software to recover lost data.
- Remove the hard disc from the afflicted computer and attach it to a Windows machine in good working order.
- Eassos Recovery is available for free download and installation on the linked computer. Then choose “Recover Files From Partition” from the recovery software’s menu.
- To search for files, choose the partition from which you wish to restore lost data and click the “Next” button.
- The free data recovery program examines the specified partition and displays all recoverable files during the scanning process. Afterward, you may preview files to see if the system crash has harmed them.
- Select the files and folders you wish to save and click “Recover” to save them to the chosen place.
Conclusion
The error “no bootable device” on Acer, HP, Dell, and other laptops aggravates. This article discusses the most effective strategies for resolving the issue.
You might start by checking the hard disc attached to see if your computer can recognize the bootable hard drive. Then, using the Windows installation CD, establish the boot order in BIOS and repair faulty MBR, system files, and bad sectors.
Important: If your computer fails to boot, you must first recover any lost data before attempting to fix the problem.