The screen showed ‘No bootable device found’ and nothing more. So far, that’s all we know; there has been no indication of whether or not your data was lost. What you do with the computer over the next 10 minutes will determine just how inexpensive the fix will be.
The area between your power button and your desktop contains a string of elements that need to be working in a specific order in order for you to access your files (firmware, boot sequence, partition table, bootloader, Windows). Since there is an error message, at least one of these links has failed. Fortunately, your data is probably still intact because it is beyond where the failure occurred.
Start at the top of this list and work your way down. Each step you take is less expensive than the one after it.
First, the settings. An empty BIOS battery, an aborted firmware update or leaving a USB stick plugged into the computer when shutting down can disrupt the BIOS boot sequence, so the machine looks for the operating system in the wrong location. In this case, open the BIOS, set the internal drive as #1 (first) in the BIOS boot list, remove all other peripheral drives and cables and restart the machine. On a desktop, it’s also advisable to reseat the data cable and power cable on the hard drive while you’re at it. Many instances of non-booting machines can be fixed with these steps, and they cannot possibly cause damage.
Second, the boot files. When you interrupt the shutdown of the PC by unplugging it, a sudden loss of power can corrupt the tiny “boot loader” files that tell Windows where to go to load itself. Your drive and data are perfectly fine, but your ignition is shot. This problem typically presents as a BIOS detecting a drive, but unable to boot from it.
Third, the map. In some cases, deeper corruption can destroy the "partition table", which is essentially an index of how everything is organised on the physical disk. The machine recognises a drive, but does not recognise a valid operating system. Data is good; map is bad. Our missing partition recovery service can recreate exactly this, using only a read-only copy of the drive's contents.
Fourth, the drive itself. Determine if the drive has simply stopped being recognised by the BIOS. If you see either a completely blank entry for your drive in the BIOS or a completely incorrect description for your drive (or even worse, 0GB) then something is fundamentally wrong with either the drive’s hardware or firmware. As such, this issue cannot be resolved through any form of software; it is a drive not recognised case and needs to be taken to a bench for repair.
Unfortunately, this is the solution suggested by the error message itself.
By reinstalling Windows, you’ll fix nearly all cases of a no-boot condition (by installing a new OS on top of the old one). After doing this, the laptop should work again. Unfortunately, during this install, the entire library of pictures, Word docs, etc. located behind the failed bootloader will be overwritten. Therefore, if your data matters to you, stick to this order: data first, repair second. Recover your data before running a “startup repair” loop (where you repeatedly use a tool designed to verify/repair issues on your disk), because each iteration causes additional wear on a disk that may already be weakening.
The professional way avoids the problem: simply remove the drive and copy the contents of the original drive onto another storage device using a read-only imaging utility (this way none of the data is modified), secure your files from that copy, and then proceed with repairing, reinstalling or replacing your computer.
Everything else depends on getting into the BIOS, and every hardware manufacturer hides the entry differently; however, one common way is to tap the key repeatedly as soon as the computer starts and before it boots up completely. Dell and Lenovo will generally use F2. Some Lenovo desktops may use F1. HP computers usually use either Esc or F10. Most Acer and ASUS computers are either going to be F2 or Del. Custom built desktop computers almost always use the Del key. Missing the window for entering the BIOS will result in being returned to the error message screen. Simply turn off the computer and try again without losing any information. Once you have entered the BIOS, you need to search through all the options to find something related to Boot, Storage or System Information. At this point the question is simply whether your drive’s name and size can be found within the system’s own inventory.
Usually not. This error code indicates that the startup search has failed: the computer could not locate a functioning operating system to transfer control to. Problems with the start-up process usually occur within the boot chain (the series of programs that load during the start-up process) as opposed to within an end-user’s data; examples include a modified boot order in the BIOS, a damaged bootloader, and problems with the partition table. When there is a problem with the hard drive it is rare for the files to be lost due to a failure; they will usually remain intact until they can be successfully backed-up or cloned from the failing disk.
The safe part, yes. There are no risks involved in checking the boot order in the BIOS, re-seating a cable on a desktop, and verifying whether the drive is recognised. Stop before any operation which writes: this includes startup repair loops, partition utilities and, most importantly, re-installing Windows. Reinstalling Windows will write into the exact same location where your files currently reside thus creating a valid boot chain.
Ask the BIOS. In the BIOS settings (the default method of accessing these is usually by pressing the F2 or Del key when turning on the computer), navigate to the storage section. If you see your drive listed here, but it still won’t boot, then the problem is likely logical, such as the boot files or the partition layout, which is highly recoverable. If you do not see your drive listed at all, then the drive itself, or its cable/adapter, has failed, and you will need to take your drive to a lab for diagnostics.
Same family / same fork. Makers use all sorts of different wording: ‘boot device not found’ (HP), ‘no boot device available’ (Dell), ‘insert boot media’, ‘operating system not found’, sad-face 3F0 error code. However, they are reporting the same event: the firmware ran through the boot list and could find no devices to start. The diagnosis and BIOS test in this guide can be used regardless of what dialect your machine uses.
Diagnostic services are available free of charge at our Belfast lab. We provide a written quote prior to performing any work, and in most cases you only pay if we successfully recover your data. For details about dropping off your drive in person at Forsyth House, Cromac Square in Belfast, contact us. Alternatively, we also accept shipments from anywhere in the United Kingdom.