Jan 15, 2024 • Filed to: Windows Computer Solutions • Proven solutions
For a computer to run a boot, everything from the system to the boot device should be ready to function without any hiccups fro corrupted or damaged files. However, the boot device not found error can sometimes occur, leaving one with a headache, trying to troubleshoot this problem. Various reasons cause this error. It could be due to a corrupted or damaged bootable disk, damaged boot sectors, or MBR on the boot disk, BIOS disorganization, or hard disk connection problem. Malware can also damage boot sectors or the entire bootable disk.
The boot device not found error is a common Windows problem with 4 error prompt scenarios:
When you receive these errors, the PC will fail to boot, due to undetectable bootable disk or boot sectors. The hard disk cannot support the system boot process because the BIOS failed to make the connection with the boot device. To start your computer normally, you will need to perform one of these actions:
a. Turn off your PC.
b. Remove any docking station and unplug the AC adapter. Check and unplug any other external devices plugged in the PC.
c. Long press Power button to drain the remaining charge for 15 seconds.
d. On the Startup menu, navigate to Start Windows normally using your arrow keys.
e. Press Enter.
a. Turn on your PC and immediately press the F10 key a few times to enter the BIOS menu.
b. Press F9 to restore previous BIOS default settings on the setup menu.
c. Once the settings load, press F10.
d. Choose YES and then press the Enter key to save the changes.
e. Follow the wizard and restart accordingly.
a. Long press the Power button to switch off the PC.
b. Unplug the power socket from the outlet.
c. Disconnect the hard drive, and then reconnect it to the power supply and motherboard.
d. Start your PC again and observe if this solves the issue.
However, if the above actions fail to fix the issue, you have to recover data on the hard drive first and then fix the damaged hard drive.
Facing the failure of booting the OS, you have to create a bootable media in another normal computer and use the media to recover the data on the hard drive. Concerning this situation, there is a helpful tool you can resort to - Recoverit Data Recovery. It's capable of creating bootable media from USB flash drive or CD/DVD and recovering all kinds of data from the corrupted or damaged hard drive. Just follow the below steps to go on.
Step 1. Install and launch Recoverit Data Recovery and then select the Recover from Crash Computer option. Click Start to go on.
Step 2. Plugin a USB flash drive or insert a CD/DVD for creating the bootable media. Click Create button to continue.
Step 3. The software will write down boot data and files into the media, just wait for it is done.
Step 4. When the process is done, plugin the boot media to the unbootable computer and alter the BIOS menu to boot from the USB flash drive. You can check out two pages to learn how to set the computer to boot from a USB drive and how to set the computer to boot from CD ROM.
Step 5. Boot the computer and choose the data recovery mode you prefer to recover data on the hard drive.
Since this error is caused by several reasons, identifying the root problem might not be an easy task. Here are three of the usual culprits that cause this specific error.
Boot device not found error is usually caused by a bad sector. Boot device (aka the hard drive) is made up of partitions or sectors. If anyone of these is damaged either by corruption or deletion, the BIOS will fail to access the Random Access Memory (RAM), which in turn causes failure to boot. This causes the hard drive to be unable to read and write requests made at boot.
Although the hard drive performs error checks even when unprompted, certain cases prevent the hard drive from responding to commands. One common factor is faulty or damaged hardware.
The MBR or Master Boot Record is an important component of the booting process. This section of the hard drive has executable files used to load the OS into the RAM. Some factors that damage this part of the boot device is usually caused by a virus attack, overwrite of the MBR or total disk failure. An MBR damage entails rebuilding it entirely.
Seek an IT professional who can rebuild the MBR for you, so that recovery is done fast and no further damage is made.
Physical damage to essential sections of your PC causes the whole system to fail. The computer has a lot of parts, and most of the tiny mechanisms work in congruence with each other. The hard drive is a fragile part, and boot failure may be caused by damages in motor failure, platter scratches, PCB damage, or head crash. Maintaining your boot device's health by regular integrity checks is recommended. If any damage is already made, you can contact an expert instead of the DIY approach to make sure that no further damage is done to the PC.
With the right tools and expertise, the error Boot device not found can be solved. There is no need to worry because these methods are the most common solutions to the specified error. However, you can also seek an IT expert's help if you want the problem to be solved efficiently. The DIY approach poses a lot of potential threats. Your PC is a delicate contraption that requires.
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Theo Lucia
chief Editor