When you boot your PC, you may experience a problem with the error message “No bootable device”.
When this error is displayed, several possible causes are a BIOS, internal storage (HDD / SSD) failure, or Windows (OS) failure.
If you do not take appropriate measures, the condition of your PC may deteriorate, and internal data may be lost.
What is No bootable device?
“No bootable device” translates to “no bootable device” in Japanese.
When the PC boots, the system boots in the order of power → BIOS → internal storage (HDD / SSD) → Windows (OS). There is something wrong with the BIOS, internal storage, or OS, and the error is displayed when there is no bootable file.
The “No bootable device” error has different message texts depending on the type of PC (motherboard), but all of the following indicate the “system file (OS, etc.) cannot be found from the internal storage”.
- No boot device is available.
- Boot device not found.
- No bootable devices were found.
Cause of “No bootable device” being displayed
There are four possible causes for displaying “No bootable device”.
- There is a problem with the BIOS
- There is a problem with the internal storage (HDD / SSD, etc.)
- I’m having a problem with Windows (OS)
- There is a problem with the motherboard
There is a problem with the BIOS
When you start the PC, the BIOS will start first, and then the internal storage (HDD / SSD) and system files (OS) will start in that order. However, if a BIOS failure or misconfiguration occurs, the system file (OS) cannot be found, and this error message will be displayed.
There is a problem with the internal storage (HDD / SSD)
If the internal storage (HDD / SSD) fails, the BIOS may not be able to read the internal storage. There are two types of internal storage (HDD / SSD) failures: logical and physical failures.
If a physical failure occurs, the internal storage (HDD / SSD) is physically damaged, and you need to perform specialized work such as parts replacement and firmware repair. In addition, logical failures are likely to occur due to human operations such as forced termination and erroneous operation, and traces of data and folders remain for a while, so it is necessary to recover data by analyzing the traces with a specialized tool.
Causes of PC failure-What are housing defects, logical failures, and physical failures?
When a problem occurs in a personal computer, the causes are roughly divided into (1) housing failure, (2) logical failure, and (3) physical failure. “Defective housing” is a state in which the device itself is broken.
A “logical failure” is a condition in which there is no problem with the device itself, but there is a problem with the recorded data or folder structure. It is also classified as a logical failure when it is forcibly terminated while reading or writing data or when data is erased or initialized by an erroneous operation.
Physical failure is a state in which the parts for storing data are physically damaged, caused by physical impact, deterioration over time, short circuit due to the lightning strike, etc.
Windows system files are corrupted
Due to sudden power failure, virus infection, etc., Windows system files may be corrupted and displayed an error.
There is a problem with the motherboard
Due to a motherboard failure or out of charge, the BIOS settings may be initialized and display an error. If the cause is on the motherboard, the following symptoms may appear.
- There is a problem with the clock display on the PC
- There is a beeping sound from the PC
What to do when “No bootable device” is displayed
Here are four things to do when “No bootable device” is displayed.
- Perform startup repair
- Change BIOS settings
- Replace CMOS battery
- Consult a specialist
The corrective action differs depending on the cause, so first, check what the cause is.
First, check if there is a problem with the storage (HDD / SSD)
First, let’s check if the cause of the failure exists in the internal storage part (HDD / SSD). As a confirmation method, open the “F2 key” or “F12 key” (keyboard specified by the manufacturer) when starting the PC, and open the BIOS setting screen. After opening the BIOS setting screen, check the connected HDD / SSD.
The procedure is as follows.
- Turn on your PC and open the BIOS settings screen.
- Look up the “Boot“, “Advanced“, and ” Main ” tags on the settings screen to find information on the connected HDD / SSD.
- If the HDD / SSD information is displayed or the HDD / SSD name is displayed in the details of the SATA port or IDE port, the HDD / SSD is recognized.
If the HDD / SSD is recognized
If the HDD / SSD is recognized, there is no problem with the internal storage (HDD / SSD) part. The cause is the BIOS setting change or the motherboard, so check the following remedies (BIOS setting change or motherboard battery replacement).
When HDD / SSD is not recognized
If the HDD / SSD is not recognized, there is a possibility that the internal storage (HDD / SSD) part has failed. There is a risk of logical or physical failure of the internal storage (HDD / SSD). In this case, it may be improved by performing “Startup Repair”.
Also, in the case of Windows, it may be possible to automatically repair HDD logical failures (file system failures / minor bad sectors) by error checking.
However, error checking cannot handle physical failures. If you suspect a physical failure or cannot distinguish between a logical failure and a physical failure, do not use the error checker and consult a specialist.
Perform startup repair
By booting your computer in ” safe mode (diagnosis mode)” and performing “startup repair”, you may be able to identify the cause of your computer’s failure. In addition, startup repair repairs only in the event of a logical failure. Since the startup repair checks all the PC parts, it is easy to put a load on the HDD / SSD, and if there is a physical failure, the situation may worsen. Please do it on your own.
- When you start your PC, select Advanced Options.
- Select ” Troubleshooting ” from the option selection screen.
- Select Advanced Options.
- Select “Startup Repair“.
Change BIOS settings
The BIOS may be causing the error. Here are three ways to deal with changing the BIOS settings. Open the “F2 key” or “F12 key” (keyboard specified by the manufacturer) when you start the PC and open the BIOS setting screen.
Check the boot order
The BIOS boot is usually set to boot from Windows. However, if the boot priority is changed, “No bootable device” will be displayed.
First, let’s review the boot order setting from the BIOS.
Check the ” Boot Device Priority ” from the ” Boot ” tab of the setting screen, and make sure that the HDD / SSD with the OS installed is set for the drive with the highest priority. If there is a problem with the settings, change it. When you’re done, select Save and Exit to restart your PC.
Switch boot mode
If the BIOS and OS boot modes do not match, the OS may not be able to boot, and an error may occur. The cause of this trouble occurs when you do not install the OS by Windows update, BIOS update, or the correct procedure.
- Check the boot mode of the BIOS from the BIOS setting screen. (Legacy BIOS or UEFI boot mode.)
- If the boot mode is set to “Legacy BIOS” , change it to “UEFI Boot Mode”, and if it is set to “UEFI Boot Mode”, change it to ” Legacy BIOS “.
- Select ” Save and Exit ” to restart your PC.
Initialize the BIOS
Initializing the BIOS settings may eliminate the error.
To initialize it, execute ” Load Default Settings ” on the ” Exit ” tab of the settings screen. Then select ” Save and Exit ” to restart your PC.
Replace CMOS battery
If the motherboard’s battery runs out, the BIOS may not boot normally, and the PC screen may freeze, or the BIOS may be initialized. Therefore, if an error is displayed even though you have changed the BIOS settings, the motherboard battery may be dead.
There are two ways to replace the battery on the motherboard.
- Ask a specialist
- Exchange by yourself
Even beginners can replace the battery on the motherboard, but depending on the type of PC, it may be difficult to find the battery mounting part. If you are not confident, do not try to replace it yourself, but consult and request a specialist.
Here’s how to replace the motherboard yourself.
- First, find out what kind of battery your PC’s motherboard has. (The type of battery is CR2032.)
- Prepare the batteries.
- Remove all power supplies connected to your PC.
- Open the PC cover with a screwdriver
- If you find the motherboard, replace the batteries. (If the battery is firmly fixed, use a flat-blade screwdriver.)
- Replace with a new battery.
- After replacing the batteries, put on the cover.
- Turn on the power and configure the BIOS settings.
Note when you want to retrieve data from No bootable device
If you want to retrieve data from a computer with a “No bootable device” error, avoid the following actions.
- Do not turn the power on / off, restart, or forcibly terminate
- Do not keep the computer energized
- Do not reinstall or recover the OS
- Do not initialize or format
Depending on the cause of the error, you may not be able to handle it individually. If you feel uneasy, stop using it immediately and consult a specialist. Also, if you have data that you don’t want to lose, we recommend that you consult with a data recovery company before trying your work.
