Summary: If you come across an error that says “No bootable device” when you attempt to start your computer, then I will regret to tell you that your computer is totally unusable at the moment. Besides, in this case not only can you not open the computer, but you may also lose data if you don’t solve it properly. But don’t fret. In this article, you can learn the five methods to fix the no bootable device issue without data loss in Windows.
What is the Issue of No Bootable Device?
A bootable device is a kind of storage hardware, such as a hard drive, USB flash drive floppy disk drive, DVD, or CD-ROM drive, which contains necessary boot files and drivers for loading the operating system. The “no bootable device found” error is actually reported by BIOS, which is a program in computers used to load the operating system and execute the boot operation. It means BIOS cannot find or locate the boot device or the boot files on the boot device are incorrect. Some possible reasons for this issue are:
- The bootable hard drive or partition is not detected.
- Incorrect boot order, the computer is set to boot from an unbootable device
- The MBR (Master Boot Record) is damaged.
- The hard drive gets corrupted.
- The operating system file is corrupted.
You can try the below-listed methods to check if the “no bootable device” problem can be fixed.
Methods to Fix No Bootable Device
Method 1: Remove and Connect Back All Hardware Components
Initially, try restarting your computer and reconnecting all hardware devices securely. This will check if the “no bootable device” error was caused by a loose connection in the BIOS not detecting the hard drive. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, move to the next solution.
Method 2: Check Your Boot Order
An incorrect boot order can mislead your computer to boot from an unbootable hard drive or device, and therefore you get a “No bootable device” error. To check your boot order:
- Restart your computer and press a specific key (Del, F2, F10…) to enter BIOS setup.
- Press the right arrow keys on your keyboard until the Boot tab is opened.
- Then move your Hard Drive to the top of the boot order list. (You can read the instruction of your BIOS to learn how to move an item in the list.)
Method 3: Reset the Primary Partition as Active
The partition where the operating system is installed is called as a primary partition. It needs to be set as active for an OS boot success. So if it is set as inactive by mistake, the “no bootable device” issue will be triggered. Thus, please set it back as active.
- Insert the Windows installation DVD into your computer and boot from it.
- Select the language and keyboard layout, and click on Repair your computer.
- Click Troubleshoot and then Command Prompt.
- In the elevated Command Prompt window, write the following commands one by one and press Enter afterward:
list disk
select disk 0: 0 is the disk number of the system hard disk.
list partition
select partition 1: 1 represents the number of your system partition.
active
Method 4: Fix Boot Information (BCD and MBR)
When the boot information including BCD or MBR is corrupted by a virus attack, power outage, or bad sectors, you may get an error “no bootable device”. You can repair or rebuild such crucial information through Command Prompt commands.
- Also, enter Command Prompt window, then execute below commands in order:
Bootrec /fixmbr
Bootrec /fixboot
Bootrec /scanos
Bootrec /rebuildbcd
- Then restart your computer to check if this fixes your problem.
Method 5. Check Internal Hard Disk Status
The “no bootable device found” error may occur during Windows startup if the internal hard disk has disk errors. You can check its status using the CHKDSK.exe tool.
Open the Command Prompt as Administrator, then enter the command: chkdsk c: /f /x /r, and press Enter. This command will scan and repair errors on drive C (where the Windows operating system is typically installed).
Conclusion
No bootable device issue means you can’t use your computer properly, and fixing this problem is a matter of urgency. If you’re experiencing this problem, follow the five methods outlined in this article to fix it.