Hello, dear friends! The next time you start the computer, an error appears on the monitor with the name “Operating system not found.” Instead of Windows boot, a message is displayed on the screen, which translated from English into Russian means that the system was not found.
For many, such a mistake causes negative emotions, but everything is not as scary as it seems at first glance. Let's consider in order what this error is, why it appears and how to fix it on your own, without turning to qualified specialists for help.
Error “Operating system not found” - what does it mean?
“Operating system not found” - what could this mean? After all, Windows OS is installed on the computer, and before this it started without problems. This error usually occurs after the user has manipulated the hard drive, for example, changing it to another or a new one. If the user has not done anything like this, then the reason may be a failure of the hard drive or a problem with connecting the cable.
The second probable cause of the error is incorrect setting of BIOS parameters.
Most often, the location of the HDD or hard drive not in first, but in second place. Initially, you need to make sure that the cable is connected to the hard drive, and only after that you need to go to Bios to check that HDD is in the first place of launch.
Check to see if there is a flash drive inserted into the computer that is trying to start the computer. The error message appears on various versions of the operating systems WindowsXP, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10. If the problem occurs on a laptop, then the probability of the hard drive failing is 90%. To try to eliminate the error, you need to do a number of manipulations. Why try? Because at the same time we will look for the cause and try to fix it, unless of course the whole point is the failure of the hard drive.
I How can I fix the “Operating system not found” error?
If checked system unit check that there are no defects with the hard drive connection, then turn on the computer and load the BIOS system. You need to check whether the settings in the BIOS are set correctly, and if not, then it is enough to change them to return the computer to working order.
To get into the BIOS, you need to press the F2 or F12 key while starting your computer or laptop. After the appearance blue screen where everything is written on English language(this is the Bios shell configuration), you need to go to the Boot section using the arrows on the keyboard.
This is interesting! For those who have never been to BIOS system, it will be useful to know that this shell is controlled only using the keyboard, and the mouse is inactive here, but in new versions of the OS the mouse is still active (an example on new version BIOS).
After going to the Boot section (on some Advanced versions), a list of devices connected to the computer will appear. The name of the hard drive should come first. If this is the case, then the cause of the problem is not in the BIOS configuration. If the hard drive is in the second or other places, then the problem has been found. You can fix it in the following way:
1) Highlight the hard drive name in white using the up/down arrows.
2) Press Enter, then move the hard drive to the first place.
3) Save the settings.
Now you can exit the BIOS section and boot into Windows. In 100% of cases it is sure to load after performing the above steps.
II Resetting settings in BIOS
If, after entering the BIOS, the hard drive is placed in first place in the Boot section, then you can solve the problem by resetting the settings to factory settings. Any version of the Bios shell has settings that can be implemented different ways. Let's consider one of them:
— Open the Exit section.
- Find the LoadSetupDefaults item in it.
Save the completed actions, after which you can leave the Bios shell and launch Windows.
After completing these steps, the computer will return to factory settings. If the problem was software, and Windows did not boot precisely because of it, then resetting to factory settings will help resolve the problem. If not, then move on to implementing another method.
III Switching the hard drive operating mode
If the “Operating system not found” error appears on a laptop where access to the hard drive is limited or difficult, then you will need to look at the settings for the operating modes of the hard drive. The SATA configuration has two modes - AHCI and IDE. When you first install the OS, the default mode is AHCI. If you switch the mode to IDE, you will not be able to install Windows on your computer.
If, after installing the operating system, users experiment with the BIOS shell and accidentally change from AHCI to IDE mode, then the OS will not start after making such changes. When starting, the error “Operating system not found” will appear on the monitor. If such actions are appropriate, then you need to change the settings, and then restart Windows.
IV Restoring MBR hard drive
Another reason for the formation of the “Operating system not found” error may be a violation of integrity sectors of hard disk. The error can be corrected by repairing sectors. You can do this yourself using a USB flash drive or boot disk. I suggest you consider this using the tenth version of Windows as an example.
Instructions for restoring hard disk sectors look like this:
After starting from a flash drive or disk, you need to select “System Restore”.
Follow the path: Troubleshooting - Advanced options - Command line.
After this, you need to enter three commands in order, which are described below:
bootrec.exe /fixmbr
bootrec.exe /fixboot
bootrec.exe /rebuildbdc
Close the command line and restart the computer, only from the hard drive. The problem will be fixed if the cause is damaged sectors of the hard drive on which the Windows OS is recorded.
So, to summarize today’s release, which involves eliminating the “Operating system not found” error yourself, you will need to carry out the following manipulations:
— Check the BIOS settings, move the hard drive to first place and, if necessary, reset the data to factory settings.
— Check the connection of the loops.
— If a fault is detected in the power supply, if it does not supply power to the hard drive, you need to replace it.
— Check the operating mode of the hard drive in the BIOS and switch it to AHCI.
- Restore bad sectors Winchester.
In conclusion, I hope that today’s instructions will definitely help solve the problem with the error. If after these steps the hard drive refuses to load the OS, then you need to check it for suitability and, if necessary, replace it with a new one.
Everyone knows that operating system mostly located on a hard drive or SSD. And when people see this error on the screen, the first thought that arises in their heads is that the hard drive is faulty or damaged.
In most cases this is true, although there are exceptions. The boot volume of your operating system may be damaged;
And after these two possible reasons, then it comes to the possibility of your hard drive that it might become a little faulty, and I think you will fix that too;
operating system not found error what should I do?
Actually this is a mistake BIOS and it can occur on any computer or laptop. No matter what operating system is installed, this error can occur on both Windows 10
, and on Ubuntu.
BIOS is responsible for starting your computer, including starting the operating system. By showing the error message "Operating system not found" when starting the system, your BIOS is trying to say that something is preventing the operating system from loading when the computer starts.
Possible reasons for operating system not found dell:
As it was said, an operating system wasn't found can occur on any computer or laptop, no matter what laptop you are using Sony VAIO or computer Dell. Some possible reasons error occurs:
- The computer's boot volume is damaged.
- BIOS needs reboot.
- The computer's internal hard drive cable is damaged.
Methods for fixing error 1962 no operating system found:
The best way to determine the problem is to check the condition of the hard drive or SSD- connections in BIOS. This will help determine whether your hard drive is connected correctly or not.
To check the status, simply open BIOS your computer at startup and look for system information in the menu BIOS.
Condition #1: What to do if your hard drive is listed in BIOS?
If this is the case, then it is quite possible that some external storage device or maybe the boot volume of your hard drive is creating some kind of problem with BIOS.
So how to fix it:
Method 1- Disable everything external devices storage if they are connected, and then boot the computer again. If the error does not appear, some of your external USB create a problem. If it is still there, try the next method.
Way 3
Use the startup repair tool as it will repair the Windows boot volume. These links will help you with this. >>
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If all else fails, I'm afraid I'll have to reinstall the operating system.
Condition #2: What to do if your hard drive is not listed in the BIOS?
If your hard drive is not listed in the BIOS, then it is possible that this problem may be due to a faulty HDD/SSD;
So let's see what we can do here:
Replace cable Sata. In most cases, this little thing can save you a lot of money before you go out and buy a new hard drive for your computer; Open your desktop computer case and check the cable SATA for visible damage. I'm talking about a desktop computer because laptops simply don't have this cable. Data transfer occurs through this cable, so if it is damaged, it means that the hard drive cannot be used by your computer. A SATA cable is much cheaper than a new hard drive, and I advise you to first buy a new cable and test the system with it.
If replacing the cable does not solve the problem or operating system not found on a laptop, then I have to disappoint you. Most likely your hard drive is faulty.
It's not all bad. In most cases, the data on the disk can be recovered. In any case, you need to take the hard drive to a specialist.
In contact with
Users of the Windows operating system are already accustomed to seeing messages with some kind of error instead of the loading screen from time to time. The types of problems vary, but in any case they require urgent action. The operating system not found error can be found on both laptops and desktop computer. The user sees this inscription on a black background, after which the system does not boot. Or rather, the computer reports its absence. Of course, this is not true, and the problem can and should be corrected. Let's figure out what caused it and what to do.
Resolving the Operating system not found error.
As already mentioned, the “operating system not found” error literally means “the operating system was not found.” There may be several reasons:
- Hard drive failure or incorrect connection train;
- Incorrect BIOS settings;
- Problems with the power supply or motherboard.
Let's look at each aspect in detail.
Error correction methods
What should you do first when “operating system not found” appears? You can find out the reason step by step by checking all the components necessary to boot the OS one by one.
It’s better to start with the most harmless thing – checking the settings. Most often, this error occurs in cases where the hard drive priority is set incorrectly. For example, a flash drive is inserted into a computer or laptop, and the BIOS has priority on USB drives. Also, the reason may be an incorrectly connected cable, especially if you changed or reconnected the hard drive the day before.
To check the priority for downloading, do the following:
- Go to BIOS;
- Select the Boot tab (sometimes Advanced);
- We check where the HDD hard drive is located (it should be on the first one);
- If necessary, we rearrange it using F5, F6 or arrows, depending on the BIOS version.
ADVICE. If the settings are correct, try resetting the BIOS. No new errors will appear because of this, but this particular one may disappear. We will tell you how to do this below.
Reboot the system and check if it helps. If not, move on.
Hard drive problems
In cases where the error “an operating system wasn’t found” is still displayed, or the BIOS does not see the hard drives at all, there may be two reasons:
- The hard drive or cable is disconnected;
- The hard drive is faulty.
In the first case, you need to completely turn off the PC and recheck all connections. In the second case, all that remains is to connect the hard drive to another computer and see if the error occurs there.
ADVICE. The density of the elements in the laptop does not allow the cable to move away, so the likelihood of solving the problem on the laptop in this way is extremely low.
So, you double-checked everything, but the problem still persists. There is no need to panic, there are a couple more ways to resolve the issue.
Resetting BIOS settings and installing fresh firmware
As we mentioned earlier, a factory reset can help. They are called Default and are available on all versions of BIOS. There are times when the system sees the hard drive and detects it, but does not boot it. The first thing to do is check its status. If there is an exclamation mark next to the hard drive, this indicates that the drive is disabled or not used. Enabling it is simple:
- Select the problematic hard drive;
- Find the Specific Item Help field (this is the device help tab);
- Let's see what keyboard shortcuts you can use to turn on a specific device.
ADVICE. On different versions BIOS combinations differ, but most often it is the Shift+1 combination.
After this, the hard drive should turn on and the computer should start without problems. If this does not happen, we try other methods.
A damaged Windows bootloader can also cause not only an error, but a complete system crash. You can try to restore it using installation disk or recovery disk.
- Insert the source into the drive;
- Launch the BIOS and select there optical drive as a priority boot device;
- Select the recovery console.
- We are trying to restore the boot mode and check the disk for errors with the possibility of automatic recovery.
- Alternatively, you can use the command line by entering bootrec.exe /FixMbr, and then bootrec.exe /FixBoot. Don't forget about the Enter key after each line.
ADVICE. If your C drive is equipped with an NTFS file system, try using chkntfs /x c: as a check tool.
If you've tried everything and haven't gotten any results, be sure to diagnose your hard drive. In the case of a laptop, you will have to go to a workshop, since trying to remove it on your own can aggravate the situation. Try using the utility HDD Regenerator to restore the hard drive, but the success rate is low. Well, the faulty hard drive must be replaced and the entire operating system reinstalled.
We hope you did not have to resort to the help of computer services and managed to fix the problem yourself. Ask any questions you have in the comments.
One of the most terrible user errors is the one that appears when turning on the computer and tells us, on a black BIOS screen, that "". When this message appears, our system will not be able to boot, and the only way out is to restart the computer by pressing “ctrl+ alt+del”, and you will most likely see this message again.
The problem with the error is that the operating system is not displayed and therefore the BIOS cannot boot the Windows system. The reasons for this error are very varied: from a simple configuration error in the BIOS to a more serious problem that, in the worst case, forces us to completely format the computer. Therefore, we will analyze the main reasons and their solutions to eliminate the error "" ( An operating system wasn't found).
Disconnecting external USB devices from the computer
If your computer has multiple internal hard drives, external drives, and USB flash drives connected, it is likely that BIOS is trying to find the operating system in the wrong place. Consequently, not detecting the Windows system, it displays the error “No operating system found.”
- To resolve this issue, you need to unplug all external storage devices connected to the USB ports and try again. We can also check our optical drive to make sure it is not trying to load the wrong DVD.
If after doing this the problem is still not resolved, the next step is to go to BIOS settings.
Changing BIOS boot priority
Enter the BIOS configuration by pressing the F2, F12 or Delete buttons. After that, go to the configuration section Boot and put it first in the column Priority a hard drive on which the working and main Windows operating system is located. It is called differently in different BIOS versions, but you are looking for the word with the combination Priority, which means “priority boot”. Here are a few names from different BIOS: Hard Disk Priority, Boot Device Priority, Hard Disk Boot Priority.
After you have set the boot priority from the hard drive on which your system is located, do not forget to save the settings using the F10 button and restart the computer to make sure that the system is “found when you turn on the computer.”
Enable or disable Secure Boot
If you are using modern computer with an operating system such as Windows 8 or Windows 10, then perhaps the reason why our Windows does not start is in incorrect UEFI Secure Boot configuration.
Go back to BIOS, find the configuration section Secure Boot(Secure Boot) and deactivate it or activate it if it is disabled to check if the "Operating system not found when starting the computer" error disappears.
In different versions of BIOS or UEFI, the location of the settings looks different, but in any version of the BIOS you look for the column Secure Boot, try disabling or enabling.
Reset BIOS to factory settings
In the lower part BIOS menu you will see the key for default settings or reset BIOS. On my car this is F9. Confirm your decision when prompted and restart your computer.
If you haven’t found an example button like F9 to reset settings to factory settings, then look for the line Load Setup Default and reset the BIOS.
If your hard drive with the operating system is placed first, but the computer still does not boot, it is possible that some of the initial sectors of the drive have been damaged, such as master boot record(MBR), DOS boot entry(DBR) , or Boot Configuration Database(BCD).
Repairing these sectors is quite simple. All we need is to create a Windows installation flash drive and through it enter the additional boot options.
Type the following commands into CMD in order by pressing enter. Each command may take time to complete.
- bootrec.exe /fixmbr
- bootrec.exe /fixboot
- bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd
Activate the Windows partition
It is possible that the partition on which Windows is installed is disabled. You can fix this using own instrument diskpartWindows. To complete the next steps, you will again need a USB stick for Windows installations. Run the command line as described above via a recovery disk or Windows installation flash drive and in command line enter the following commands:
- diskpart- Launch the tool.
- list disk- List of connected drives to the computer.
- select disk 0- Select the hard drive on which you want to activate the partition. In my case, the main hard drive is 0.
- list volume- Shows partitions on the selected hard drive.
- select volume 2- Choose local disk to activate. Choose the one where the widows system itself is installed.
- active- Activate the section.
Restart your computer and make sure the error when turning on the computer disappears An operating system wasn't found. Try disconnecting any drives that don't contain an operating system. Press Ctrl+ Alt+Del to restart, which means operating system not found, press ctrl+alt+del to reboot.
One of the most terrible user errors is the one that appears when turning on the computer and tells us, on a black BIOS screen, that "". When this message appears, our system will not be able to boot, and the only way out is to restart the computer by pressing “ctrl+ alt+del”, and you will most likely see this message again.
The problem with the error is that the operating system is not displayed and therefore the BIOS cannot boot the Windows system. The reasons for this error are very varied: from a simple configuration error in the BIOS to a more serious problem that, in the worst case, forces us to completely format the computer. Therefore, we will analyze the main reasons and their solutions to eliminate the error "" ( An operating system wasn't found).
Disconnecting external USB devices from the computer
If your computer has multiple internal hard drives, external drives, and USB flash drives connected, it is likely that BIOS is trying to find the operating system in the wrong place. Consequently, not detecting the Windows system, it displays the error “No operating system found.”
- To resolve this issue, you need to unplug all external storage devices connected to the USB ports and try again. We can also check our optical drive to make sure it is not trying to load the wrong DVD.
If after doing this the problem is still not resolved, the next step is to go to BIOS settings.
Changing BIOS boot priority
Enter the BIOS configuration by pressing the F2, F12 or Delete buttons. After that, go to the configuration section Boot and put it first in the column Priority a hard drive on which the working and main Windows operating system is located. It is called differently in different BIOS versions, but you are looking for the word with the combination Priority, which means “priority boot”. Here are a few names from different BIOS: Hard Disk Priority, Boot Device Priority, Hard Disk Boot Priority.
After you have set the boot priority from the hard drive on which your system is located, do not forget to save the settings using the F10 button and restart the computer to make sure that the system is “found when you turn on the computer.”
Enable or disable Secure Boot
If you are using a modern computer with an operating system such as Windows 8 or Windows 10, then perhaps the reason why our Windows will not start is in incorrect UEFI Secure Boot configuration.
Go back to BIOS, find the configuration section Secure Boot(Secure Boot) and deactivate it or activate it if it is disabled to check if the "Operating system not found when starting the computer" error disappears.
In different versions of BIOS or UEFI, the location of the settings looks different, but in any version of the BIOS you look for the column Secure Boot, try disabling or enabling.
Reset BIOS to factory settings
At the bottom of the BIOS menu you will see a key for default settings or reset BIOS. On my car this is F9. Confirm your decision when prompted and restart your computer.
If you haven’t found an example button like F9 to reset settings to factory settings, then look for the line Load Setup Default and reset the BIOS.
If your hard drive with the operating system is placed first, but the computer still does not boot, it is possible that some of the initial sectors of the drive have been damaged, such as master boot record(MBR), DOS boot entry(DBR) , or Boot Configuration Database(BCD).
Repairing these sectors is quite simple. All we need is to create a Windows installation flash drive and through it enter the additional boot options.
Type the following commands into CMD in order by pressing enter. Each command may take time to complete.
- bootrec.exe /fixmbr
- bootrec.exe /fixboot
- bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd
Activate the Windows partition
It is possible that the partition on which Windows is installed is disabled. You can fix this using Windows' native diskpart tool. To complete the next steps, you will again need a USB drive to install Windows. Run the command line as described above, via a recovery disk or Windows installation flash drive and enter the following commands in the command line:
- diskpart- Launch the tool.
- list disk- List of connected drives to the computer.
- select disk 0- Select the hard drive on which you want to activate the partition. In my case, the main hard drive is 0.
- list volume- Shows partitions on the selected hard drive.
- select volume 2- Select a local disk for activation. Choose the one where the widows system itself is installed.
- active- Activate the section.
Restart your computer and make sure the error when turning on the computer disappears An operating system wasn't found. Try disconnecting any drives that don't contain an operating system. Press Ctrl+ Alt+Del to restart, which means operating system not found, press ctrl+alt+del to reboot.
