If when you boot your computer on a black screen, you see a message, the full text of which reads "Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key" device and press any key), and not the usual screen Windows boot 7 or 8 (The error can appear in Windows XP as well), then this manual should help you. (Variants of the text of the same error - No bootable device - insert boot disk and press any key, No boot device available, depending on the BIOS version). Update 2016:.
In fact, the appearance of such an error does not necessarily mean that the BIOS is configured in the wrong boot order, this may be due to errors on the hard disk caused by user actions or viruses and other reasons. Let's try to consider the most likely ones.
The described errors may also indicate that the Windows bootloader has been damaged. This can happen due to malware(viruses), power outages in the house, improper shutdown of the computer, experiments by an inexperienced user over partitions hard disk(resizing, formatting), installing additional operating systems on the computer.
I already have two on my site step by step guides on this topic, which should help in all the listed cases, with the exception of the last one, which is discussed below.
If errors related to the boot device appeared after installing the second operating system, then the above instructions may not help, and if they help, then most likely only the originally installed one will start operating system... You can describe the situation with an indication of the OS and the installation order in the comments, I will try to help (I usually answer within 24 hours).
Other possible causes of the error
And now for the least pleasant possible reasons- problems with the boot device itself, that is, the system hard disk computer. If the BIOS does not see the hard drive, while it (HDD), perhaps (but not necessarily), then, perhaps, physical damage has occurred and that is why the computer does not boot. This can happen when the laptop is dropped or hitting the computer case, sometimes due to unstable power supply, and often the only possible solution the replacement of the hard drive remains.
Note: the fact that the hard disk is not displayed in the BIOS can be caused not only by its damage, I recommend checking the connection of the interface cable and power supply. Also, in some cases, the hard drive may not be detected due to a failing computer power supply - if recently there have been any suspicions of this, I recommend checking (symptoms: the computer does not turn on the first time, it reboots when it is turned off and other strange things with on-off).
I hope that some of this will help you fix the No bootable device available or Reboot and Select proper Boot device errors, if not - ask questions, I will try to answer.
727 comments on How to fix error Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media, No bootable device, and similar
04/03/2019 at 09:38
10.04.2019 at 10:02
04/12/2019 at 00:06
04/12/2019 at 09:47
05/11/2019 at 14:13
05/11/2019 at 18:26
- Drive problems caused by physical impact (for example, the PC accidentally fell or was inadvertently moved from one place to another).
- Temporary, non-systematic failure.
- Consequence of exposure to malware.
- An attempt was made to boot from a drive that is not specified as a priority in the hardware settings.
- The battery on the system board has reached the expiration date.
- There is a problem with USB ports when trying to use this type of connection.
- Problems with the operating system itself.
- Remove all discs located in CD or DVD drives;
- Temporarily remove all external drives;
- Initiate another restart of the equipment.
- Start device restart;
- Click on “Del” to go to the BIOS menu;
- Go to the section responsible for determining and prioritizing the devices used (Most often, you should look for the section with the word “BOOT”);
- The first in the list should be the device on which the operating system is located. If this is not the case, then the equipment must be swapped.
- Insert the disk into a drive or connect a flash drive.
- Go to the BIOS and set the priority to start from the boot disk / flash drive. Save changes, restart the computer.
- After starting the program, go to "System Restore".
- Select command line.
- Force to execute three commands in turn: bootrec / fixmbr, bootrec / fixboot and chkdsk: / f / r
- Always use UPS. This will solve the problem with the voltage drop in the mains.
- Change the BIOS battery periodically, especially when you begin to notice that the current time and date resets several years ago. Usually the battery lasts 3-5 years.
- Trust the PC setup only to competent, knowledgeable people.
- Be sure to install, even if you consider yourself an experienced user and download files only from trusted resources. They protect you from sites that automatically download viruses to your system.
- Check the HDD for errors from time to time. This will allow you to detect and eliminate the malfunction in a timely manner, while saving the information on it.
- Make a copy of any important data that you want to store on another storage device. You can also create a backup of the system partition and restore it after an unexpected failure. This is done using the "True Image" program.
- faulty HDD;
- the operating system boot record is damaged;
- the hard drive is not connected to the computer;
- in the BIOS settings, the priority of choosing the devices from which the boot should be carried out is incorrect.
- physical wear and tear of the hard drive;
- an emergency shutdown of the computer was performed;
- the integrity of the OS has been corrupted due to the activity of virus applications.
04/02/2019 at 14:24
04/09/2019 at 20:32
It's nice when the computer starts up every day without problems and allows its owner to complete the assigned tasks, have fun and much more. Unfortunately, sometimes even during an attempt to start the operating system, the message “No bootable device insert boot disk and press any key” may appear on the computer screen, which does not allow using the equipment for its intended purpose.
Therefore, you need to start looking for a solution to the problem. This can be done by reading this material.
What does the error No bootable device insert boot disk and press any key mean?
The first step in the methodology of the upcoming treatment is to understand what this error means.
An approximate translation of the phrase from the message allows you to get information that when you try to start the system, the computer accesses the device on which it is located, but cannot connect to it. Next, the PC asks the user to insert boot disk and press any button to continue the operation.
That is, the phrase “No bootable device insert boot disk and press any key” actually signals to the user that there is no access to the used hard drive.
There are several reasons for this situation:
Based on the above-described root causes, you can try to rectify this not the most pleasant state of affairs.
Multiple troubleshooting algorithms
So, the easiest way, which often allows you to correct this situation, is to simply restart the equipment. If a normal failure occurs, then this procedure should help.
The next step is to remember if there was any physical impact on system unit? If so, it is recommended to remove the side cover, find all the connections of the hard drive being used, and check them for tightness. It is important to make sure that the cables are correctly connected not only to the hard drive itself, but also to the motherboard.
The third stage is to exclude attempts by the PC to boot the OS from other sources. This requires:
If a person tries to start the system using a drive connected via a USB port, then it is recommended to try to reconnect it via another USB, since there are usually a fairly large number of them on modern computer units.
The fifth step is to check the priority of the download. In some cases, it is this setting that can lead to a similar situation:
If the BIOS does not see the desired device at all, and the user is sure of the correctness and reliability of the connection, then, most likely, the hard disk is faulty.
Solution: sending the hard drive to the service and, quite possibly, purchasing a new device.
Sometimes, in a situation with such an error, you can notice that the changes made in the BIOS settings are rolled back during each next restart of the PC. This is a clear sign of a battery problem. We'll have to replace it, fortunately, you can do it yourself, and the cost of a new product is minimal.
If the hard drive is perfectly detected by the hardware and has the required priority, then there is another option for correcting the “No bootable device insert boot disk and press any key” state. True, for this you need to have on hand a boot disk or its analogue on a flash drive:
If none of the proposed methods brought a positive result, then, unfortunately, you will have to carry the equipment to a specialized service and, possibly, buy a new hard drive.
Updated: 2019-11-27 / Victor Trunov
Often a situation arises when, when turning on the computer, we are faced not with the usual boot of Windows, but with various errors that arise for unknown reasons.
Today we will sort out one of these errors with the text “reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press any key”, which means “reboot and specify the required boot device or insert the boot drive into boot device and click on any key. "
But that's not all. Depending on your BIOS version, the error text may change, for example, the following symbols may be present:, Boot failure or No boot device available. In general, the solution to the problem is the same, there are only some additional points for each type of malfunction. You can familiarize yourself with them in more detail in the corresponding articles, where each problem was touched upon in more detail.
The appearance of the reboot and select proper boot device error may indicate incorrect settings in the BIOS, the presence of damage to the hard disk or its incorrect connection, damage to the "MBR" boot record and much more.
Let's talk specifically about what to do in this situation, analyze the reasons for the appearance of this message and try to fix them on our own.
A simple and effective way
Perhaps the simplest thing that can help fix the situation is to disconnect all third-party peripherals from the PC or laptop. It includes: flash drives, external HDD drives, cameras, USB cameras, Wi-Fi adapters and everything else.
After you unplug it all, try turning your computer back on and see the result. This will most likely help fix the problem.
If this method helped you, then it is obvious that the problem was on the side of the BIOS settings. And in order not to turn off all the equipment every time, you need to change the settings.
For this:
In some cases, the settings may not be saved and the next time you start the computer, you may see the same error reboot and select proper boot device. This is mainly due to a dead BIOS battery, after a sudden shutdown of the PC, as a result of a voltage drop in the mains or power supply.
This can be signaled by resetting the current date and time. In this case, replace the battery, ensure a stable voltage in the mains, replace the power supply (if it malfunctions) and only then re-set the necessary settings.
Resetting BIOS settings to default will also help.
An alternative way to boot from the desired drive
The method that we will now consider is good in that you can select a boot device without going into the BIOS. It is enough to press one of the keys immediately after turning on the computer: F8, F10 or F12. In each case, its own unique key can be used.
So, the order of actions will be as follows:
The main disadvantage this method is that every time the computer is turned on, all actions must be performed anew. But as a test, you can use it.
If it really was the wrong boot order of the devices, then this will help fix the reboot and select proper boot device error.
Checking the hard drive and its power supply
Hard disk "HDD" is a device that stores all your data, just like the installed Windows OS. The investigator, if he partially or completely fails, then various errors may appear. Therefore, you need to make sure that, in general, it is connected correctly.
To do this, we perform all the points one by one:
Usually, after fixing all of the above problems, the situation is getting better.
However, if the computer still says that it cannot find the boot device, as evidenced by the message reboot and select proper boot device, then move on to the next step.
Error correction
As a result of various failures, it could fly off file system... To restore it, you need to boot from any LiveCD, bootable USB flash drive or disk with Windows installed.
If you decide to boot from disk, then:
We are waiting for the end of the check and boot the PC as usual.
In the case of using LiveCDs, for example, from Dr.Web, it will be useful additionally, since they, in turn, can also affect the appearance of the reboot and select proper boot device error.
Checking the system board
The most common cause is swollen capacitors or a bad SATA connector.
In the first case: visually inspect the capacitors on the motherboard. Their surface should be even and flat, they should not have any bulges. If you can see that the capacitors are swollen or burst, then they need to be replaced. Specialists will help with this service center... The procedure is fast enough and does not take much time.
In the second case: plug the SATA cable into a different connector and check if it works.
If you bought a new HDD drive, made sure that it works by connecting it to another PC, but does not want to be displayed on yours (even in the BIOS), then the motherboard is most likely faulty.
Boot Loader Repair
As I already said, the main error reboot and select proper boot device, which we analyze throughout the article, in some cases appears in a completely different version. For example, you may see the following messages: Boot failure, No bootable device, or No boot device available. They all talk about a failed bootloader that needs to be restored.
I will show you how to do this using Windows 7 as an example:
If indeed, the problem was on the bootloader side, then this will help get rid of the message "reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press any key".
Additional methods
All of the above helps in almost all cases, but there are exceptions and then you can try the following:
Now I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the main list of recommendations that will warn you against such problems and help you find and fix them in time:
If none of the methods helped you and the computer still does not turn on, then ask your questions with detailed description the whole situation, we will solve the problem together.
Video solution
Professional help
If it was not possible to fix the problems that have arisen on your own,
then most likely the problem lies at a more technical level.
It could be: breakage motherboard, power supply,
hard drive, video card, random access memory etc.
It is important to diagnose and eliminate the breakdown in time,
to prevent damage to other components.
Our specialist will help you with this.
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Hello.
Today's article focuses on one "old" error: "reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key" device and press any key ”, see Fig. 1).
This error appears after turning on the computer, before loading Windows. It occurs quite often after: installing a second hard drive into the system, changing the BIOS settings, when the PC crashes (for example, if the lights are turned off), etc. In this article, we will consider the main reasons for its occurrence and how to get rid of it. So…
Reason # 1 (the most popular) - media is not removed from boot device
Fig. 1. Typical type of error "reboot and select ...".
The most popular reason for such an error is the user's forgetfulness ... Without exception, all computers are equipped with CD / DVD drives, there are USB ports, older PCs are equipped with floppy disk drives, etc.
If, before turning off the PC, you did not remove, for example, a floppy disk from the drive, and then after some time turn on the computer, you will most likely see this error. Therefore, when this error appears, the very first recommendation: remove all disks, floppy disks, flash drives, external hard discs, etc. and restart your computer.
In the overwhelming majority of cases, the problem will be resolved and after the reboot the OS will start loading.
Reason # 2 - changing BIOS settings
Most often BIOS settings users change on their own: either out of ignorance or accidentally. In addition, you need to look into the BIOS settings after installing various equipment: for example, another hard disk or CD / DVD drive.
I have a dozen articles on my blog dedicated to BIOS settings, so here (so as not to repeat myself) I will provide links to the necessary entries:
- how to enter BIOS(keys for different manufacturers of laptops and PCs):
Description of all BIOS settings (the article is old, but many points from it are relevant to this day):
After entering the BIOS, you need to find the section BOOT(loading). It is in this section that download order and download priorities for various devices (it is according to this list that the computer checks the devices for the presence of boot records in them and tries to boot from them in this sequence. If this list is "incorrect" - then the error "reboot and select ...").
In fig. 1.The BOOT section of a DELL laptop is shown (in principle, the partitions on other laptops will be similar). The bottom line is that "Hard Drive" is the second in this list (see the yellow arrow opposite "2nd Boot Priority"), but you need to boot from the hard drive on the first line - "1st Boot Priority"!
Fig. 1. BIOS Setup / BOOT Partition (Dell Inspiron Laptop)
After making the changes and saving the settings (by the way, you can exit the BIOS without saving the settings!) - the computer often boots in normal mode (without all sorts of errors appearing on the black screen ...).
Reason number 3 - the battery has run out
Have you ever thought why after turning off and turning on the PC - the time on it does not get lost? The fact is that the motherboard has a small battery (“pill” type). It sits down, in fact, quite rarely, but if the computer is no longer new, plus you notice that the time on the PC began to get lost (and after that this error appeared) - it is likely that this battery may appear this error.
The fact is that the parameters that you set in the BIOS are stored in the CMOS memory (the name of the technology thanks to which the microcircuit is made). CMOS consumes very little power and one battery sometimes lasts for tens of years (from 5 to 15 years on average *)! If this battery runs out - then the settings you entered (in reason 2 of this article) in the BOOT section - may not be saved after restarting the PC, as a result, you see this error again ...
Fig. 2. A typical view of a battery on a computer motherboard
Reason # 4 - hard drive problem
The "reboot and select proper ..." error can signal a more serious problem - a problem with the hard disk (it may be time to change it to a new one).
To get started, go to the BIOS (see point 2 of this article, there it is indicated how to do this) and see if the model of your disk is determined in it (and in general, is it visible). You can see the hard drive in BIOS on the first screen or in the BOOT section.
Fig. 3. Is the hard drive detected in the BIOS? On this screen - everything is in order (hard drive: WDC WD 5000BEVT-22A0RT0)
Also, whether the PC recognized the disk or not, sometimes you can, if you look closely at the first inscriptions on the black screen when you turn on the computer (important: this can not be done on all PC models).
If the hard drive is not detected- before making final conclusions, it is advisable to test it on another computer (laptop). By the way, a sudden problem with a hard drive is usually associated with a fall of the PC (or any other mechanical impact). Less commonly, a disk problem is associated with a sudden power outage.
An important point. The hard disk may not be detected not only because of its physical damage. It is possible that the interface cable simply came off (for example).
The "Reboot and Select proper Boot device" error when turning on the computer indicates the impossibility of finding a boot record on the connected media. There may be several reasons for this, as well as remedies.
Translation of the phrase "Reboot and select proper boot device"
The error text literally translates as: "Reboot and select a working boot device." You will not be able to skip the message, the operating system will not start. What caused the error? There may be several reasons for this:
How to fix the error
The first step is to make sure that the PC has a hard drive and an operating system is installed on it. It is possible that the BIOS is set to a mode in which the connected media (USB, CD \ DVD) are loaded first, but the computer simply does not find the OS bootloader on these devices. This is fixed by temporarily removing all third-party media. Then you need to restart your computer with the Ctrl + Alt + Del keyboard shortcut.
If this does not work, then you must manually select the device on which the operating system was installed. This can be done through the selection menu bootable media... It is easy to get to it by pressing the F9 key at the time of diagnosing the motherboard (a second after pressing the power button on the system unit).
On some motherboards, the entry to the boot device selection menu is via F11 or F12. This information is indicated at the time the manufacturer's logo is displayed.
In the menu that appears, select the item "Hard Drive", which indicates the hard disk, and then press the Enter key. If you need to boot from a CD or flash drive, then, accordingly, these items are selected.
In order not to perform this procedure every time you start the computer, you must set the priority for selecting the devices from which Windows will boot. This is done in the BIOS settings. You can enter it by pressing the Del key at the time of diagnosing the motherboard. There you will need to find the "Boot Device" item and assign the hard drive to the priority.
Hardware problem
Physical damage to the hard drive can also cause an error when starting the PC. In rare cases, the signal transmission through the loop is simply disrupted. If you cannot eliminate these malfunctions on your own or you have no experience for this, you should seek help from specialists. At the same time, the ability to boot from CD \ DVD and USB devices remains.
Damaged Windows bootloader
Damaged boot record in Windows environment occurs for the following reasons:
All this is eliminated by the only method - by restoring the boot record using installation disk Windows. To solve the problem, you need to boot from the required media (via the F9 menu) and select the "System Restore" item.
Here you need to select the item "System Restore"
In the window that appears, select "Startup Repair" and follow the prompts of the OS.
Select "Startup Recovery" If after selecting "Startup Repair" an error occurs or the system indicates that it cannot find a copy of Windows on your hard drive, you cannot fix the problem. Windows will need to be reinstalled.
How to Deal with a Problem: Video Hint
How to prevent reappearance
You can prevent the "Reboot and Select proper Boot device" error by refusing to use "emergency shutdown" unnecessarily. You will also need to replace the BIOS battery in a timely manner. If its voltage drops to a critical level, the BIOS settings will be reset to the factory state.