How do I fix my husbands computer to boot properly?

Question

"reboot & select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device & press key" and how is it fixed? It just stops at a black screen with that quote and won't go to the windows screen or desktop. Was something taken out? My husband claims he just reboots it a couple times and it works but it isn't! It is a desktop computer and it doesn't have any CD, floppies or USB devices connected. I am computer illiterate sorry.

Answer 1

Try to reboot your computer and when you see the first logo screen quickly press "del" or "F2" or "Ctrl" to go to the bios screen (please follow the owner's manual to find how exactly to go to bios screen if needed).



Try to load defaults there. And check if the boot priority and first boot device is set to your Primary Hard Drive. Save settings and reboot your computer.



If this does not help then there's possibility that the mbr has gone corrupted. You need a windows xp cd. Change the boot priority setting under the bios screen to Cd/Dvd drive. Put the xp cd in the drive and reboot your computer. When it says press any key to boot from cd, please do so quickly.



It will try to load the files on the system and will give you options what you want to do. Press "R" to repair my computer using recovery console.



Once you are on that black screen type fixmbr and then fixboot and then type exit.



This should restart your computer and hopefully should work for you.



If there's still problem with it... just drop a line.



Best of luck

Answer 2

Can you tell us your Computer model, and the BIOS name on the first screen you seen during the boot?

I'd also be happy to know which OS of Windows you are using (XP or Vista, etc).



The default boot order is usually:

Floppy/Diskette.

Optical Drive (CD or DVD, etc).

Hard Disk 1.

Hard Disk 2 (if any).

USB device.

Network adapter.

If you wish to change the boot order, on the first screen after boot, it should tell you which button to press to access the boot order options menu / BIOS menu (of which you can find the boot order options menu), if the first screen does not tell you wish key to use to access them, then try F1, F3, F10 or F11.



So do you mean you can't put any CDs/Floppies/USBs in as there are no bootable mediums (trays/entry points) or do you mean there are nothing in the mediums?

I understand the error as I did use to be an IT Consultant and Technician.

It is simply when a virus has corrupted the device driver or the device has been unplugged that the PC boots off, usually the hard drive in this case (probably fallen or blown inside).

If you could access the hard drive at all via the BIOS menu then I can send you an image of the OS disc and its activator.

CybX Systems - ASP.NET MVP.

Answer 3

Go into your BIOS by pressing a key (usually F1 or F3). Then this should take you to your BIOS setup. Find something that has the word boot in it. You should be able to change your boot order there. Make sure it is in the order of CD-ROM Drive, Floppy Drive (if you have one), then Hard Disk 1 ( or just Hard Disk). Save and reboot. This should do it for you. The problem was probably caused by the hard drive not being selected as a boot device.

Answer 4

Boot up with the WinXP CD in the drive, and go to the Recovery Console. At the command prompt, type "Fixboot", then type "Fixmbr", then "Bootcfg /rebuild" all without the quotes

Answer 5

i really dont know