Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device

Options
  • 16-07-2016 2:52pm
    #1
    Johnny Derpp
    Registered Users Posts: 216 ✭✭


    I think my laptop took a bang recently because it won't start properly and I just get this error message.
    I followed the steps here about trying a manual reboot and manually selecting the OS but it didn't help ( http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/362182-31-reboot-select-proper-boot-device-error )

    I also tried dismantling the machine and unplugged the hard drive and then plugged it back in, hoping it would boot properly but to no avail.

    Can anyone here confirm that this basically means the hard drive is fecked and needs to be replaced?
    I'd rather salvage this then replace it because money is tight.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    It would appear that way, but best way to confirm is to take the drive out and read it with a caddy and another PC.

    Was it on or off when dropped? That has a big impact on potential damage.


  • Options
    #3
    Johnny Derpp
    Registered Users Posts: 216 ✭✭Johnny Derpp


    ED E wrote: »
    It would appear that way, but best way to confirm is to take the drive out and read it with a caddy and another PC.

    Was it on or off when dropped? That has a big impact on potential damage.

    Thanks for the reply, herself said it was on at the time so I suppose that's the worse of the two.
    I'll see if I can get someone I know with a pc to help me out.

    Would changing the driver altogether be the worst case?


  • Options
    #4
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,304 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    Johnny Derpp wrote: »
    Thanks for the reply, herself said it was on at the time so I suppose that's the worse of the two.
    I'll see if I can get someone I know with a pc to help me out.

    Would changing the driver altogether be the worst case?

    Sounds like it. Replacing a hard drive is fairly easy - if it comes to that, consider upgrading to a solid state drive. They're fairly low in capacity compared to standard hard drives, but you'll get a massive performance increase with an SSD. It would give a new lease of life to your laptop. They are fairly cheap these days too!


  • Options
    #5
    Johnny Derpp
    Registered Users Posts: 216 ✭✭Johnny Derpp


    PropJoe10 wrote: »
    Sounds like it. Replacing a hard drive is fairly easy - if it comes to that, consider upgrading to a solid state drive. They're fairly low in capacity compared to standard hard drives, but you'll get a massive performance increase with an SSD. It would give a new lease of life to your laptop. They are fairly cheap these days too!

    Brilliant, thanks again. But if I but a solid state spuriously, will it not have the OS installed?


  • Options
    #6
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,304 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    Johnny Derpp wrote: »
    Brilliant, thanks again. But if I but a solid state spuriously, will it not have the OS installed?

    No, you'll need to reinstall the OS whether you buy an SSD or a regular hard drive. If you have an OS disk lying around, it's fairly straightforward. If not, then you might have to find an appropriate disk and activate the new install with your product key.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    ItHurtsWhenIP
    Registered Users Posts: 2,025 ✭✭✭ItHurtsWhenIP


    PropJoe10 wrote: »
    No, you'll need to reinstall the OS whether you buy an SSD or a regular hard drive. If you have an OS disk lying around, it's fairly straightforward. If not, then you might have to find an appropriate disk and activate the new install with your product key.

    You can get an SSD with a cloning kit, so that you can duplicate the old disk on to the SSD and the OS will come along with it. You might need to do a re-activate, but as long as you have the key you should be fine.


  • Options
    #8
    FanadMan
    Registered Users Posts: 3,820 ✭✭✭FanadMan


    MMFITWGDV wrote: »
    You can get an SSD with a cloning kit, so that you can duplicate the old disk on to the SSD and the OS will come along with it. You might need to do a re-activate, but as long as you have the key you should be fine.

    But then if the OPs original HDD is borked, cloning won't work.


  • Options
    #9
    ItHurtsWhenIP
    Registered Users Posts: 2,025 ✭✭✭ItHurtsWhenIP


    FanadMan wrote: »
    But then if the OPs original HDD is borked, cloning won't work.

    Oops - sorry - you're right - ignore me. :o


  • Options
    #10
    Johnny Derpp
    Registered Users Posts: 216 ✭✭Johnny Derpp


    PropJoe10 wrote: »
    No, you'll need to reinstall the OS whether you buy an SSD or a regular hard drive. If you have an OS disk lying around, it's fairly straightforward. If not, then you might have to find an appropriate disk and activate the new install with your product key.

    I saw a tutorial on YouTube for changing the drive, looks straightforward enough. But I guess I'll have to cough up for the new OS too.
    I'll try one of those Chinese repair shops, see if I can get a decent price on the two together.

    Thanks again for your help guys.


  • Options
    #11
    unkel
    Registered Users Posts: 65,424 ✭✭✭✭unkel
    Chauffe, Marcel, chauffe!


    Hold on a minute! You don't need to cough up for a new OS! You own it already!

    And even if you didn't, I wouldn't go to a dodgy shop expecting to buy a legitimate operating system :p

    My ads on adverts.ie

    https://www.adverts.ie/member/5856/ads



  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,304 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    Johnny Derpp wrote: »
    I saw a tutorial on YouTube for changing the drive, looks straightforward enough. But I guess I'll have to cough up for the new OS too.
    I'll try one of those Chinese repair shops, see if I can get a decent price on the two together.

    Thanks again for your help guys.

    Depends on what age of machine you have but you might well find your Windows product key on the bottom of the laptop. I wouldn't advise you to shell out for a new copy of Windows unless you really have to!


  • Options
    #13
    Johnny Derpp
    Registered Users Posts: 216 ✭✭Johnny Derpp


    unkel wrote: »
    Hold on a minute! You don't need to cough up for a new OS! You own it already!

    And even if you didn't, I wouldn't go to a dodgy shop expecting to buy a legitimate operating system :p

    Sorry I just thought that because the OS was on the driver, and not a cd, that I'd have to get a new one. I'll check if I have the product key on the laptop and see if I can swap the hd from an old one.


  • Options
    #14
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,304 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    Johnny Derpp wrote: »
    Sorry I just thought that because the OS was on the driver, and not a cd, that I'd have to get a new one. I'll check if I have the product key on the laptop and see if I can swap the hd from an old one.

    If you have the product key and live in Dublin, PM me and I'll install Windows 7 for you once you have your new SSD installed.


  • Options
    #15
    riclad
    Registered Users Posts: 8,184 ✭✭✭riclad


    I installed a new sata drive in 2012, i download windows 7 iso from
    an official microsoft forum ,
    then i activated it using the license key code on the label from
    the pc case .
    .pc was bought new in pc world in 2009 .https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/products/windows?os=windows-7


    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/15088/windows-create-installation-media


    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7

    I burnt iso to dvdr disc ,rebooted pc,
    then clicked install windows .
    i Think you have a few days to use the os ,before you have to activate
    it using the license key .


Advertisement