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Hi there I have the dreaded. "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key"

Anonymous
2024-03-04T16:49:07+00:00

I have opened the bios menu and tried all the methods I could find on Google. It reads both drives and I've prioritised and tried both drives to boot 1. I've ordered a new hard drive is that the next thing to do or is there something I haven't tried yet thank you 🙏🏼

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Windows update

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-03-05T02:25:19+00:00

    Hi

    Welcome to Microsoft community.

    The "Reboot and select proper boot device" error message usually means that your computer is trying to boot from a source that doesn't have an operating system installed on it. This could be due to a variety of reasons such as a faulty hard drive, incorrect boot order in BIOS, or even a damaged OS.

    Here are a few more things you could try:

    1. Check Your Hard Drive's Health: If you have access to another computer, connect your hard drive to it and check if it can be recognized. If it can't, your hard drive may be damaged and need replacing.
    2. Check Your SATA Cable: A faulty SATA cable or port could also cause this error. Try using a different SATA cable or port to connect your hard drive to your motherboard.
    3. Reset BIOS to Default Settings: Sometimes, incorrect BIOS settings can cause this error. Try resetting your BIOS to its default settings. This option is usually in the 'Exit' menu in BIOS and can be labeled as "Load Setup Defaults" or similar.
    4. Repair Your Operating System: If you have a Windows installation media, you can try repairing your operating system. Boot from the installation media, select "Repair your computer", and then choose "Startup Repair".
    5. Reinstall Your Operating System: If none of the above methods work, you may need to reinstall your operating system. Be warned though, this will delete all data on your hard drive. Make sure to backup important files first. Disclaimer: At this point, we have exhausted all troubleshooting and I recommend that we try to perform a clean install to get your computer back into a working condition. Please ensure that you backup any important data, including Documents, Pictures, Videos, and more.

    If you've tried all these steps and are still encountering the error, it's possible that your hard drive might be failing. In this case, replacing it, as you've ordered, could indeed be the next step. Once you receive your new hard drive, you'll need to install an operating system on it before your computer can boot from it.

    Please feel free to let me know how it goes.

    Best regards

    Derrick Qian | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

    20+ people found this answer helpful.
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