Boot device available what to do. Reboot and Select proper Boot device error when turning on the computer - what to do? Reasons for the appearance and solution

Most of the users working with hard disks and logical partitions in Windows systems, using Explorer or the appropriate disk management section, have probably noticed the presence of the somewhat incomprehensible item “Compress this disk to save space” in the context menu. This innovation was moved into a separate category starting with Windows 7, although it was also in systems below the rank. Let's see what it is, what it can be used for, whether it is worth doing such things and what should be considered if such an operation is still supposed to be performed.

Settings item "Compress this disk to save space": what is this?

As you know, before, when hard drives did not have sufficient volumes to store information, and some files, most often related to multimedia formats (mainly video and music), were very large, saving hard disk space was a real problem for all users without exception. ... That is why, in due time, the specialists of the Microsoft corporation decided to somehow eliminate it. To save free space when choosing a partition, it was suggested (and is proposed) to compress this disk to save space. This, in theory, should mean reducing the size of the files, due to which the necessary additional volume is freed. As it is already clear, if there is such a function in the system, it is a sin not to use it. And, according to most users, there is nothing critical about this. However, despite the appearance of such a function in Windows, some do not understand the essence of the issue well enough and, without understanding what is what, immediately try to apply compression to disks and partitions. But this should not be done without understanding the essence of what is happening.

How it works?

Yes, indeed, you can compress a volume. The technology for carrying out such actions is in some ways very similar to working with the built-in latest versions Windows Zip archiver, when you can just go into the packed archive and view its contents or open desired file.

It is exactly the same here. When choosing compression, all files are simply compressed, but only in that percentage that is provided for each specific format. However, in the "Explorer" all compressed objects are visible in their normal form, and the compression itself does not in any way affect the ability to open files, edit them, save or perform operations for copying or moving. On the one hand, it is very convenient. But not always, because in some cases you can not only encounter unforeseen difficulties, but also get an inoperative operating system.

What disks or partitions can you compress?

We figured out a little what it means to "shrink a disk to save space". Now let's see which sections you can apply such operations to. If it comes about logical partitions, you can perform compression.

But the main condition is that they must be initially formatted exclusively in NTFS. Otherwise, nothing will work. Another nuance is that when copying compressed file compression from one section to another is preserved, but when such an object is moved inside the section, it takes on its original form, in which there was no compression. Thus, if you often perform operations related to copying or moving large files in one section, the meaning of compression, in general, is completely lost (especially since you will not be able to recompress the moved file with tools to compress the entire section).

Now a few words about whether to shrink the disk to save space if it acts as a system partition (the one in which operating system). Most experts are inclined to believe that in this case, using compression, despite the presence of such an item in the disk properties, is not worth it under any circumstances, if only for the reason that after its execution Windows may stop loading at all.

How to perform compression using the simplest method?

As for performing the compression procedure, there are usually no difficulties even for the most unprepared users. In the "Explorer", it is quite simple to go through the RMB menu to the properties section of the section for which the compression operation is supposed to be performed, then on the general tab, mark the appropriate item, confirm your actions and restart the system.

How to decompress the system partition?

But what if the user decided to use such a tool and unknowingly or by mistake compressed the system partition, after which Windows stopped loading normally?

Please note right away that a rollback of the system, which sometimes can start automatically, will not give any result.

In this situation, you will have to boot from some removable media, then at the very beginning of the installation, select the restore point, and at the stage of choosing the location of the drivers (after determining the installed OS) in the window that appears, select the properties of the system partition again via context menu and remove the flag from the ill-fated point.

Should you shrink your disk to save space?

In general terms, as can be seen from the above, there is nothing wrong with performing compression. There remains one last question about using the "Compress this disk to save space" item. This decision, of course, remains with the user himself, but as the most practical solution, we can recommend compressing only logical partitions, and only those in which frequent internal movement of files and folders is not provided. It's best not to experiment with the system partition.

And in other directions.
If you are in Moscow or Moscow region and cannot restore the computer and / or want to entrust this business to a master with a guaranteed successful result, then call us or submit a request for a call back - we will do everything in the best possible way!

Introduction

What does the computer tell us?

Literally translated from English "Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key" means: "Reboot and select the correct boot device, or insert the bootable media and press the key."

What kind of device? What kind of carrier? What is this anyway? What the ... .. is going on? - You will think. If we translate the phrase describing the error, not only into Russian, but also from a technical language into a popular one, we will get what we need to insert, connect the disk and select it in the settings in order for the operating system to boot from it.

We will not go into the jungle for now, all the interesting details about the peculiarities of the computer in the context of this problem you will learn further, but for now, this information is enough to quickly grasp the essence of the problem.

Similar errors

This error has twin brothers, similar not only in spelling, but also in behavior, search and correction algorithms. Depending on the problem, the configuration of your computer (components and software), as well as the actions taken, the essence of this error can be expressed (written) in different ways:

• A disk read error occurred
• An operating system wans "t found
• Boot Device Not Found
• Boot failure
• BOOTMGR is missing
• Default Boot Device Missing or Boot Failed
• Inaccessible boot device
• No boot device available
• No bootable devices found
• NTLDR is missing
• Please select boot device
• Reboot and Select proper Boot device and press a key
• Remove disks or other media

But by and large, the essence of the problem does not change much from this, including what and how we will do next to find and eliminate this error. Therefore, if you have one of the above errors, then in this article you will learn how to fix it, perhaps.

Who prepared the material and in what order was it posted?

The material was prepared based on the experience of our craftsmen. In the article, we tried to move and offer you certain actions, sorted them, so to speak, along a downward trajectory, that is, from the most common cases encountered in practice to the least common. Thus, moving deeper through the article, more and more rare cases will open before you.

The frequency of occurrence of certain cases in the article may not coincide with the general picture, but this is exactly our practice at the moment.

Whether the computer boots or not

Some of our recommendations (like: "open the operating system settings ...") may seem illogical to you. It is the operating system that does not boot, and you write that it is in it that something needs to be done - how so? The fact is that the "Reboot and Select proper Boot device ..." error may not be permanent, until any measures are taken to eliminate it, but it may be of an episodic nature - it appears only occasionally.

We will proceed from two assumptions: the OS boots and the OS does not boot. Therefore, when you see in the article information that something needs to be done in the OS, and your OS does not boot, then just remember that other people may have a different situation, different from yours, and in your case, such advice is not applicable ...

How to properly de-energize the PC before working with its hardware?

Some people climb inside system unit, even when it works, others crawl inside by simply turning it off, but with the power connected. To protect yourself from damage not only to the computer, but also to yourself, you need to observe safety precautions. We will not read the notations, but we will give you one simple advice: before you pull something somewhere and disconnect it inside the system unit, do two simple steps - disconnect all cables and wires from it, and then hold down the power button for 5-10 seconds ... This will allow it to discharge as much as possible.

Error description

In the introduction, we briefly reviewed the "Reboot and Select proper Boot device" error. Now it's time to study and understand it in detail. Immediately, we note that if you are not interested in the "theory" of the appearance of this error, and you immediately want to join the battle (take specific actions), then you can safely skip this section and move on to the next, but remember - if you know the theory, practice is easier.

Why does the error appear

The error appears for one trivial reason - the computer cannot load the operating system. But why he cannot load it - we will find out and try to fix it in this and the next (practical) sections.

At what stage of the PC does this error appear?

This is a really interesting question and it is difficult to understand it without a little digression into how PC bootstrap works. We will try to explain everything in the most accessible language, with various kinds of simplifications.

How the computer boots

To load one program, a computer needs another program, such is the paradox. Basic program for loading other programs is already in the PC and invoked by the BIOS.

When you press the power button, power is supplied to the processor, it starts, looks for the BIOS loader and transfers control to it. BIOS diagnoses component parts (motherboard, video card, hard drive, etc.) and peripherals and in the end, if everything works correctly, it must find the master boot record on the hard disk, where the operating system loader is specified and transfer control to it. The bootloader, in turn, loads and transfers control of the PC to the operating system.

When executing various instructions embedded in the basic software, our error appears, and at what stage of execution of a particular instruction it appears - one of the tasks of this article, which we have to deal with. It's good if the appearance of this error would clearly indicate "where to click to make everything work", but there are dozens of reasons. We will deal with them gradually.

Because of what and after what does it appear?

The "Reboot and Select proper Boot device" error may appear when turned on on new and used desktop computers, laptops and tablets. Sometimes it is impossible to understand what action or inaction of the user caused it, not only is problematic, but impossible, although possible, but there is already a direct road to the fortuneteller. Here are just a few examples:

• Frequent knocking. Refers to laptops. Some people like to knock hard at the end of an action, for example, on the Enter key (with a swing of almost a meter). Over time, because of this "tapping" technique, something may loosen somewhere.
• The laptop is hit hard or the lid pops. This is one of the most common reasons for our mistake - an angry spouse, parent, or just a feeling of emotion in a fit of anger, passion hit the body with his hand or with all his urine slammed the lid against the body. As a result, we have: a missing or broken hard drive and other parts.
• Fall of the computer. A laptop fell out of hand or stationary computer fell off the table. As a result, we get components that have fallen out of their nests and their damage of varying severity.
• Kicks on a stationary computer placed on the floor. There are situations: a person sits and taps his foot lightly on the case of the system unit. There are many reasons for tapping, nerves are the main reason, they need to be soothed and treated. As a result, as in previous cases, the insides of the computer are damaged over time or immediately (depending on the force of the impact).
• Computer transportation. When transporting equipment in private or public transport, no one is safe from road shaking, holes, bumps, sharp turns and the actions of fellow travelers.
• Emergency shutdown. When a program or operating system freezes for unknown reasons, sometimes you have to turn off the computer by pressing the power button. It is undesirable to do this, as this action can damage the system files on the disk.
• Voltage drop. This case repeats the previous one, but this also adds possible damage to the computer's component parts, up to their complete failure.
• Dust -\u003e heating -\u003e overheating. Many people do not keep their computers clean. Or they simply don’t know or they “forgot” about this case for various reasons. When dust clogs the ventilation holes, the cool air flow and the hot air outflow is disrupted. Components are getting hotter and stronger; dust can conduct small electrical discharges. As a result, as is often the case, some detail, for example, a hard drive, RAM, video card or processor, is "ordered to live long."
• Filling with liquid. Almost all liquid spills occur in laptops. A drop of water falling on a board or disk cable elementary leads to their failure, not to mention more serious consequences, such as burnout of a part of the laptop in the literal sense - with smoke, flame and other special effects.
• Deleted the files yourself. Let's call everything by its proper names - "dummies" can and sometimes do things that are sometimes difficult for even a specialist to think of, except for a bet. This example is not even worth explaining, so many nonsense are encountered in practice ...
• Malicious programs. You climbed, you climbed yourself, you know where or you don't know where, but you got into your computer malicious code and done things. Instruction files of malicious code can contain a wide variety of commands - from a one-time display of a funny inscription to complete removal all files from hard disk... It all depends on the goals of the author / customer of the script.
• Inappropriate place for the system unit. There are times when the computer is housed in a closed section of the desk, next to a radiator or in a dusty workshop. In the first case, there is no air flow, in the second - the air is too hot for cooling, in the third - dust clogs the ventilation. The consequences of overheating have already been written above.
• Pets. Cats, dogs and other game can be not only your loyal and funny pets, but also little devils in the flesh: gnawed wires, laptops thrown off the table, spilled glasses of water, and some of them will easily raise their hind paws and designate their possessions - that's what you can expect or have already come true.

We could continue to give other reasons for the "Reboot and Select proper Boot device" error, but our list covers exactly more than 90% of cases. In the comments, you can bring your own or familiar to you an unusual case.

Basic troubleshooting options

So we got to the practical part. Now we are going to find and fix our mistake in practice.

BIOS

BIOS is one of the first computer systems to look out for. There are three main "nodes" that we will look at.

Setting up

The software part is responsible for the settings. To enter the BIOS, you usually need to press one or two keys: F1, F2, F3, F10, Del, Esc, Fn + F1 and others. If you do not know exactly how to enter it, try immediately after pressing the power button (when turned on), in turn, press the keys we indicated. If you cannot enter, write the make and model of your computer in the comments (we will try to tell you) or look for information on the net.

Our examples will be shown based on Phoenix BIOS virtual machine... You may have a different one (manufacturer and / or version), but the essence of this does not change much, since only the design will be different (colors, structure, labels and their location in the settings tree). Remember to save your settings and restart your computer to check if it works with the changes.

Whether the drive is detected in the BIOS

First of all, we need to understand whether the disk is available for BIOS, whether it sees it. To do this, go into the BIOS by pressing our cherished key and right on the first screen we will see a list hard drives... If there are no disks on the first screen, try looking in other sections (Boot, Standart CMOS Feauters, Advanced BIOS Futures -\u003e Boot Sequence). If you did not find your disk in the BIOS, this indicates problems in the operation of the disk or its connection, and you need to check at least the reliability of the connection of cables / loops inside the system unit, as well as the hard disk itself for serviceability.

Boot priority

If the disk is detected in the BIOS, then we check the boot priority. Boot priority in BIOS settings is the boot sequence from various devices... Suppose we have four boot devices, that is, four devices from which the computer can boot something:

• drive for reading discs;
• flash drive with working files;
• hard disk with operating system (disk 1);
• hard disk storage of photos, videos and other information (disk number 2).

If the first boot device in the settings is a flash drive, drive or second hard disk and they do not have an operating system, then the computer will not be able to load the operating system from the required hard disk (disk # 1).

To check and adjust the boot sequence, go to the BIOS and select the "Boot" section in which all available boot devices will be displayed. If the hard disk with the operating system is in the second place or even lower in the list, then we need to put it in the first position (in our BIOS, moving up to the first position is done by pressing the "+" key; if you have a different BIOS, then perhaps , you just need to click on the first item and select the main hard drive in it).

Changing the disk controller mode from IDE to AHCI

In order not to go into the wild, let's say one thing: IDE is the old format of the disk controller for a 40-pin cable, and AHCI is new for a SATA cable. The new one is better, but if you have an old-style disk or an old operating system (Windows XP), then it is better to choose the IDE mode.

Find the corresponding setting in the BIOS. Depending on the version, it can be called differently: SATA Mode, RAID Mode, SATA Controller Mode, Configure SATA as and in another way. Try changing the operating mode from the current one to another and check if the system boots with the new parameters.

Disable Secure Boot, UEFI Boot and Legacy Mode

We will not talk about the advantages of secure boot of the system and the graphical interface of the I / O system for ordinary users, because there is no particular point in this, take my word for it. Now our main task is to restore the OS boot. You need to go into the BIOS, find the "Secure Boot" setting and switch it to "Disabled", that is, disable it. The same must be done with the UEFI mode. Change Legacy Mode only last.

As conceived, these modes should not interfere with the normal loading of operating systems, in general in any way, but in practice, under a certain set of circumstances and system features as a whole, there are cases proving that they can interfere.

Disable Fast Boot

If for some reason you have Fast Boot enabled, then it is better to disable it by analogy with the previous paragraph.

For reference. Fastboot mode allows you to switch to loading the operating system a little faster after pressing the computer power button. This mode disables self-diagnostics of the computer, skips it, thereby saving you, well, maybe from two to ten seconds, depending on the configuration of the computer.

Resetting the settings

Typically, BIOS and UEFI have two types of saved settings - factory settings (Default Settings, Optimized Settings, Manufacturer Defaults) and user settings (User Settings, File-Safe Settings, User Defaults). They are named and reset depending on bIOS version differently. Perhaps it turned out that you or someone clicked the wrong place in the BIOS settings or it just glitches, and the settings you change, although correct, do not save the day. Sometimes, in such cases, resetting the settings to factory or custom settings helps (even if the custom ones were not previously saved). On reset bIOS settings clears the temporary memory (CMOS) and the settings are reset to factory defaults.

Update and firmware

There are times when none of the settings changes help. In this case, there is a possibility incorrect work BIOS and you have to do something about it. There are several ways to bring the BIOS to normal without changing the motherboard: flashing or updating the BIOS through the programmer, operating system, BIOS itself and DOS (we will not talk about it).

BIOS update via Windows

Many modern motherboards have additional software update utilities. All you need to do is download from your developer's website. motherboard the latest stable version of the program, install it, go to the settings and press the update button.

BIOS update via BIOS

To update the BIOS through the BIOS, we need the files of the new BIOS (such a squiggle came out). We go to the website of the developer of our motherboard (ASUS, MSI, ASRock, etc.), look for and download the latest or the version you want BIOS for our motherboard. Then we take the USB flash drive, clear it of all files, upload the downloaded files to it, restart the computer and enter the BIOS settings. In the settings, we look for the item "M-Flash" (in some versions of the software it can be called differently: Instant Flash, EZ Flash, Q-Flash, etc.), select it and specify the files on the flash drive.

Flashing on the programmer

If none of the options described above worked, there is only one thing left - remove the chip from the motherboard, insert it into the programmer, reflash and install it back. I will not describe this method in detail, since you probably do not have a programmer, and by and large - this is the topic of a separate article.

Battery replacement

All your attempts to adjust the BIOS after some time may be canceled due to a dead battery. The BIOS firmware and its basic settings are stored in permanent memory (they are immutable), and when you change them, the changes cannot just take and replace the immutable ones. Therefore, all changes made to the settings are saved on a separate microcircuit. This microcircuit requires constant power, which is provided by a battery. It should be replaced.

Dust, dirt, wool

If the computer is clogged with dust, then the error "Reboot and Select proper Boot device" may well appear and does appear. The fact is that dust particles can easily become electrified, and even a small discharge of electricity can damage the component parts (electronics) of a computer.

You've probably heard that processors are developed using X-nanometer technology (a nanometer is equal to one billionth of a meter). You've also probably seen sometime how static electricity sparks from synthetic materials (clothes, blankets, etc.) in the dark. Now let's abstract and replace the nanometer with a fly, and a tiny discharge of electricity with the largest plane. Imagine what will happen to a fly colliding with a lantern (windshield) of an airplane. Have you presented? Sad consequences, isn't it?

Potential electrical discharges from dust are not the biggest problem, and in practice they are not the most common. Dust clogs everything that is possible, interferes with the normal operation of the cooling system, components overheat and fail completely or partially. Therefore, if there is dust inside the computer unit, you need to get rid of it.

Checking connections

In the system unit of a stationary computer, and a laptop, too, after a blow, fall, shaking, moving or self-cleaning by an inexperienced user, cables and cables could fall out of the connection points. It is necessary to check the correctness and reliability of the connections - check the supply wires and connecting cables.

If everything is connected correctly, then there is a possibility of damage to the SATA connector on the motherboard. There are usually several of these connectors on the motherboard, try connecting the cable to a different connector.

Check if the contacts on the connectors are oxidized. If oxidized, then gently wipe them with a small amount of ethyl alcohol, let the remaining alcohol evaporate, connect the connector and check if the system boots.

If you still see the error "Reboot and Select proper Boot device", then there is a chance that the SATA connection cable will break. Try to connect with another cable (buy a new one, borrow from friends).

Install and clean the RAM

It happens that our error may appear due to RAM. Here are some options for what to try in this area:

1. Just press your finger, move it slightly from side to side and press down on the memory bar, perhaps it just does not contact the slot well.
2. Pull out all the strips, blow out the connectors, clean the contacts of the strips with alcohol (ethyl) and insert them back.
3. If there are several memory sticks, swap them. There is no logic in this, but it really helps some.
4. Leave only one memory strip in the slot, remove the rest. In this way, do the same with the rest of the planks. If everything works with one of the slats, but not with the other, it is obvious that something is wrong with the latter and it needs to be diagnosed.
5. Borrow a RAM module from someone suitable for your computer. It is possible that something is wrong with yours. Although in this case multiple beeps should be heard, this sometimes happens (rarely).

In terms of RAM, we have nothing more to add - this is, perhaps, all that can be done with it.

Disconnect and check external devices

Believe me, there are times when the computer does not work correctly due to external devices connected to it: printers, faxes, smartphones, players, voice recorders, disks, controllers, tablets, e-books, projectors and so on, there are many options.

We try to eliminate the influence of connected devices - turn off and disconnect the computer, disconnect everything external devices, we leave only the keyboard and mouse, as we may need them to manage the settings. Then we turn on and check if the operating system boots.

If the system began to boot, then with a high probability the USB flash drive you disconnected (or something else) is the reason for the failure in its normal operation and it must be dealt with separately, since our goal now is to eliminate the cause of the error, and not to diagnose and repair or customize peripherals.

If the system still gives you the error "Reboot and Select proper Boot device", then read carefully further, follow the tips, apply them in practice.

Keyboard

We haven't disconnected the keyboard until the last moment, but there are problems with it. Until now, many people at home, but more often in offices (for security reasons), keyboards are connected not via USB connectors, but via PC / 2. If there is a PC / 2 connector on the motherboard (a circular connector with six pins), then there are usually two of them - for the keyboard and mouse. Rarely, but there are cases of computer malfunctions precisely because of such connectors: they stuck in the wrong place, short circuit, contact is broken. Just disconnect the keyboard and mouse.

Power supply and power supply

Since we have climbed inside the system unit, let's dig deeper into it a little more. Now we need to eliminate the power problem. Here we will work both inside and outside.

Inside

Sometimes the power supply simply does not have enough power to provide power to all connected pieces of iron - both inside and out. We turn off everything that is possible outside (printers, flash drives, speakers, chargers, etc.), and inside (drive, sound card, network card, controllers, tuners, additional cooling, video card (if there is a built-in one)). As a result, only the motherboard, processor, cooler and hard drive should remain connected to the power supply inside.

We turn on the computer and observe. If the error has disappeared and the system has booted, then there are two conclusions from this point of recommendations - either one or another part disconnected from the power supply is faulty, or the power supply unit does not have enough power.

You can check the first and second conclusions in the following ways:

1. Connect potentially defective parts in turn to another working computer, but there is a risk of damage to the second PC.
2. Calculate the required power to power all connected devices and install a more powerful power supply.

If you responsibly approached the check in these two ways - you checked the correct operation of the components on another computer, installed and connected a more powerful power supply, but the problem when connecting any of the parts still leads to an error, then there is a possibility of failures or breakdowns in the motherboard ... We'll talk about it a little later.

Outside

In our practice, there have been cases of computer failures due to: source uninterruptible power supply (UPS), voltage stabilizer, surge protector, outlet, power cable, and even all electrical wiring in the apartment. Therefore, make sure that the power cable is securely connected and try plugging it into a different outlet.

Malicious programs

Oh, yes - a variety of malicious software that got into your computer from various storage media (flash drives, disks), and most often from the network, simply leads to such consequences.

The program code put in the file instruction can do a lot of things. He can (in relation to our problem):

• completely or partially erase data from the disk;
• format the disk completely;
• erase the operating system loader;
• erase the master boot record from disk;
• change BIOS settings or erase it;
• show spoofed system messages;
• and much more.

What to do with viruses?

If the error “Reboot and Select proper Boot device” appears sporadically and sometimes the operating system boots, then this is the most luck. After loading the operating system, download, install and check the computer with all possible antivirus programs - some of them, possibly, will find malicious code and remove it.

If our error is constant and does not disappear anywhere, then we need to understand - is there any information left on the hard disk, if it is, then what exactly is left.

To check this, you need to access the information on the hard disk (logical). This can be done in two ways:

1. Remove the hard drive and connect to another computer.
2. Load the OS or individual utilities from a USB flash drive or disk.

If there are no files on the disk and you need the information stored on it, then you must first restore it, and only then reinstall the operating system and programs.

The malicious code could leave all files on the disk, but remove all loaders from it. They need to be restored and, perhaps, everything will work as before, that is, all programs and files will remain. And do not forget to check the disk for viruses, and we will talk about bootloaders a little later.

Updating drivers

This option is suitable if the error appears sporadically and the operating system sometimes starts up. If this happens, then you should pay close attention to the SATA and RAID drivers.

Where to look or how to update drivers is not the essence of this article, but we will give several recommendations and draw attention to several features of working with them.

It is advisable to download the drivers from the official sites, since there is a great chance of running into various kinds of installers at once and everything. After downloading such a program, together with the driver you are looking for, you can become the owner of several, or even a dozen, "very useful" programs in a minute or two, which will then prevent you from working normally.

The new, most recent version of the driver does not mean that everything will work correctly. Sometimes in program code developers encounter an error and because of them, you have to install earlier, but stable versions.

Recovering the boot record and sector

We wrote about what an operating system loader is above. It's time to start restoring it. Let's get started.

What is an operating system loader?

We will not talk about the dark corners of the universe hidden from the eyes of the computer and software. You just need to know that there is a small program on the hard disk (a file with instructions) that provides loading, starts the operating system kernel and transfers control to it. If the bootloader is damaged or missing, the operating system will not be able to start.

In fact, everything is both simple and complex at the same time. There are many ways to restore boot loaders for different operating systems - via installation disk, operating system or using specialized software (MbrFix, Acronis Disk Director, Ultimate MBRGui, Acronis Recovery Expert, Bootice). We will not give all possible methods for all operating systems, but we will give one basic one, with the help of which most problems with the bootloader are solved. This method is universal with minor differences for almost the entire family of operating rooms. microsoft systems Windows (XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10). Let's go in order:

1. The first thing we need to do is find a bootable disk with our operating system and insert it into the drive.
2. In the BIOS settings, select the disk as the first bootable device (how to do this is described in the BIOS section (above)).
3. In the loaded menu of the installer, find and select the item for working with the command line or console (there is one thing).
4. In the command line (console) write:
   • bootrec / fixmbr (the command writes, fixes the master boot record);
   • bootrec / fixboot (this command writes a new boot sector).

In Windows XP, you don't need to write everything up to and including the slash, just write fixmbr and then fixboot.

You can easily find the rest of the information on fixing the boot through the command line on the Microsoft website at the request "bootrec.exe".

We study and fix the hard drive

ABOUT hard drives we wrote a little above. We will not repeat what has been written, we will touch only in passing: check the reliability of the connections, change the BIOS settings, clean the computer from dust, install stable versions of drivers and restore the bootloader. The rest of the hard drive performance is covered here.

Checking for files

Everything is simple here:

• remove the disk from the computer;
• we connect to a working computer;
• see if there are files on it.

If there are no files, then everything is clear - they are not. If they are needed, you need to restore them, and if the files are not needed, then you can simply reinstall the operating system. But in this case, it would be worthwhile to first think about the reason for the loss of files.

Updating the firmware

Sometimes, especially on new SSDs, under the confluence of different circumstances due to incorrect firmware, there are failures when loading the operating system - it will boot five times, and on the sixth it will give an error. See your SSD model, look for stable firmware and update.

Old hard drive

Hard disk problems appear due to physical wear, lack of space, system files, bad sectors, firmware, markup and physical damage to boards and mechanisms.

Over time, the resource of the hard disk is depleted - the maximum number of cycles of recording and rewriting information, turning on and off the power has been made. The pieces of iron are not eternal. There is little that can be done with this, there is no particular point in prolonging the work of a disc that has run out of time, but there are several methods of temporary resuscitation of the disc.

With the development of a resource and operation in an aggressive environment, the work of the disk deteriorates, you can understand this by indirect signs: the operating system takes a long time to load, it slows down during operation, programs quit spontaneously, and the disk itself may slightly squeak, creak, tap and click - if you hear this , we recommend copying all important and necessary information to another disk (USB flash drive, cloud).

How to understand that there is a problem?

To test work hard disk, you need to run the software, but the operating system does not start - this is a problem. There are several ways out:

• we load a virtual operating system on our computer and carry out all tests on it;
• launch required programs via DOS;
• remove the hard drive and connect it to another working computer.

What to choose, you decide based on availability additional computer, the necessary software, experience and knowledge.

Here are just a few programs for testing: CrystalDiskInfo, HDAT2, HDDlife, HDDScan, Seagate SeaTools, Victoria.

If the program is in Russian, then you will quickly understand the state of various parameters of the disk, and if the program is in English, then find the Russian-language instructions on the net. We will not describe how the programs work, this is beyond the scope of the article. We will restrict ourselves to only basic information.

Basic diagnostics

In any of these programs, you need to run the so-called S.M.A.R.T. check. (in fact, this is a system for tracking hard disk parameters). The program starts, reads data from the disk chip and outputs the result.

If the disk resource is large, then it is better to get rid of such a disk - sooner or later it will break down so that recovering information from it will cost you a pretty penny.

Checking "bad sectors"

Bad sectors - damaged areas / sectors / cells of the disk, physically or programmatically. It is advisable to get rid of such disks, as well as disks that have exhausted their resource.

If there are no bad sectors, but there are long-read sectors, that is, sectors from which information is read, but read for a long time (slows down the work), then it is also advisable to get rid of such disks.

You can check disk sectors for read, write speed and performance with the same programs that we indicated above.

Other troubleshooting options

Bought new computer, when you turn on the error appears

New computers may be sold without an operating system. If there is no system on the disk, then there is nothing to boot - you need to install it.

When turned on, a menu often appears asking you to select a boot disk

If such an inscription does not always appear when turned on, then this is a sure sign that it is time to change the BIOS battery (settings are lost).

Error appears during OS installation

If the error appears during the installation of the operating system, then there is a possibility that the disk was incorrectly partitioned. If there is no disk important information, then it is advisable to completely format it and, when creating partitions, check that a hidden partition for the bootloader has been created.

The error appears after installing Windows

If the installation of the operating system went smoothly, and after installation an error appears, you probably have two or more disks in your computer. You need to go into the BIOS and select bootable disk with the installed system.

Thinks for a long time and then gives an error

When the computer thinks for a long time and it is not clear how it boots and works, then it will "start", then no, then you need to check the disk for errors ( broken sectors). If the suspicions are confirmed and bad sectors are found, then it is advisable to replace the disk.

Dust cleaned

In 50% of cases, the cables must be secured. In 30% of cases, parts fall out of the slots (fix them). In the remaining 20% \u200b\u200bof cases, nothing happens: the power cable was poorly connected, the disk hit, there was a discharge of static electricity during cleaning, and so on.

After installing a new disk

If the disk is new, it is clean and it is alone in the computer, then you need to install the operating system on it. If you install a new disk as the second or third, then you need to change the boot priority in the BIOS settings. There is also a possibility that you have come across a defective disc.

After a thunderstorm

After a thunderstorm, electronics often fail - this is a fact. In this case, an exact answer cannot be given, everything that can and cannot be broken could break. It is necessary to carry out diagnostics.

After installing a new power supply

It is possible that the new power supply does not have enough power, you did not connect a hard drive, or you came across a defective power supply. Check connections and power supply.

Updated disk firmware

If everything worked correctly before flashing the disk firmware, and after flashing an error appears, then the options are as follows:

• you installed the firmware incorrectly, try again;
• you have downloaded a defective or incorrect firmware, look for other files;
• you screw up the disk, contact a specialist.

Split or merge a disc

Here you could mess things up: erased operating system files, erased the boot partition. Check for files on the disk - operating system files and boot sectors and records (see instructions above).

Let's stop at this. There are many more exotic cases, and to list them all is rather tedious and takes up a lot of space. If you have a "special" case, describe it in the comments.

Finally, we will give you a few useful tips... Surely you already know many of them, have seen or heard somewhere, but after reading them again, the neurons of your brain form a stronger connection and, perhaps, you will sometimes remember and apply this in practice.

1. Install antivirus

If you are using Microsoft Windows, then antivirus is a must. Without it, you can run into anything you want. We will not recommend a specific antivirus, choose yourself.

2. Install licensed programs

If possible, install only licensed programs. A cracked program may work correctly and not arouse the slightest suspicion, or it may "drain" all information from your computer.

3. Update programs

Most programs update themselves or notify you when new versions are available. We recommend using the latest versions, usually they fix identified vulnerabilities and add new functions.

4. Configure backup data

Why do we need this? - Many people think so, and then at the X-hour they tear their hair out if necessary and important data is lost. What does not disappear: accounting, drawings, coursework, passwords and more.

5. Clean your computer from dust

Take my word for it, cleaning from dust and dirt once a year is a necessary procedure. The presence of a large amount of dust leads to overheating of parts, parts break down, and the system as a whole malfunctions.

6. Do not knock, shake, or carefully transport the computer

Handle your computer with care. If you knock or drop on it, problems in its work are guaranteed. It is good if something goes away somewhere, worse - when information disappears or something short-circuits.

7. Buy a UPS and Voltage Stabilizer

Oh, how many breakdowns due to power surges and emergency shutdowns - files disappear, programs, operating system stop working, component parts fail.

8. Place the desktop computer in the correct location

Some people don't even think about where to put a desktop computer. Think about how it will work in the winter by a battery or in a closed, unvented desk drawer.

9. Do not eat at the computer

Eat in specially designated areas in pleasant company and have an interesting conversation. This is much more interesting than wiping spilled tea, coffee and grease stains from the monitor and keyboard afterwards.

10. Learn computer literacy

Yes, this computer literacy is nonsense - you might think. In fact, our practice suggests otherwise. The less a person knows about what he is working with, the more mistakes he makes.

That's all. We're done. Ask questions in the comments, write interesting cases. If you need help, call the wizard.

Updated: 2019-11-27 / Victor Trunov

Often a situation arises when, when turning on the computer, we are faced with something other than the usual booting Windows, but with various errors arising 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 an error reboot and select proper boot device may indicate incorrect settings in BIOS, damage to the hard disk or its incorrect connection, damage boot record MBR 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 ourselves.

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 all the rest.

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.

Resetting the current date and time can signal this. 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. Each case can use its own unique key.

So, the order of actions will be as follows:

The main disadvantage of this method is that every time the computer is turned on, all actions must be performed anew. But as a check, 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

A 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 drive or a disk with Windows installed.

If you decide to boot from disk, then:

We are waiting for the end of the test 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 the example of Windows 7:

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:

1. Always use UPS. This will solve the problem with the voltage drop in the mains.
2. 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.
3. Trust the PC setup only to competent, knowledgeable people.
4. Be sure to install, even if you consider yourself an experienced user and download files only from trusted resources. They will protect you from sites that automatically download viruses to your system.
5. Check the HDD for errors from time to time. This will allow you to detect and eliminate the malfunction in a timely manner, while maintaining the information on it.
6. Make a copy of any important data that you want to store on another drive. 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.

If none of the methods helped you and the computer still does not turn on, then ask your questions with a detailed description of the entire 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 in more technical level.
This may be: breakdown of the motherboard, power supply,
hard disk, video card, RAM, etc.

It is important to diagnose and fix the breakdown in time,
to prevent damage to other components.

Our specialist will help you with this.

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Very often, users are faced with an error such as "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media". This error appears immediately after turning on the computer and does not allow loading the operating system.

Fortunately, given error not too serious and in most cases it can be eliminated without the help of a specialist and without additional material costs. Now we will look at some of the most common causes of this error and tell you what you can do.

Reason # 1. The computer is trying to boot from an external drive.

If, when you try to turn on the computer, you receive an error message "Reboot and select proper boot device", then the first thing to do is turn off all external drives (, memory cards, external hard drives and CDs) and restart your computer. It is possible that after this the computer will start to boot normally.

Reason # 2. The computer is trying to boot from another hard drive.

Very often, the reason for the error "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media" or is that the BIOS is set to incorrect settings and because of this the computer boots from another hard disk. In order to fix this problem, find the boot settings there and select the disk on which the operating system is installed.

All BIOSes are very different from each other. Therefore, it will not be possible to describe the setup process for all possible options. For example, we will show how this is done if you have an AMI BIOS.

So, in the AMI BIOS you need to go to the "BOOT" section and open the "Hard Disk Drive BBS Priorities" menu item.

After that, you need to configure the priority of the drives at boot. To do this, simply select the first disk, the disk on which the operating system is installed. Then press the ESC key to return to the previous BIOS screen.

After that, you need to pay attention to the general list of devices used to boot the operating system. This list must also include a hard drive with an operating system.

If this list does not contain the hard disk you need, then open one of the items and select the hard disk.

After making all the changes, remember to save them. This can be done by simply pressing the F10 key.

Reason # 3. Problems with connecting the hard drive.

If you tried to change the boot order (as described above), but did not find the drive you need in the list of disks, then most likely you have some kind of problem with. In this case, you need to check sATA connection cables to the hard drive and the motherboard. These cables are not securely attached, and sometimes the contact at the connection point may be poor. Because of what, the hard drive can be disconnected and then connected for no apparent reason.

Reason # 4. The hard disk is defective.

The reason is rather unlikely, but quite possible. If your hard drive is completely out of order. Then it will not be detected by the system, and you will receive the error "Reboot and select proper boot device".

Reason number 5. Dead battery on the motherboard.

Another possible cause is a dead battery on the motherboard. It is very easy to check and exclude this option. Turn off your computer and unplug it from the power supply for a few minutes. After that go to BIOS and check the time and date. If the time and date are out of order, then you need to.

Reason # 6. Damaged bootloader.

Damage to the bootloader can also lead to a "Reboot and select proper boot device" error. If you have ruled out all other options, then you can try to repair the bootloader.

Restoring the bootloader to different versions Windows is a topic for a separate article. Here we will simply demonstrate how this is done using the example of Windows 7.

Boot from the Windows 7 disk, and when a window appears prompting you to install Windows, select the "System Restore" option.

After that select "Command Prompt"

Then enter the commands "bootrec / fixmbr" and "bootrec / fixboot"

After entering these commands, close the command prompt and restart your computer. If the problem was in the bootloader, then the error "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media" should no longer appear.

If this error is displayed on the monitor screen when you turn on the computer, then do not panic. There are some possible reasonsby which it can be displayed. Accordingly, there are several options for eliminating it.

What does this error mean?

First, let's figure out what the error means reboot and select proper boot device and press a key. Everything is simple here. Your computer or laptop. Simply put, he does not know where to load the operating system from. The most common boot device is the hard drive. A little further we will figure out why the PC can stop seeing the boot device and what are the options for solving this problem.

Reasons for the appearance and solution:

• Banal non-contact of cables on the hard drive.

This situation can occur due to the fact that one of the two cables to the hard drive is disconnected or damaged. Open the computer cover and visually inspect the condition of these cables. It is advisable to disconnect and reconnect them, and do this both from the side of the hard drive and from the side of the motherboard. If you notice that the cables are damaged or broken in some place, they need to be replaced.

Solving the problem with the error reboot and select proper boot device and press a key

In laptop this situation impossible since there are no cables. The laptop connector is located directly on the motherboard.

• The BIOS has lost the boot priority setting.

Another fairly common reason for the error is the situation when the boot priority sequence gets lost in the BIOS settings. Or the priority of hard drives when there are several of them installed in the computer.

In this case, you need to check this setting.

To do this, go into BIOS by pressing F2, Delete, F10 or F12 and install your hard disk drive (HDD) in the first place.

This is how it looks on the AMI:

This is for the BIOS Award:

And this is for modern motherboards with UEFI BIOS:

• If you have multiple hard drives installed and one of them has an operating system. then pay attention to the fact that exactly system disk was the first in the priorities of hard drives.

• If, after all the steps taken, the name of the hard disk in the BIOS is displayed (something similar to the previous photo), then something happened to one or more files responsible for loading the operating system.

And you have to either restore it or reinstall it. I also recommend checking your hard drive for bad sectors.

• In the worst case, when the hard drive is not displayed in the BIOS, the latter is most likely out of order and requires replacement.

In this article, the most common situations were sounded in which an error may appear reboot and select proper boot device and press a keywhen the computer boots, as well as all sorts of options for its solution.

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