[clahaie]

My HP Desktop won't boot up... I just get a black screen with a message such as, "Boot Failed, insert system disc" or something like that. I don't have the system disc anymore and I've been told that my HDD is destroyed.

I don't really care about the computer itself, but have many important files on the disc drive. After some research, I downloaded and burnt a copy of a Linux OS. I was able to fire it up running on that, but once it gets to the main Linux screen everything freezes up and I am left staring at that screen... can't click on anything.

I simply want to be able to access the HDD to transfer the files to my external. Can anyone offer help?

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Hello clahaie.... Welcome to GeeksToGo,

I'm sorry to hear about your issue. We will try to help you resolve this as soon as possible.
Please understand we are all volunteers and we are not here all the time. Sometimes it may be a extended amount of time to get back to you. If it has been more then 3 days please shoot me a PM and I will try to get back to you quickly then.

First suggestion is to enter the BIOS and make sure it sees the HD
Then check the boot sequence and make sure the HD is the first Boot
Device

Let me know your findings.

[rshaffer61]

Hello clahaie.... Welcome to GeeksToGo,

I'm sorry to hear about your issue. We will try to help you resolve this as soon as possible.
Please understand we are all volunteers and we are not here all the time. Sometimes it may be a extended amount of time to get back to you. If it has been more then 3 days please shoot me a PM and I will try to get back to you quickly then.

First suggestion is to enter the BIOS and make sure it sees the HD
Then check the boot sequence and make sure the HD is the first Boot
Device

Let me know your findings.

[clahaie]

Thanks for the response... I have no option to enter the BIOS (that I can see) but have been told that it doesn't see the HD. What should I do now?

[rshaffer61]

When you first turn on the system and at the first post screen you should look at the bottom of the screen.
There it will tell you how to enter the BIOS\CMOS\Setup menu.
Mine says pres the DEL key
Yours may be ESC or one of the F buttons