[pcuser12]

I have a HP G60-418, running on Windows Vista and I had a USB stick (with a winxp .iso on it) inserted to the laptop when I forced it off. I was supposed to be formatting a CD at that time but the laptop froze so I forced it off.

I restarted the laptop immediately after that forgetting that the USB stick (with a windows xp.iso) is still attached to it. And then, all the laptop did was produce a beeping sound and showed something like:

"No bootable disk found. Insert... press any key..."

And then, even if I inserted the Vista disk, there were no drivers to be loaded when I press [Load drivers]. If I go to the BIOS setup>Harddrive scan/test, it would say:

"Harddrive not exist".

I have already detached and reattached the harddrive and there doesn't seem to be any problem with it.

I have been reading around about "disabling" something in the BIOS setup but I just can't understand how to do those things as it doesn't give me much options in the BIOS.

How do I deal with this? I just find it hard to believe that the harddrive is already broken as there was nothing that has happened to the laptop prior to this incident (aside from just suddenly cutting the power).

Please advise.

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Edited by pcuser12, 05 June 2012 - 10:10 PM.

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pcuser12

It is possible that the OS (operating system) was damaged when the notebook was not shut down correctly.
Is the HDD listed/detected in the BIOS.
Is the boot sequence in the BIOS set to boot from the DVD/CD drive first and the HDD second.

Keys used to access Hewlett-Packard (HP) BIOS settings;
•Press the F1, F10, or F11 key after restarting the computer.
•HP Tablet PCs may use F10 or F12.
•Other HP computers may allow access to BIOS using the F2 or Esc keys.

[phillpower2]

pcuser12

It is possible that the OS (operating system) was damaged when the notebook was not shut down correctly.
Is the HDD listed/detected in the BIOS.
Is the boot sequence in the BIOS set to boot from the DVD/CD drive first and the HDD second.

Keys used to access Hewlett-Packard (HP) BIOS settings;
•Press the F1, F10, or F11 key after restarting the computer.
•HP Tablet PCs may use F10 or F12.
•Other HP computers may allow access to BIOS using the F2 or Esc keys.

[pcuser12]

Hi! Thanks so much for replying, Phil.

Below are the tabs that I can see in the BIOS setup. I have included some of the details that might help with identifying the situation:

Main
-system time
-system date
-notebook model
-product number
-system board ID
-processor type
-processor speed
-total memory --- 4096 MB
-BIOS version - F. 65
-BIOS vendor - Insyde
-Serial Number - 2CE93008QB
-UUID Number
-product configuration ID

Security
Admin password
power-on password

Diagnostics
-primary hard disk self test (returns as Hard Disk Not Exist)
-memory test (returns as Memory test passed)

System Configuration
-Language
-processor c6 states - enabled
-fan always on
-Boot options
---F10 and f12 delay sec <0>
---CD-ROM boot - enabled
---floppy boot - enabled
---internal network adapter boot - disabled
---boot order
------USB floppy
------internal cd/dvd rom drive
------notebook hard drive
------usb diskette on key/usb hard disk
------! network adapter

Whenever I press F9 to save setup defaults, and then F10 to save and exit, I get this:

"No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key"

Press one key and the message repeats itself.

I have done all this without any USB stick attached to the laptop and without the Windows CD attached to it as well.

I have gone as far as verifying the serial number of the windows but when I get into the part where it says "load drivers" there's just nothing that appears in there. When I would press "browse" a folder will appear with something like:

"Boot x"
"removable ..."
"system"

folders like that which are too small for an operating system to be installed. I have removed and reattached the HDD (the one with the logo of 3 CDs overlapping with each other), but so far nothing has changed.

I have been coordinating with other people and their guesses were:

1. Corrupt BIOS
2. Damaged HDD

I'm just not sure what's happening with the laptop right now.

[phillpower2]

Whenever I press F9 to save setup defaults, and then F10 to save and exit, I get this:

"No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key"

You do not want the default settings as by default the CD/DVD drive that you need must be placed first in the boot order and the HDD second, then press F10 to save the new settings and then Y to accept the changes.

---boot order
------USB floppy
------internal cd/dvd rom drive First boot device.
------notebook hard drive Second boot device.------
usb diskette on key/usb hard disk
------! network adapter

Again these settings are shown to be incorrect and need to be changed and saved as described above.

Also can I ask what type of Vista disk it is that you are using.

[pcuser12]

Hi Phil,

I am using the Windows Vista 32 bit software and although it does not say it in the CD nor the cover, I think it is the Home edition. You mentioned that I need to put the CD/DVD drive in the priority order, should I insert the Vista CD then after I rearrange it?

Thanks

[Macboatmaster]

My colleague phillpower2 has asked if I will help you, as he is going offline

I am also in the UK, so I will only be online for about another hour, but either phillpower2 or I will resume with you when we return.

I have two questions please

1. What was the purpose of the winxp iso on the usb flash drive when your O/S is Vista. There is no hidden meaning to that question I just need to know what you were trying to do

2. When my colleague asked what type of Vista disc., he meant is it Microsoft Vista, an OEM disc - eg Dell etc, or what.
I cannot understand why your Vista disc if it is an installation disc does not tell you what exactly it is

Having read your first post again, - is this an OEM disc from HP and is it in fact the drivers disc.

[pcuser12]

Hi Macboat,

Thanks for helping as well.

1. I wasn't actually using the usb stick (with the winxp.iso) at that time. I was formatting a CD when the system froze and I had to turn the laptop off. Then when I turned it on, I forgot that the USB stick was still inserted to the laptop. I'm thinking it might have confused the windows xp with the originally installed OS in the laptop, however, I know that an .iso program has to be burnt on the USB stick first before it becomes usable...so I think that might not be the problem.

2. My CD says Upgrade your windows vista experience only. Attached are the images of my CD and the cover. If I remember it right, I think it's Vista Home basic. The disc came with us when we purchased the laptop not 4 years ago..

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[Macboatmaster]

You say you have removed and re-attached the hard drive - the one with the symbol of three CD`s overlapping each other, please CONFIRM that it is the HDD you have removed, although I do not think that removing it will get you very far

See this please, then you will know if you have removed the hard drive
http://bizsupport1.a...ID=c00832290#A2

Whether you have or not please do this

1.Shut down
2.Remove battery
3.Disconnect power
4. Hold down power button for a full 15 seconds
5. Reconnect power ONLY
6. Reboot and see what happens.

[pcuser12]

Hi Macboat,

I am not using any battery on the laptop, but I did do the steps 1-6 save for step 2. I got No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key for this.

The primary hard disk self test returns as Hard Disk Not Exist.

[Macboatmaster]

In respect of the DVD you have it is an upgrade disc to another version of Vista, as per this link
http://h10025.www1.h...ct=3816537#N232


It is of no use to you in the situation that appertains at this time.

[pcuser12]

Hi,

So does that mean the problem is with the OS and not the HDD then? Should I use another operating system at this time: i.e. ubuntu to confirm this?

Thanks for being patient i really have no idea as to what to do with the laptop right now.

[Macboatmaster]

Having read the link I sent on post 8, are you satisfied that it is the hard drive you removed.

I tend to think, at this time, that the file system is corrupted from the shut down.

It maybe, that your best course of action, is indeed now to remove the hard drive and connect it in an enclosure or docking station to another computer preferably running Vista and see if the data is accessible.

If it is, the best course is then to save that data - your personal files docs, images etc. and then if the disc is accessible run a chkdsk /r on it. We can go further into this when I return if necessary

[pcuser12]

Thanks for the insight, Macboat, I shall try my best to find a place where I can run my hard drive whilst I wait for a better option. I shall come back to report whatever happens.

In the meantime, I'd like to let you know that I got the laptop running (through CD) Ubuntu 10 with no problem although I haven't installed it in the laptop just yet.

[Macboatmaster]

Well do NOT try and install it, because if you do, and it works, that will be goodbye to all your data. - and Vista more than likely.

It is running in ram, so all that proves is that the general hardware is OK

Is the HDD shown on the Ubuntu desktop - cannot remember now exactly where it is on Ubuntu but it will more than likely be hda0

Here it is on Puppy with the guide
http://www.geekstogo...over-your-data/

shown as sda on the desktop image - lower left


Back in setup, although there is no hard drive found as boot device is there a hard drive listed on the main page of the setup menu
http://bizsupport1.a...2Fc01662442.pdf

[pcuser12]

Yes, I won't but I just tried installing it just to see if I would be able to find the drive C. There isn't any. It's just the removable disk (i'm assuming this is the Ubuntu cd) and another folder named `system` if I remember it right containing various unintelligible folders. It also says that I don`t even have 2.5GB of space to install it so that confirms that it is indeed running on RAM.

I do have another laptop, an older one, Toshiba Tecra A2 and I was wondering if I could remove the hardrive from the HP g60-418CA and try to run it on the other laptop instead.

This is all new to me, and I`m not sure if they have compatibility issues when it comes to hard drives.