Hello friends! Sometimes when you start the computer, you can see the message DISC BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER on the monitor screen. If you translate this error literally, it will turn out: "it is impossible to boot from the disk, insert the system disk and press enter." There is only one logical conclusion with such an error - a problem with the boot device (hard drive, drive or inserted USB flash drive). Today we will consider the causes of such an error and how to eliminate it.
Before we begin, I will tell you a case with one computer. Somehow they brought me one system unit for repair. The owner of this machine said that the computer does not start and gives the error " DISC BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER».
The first step is to clarify what the last actions were carried out with the PC, what was its behavior recently, which I did. All this is necessary in case of any computer breakdown (and not only) in order to find out as much as possible where to dig and what detail to sin on. The owner of this PC said that everything happened spontaneously, while there were no mechanical effects, but recently rattling sounds were heard. The first thought is a problem with the HDD, because this happens when the hard drive "crumbles". This speculation became a fact when I noticed that when the computer was turned on, when the hardware was being tested, the hard drive was not displayed.
It turns out that the hard drive was not detected by the system, although at that moment it was connected to the SATA connector. Climbed into the BIOS of the computer - HDD is not displayed. Then I connected this disk to my PC and, oddly enough, it was not recognized. There is only one conclusion - problems with the hard drive. By the way, I recently wrote an instruction that, if you wish, you can read it so that you know what to do in a similar situation in the future.
After the hard drive was replaced, the system saw the new hardware and recognized it. After installing the operating system and installing all the necessary programs, the computer returned to its happy owner in working condition. Here is such a short story from life, where I first encountered the error BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER. If you see something like this on your screen, don't panic, because this does not mean that your HDD has also crashed, there are other reasons. Let's take a look at them.
Causes of the DISC BOOT FAILURE error
Step one. If you have a Floppy drive in your computer, then I advise you to disable it both physically and in the BIOS settings. If you don't have it, then move on.
step two. Check carefully all cables, loops connecting devices to the motherboard. Sometimes, with poor contact, you can see various errors, including the one described in this article.
Step Three. The boot order of devices can be knocked down due to a dead three-volt battery, as it keeps the CMOS memory in working order. A situation like this can easily cause a BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER error. Therefore, in this case, I recommend buying a new battery and replacing it.
Step Four. Make sure your drive is empty, i.e. without a CD, and check if the flash drives are connected now. The thing is that sometimes in the BIOS settings they put the CD / DVD drive or USB flash drive in the first place in the priority of boot devices. If in this case a non-boot disk is inserted into the drive or a USB flash drive into the USB socket, then it is likely that the above error or similar will pop up. Therefore, I recommend removing the disk and all flash drives from the computer.
Step five. Make sure that the computer really sees the hard drive in the BIOS, and also look at the device boot priority - the HDD must be installed in the first place so that the system boots immediately from it.
Step Six. There are cases when the hard drive is connected in parallel with the CD / DVD drive via an IDE cable. In such a situation, I advise you to disconnect the IDE cable and power from the drive. If this helped and the computer starts up again as before, then I recommend experimentally switching the jumpers located near the cable socket to the MASTER and SLAVE modes.
Friends, I will be very glad for your comments - did this instruction help you or maybe you solved a similar problem in some other way. That's all! Thank you for your attention!
Do you get a "Disk boot failure" error when you turn on your computer? Many users face it. And what is most offensive: it always appears unexpectedly, without any reason. Although there is always a reason, of course. It just needs to be defined.
In a literal translation into Russian - "The boot disk is damaged, connect another system disk and click Enter." That is, they tell you that there are problems with the hard drive, but the reasons are much more banal. And this is good, because they are easier to fix.
There are many ways to fix it yourself. And, before taking the computer to a service center, it is recommended to try them - you may be able to fix the error on your own.
How to fix Disk boot failure error?
I note right away that the “Disk boot failure” error appears on any PC. The OS version can also be different - Windows 10, 8, 7 or XP. Therefore, if the computer writes "Disk boot failure", you can try any methods. After all, they are universal.
There are several methods. Let's start simple:
- Check if there is a disc in the drive. You may have recently copied files from it. Or install the game. If the disk is in the drive, remove it and restart the PC. After that, the error may disappear.
- Disconnect flash drives and external hard drives. Same case as above. Disconnect the flash drive and restart your computer or laptop. Sometimes it helps.
- Disable the floppy floppy drive (you probably don't use it today). This problem applies to old PCs, on new ones it is no longer installed. To disable it, go to BIOS and select "None" opposite the Drive A line.
Also, first of all, you need to check the performance of the HDD. First, look at the loading screen to see if it is detected or not. If not, this is the first wake-up call.
Here it is recommended to check the hard drive with friends or acquaintances. If they also have a computer that says “Disk boot failure” when turned on, then the hard drive is out of order (you need to buy a new one). If everything is fine with friends, then the problem is on your side. Looking for more.
Very often this error appears due to incorrect settings in the BIOS. Moreover, they could go astray due to a dead CMOS battery. This usually happens due to improper shutdown of the PC.
Also, the settings are reset when the PC is suddenly turned off from the outlet. In this case, you need to replace the battery with a new one.
If you have changed the BIOS settings yourself, then reset them manually. To do this, remove the CMOS battery, wait a few minutes, and plug it back in.
Sometimes an error when turning on the computer appears due to problems with the cable (cable connecting the hard drive to the motherboard). Wiggle it or unplug it and plug it back in. If the cable is damaged, then replace it with a new one.
Perhaps your hard drive and DVD drive are connected via the IDE interface. This is another reason why it says “Disk boot failure” when starting the computer. The solution here is simple: unplug the DVD drive and turn on the PC. If there is no more error, then you need to experiment with the master keys SLAVE and MASTER (they are located near the IDE socket of the HDD and the drive).
Checking and Changing Device Boot Priority
Another common reason why the Disk boot failure message appears when the PC boots is the incorrectly set priority for turning on devices. Here you need to go into BIOS and set the settings so that the HDD is loaded first.
In Award, this is done like this:
In AMI, this procedure is performed as follows:
If you have 2 hard drives, then in the first place you need to put the one on which Windows is installed. If you don't know, try both options in turn. In Award, the boot priority of two hard drives is configured in the "Hard Disk Boot Priority" item, and in AMI - "Hard Disk Drives".
What should I do if the "Disk boot failure" error still appears? Here are some tips taken from the comments of the users themselves:
- Check the power supply. Although nothing explicitly indicates this, the problem may be precisely in it. If possible, borrow a block from friends or acquaintances and connect it on your computer.
- Restore Windows. If the HDD is detected, works on another PC, everything is fine with the BIOS settings, but the error still appears - perhaps the reason is that the system disk was damaged. Try it (at the time when everything worked fine). Assuming it exists, of course.
- Contact the service center or call the wizard. If you've tried everything and still can't fix the Disk boot failure error, seek professional help. You have already done everything you could - let them look for the cause.
Question from user
Good afternoon.
Help me please! When starting the computer, an error is written:
"disk boot failure insert system disk and press enter". I understand that this means some kind of problem with the hard drive (is it broken?). How to fix this error?PS: I don't want to carry the computer for repair - it makes no sense, it is already 7-8 years old (I would like to manage it on my own).
Hello!
The appearance of such an error does not always mean that something has happened to your disk. If translated into Russian, this error means: "The boot disk was not found, insert the system disk and press Enter."
Those. this could happen, for example, if you disconnected the hard drive (the cable went off, say), or because the computer is looking for boot records on the wrong media on which it is needed (for example, due to incorrect BIOS settings).
There are actually many reasons, in this article I will touch on the most basic ones, so that anyone who is more or less familiar with a PC can try to solve the problem ...
Solution (causes)
Reason 1: forgotten floppy disk, floppy drive (Drive a)
Solution
Of course, I understand that floppy disks and floppy drives (in the jargon "flops") have already sunk into oblivion ... Nevertheless, many still have them on old computers! In addition, in many educational institutions they force you to do various jobs on floppy disks (so that floppy disks are still alive in some places ☺)!
The bottom line is: check if the floppy disk is inserted into the drive. If there is a floppy disk, take it out and restart your PC!
By the way, also check if you have a floppy drive installed. If it is, it is advisable to open the system unit and remove the cables that are connected to it from the floppy drive (perform the operation with the PC completely turned off!). After, turn on the PC and see if the error is gone...
Reason 2: Disc inserted in CD/DVD drive, flash drive in USB port
Solution
The same can be said about flash drives and CD / DVD drives - check if there is any left media in the tray or USB port. If there is, remove it and restart your computer.
Reason 3: Boot priority changed in BIOS
Solution
The BIOS has a special section that is responsible for what media the computer will try to boot from (for example, from a hard drive or from a USB flash drive). If the settings in this section are set incorrectly, then the computer will look for boot records on the wrong media, and, of course, not finding anything, it will give you this error.
Most often, many novice users change these settings when installing / reinstalling Windows, and then forget to return them back (although, sometimes various "accidents" are not ruled out). As a result, the installation proceeds normally, and Windows subsequently does not boot...
The photo below shows the boot priority:
- the PC will first try to boot from the CD/DVD (see 1st Boot Device);
- if no CD/DVD is found, it will try to boot from the hard drive (see 2nd Boot Device). If the hard drive is not found, the error "DISK BOOT FAILURE..." will be displayed.
Reference
I already have articles on the BIOS setup on my blog (entering the BIOS, changing the boot priority, resetting the settings, etc.). Because the topics are quite voluminous, it is not possible to tell all these "subtleties" in this article. Therefore, to check your BIOS settings, I suggest you use the materials, links to which are given below.
How to enter BIOS (BIOS) on a computer / laptop -
How to configure the BIOS to boot from a USB flash drive or disk (CD / DVD / USB) -
How to reset BIOS settings -
Reason 4: the battery on the motherboard is dead
Solution
The BIOS settings can go astray due to the fact that the battery on the motherboard has run out. It is a small round "pill". Thanks to it, your computer keeps your BIOS settings in "memory". In addition, they probably paid attention to the fact that the time and date are also counted correctly due to something, even when the computer is turned off for weeks!
On average, such a battery can last 8-10 years. If something is wrong with it, you can notice it by the same lost date and time (they will need to be corrected after each turning on the PC). In general, there is nothing tricky - you can replace it yourself ...
Reason 5: Is your hard drive being detected, is everything in order with it. Check plumes
Solution
When booting up a computer on many models, you can see how a black screen with various inscriptions "flashes" before the Windows logo appears. Among them, by the way, you can see the name and model of the processor, disk, amount of RAM, and other parameters. You can also see this information if you go into the BIOS (I gave links above in the article on how to do this).
So, check if your hard drive is detected, if the PC model sees it. The photo below shows a Samsung hard drive (everything is fine with it). If the drive doesn't show up, it's most likely a hardware problem...
In the most harmless case, the cables came off (for example, they might not have been inserted tightly when the system unit was assembled). Also, they are often disconnected / attached when connecting another disk, when cleaning the PC from dust. Therefore, the first thing I recommend to do if the PC does not see the disk is to disconnect the cables, blow out the dust in the sockets, and plug them back in (perform with the PC completely turned off!).
If the PC still does not see the drive, try connecting the drive to another computer/laptop. It is possible that the disk has become unusable (this also sometimes happens, especially when there was a sharp jump in electricity: lightning, welding, etc.).
You may find the article on how to connect a hard drive from a laptop to a computer useful. -
Reason 6: Windows crashed
Solution
Also, another popular reason for this error to appear is corrupted Windows boot records (many people just say "the system has crashed" in slang). In this case, you can try to either restore the old Windows, or simply install a new one. You choose.
How to restore Windows 10: step by step instructions -
Installing Windows 10 from a flash drive - step by step -
In addition, you can try to boot from the emergency liveCD and try to check the system for viruses, transfer important data from the system disk to other media, i.e. make a backup of the necessary information. A link to an article on creating a liveCD is provided below.
How to create a bootable LiveCD / DVD / USB flash drive or disk with the Windows operating system and service utilities that do not require installation on a hard drive -
That's all, additions are welcome.
Have you decided to work with your computer, turned it on, made yourself comfortable, but instead of greeting you saw “DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK” on the screen? This message means that the PC cannot load data from the system drive. If this error is not related to the breakdown of the hard drive, it can be fixed. But sometimes it occurs due to a hardware malfunction. In this case, it is better to entrust computer repair to professionals.
"DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK" translates as "There is no boot disk, insert the system disk." That is, the PC does not recognize the drive on which the OS is located. First you need to understand why this error occurred. And then figure out what to do with it. The problem may appear if:
- Load order broken. The PC is trying to "find" the operating system where it does not exist.
- The BIOS does not recognize the hard drive.
- OS boot partition corrupted.
- The hard drive is not properly connected.
- The hard drive is defective.
- The motherboard is faulty.
How to fix?
Before doing anything, remove all disks, CDs, DVDs, floppy disks, flash drives and external HDDs. Leave only the drive on which the OS is installed. And try restarting your computer. If that doesn't work, unplug your CD drives and disk drives. To do this, carefully disconnect their cables from the motherboard. And try to start the PC again. If after that the error "DISK BOOT FAILURE" disappears, then the BIOS settings are incorrect. The computer is looking for OS files in the wrong place.
BIOS setup
The BIOS or "Basic Input/Output System" is activated when the PC is turned on. It controls the download process. It indicates from which media the OS will be launched. And if a drive is selected that does not have system files, an error will appear. Here's what you need to do to configure the BIOS:
- Immediately after turning on the computer, press Delete, F1, F2, F11, or Esc. The key depends on the model of the motherboard. When the PC starts up, an inscription will appear at the bottom of the display indicating which button is needed. The message will look something like this: "Press [key] to enter setup".
- The BIOS menu will be displayed. You can “move” along it using the arrows on the keyboard, open sections with the Enter button, return to the previous menu with the Esc button. At the bottom of the monitor, the keys needed to interact with the graphical interface in the menu should be indicated.
- Go to the "Boot" tab and enter "Boot Device Priority". This is "boot priority".
- In the first place should be the hard drive. It is usually labeled as HDD, SDD or Hard Drive. If the operating system is on another media, make it the first one.
- Return to the main menu, go to "Exit" and select "Exit Saving Changes". Or press F10.
- Try restarting your computer.
If you made any changes to the system or "overclocked" the PC, this could affect the BIOS. To return the default settings, in the "Exit" section, select "Load Setup Defaults". The settings will be reset.
Hardware setup
If the BIOS does not detect the hard drive and even after setting it gives the error "DISK BOOT FAILURE", what should I do in this case? Most likely, the problem is with the hard drive itself or with its connection. Or the motherboard has failed. The power supply may also be faulty.
In this situation, you will have to remove the cover from the system unit and fix the problem yourself. If you do not understand the internal structure of the computer and do not know where to connect this or that device, it is better to contact the service center. Although on the motherboard all the slots are different sizes. It is impossible to attach an unsuitable part to them.
Turn off your PC before doing anything. Don't just shut down, unplug the power cord.
It makes sense to find out what condition the hard drive is in. Connect it to another computer (if possible), check whether the BIOS "sees" it, whether the OS boots from it. If it works, then the drive is working. Save your personal data just in case.
To resolve the "DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK" error, try the following:
- Disconnect the hard drive cable from the motherboard and reconnect it.
- Attach it to another SATA connector.
- Remove the CMOS memory power supply (similar to a coin cell battery), wait 30 minutes and replace it.
- Move the Clear_CMOS jumper (located on the motherboard, may have another name - CLRTC, Clear_RTC, CCMOS) from pins 1-2 to pins 2-3. Wait 20 seconds and return everything as it was.
After each step, check if the hard drive is displayed in the BIOS. To do this, the computer must be turned on. But for any manipulations inside the system unit, the PC must be de-energized.
If the malfunction appeared due to the power supply, it must be changed. When it is discharged, it negatively affects the operation of the computer - other errors may occur.
System Restore
Another cause of the problem is damage to the boot sector of the hard drive. This means that that part of the hard drive that contains important information for the OS is not available. In such a case, you need to restore system data. They will be written to healthy sectors.
You need an installation CD or other media with the OS (Windows will be used as an example). If you don't have it, you won't be able to reinstall the files. Because there is nowhere to get them.
- In the BIOS, set the priority so that the system starts from the boot disk.
- Insert the drive with the OS into the desired drive.
- After turning it on, you will be able to select the option "System Restore".
- Click "Startup Repair" and confirm the action. The OS itself will find problems and automatically solve them.
- If it doesn't help, start the boot disk again. Only now select "Command Prompt".
- A window will open with a black background and white text. Type in "Bootrec.exe /FixMbr" without the quotes and press Enter. The customizer reanimates the master boot records.
- You can also enter the command "Bootrec.exe /RebuildBcd". All hard drives will be scanned for OS.
If none of the above methods helped, then the hard drive is broken, the motherboard or power supply has become unusable. Also, the problem may be in a low-quality cable or slot for connection. Repairing them on your own is quite difficult. This requires professional knowledge and skills. It is better to entrust the repair to specialists. Or buy new parts.
This fault often appears if the boot order is changed or the BIOS is configured incorrectly. In this case, you can fix the failure yourself. If the problem arose due to a hardware problem, it will not be so easy to solve it.
Tell us if you have encountered this error, and if one of the methods listed helped you.
Quite often, we get questions about an error called “Disk Boot Failure” from our users. In addition, many users have detected a loss of files in their computers. In this article, we will look at the main causes of the error “Disk boot failure, insert system disk and press Enter”, and the solutions.
When you turn on your computer, the BIOS runs first, and then the operating system starts booting. If the BIOS cannot find the disk to boot from, you will certainly see the error message “Disk Boot Failure” in the screen. In addition, the boot process will be canceled and, as a result, you will not be able to access your data. If you want to fix this problem, you need to find out why it happens. Let's look at a few basic reasons and, accordingly, the methods to eliminate them.
If the hard disk or partition is damaged, you will see a “Disk Boot Failure” error, because the operating system will not be able to boot.
The solution: in this case, you’d better replace the drive and reinstall the Windows operating system immediately.
Perhaps you have just installed a new hard disk into your computer. But when you try to start Windows, you still see the “Disk Boot Failure” message. In this case, the new hard disk is likely to be configured incorrectly.
The solution: after installing a new HDD, you need to insert the installation disc and restart the computer.
3. The hard disk is not connected correctly
In addition to incorrect configuration, your hard drive will not be able to communicate properly with your computer if it is not connected properly, and it will also lead to the “Disk Boot Failure” error.
The solution: in this case, you can turn off the computer, and then check the connection between the hard drive and the motherboard. After making sure that everything is correct, you can try starting Windows again.
4. Software settings conflicts
In addition, sometimes after installing any third-party software and restarting the computer you can also get this error. In this case, there is a great chance that the software conflicts with your operating system.
The solution: in such situations, the only way is to use a system recovery disc or simply reinstall your operating system. However, you may experience data loss in the process.
5. Boot Sector Viruses
Usually most viruses can only damage files on the hard drive, but there are some viruses that can damage the boot sector of the drive. If the boot sector is infected, the hard disk will certainly not be able to boot.
The solution: this situation is rather complicated. Removing viruses from the hard drive will cause a lot of problems in the BIOS settings and Windows system. It is quite difficult. Therefore, you must take daily precautions. For example, it's easy to install a reliable anti-virus program and update it regularly.
6.Incorrect BIOS boot sequence
The BIOS is a program that works to find a bootable hard disk based on its boot order of devices when the computer starts. Therefore, if the BIOS boot sequence is incorrect, it cannot find a boot disk.
The solution: in this case, you can change the boot order in the BIOS. When you restart your PC, open the BIOS and go to the “Boot” tab. Then change the boot sequence so that the internal hard drive is the first boot option. Save the settings and restart your computer.
7. A Windows Failure
In addition, the failure to boot disk can also be caused by Windows system failures, such as damage to system files.
The solution: as in the above case, you must reinstall the Windows operating system.
We listed the main causes of the error “Disk boot failure, insert system disk and press Enter”. As we wrote earlier, this error is very often accompanied by loss of files. In case of a similar situation, we recommend using the data recovery software . For example, Magic Partition Recovery. This utility for file recovery includes various advanced algorithms that allow the program to return deleted files and folders that other recovery products do not even recognize.
