[SOLVED] Windows 10 Boot Issue

[SierraArgo]

So I have a friend who is trying to help his Dad with his PC. The PC POSTs and tries to boot, but returns a "no bootable device" error. Further digging shows that the system doesn't recognize that it has an OS installed, giving a "total identified Windows installations 0" error in the CLI. Additionally, the system also doesn't seem to be able to recognize drive C at all, even though the physical HDD itself appears in the BIOS. I'm currently working on a fix, and I was wondering if anyone had any advice for me?

 

[Shektron]

Probably a corrupt Windows install, you'll have to create a bootable USB and reinstall Windows. When and how did this issue originate?

 

[SierraArgo]

Probably a corrupt Windows install, you'll have to create a bootable USB and reinstall Windows. When and how did this issue originate?

I am still getting details as far as the when and how. The system was sold to them by Best Buy I believe, and the objective right now is to try and save data from the drive. Is there no way to troubleshoot a fix for this?

 

[Shektron]

I am still getting details as far as the when and how. The system was sold to them by Best Buy I believe, and the objective right now is to try and save data from the drive. Is there no way to troubleshoot a fix for this?

You could try installing another hard drive or SSD into this system, and boot from that - it might work, it might not, but you'll be able to access the other hard drive and copy any data from it if you get into Windows.

P.S : Is it possible for you to boot into Safe Mode?

 

[SierraArgo]

You could try installing another hard drive or SSD into this system, and boot from that - it might work, it might not, but you'll be able to access the other hard drive and copy any data from it if you get into Windows.

P.S : Is it possible for you to boot into Safe Mode?

I can check about safe mode, but I am pretty sure that it won't get into Windows at all, it won't even show the loading splash.

 

[Ketchup79]

Best/easiest way to recover data is to pull the drive and put it on another PC and copy to whatever.

Then you can just use a Windows 10 flash drive to reinstall Windows.

 

[SierraArgo]

As an update, my friend's dad has gotten a new laptop, and the plan has shifted gears to recovering the data from the old drive. Pretty sure the plan now is to strip the drive and put it in an enclosure and try that way.

 

[SierraArgo]

As an update, my friend's dad has gotten a new laptop, and the plan has shifted gears to recovering the data from the old drive. Pretty sure the plan now is to strip the drive and put it in an enclosure and try that way.

With that being said, does anyone know of anything else we could try to fix whats happened? Or is it well and truly done for?

 

[Shektron]

Ketchup79's suggestion would still be the best way, if there is another PC you have access to, just put the drive into that PC and copy whatever you need from it, then format it.