Reboot and Select proper Boot device

Earlier today my computer froze and wouldn't do anything at all, so I had to turn it off via the power button, but ever since then it wont boot. When I turn the computer on I get the message,

"Reboot and Select proper Boot device
Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key"

I put in my Windows 7 install disc and went into the Startup Repair tool but the operating system isn't detected and I have no idea what to do.

I have lots of important files on the hard drive that I really need ASAP so any help is VERY much appreciated. Thank you!

Update - I decided to format an old different hard drive and then I could reinstalled Windows 7 fresh onto it. It all installed fine but when I restarted the computer I got the message again!

"Reboot and Select proper Boot device
Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key"

A different hard drive, new Windows install but the same message

Hi, thanks for the reply :) Before I managed to get back online, I tried the reinstall process again, and this time as soon as Windows was installed I inserted the driver disc for my motherboard and installed all the drivers etc (which I forgot to do before) and this time Windows is working fine. So that's good that I use my computer again for now.

Now, back to the hard drive with all my files on. When I have just the hard drive that my fresh installation of Windows is on attached, Windows boots fine. But, when I also attach the non-working hard drive with all my files on Windows wont load, and just stays at the Starting Windows screen. I went into the boot menu on my Motherboard and specifically selected to boot from the Hitachi drive (the one with Windows on), but still it wont boot.

However, while both are attached I can boot into Safe Mode. So I did that and went into the Computer Management tool to see if the hard drive was there, and it was... kind of. Here is what it showed when I went there.



The ST_M13FQ under Disk Drives in Device Manager is the Seagate hard drive with my files on, and I'm assuming the "Unknown" Disc 0 in the Disk Management is it aswell, but it's only showing 3.86GB that's unallocated, even though it's a 500GB drive

I switched the SATA cables and rebooted in Safe Mode but this time the hard drive didn't show. Also I have a Ubuntu 12.04 disc, and used that to boot into it but it only showed the hard drive with the fresh Windows installation not the other one

I'll try the things at the link you posted, thanks!

Sorry all, been away for a few hours. Thanks andrew129260, but I haven't got that message for a while :)

A small update with this;

whs said:

1. Switch the Sata ports between Disk0 and Disk1 so that the current Disk1 with the OS ends up on port0.

I retried this using again, but used the SATA cables that I was using for my disc drive, and the non-working hard drive did show up as Disc1 and the main one as Disc0, but still it showed up as only unallocated ~4gb.

Also, I installed Recuva for something else last night, and just a few minutes ago decided to run it while in Safe Mode (as that's the only time it'll boot with that drive attached) to see if it saw anything, and when it asked me to choose the drive to scan, there was the usual C: drive, but also D: came up, but it wouldn't let me select it, it said something about being unavailable I think. So, along with that and it showing up in the device manager, it is working and being detected to some extent, but not fully.

Boot the HD maker's HD Diagnostic CD to run the Extended test on the problem HD, with only it plugged in.

You can also boot Partition Wizard bootable CD to see if the HDD is detected and run Partition Wizard Partition surface test

Next try running Disk Check from the booted Win7 installer or System Repair Disk.

Make sure the problem HDD is set first to boot in BIOS setup and try booting it again.