Wiping System to Re-install Win 7 - now "missing operating system"

I thought I would do a 'clean install' of Win 10 on my laptop. Used Killdisk to get rid of 2 of 3 partitions on my hard drive (not the OS partition). I must have done something wrong because now my system will not reboot. All I get is a message saying: "missing operating system". I tried to reboot by: 1) using a 'boot disk' prepared on my desktop; nothing. 2) using my Win 7 disk; nothing.

Then I tapped F12 and tried changing the BIOS settings to boot the DVD drive first. No luck! It appears that I mistakenly wiped the 'recovery partition' and perhaps the 'boot manager'? I dunno.

I can't do anything else that I know. Does anyone out there know how I can get my system to respond to changing the boot order so I can re-install Win 7 and start over again? Thanks for your help.

I also have a Decktop (HP) and I burned the Win 10 ISO and Win 10 download from that on DVD's. But when I went back to the Laptop (Dell) to load them - that was when I could not get back into the system because of the "missing operating system" that I previously mentioned.

I have looked for the "Startup Repair Options" on both my Desktop and the Win 7 DVD that I have and I can't find it. I did download the "Startup Repair" onto a DVD and tried to get it to run on the laptop but to no avail.
The problem of coarse is that the laptop does not read the DVD because I can't get the BIOS to read anything except the hard drive.... which flashes the "operating system missing".

Do you have any other suggestions or should I take it into a shop and see what they can do with it?

Hi ThrashZone:
I go to Boot Menu (F12). It is selected at the hard drive. I press F10 to 'save with changes'. The screen goes black for a few seconds then the massage comes back on screen - "missing operating system". Then I have to turn the laptop off. Restart the laptop and press either F2 (to get setup) or F12 (to get boot menu). If I go to F2, I scroll over to "BOOT", at this point it doesn't matter if I select the 'hard drive' or the 'DVD drive', either one - then I click 'save with changes' and ----- the screen goes black for a few seconds and the message reappears.

Perhaps, when I wiped the 'System Reserved' partition I messed something up that will now not let me control the start menu.

Even if I were to buy a 'Dell USB Reboot' stick, I don't know if it would work because I can point the laptop to go to the USB port to star up. What do you think?

Sasha100 said:

Hi ThrashZone:
I go to Boot Menu (F12). It is selected at the hard drive. I press F10 to 'save with changes'. The screen goes black for a few seconds then the massage comes back on screen - "missing operating system".

If you were in the Boot Menu and the hard drive is first to boot, change the order to cd first to boot.
There should be some directions at bottom using arrows or something to move cd to first boot order.
Then exit bios.
But now, is your W7 disk an installation disk? It should boot if you changed the boot order.
And for next time read my signature. Always have an external drive to make a system image of
complete system before deleting any partitions. Crap happens, ya know.
Good luck.

I know this is simple guys, I have done this a lot of times in the past for other reasons. But I am telling you - If I put in a 'Boot Disk' or the 'Win 7 Installation Disk' I get the same result - the message "missing operating system". Let me repeat:
1) the laptop is turned on and the message is my my screen: "missing operating system".
2) I put in the 'Boot Disk' or the 'Win 7 Disk' into the DVD/CD slot.
3) I turn off my computer.
4) I turn on my computer and when the Dell logo appears I tap F12 to get the 'Boot Menu'.
5) the 'Boot Menu' appears and I select DVD/CD drive and press enter.
6) the laptop screen goes black for a few seconds while it DVD/CD spins and then the message appears again.
7) and around and around I go.

So - don't you thing the BIOS is screwed up somehow? Again I will ask - if I buy a Dell Boot Disk will it work since I can't get the laptop to recognize The DVD/CD drive, or the hard drive, or the USB port.

This is a $1,200 machine and I don't want to toss in trash. It has never given me a bit of trouble in the 4 years I have had it until I use Killdisk and mistakenly wiped the 'System Reserved' partition.

Any thoughts?