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

[Sasha100]

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.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi
How did you install 10 flash drive/ cd ?
If you did either of the about you might be able to use startup repair
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

 

[Sasha100]

"Operating System Missing"

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?

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
You might contact Dell for a recovery cd and do a clean install.

 

[AddRAM]

There is no reason to go into the bios to change the boot order.

You simply use the boot menu key to bring up the boot menu, then choose the dvd drive to start the install processs.

When you wiped the partitions, you more then likely wiped the System Reserved partition, and that is why windows won`t boot.

Simply mark C Active and run startup repair to get windows 7 booting again, or just finish installing 10.

And why can`t you get into the bios to change the boot order ? That is a very simple process too, but as stated, no need to.

The only disc ever needed to setup a drive is either your install disc or a Partition Wizard Boot CD, there is no need to use anything else.

Bootable Partition Manger | MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable Edition

 

[Sasha100]

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

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?

 

[AddRAM]

There is no pressing of F10 to save changes when you use the Boot Menu, you simply scroll down to the item you want to boot from and hit enter.

Are you putting a Windows 7 install DVD in your DVD drive ?

Are you using the boot menu key to bring up the boot menu ?

Are you choosing to boot from the DVD drive ?

Obviously you are not, or you would get the words "Press any key to boot from DVD" on the screen.

This is so simple to do, why are you having so much trouble ?

 

[Baddog22556]

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.

 

[AddRAM]

You are confusing boot menu and bios, there is no need to keep going into the bios to change anything, the bios was already working fine.

All you have to do is use the one time boot menu key to bring up the boot menu, in your case you say it`s F12, then just use the arrow keys to move to your dvd drive, then just hit enter.

If nothing happens, then you have a bad install disc or a bad dvd drive.

 

[Sasha100]

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?

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Well to be safe I would also get another drive and leave that one alone
You can try to reset your bios to default if you haven't already possibly the F5 key ?

Pretty weird I would also try power drain
Remove the battery and hold down the power button for 1 minute
Reinsert the battery and use the F8 key should work to change the boot device without going into the bios as said.

 

[DavidE]

It could be a bad media DVD disc.
Try the disc on another PC and see if it can boot.

Work through this tutorial by gregrocker:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219533-troubleshooting-windows-7-failure-boot.html

 

[Baddog22556]

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'.

Stop right there. If you already changed the boot order to cd/dvd first then it should boot
with your W7 installation disk in. Seems you may be interfering with boot order and it goes back
to try and boot hard drive with no OS on it. Maybe?

 

[Layback Bear]

I'm inclined to believe that what ever disc is being used is not bootable.

 

[EpicGamerGuy749]

You must have deleted the "System Reserved" partition, which contains BOOTMGR, the file that tells the computer what operating systems there are and where they are located.

Be a bit more careful next time.

P.S. If you are on the windows installer already, then you can safely delete the system reserved partition, but don't do it if you're not already on the windows installer.

 

[MisterEd]

I see you also have a desktop. Put the Windows 7 DVD into the desktop's DVD drive and see if you can boot using it. If it boots using the desktop but not the laptop then either you are not doing something right or there is something wrong with the laptop's DVD drive.