Trying to so a 'clean install'. Now "missing operating system"

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  1. Posts : 30
    Win 10
       #1

    Trying to so a 'clean install'. 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 Win7 disk; nothing.

    More detail: I put the disks in the DVD drive while the machine in on (showing the message 'missing the operating system', then turn the laptop off. Then I turn it on while pressing F12 to get the setup menu. Then I go to the DVD drive, nothing.

    Can anyone tell me what to do to get the laptop to work. If I go out and buy a Win 10 disk will that reboot and install?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 22,740
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #2

    Get into the BIOS settings and make sure that it's set to boot from the DVD first. That should get it. Right now it's pointing to the HDD/SSD and there's a partition that it needs that's missing.

    HTH
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 460
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #3

    You might try pressing F8 or F12 repeatedly while the computer is booting to get to the one time boot selection. Rather than go into BIOS and change boot order, you should be able to select the boot device for that boot.

    Then it will go back to whatever is set in BIOS after it boots that time.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 460
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #4

    Found this ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-produ...uide_en-us.pdf

    Pressing F12 when the Dell logo appears while booting will enable selective boot. See page 76 of the pdf document.

    I believe they'll be a message "Press any key to boot from xx" where xx is either cd or USB, whatever boot device you've chosen. This happens immediately after you've chosen the boot device.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 8
    Win10 x64
       #5

    In my experience, the bootmgr is usually located on some mini partition in laptops (as in my case) and it sounds like you may have deleted this partition. If you did not delete it also, you can usually employ your laptop's recovery partition files to recover (following your laptop mfr's recovery process). You might also be able to do a repair via repair/fixboot option from your install disc, first tweaking your BIOS to allow choice of boot devices/drives.

    Monk
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 460
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #6

    Good thinking HMonk, I'll bet the bootmgr was on the recovery drive.

    He needs to press F12 at the Dell logo and a select boot device, that should allow the system to boot from that media even without a bootmgr.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 14,046
    Windows 11 Pro X64 22H2 22621.1848
       #7

    You folks need to read the original post again.

    More detail: I put the disks in the DVD drive while the machine in on (showing the message 'missing the operating system', then turn the laptop off. Then I turn it on while pressing F12 to get the setup menu. Then I go to the DVD drive, nothing.
    Sasha100, try booting the DVD in another computer, make sure it really is bootable.
    Where did you get the DVD from? If you downloaded a Win 10 ISO how did you create the DVD?
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 460
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #8

    Ztruker I did read the original post, (maybe not as thoroughly as I should have) but the "press any key to boot from xx" goes by pretty quick, if you miss it then it goes to the HDD. If I remember right, you get like 3 or 4 dots, couple seconds after the message before it's too late.

    Anyway, I guess the boot media should be verified as being able to boot, although that's not the first thing that comes to mind. I'd figure the Win7 disk is bootable.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 17,838
    Windows 10
       #9

    I suspect, also, the OP may have nuked the 'System Reserved'!

    Trying to so a 'clean install'. Now "missing operating system"-000022.png

    DO NOT wipe disks until the boot files, or at least the boot device, is loaded!
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 30
    Win 10
    Thread Starter
       #10

    Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I can get to BIOS by pressing F12 (or F2) at startup. I then go to the BOOT menu, select CD/DVD drive and exit with"saving changes". Reboot and - nothing. I will try using the 'BOOT Disk' I burned in my desktop and get back to you in a few minutes. Thanks again.
      My Computer


 

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