How to Fix a Hard Drive That Won't Boot [Top 6 Solutions]?

Updated by

Tracy King 

Written by

Linda 

Updated on April 24, 2024

Have you ever turned on your computer only to be greeted with a black screen displaying the error message "Disk boot failure, insert System disk, and press Enter," indicating that your hard drive won't boot? If this issue has you stumped, worry not – you've come to the right place. In this post, we'll delve into the concept of "disk boot failure" and present five effective methods to resolve the problem of an unbootable hard drive.

How to Fix Hard Drive Won't Boot - 6 Methods

Hard drive boot failure can occur due to numerous reasons, and we'll present five efficient solutions to help you resolve this issue. Before delving into the specifics, let's glance at the essential information about the proven methods to recover from the hard drive won't boot problem, including the estimated time, required tools, and difficulty level in the table below:

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The first step is to ensure that the cables and connectors are properly attached. If this doesn't resolve the issue, attempt the following methods to rectify the problem with the hard drive not booting.

How to Fix BIOS Recognizes SSD But Won't Boot

Solve the issue of BIOS recognizing SSD but not booting with effective fixes and solutions to ensure smooth system operation.

Method 1: Perform Boot Repair using Partition Master Tool Method 1: Conduct Boot Repair with Partition Master Utility

To address the issue of a hard drive not being able to boot, the Partition Master tool offers a "Boot Repair" feature. This tool assists in effortlessly resolving the fatal black or blue screen error. Moreover, it provides a user-friendly interface and straightforward steps, simplifying the process and saving you time.

Follow the comprehensive tutorial below to resolve the "hard drive won't boot" error:

Step 1. Connect the USB drive/external drive to a working computer, open AOMEI Partition Assistant (RE), and click "Create Bootable Media."

Step 2. Choose the Boot Toolkits and any other components you need, then click "Next."

Step 3. Choose your removable device and click "Go" to create an image on your USB drive/external hard drive. You can also burn the Windows ISO file to the storage media.

Step 4. Confirm the warning message, then wait for the creation process to finish.

Step 5. Connect the created bootable drive to the problematic computer and restart it while holding down "F2" or "Del" to enter the BIOS. Set the WinPE bootable drive as the primary boot device and press "F10" to exit and initiate the boot process.

Step 6. The computer will then boot into the WinPE desktop. Open BootRepair, select the system you wish to repair, and click "Repair."

Select the OS to be repaired

Step 7. Wait a moment, and you will receive an alert that the system has been successfully repaired. Click "OK" to complete the boot repair process.

Related Key Features of Partition Master Tools:

In addition to rebuilding MBR using bootable media, the Partition Master tool can also assist you in the following situations:

Translate the following phrases into English:
• Safely change the boot order: set SSD as the boot drive.
• Repair UEFI boot issues in Windows 11/10/8/7
• Boot from USB on Windows 11

Therefore, if you are encountering annoying boot problems, install this powerful software and let Partition Master tools assist you:

Method 2: Rebuild MBR via Bootable Media

Occasionally, you might accidentally damage the system boot file on an MBR disk, resulting in the inability to boot from the hard drive. In such cases, you'll need to either rebuild the Master Boot Record (MBR) or reinstall the Windows system using a professional Windows 10 boot repair tool. Rebuilding MBR is generally more convenient and less time-consuming.

tools Partition Master is a versatile software that offers various hard drive management features, including MBR rebuilding, creating bootable media, and boot repair. This tool streamlines the migration process, saving time and effort with its intuitive interface and user-friendly solutions.

Here are the detailed steps to rebuild MBR using the tool Partition Master:

Step 1. Create a WinPE bootable disk

1. Launch tools Partition Master, and click "Bootable Media" on the toolbar. Select "Create bootable media". 2. Click "Next" to complete the process.

Step 2. Boot the Partition Master Bootable USB

Insert the bootable USB or CD/DVD into your computer. Restart your computer and press F2 or Del to access the BIOS screen. Set your computer to boot from "Removable Devices" or "CD-ROM Drive". Then, the Partition Master tool will run automatically.

Step 3. Rebuild MBR

Click "Toolkit" and select "Rebuild MBR".

Rebuild MBR

Select the disk and the type of MBR, then click "Rebuild".

After that, you can see "MBR has been successfully rebuilt on Disk X".

Method 3: Change BIOS Boot Order

Typically, your computer will boot from the first boot device that's already configured in the BIOS. So, if you've moved your OS to a new drive but haven't designated the new drive as the primary boot device, your computer won't be able to boot from it. In this situation, you just need to alter the boot order in the BIOS setup utility. Follow these steps to learn how:

Step 1. Restart the computer and press F2/Del/F8/F10/F12 (varies by computer) to enter BIOS.

Step 2. Navigate to the Boot tab, change the order using the arrow keys.

Change boot order in BIOS

Step 3. Save these settings and then restart the computer.

Here's a related article that guides you on how to fix the "Boot Device Not Found" error:

[Solved] Boot Device Not Found Error in Windows 10/8/7

When you restart your computer, the "Boot Device Not Found" error may appear. This article presents five effective methods to resolve it.

Method 4: Enable Windows Computer Repair Option

If you're still unable to boot from the hard drive even after adjusting the boot order, it might be due to a corrupted operating system or system disk. In this case, you can utilize the Windows computer repair feature to fix your Operating System. Let's explore how to do that:

Step 1. Plug in the installation CD/DVD/USB and boot your computer from it.

Step 2. Click "Next" in the Windows Setup window, and then select "Repair your computer" > "Troubleshoot" to open the advanced options window.

Step 3. First, locate and use the "Startup Repair" feature. If you see the message "Startup Repair cannot repair this computer automatically," refer to the related article provided for solutions. Alternatively, you can try "System Restore."

Method 5: Run chkdsk to Repair a Corrupted Disk

CHKDSK, short for "check disk," is a Windows utility that can scan your hard drive, fix errors, and identify bad sectors. This section will guide you on how to use CHKDSK commands to repair your computer and make it bootable. Follow the specific instructions and run the CHKDSK tool yourself to check and repair the drive:

Step 1. Boot from a Windows install disc and select your preferred language, time, and keyboard input.

Step 2. Click the "Repair your computer" option, locate the Windows installation drive (C:\), and click "Next."

Step 3. In the "System Recovery Options" window, select Command Prompt and type in the following command (press "Enter" afterwards):

chkdsk C: /f (Replace "C:" with the letter of the driver where Windows is installed.)

Method 6: Fix BCD Error

Boot Configuration Data, also referred to as BCD, stores essential boot files in computing. If this data becomes corrupted, you won't be able to boot from your hard drive. Don't panic; you can rectify the BCD error using a command prompt. Here's how: Step 1. Press the "Windows + R" keys together to open the Run window, type cmd in the text box, and then press "Enter."

Step 2. Type the following commands one by one and press "Enter" after each:

Translate the following commands into English: ```markdown
• bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup
• ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old
• Bootrec /rebuildbcd
``` These commands would be: ```markdown
• bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup
• rename c:\boot\bcd bcd.old
• Bootrec /rebuildbcd
``` Note: The command `ren` is a shorthand for `rename` in Windows command prompt.

Step 3. Type exit to quit and reboot your computer.

If one of these methods fixes your hard drive boot problem, share this article with others who could use the same help on social media:

Why Won't My Hard Drive Boot?

Having learned how to fix the issue of a hard drive not booting, let's delve into why a hard drive might not boot. Given their delicate nature, hard drives can fail to boot for numerous reasons. Here are some common causes:

Power issue: The hard disk might not initialize or turn on if the data cable, power cable, or their pins are damaged, oxidized, or broken. In such cases, replacing the power cable, data cable, and associated connectors is more feasible than attempting to reattach the hard disk's data and power cables.
Incorrect boot sequence: After migrating your system to a new hard disk, if you haven't altered the boot order, the BIOS Boot Sequence won't identify the new bootable disk, resulting in an unbootable hard drive.

Damaged hard drive: A damaged hard drive, with logical issues or physical corruption, can prevent the system from booting. This is a situation that requires professional repair. To prevent data loss from such an issue, it is advisable to regularly back up your data.

Bad sectors or corrupted boot files: If there's a bad sector on your hard drive or a virus that infects the disk and corrupts the boot file, you'll also encounter the issue of the hard drive not booting.

Outdated OS update: If you don't update your hard drive's driver on time, you might encounter the issue of the hard drive not booting. In this case, you simply need to update the hard drive's driver to the latest version.

Conclusion

On this page, we primarily discussed how to resolve the issue of a hard drive not booting using five effective methods. We also delved into the reasons behind this problem and explained them thoroughly. Among these viable solutions, the utility Partition Master stands out as the most efficient remedy. It's worth noting that it is a versatile disk management tool, capable of providing practical solutions for various boot issues with hard drives. Download this reliable software to alleviate your boot failure concerns.

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Fix a Hard Drive That Won't Boot

If you still have further questions about the hard drive not booting, you can refer to this FAQ section and find the answers correspondingly.

**1. What are the signs that your hard drive won't boot?**

If your hard drive fails to boot in Windows, there might be some symptoms and signs that indicate the failure, as follows:

Here are the translations of the provided phrases into English:
• Overheating.
• Abnormal sounds.
• Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)
• Corrupted files or folders.
• Significant slowdowns in performance.
• Receiving error messages.
• System crashes.

2. How to fix "Disk boot failure" in Windows 10?

Based on the typical causes of disk boot failure, you can fix the issue in Windows 10 by following these methods: altering the boot order in BIOS, repairing the damaged disk, rebuilding the Master Boot Record (MBR), and removing recently installed hardware. Here's a simplified outline of the steps involved: 1. **Change Boot Order in BIOS:** - Restart your computer and enter BIOS by pressing the designated key (usually F2, F10, or Del) during startup. - Locate the "Boot" or "Startup" menu and change the boot priority to prioritize your system drive. - Save the changes and exit BIOS. 2. **Repair Corrupted Disk:** - Boot from your Windows installation media and select the appropriate language and options. - Choose "Repair your computer" in the bottom-left corner, then "Troubleshoot." - Select "Advanced options" and choose "Command Prompt." - Enter the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each: - `diskpart` - `list disk` (Find your system disk) - `select disk X` (Replace X with the number of your system disk) - `clean` - `convert gpt` (For UEFI systems) or `convert mbr` (For legacy BIOS systems) - `exit` - Restart your computer. 3. **Rebuild Master Boot Record (MBR):** - Reopen the Command Prompt as described above. - Enter the following command, replacing X with the number of your system disk: - `bootrec /fixmbr` - Restart your computer. 4. **Remove Newly Installed Hardware:** - Shut down your computer and disconnect any recently added hardware, such as external drives or new internal components. - Restart your computer and check if the boot failure issue persists. By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the disk boot failure in most cases. If the problem continues, you might need professional assistance or consider replacing the affected hardware.

Step 1. Remove the newly added hardware, reboot the computer, and check if the method works.

Step 2. Check the cables and jumpers on the Windows system drive.

3. How to fix a hard drive detected in BIOS but won't boot?

If your hard drive is detectable in the BIOS but fails to boot, the issue might lie with a missing drive letter or an incompatible file system. Here's a detailed guide on how to format the hard drive:

Step 1. Backup your hard drive and launch tools Partition Master.

Step 2. Right-click the target hard drive, select "Format," and then modify the partition label, file system, and cluster size. Click "OK."

Step 3. In the warning window, select “Yes”. Click “Execute 1 Task(s)” and “Apply” to format the hard drive to the correct file system.