# [SOLVED] Operating System Not Found?



## gmargain (Oct 4, 2011)

I am having problems with my Dell Inspiron 1500 laptop Windows screen coming on. I keep getting a black screen that says, "Operating System Not Found". What does this mean? How do I fix it? I tried re-inserting my OS disk, but I get stuck at a part in the process that says there's not enough room on disk. Will I be able to retrieve all of my files? Do I need to change BIOS?


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## techidiotc (Sep 25, 2011)

Have you recently moved it or taken it apart?


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## gmargain (Oct 4, 2011)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

Yes, I took it apart a couple of months ago to replace the keyboard with a new one.


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## techidiotc (Sep 25, 2011)

If you moved it or have taken it apart, cords might have came loose, now.. this is the simplest solution. There are far more complex solutions out there, but we need to take this one step at a time. Check if you can get to BIOS, and if so, we can go from there. Make sure everything is plugged in completly, sometimes the hard drive IDE/SATA cable gets alittle stuck while you try plugging it in and even tho it seems like it should work, it won't. Yes, this has happened to me.. haha

Something might have wiggled lose, but doubtful, you had it working since then correct?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

run dell diagnostics from memory you access from either f10 or f12 when booting


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## gmargain (Oct 4, 2011)

I'm in PhoenixBIOS Setup Utility. It shows system time, system date, BIOS version 2.6.1, etc. Is this the right screen?

Yes, it was working up until that time. I ran diagnostic earlier and it said there wasn't a problem. So, it said I could continue with the full diagnositc (30 min.), but I closed it since the quick diagnostic said there wasn't a problem. Geek squad at Bestbuy said there wasn't a problem with the harddrive.

Ok, this is what it say on the black screen when I turn my laptop on:

Broadcom UNDI PXE-2.1 v2.1.0
Copyright (C) 2000-2006 Broadcom Corporation
Copyright (C) 1997-2000 Intel Corporation
All rights reserved.
PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE-MOF: Exiting Broadcom PXE ROM.
Operating System not found

I am running Diagnositics Pre-boot over again, along with the 30 min. diagnostics following that.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

pxe means it is either set in the bios to boot from a network first instead of the h/drive

or it cannot find the hard drive

see what the diagnostic comes up with first,you may have lost the h/drive


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## gmargain (Oct 4, 2011)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

This "Prompt" appeared at the end of the diagnostic:

Pre-boot System Assessment complete. No Diagnostic Utility Partition identified. Please select OK to reboot your system.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

can you see the hard drive listed in the bios

if not remove the hard drive and then put it back and see if it is listed


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## gmargain (Oct 4, 2011)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

On the screen title: Dell Inc. PhoenixBIOS Setup Utility
Under the "Boot" menu item
I clicked on "Hard Drive" by hitting Enter and it has an exclamantion mark next to the name, "Hitachi HTS541612J9SA00-(S1)


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

check what it says in the properties for the drive


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## gmargain (Oct 4, 2011)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

How do I check what is says in the properties for the drive? I don't see any properties listed under the Hitachi HTS541612J9SA00-(S1) drive in BIOS utility setup. When I click F12 and go into Bootmenu, I clicked Enter on Hard Drive and No Operating System appears on a black screen.

Also, what does a "Media test failure, check cable" mean?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

it usually means the bios is set to boot from a network first instead of the hard drive

or it cannot see the hard drive which may be time to replace it


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## gmargain (Oct 4, 2011)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

So, I need to buy a new hard drive and install it on the bottom of my laptop. Is SATA a decent brand? Does it matter which brand you get? I watched a Youtube video on how to install a new hard drive in a dell Inspiron 1501 laptop...it looked pretty easy. Will I be able to retrieve my saved folders after installing a new hard drive? Or, do I have to take my old hard drive to bestbuy and have them retrieve my old documents?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

sata is a type of hard drive not a brand

you need to know what type of hard drive it is 

sata or ide

Hitachi HTS541612J9SA00-(S1) is a sata drive

i prefer western digital drives [WD]

do you have the dell restore disks to get windows up and running on the new drive


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## gmargain (Oct 4, 2011)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

I have these disks:

Drivers and Utilities
Application
Windows Vista Operating System


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## gmargain (Oct 4, 2011)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

How do I retrieve my files off my old hard drive?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

when you are up and running 

slave the old hard drive via usb connection or to a desktop and see what you can drag off


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## Dumpster (Oct 10, 2011)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

Funny thing for me was I had two bays for the hard disk in the laptop. I had put the disk back in the wrong position apparently, and I kept getting this error, "Operating System Not Found". After switching the drive in the bay, it fired right up. :4-dontkno


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

*Re: Operating System Not Found?*

glad you have it sorted


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