# No bootable device problem



## jerrydgallant (Mar 10, 2010)

I was trying to reformat my laptop (Acer Aspire Model# M52394) which was running Windows 8.1. Now when booting from UEFI, or Legacy it says "No bootable device" and in Legacy, it also has the message: PXE-E61: Media Test Failure, check cable. The laptop has no DVD/CD drive, and when I try to reinstall from a USB, it doesn't recognize it. How can I get an operating system back on the laptop? I do have a desktop to work from. Please help me fix my laptop!


----------



## Techie19 (Feb 10, 2008)

If you reformatted the HDD, this means that the recovery partition hidden in it was also wiped. Without an optical drive, you would need a USB flash drive with the OS install boot file (.iso) to boot from to reinstall the OS.

Do you have the "boot from USB" enabled in the BIOS? Doesn't sound like you do since it is not recognizing it. You may have to enable it and also change the boot order so that the USB drive is the first on the list of devices to boot from.

You should also be able to press one of the F1-F12 keys when first powering up the laptop to select the device you want to boot from. You would select the USB drive.

I hope this helps.


----------



## jerrydgallant (Mar 10, 2010)

I've tried to install Windows with an .iso file from USB. I'll try again and update with results.


----------



## jerrydgallant (Mar 10, 2010)

I set the BIOS to boot from USB. In Legacy, it says "Remove disks or other media. Press any key to restart"; from UEFI it says "No bootable device"


----------



## VividProfessional (Apr 29, 2009)

did you use the windows 7 tool to "burn" the iso to the USB tool


----------



## jerrydgallant (Mar 10, 2010)

No, I just "copied" it by dragging it over. What tool? And where can I get a clean copy (legal) of Windows 7?

Is it possible to somehow recover the operating system from Microsoft, and burn it to the USB? Or do I have to now download a cracked version from a torrent site? Or, can I get Windows 10, and put it on the USB? If so, how? I'm really at a loss here.


----------



## Techie19 (Feb 10, 2008)

Stay away from Torrent sites. Not safe and of course not legal. You can download legal copy of Windows 7 Disc Image from here, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7 and use the Windows 7 tool to burn the iso like mentioned by DaveCummings. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool

What you need to have is a valid, legal product key to verify which should be on the Windows COA license sticker, either on the bottom of the laptop, or sometimes under the battery.

As far as recovering the OS from Microsoft, I've never heard of such an option.


----------



## jerrydgallant (Mar 10, 2010)

Ok. I finally have Windows 7 installed on the laptop. Acer Aspire Aspire ES1-512. Now, I have no internet connection, I assume because of a driver problem. And the Acer website has downloads for Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 only. Any idea where I can find and update the drivers? With no Internet? (I have another PC with Internet, and a USB...so I can transfer any files manually.)


----------



## Techie19 (Feb 10, 2008)

jerrydgallant said:


> Ok. I finally have Windows 7 installed on the laptop. Acer Aspire Aspire ES1-512. Now, I have no internet connection, I assume because of a driver problem. And the Acer website has downloads for Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 only. Any idea where I can find and update the drivers? With no Internet? (I have another PC with Internet, and a USB...so I can transfer any files manually.)


You can download the driver for the LAN and/or WiFi from the manufacturer of the network adapters. From device manager you can check to see what the manufacturer is and notice the model number of the network adapters. With that information you can download onto the USB and then transfer over to the laptop.

I'm curious, what did you do to get windows to install? Did my previous recommendations help you in any way?


----------



## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

As Techie said, go to Start/Search and type *devmgmt.msc*, right click the *devmgmt* results and *Run As Administrator*. In the Elevated _Device Manager_, any devices with Yellow flags need drivers installed. 
On an internet computer (the Ethernet cable should still work) go to the Acer Download Drivers site, browse for your model # or use this link Product support Choose _Windows 8.1 64bit_ as your OS. Download and install the *Chipset* driver first, then your Network *WiFi* adapter and any other drivers you need from the Device Manager. If using a different computer save the downloads to a USB Flash drive and transfer them to the troubled computer. 
Once the driver files are _unzipped_ and _extracted_ to your download location, right click the *Setup.exe* of each driver file and choose *Properties/Compatibility*. Make it compatible with Windows 7 and *Run As Administrator*.


----------

