This document pertains to HP Notebook PCs with the HP Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) beginning in late-2008.

The BIOS can be configured to specify the order in which the computer will access available bootable hardware devices. The most common bootable devices are: Internal Hard Drive, External USB drive, Optical CD/DVD ROM Drive, and Network Adapter. During the process of checking each device for the required bootable files, if a device fails, the computer verifies that another device is available. If it checks all the listed devices but does not find the bootable files, an error message, like the following, is displayed.

Boot Device Not Found

Hard Disk - (#####)

To resolve these boot device errors, perform the following steps in the order listed. If the computer still does not start, contact HP for assistance with this error.

1. Reset the BIOS default settings.
   The configuration settings for the drive might have changed. To determine if this change has occurred and to reset the original configuration, do the following:
   1. To access the BIOS, turn on the computer and immediately press the esc key to display the Startup Menu, and then press the F10 key.
   2. Press F9 to reset the BIOS defaults, and press Enter to confirm the action.
   3. Press F10 to save the change and exit the BIOS, and then press Enter to confirm.
   Allow the computer to restart. Continue to step 3.
2. Reseat the hard drive.
   These errors may occur if the computer has been jarred and the drive's connections are loose. To determine if this has occurred and to correct this issue, do the following:
   1. Press and hold the power switch for 5 - 15 seconds to turn off the notebook.
   2. Disconnect and reconnect the internal hard drive. Details on how to complete this procedure can be found in the Manuals available for your notebook model.
   3. Once the hard disk has been reconnected and the notebook is completely re-assembled, attempt to start the notebook normally.
   Continue to step 3.
3. Run HP Hard Disk Test.
   The HP Hard Disk Test may be able to fix errors while testing the hard disk drive. To correct this issue, do the following:
   1. Press and hold the power switch for 5 - 15 seconds to turn off the notebook.
   2. Press the power switch to turn on the computer, and immediately press the Esc key.
   3. On the HP Startup Menu, press the F2 System Diagnostics key.
   4. Select the Hard Disk Test option.
   5. Once the Hard Disk Test is completed, attempt to start the notebook normally.
   If the Hard Disk Test cannot fix the error, it will display a failure code and a Warranty ID number . Contact HP Customer Support. The Warranty ID number is required to determine if the HP Customer Support agent can authorize repairs or part replacements under warranty.
4. Respond to ‘Hard Disk Not Exist’ message.
   If the test cannot run and the Hard Disk Not Exist message is displayed, contact HP Customer Support for assistance.
5. Recover the operating system.
   If the hard disk test passes, the hard drive itself is functional. However, the operating system files may have become corrupted or have been deleted. Use System Recovery to reinstall your operating system and all HP-installed software, returning your computer to its factory image. For more information, please refer to Overview of Repairing or Reinstalling The Operating System .

See also

Customer Support . Individual countries and regions have their own procedures for providing product support and customer service. For your country or region, go to the Hewlett Packard Technical Support page, select a country or region, and then click Contact HP. Alternately, click the Contact HP link near the upper corner of this web page

Return to HP Notebook PCs - HP Startup Menu Overview for additional topics.