Can't Find Operating System Error

[cheapherk]

Got a call from someone who needs some help. It is their computer used for business. The get a message stating, Can't Find Operating System when they boot up.

I have to go over and look at it after dinner. I thought I'd come here for some ideas. I've never personally experienced this problem.

Any constructive suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[AsusGuy]

Try the simple things first. See if the drive is connected and all cables are firmly seated, then check to see if it is getting power and spinning up (you can usually hear hard drives spin up).
If none of this works then the Master Boot Record may be bad or the drive might be failing. Try running a repair install of the OS on the drive and test it with something like SeaTools or MHDD.

 

[cheapherk]

Thanks. When I went into the bios, it's not showing the hard drive. I reseated everything and I still get the same message. I think I'll try it on the other IDE chain because the DVD-ROM is showing up. If it doesn't show on that chain, then it must be the hard drive.

 

[cheapherk]

Seems to be the hard drive. I tried the different IDE chains. There is a light on the HDD that does light up, though. To confirm it was the HDD, I stuck in another drive and it is recognized immediately.

 

[AsusGuy]

So it found the drive in another system?

 

[cheapherk]

No, it found a different drive in the same system.