How to Fix "Operating System Not Found Error"

Repair your Windows 10 installation that does not start up

“Operating System Not Found” is an error message, occurs during system startup. The message appears in the black windows and further prevents you from accessing the desktop. Make the situation confusing and quite complicated. However, just like many other Windows errors, this one can be fixed.

This problem can occur on any version of Windows. In many cases, the error is led by a PC’s misbehaviour, app crashes, freezes, and similar issues. Also, if you may have noticed before the error appears, the system initiates a self-repair and offers the user to restart the PC or open Advanced options. If you select to restart, the system generates an “Operating System Not Found” error message, which then leads to nowhere.

Generally, an operating system may go missing due to either software failures or hardware issues. But mostly, an operating system is likely to result from any of the following occurrences:

• The Basic Input and output system fails to detect the hard disk that usually installs windows.

• The hard disk may fail logically or physically.

• A corrupt MBR (Masters Boot Record) is the main reason why the operating system may not be found, and in this case, you need to repair the MBR first.

• The partition that saves windows boot files becomes active no more due to wrong settings of the partition active by the PC users.

How to Fix the 'Operating System Not Found' Error?

Before we move on to technical solutions, restart your computer. The “Operating System not found” error could be a temporary glitch that a restart will fix.

• Sometimes, if a USB drive, disk drive or floppy drive is ejected into your computer . Computer might be trying to find a suitable OS on one of those devices, and if it can't, it might display the “Operating System not found” error. So if it is the situation, then disconnect unnecessary flash drives, disc drives, and any floppy disks.

• Boots into BIOS and check if the hard drive in which the operating system is installed on is listed as the first boot device. If it's not, change the boot order to the particular drive.

• This is because if something else like a flash drive or disc has boot priority but doesn’t have an operating system on it, your computer will assume that there isn’t an OS to boot to and it will throw the “Operating System not found” error.

Resolving these problems will fix the error right away. So, here are the techniques to fix the error.

Reset the BIOS:

Incorrect settings of BIOS can result in an Operating system not found error. Thus, we need to reset the settings to default to get rid of this error.

Step 1: Remove all the external drives connected to your system and open the BIOS setup. In the BIOS windows, you'll see the Exit tab.

Step 2: Select the Exit tab and enable the "Load Optimal Defaults" option. The option can be load optimized defaults, Load setup defaults, or get default values depending on the system you own.

Step 3: Once the settings load successfully, select the Save Changes and Exit option, and the BIOS will be reset to the default configurations.

Run Automatic Repair:

The Windows Automatic Repair may recover certain boot process related errors in some cases. Here are the steps to access the Automatic Repair from an install disc:

1. Boot from Windows install disc

2. Click Next in the setup page after selecting proper language, time and keyboard input

3. Click Repair your computer and select Troubleshoot

4. Click on Advanced options

5. Select Automatic Repair and select your operating system.

Repair MBR with the installation CD/DVD:

Improper operations and viruses can damage MBR and cause the Operating System not Found error. As the Windows OS doesn't boot, you'll be stuck unless you repair the MBR. If you already have a Windows Installation Disk, then follow the steps below:

Step 1: Insert the disc and enter Boot mode. Get to the Windows Setup menu and start the Recovery process in Command Prompt.

Step 2: Enter C:\> and type "bootrec/ fixmbr" and hit Enter. Press Y for yes and hit enter again when you get the prompt to write a new MBR.

When the writing process finishes, restart your PC and see if the problem is fixed or not.

If all these are not helpful, your operating system must have been damaged deadly, and you have to take the last one to reinstall your Windows.