CMOS error

[BrendanC3]

Boot Device Not Found Hard Disk (3F0) error on booting. AIO purchased in 2019. OS updates to Microsoft version 11 completed as available.

Initial screen after power disconnect of 15 sec shows CMOS invalid, Restart computer.

Restart goes to Boot Device Not Found. Press F2 System Diagnostics. All tests conducted and passed except for Storage Tests - "No storage installed". Connectivity via LAN.

Any assistance welcome.

[TheOldMan · Accepted solution]

System Diagnostics indicating "No storage installed" would seem to indicate the drive has failed.  But, first I would be concerned about the CMOS error.  That most likely means the motherboard battery needs to be replaced.  Both of those items will require opening the case.  Start with the CMOS batter replacement.  That battery looks like a coin, about the size of a USA nickel.  Usually a CR2032.  Here is a page for that

https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/tech-takes/what-is-cmos-battery-how-to-remove-and-replace?catalogId=10...

 The drive failing is another story, but fix the CMOS error first, reset the BIOS to defaults and then see about the drive.  Need the model number of the PC to give further meaningful help.

[BrendanC3]

Thank you Old Man for your great answer. The model is a HP Pavillion All-in-One-24- xa0070a.  Hopefully that helps. Getting into the rear of the AIO is not as easy as thought. Still working on it. 

[TheOldMan]

Here is a video that shows, among other things, how to replace the CMOS battery.  They call it the Real Time Battery (RTC) and how to replace the hard disk.

Bing Videos

I suggest watching the whole video. Hopefully your PC is like the one in the video.

[BrendanC3]

Hi Old Man thank you for your response with video. Have been thru it twice and found it very valuable. I have an issue with the All-in-One physical computer and speaker.  The speaker Chin will not remove after a lot of leveraging. The model in the video is a flat screen chin whilst mine is shaped in a reverse “V”  fashion.  My Power on button is on the left whilst the sound  mute, + / - buttons are on the right. The B&O label is also on the right.  I will keep at the removal attempt but am concerned at damaging the buttons. Photo to follow. 
thx again BrendanC

[BrendanC3]

All in one model xaoo70a

[TheOldMan]

Thank you for the picture.  I found a video for opening a AIO PC that looks like that picture.

HP Pavilion All in One 24 PC Ram Upgrade

The purpose of the video is for a different task, but it does show how to get into the case.  See if that helps.  You can see the hard drive in that video at the 3:13 mark and at the 5:11 mark you can see the battery, in the right corner of the motherboard.

[BrendanC3]

Hi The Old Man. Re my All-in-One HP 24 PC model 0070A.  Your continuing advice is much appreciated.  The video you referred showed the steps to detach the rear of the PCs electronics behind the front screen chin.  The  screen holder (and removed) and covering of the motherboard were unscrewed enabling access to the C2032 battery holder. The battery tested as fully charged but was replaced. CMOS was updated with the current date and time. 

Reboot of PC completed. Comes up with a blue Boot Device Not Found screen. 

 “Pls install an operating system on your hard disk”. Hard disk error 3F0. 
F2 - system diagnostics 

regards

BrendanC

[TheOldMan]

We are making progress.  When you get to that screen and it mentions "F2 - system diagnostics " - did you press F2 and allow it to run the system diagnostics?  If not, get to that screen again and press the F2.  This will tell if the drive is good or needs to be replaced.  If it needs to be replaced, that is one item that we can address.  If it reports the drive passes, then that is a different course of action.  Then you will need to either repair the Windows install or reinstall Windows.  Please let me know the results of these troubleshooting steps.

[BrendanC3]

Hi to The Old Man.  After replacing the CMOS battery with a new CR2032, I have been unable to get the All-in-One PC to start up after several attempts. I have waited the 15mins after removing battery and then putting it back and also removing the power from the PC and holding down the start button for 15 seconds before power reconnection, pressing startup and the ESC key to get to the BIOS. I completed the F2 tests prior to removing the old battery after the "Boot Device Not Found" . 

In short the results were:

Memory Quick Check - Passed

Testing Drive 1 Short DST - Passed

Testing Drive 1 Long DST - Passed

Storage Availability - No Storage Installed

The BIOS at that time shows the version available, F34, to be the same as in the PC at present.

Well, not sure where to go from here?