HP Pavilion 500-326na Desktop PC - Bare System Rebuild Problems

[DJK53]

I'm back trying to do something with one of these old desktops.

With the help of a number of members I now have one machine up and running on Windows 11 and acting as a DAW in my home studio (garage room).

What I'd like to do now is build the other one up and load Linux Mint as the OS and also use that to run a DAW.

I think I mentioned previously that although supposedly identical these two machines behave very differently when trying to build them up. But thats an aside.

Here's the problem. The system doesn't appear to see any boot devices. 

When I try to boot from a copy of either W11 or Mint on USB the system will not recognise the USB stick. I get the message no boot device. It's the same when I install a hard drive that has a pre installed copy of W11 and Iit won't read from DVD.

Is this a BIOS setting problem. I've tried a number of different BIOS settings but still not been able to solve things.

Hopefully someone can help. No panic or rush as this is a backburner project.

Kind regards

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @DJK53,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

I understand your HP Pavilion 500-326na Desktop PC isn’t recognizing boot devices when you’re trying to rebuild the system with Windows 11 or Linux Mint. Let’s go through a few steps to check what could be causing this.

Verify Boot Media

Confirm that the USB installation drive or DVD is properly created and functional.

Test the same USB or DVD on another computer to ensure it boots successfully.

Check Boot Mode (Legacy vs UEFI)

Enter BIOS Setup by pressing Esc or F10 repeatedly when turning on the computer.

Under Boot Options, check if Legacy Support or UEFI Boot Mode is enabled.

If your USB is formatted for UEFI (GPT), disable Legacy Support. If it’s MBR, enable Legacy Support.

Reorder Boot Priority

In the BIOS, go to Boot Order or Boot Priority.

Move your USB or DVD drive to the top of the boot order list.

Save changes using F10 before exiting.

Try Different USB Ports

Plug the bootable USB into a rear USB 2.0 port directly on the motherboard instead of front ports.

Some BIOS setups only detect boot devices connected via USB 2.0 rather than USB 3.0.

Reset BIOS to Default Settings

In BIOS Setup, select Exit > Load Setup Defaults or Restore Defaults.

Save and exit, then try booting again with the installation USB or DVD.

Check for Hard Drive Detection

In the BIOS, ensure the hard drive or SSD is listed under Storage Devices or SATA Configuration.

If not detected, reseat the SATA and power cables connected to the drive.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[DJK53]

Thank you for your help.

I have not had much time recently to check everything you have suggested.

I will try to compete everything in the next week or so.

Right now the problem still exists.

Thank you again

David