[Solved] HP ProBook "non system disk error" Won't Boot into HDD or Linux Live USB

[tony20171]

Non system disk error - won't boot into HDD or USB

I have a ProBook 6550b, product no.SL208UP#ABA, and am getting a "non-system disk or disk error, replace and press any key" error message. This shows after a long Intel Boot Agent PXE Base Core and client Mac address and GUID boot error message set.

It occurred after installing a new Linux distro (manjaro) on the HDD (I had pclos on there already, running fine for 3+years but it would no longer update kde4). When going to reboot into the new OS (after partitioning and installing) I got the errors and it would not boot. I have gone into the bios, and readjusted the boot order so the HDD now boots first instead of the USB stick, as I had set it for the live USB install. Still get the same message. I replaced the original HDD (dated 2010) with a brand new 1tb disk, still the same. Also, btw, both the numlock and caps lock indicator lights flash together for several seconds before the error messages show on screen.

I went into the bios and tried to perform all the HP startup tests, but no luck. HDD tests failed, does not find any disk installed in the laptop at all. I know it's a blank drive but it first failed with the older 160gb drive as well. Did I wipe the MBR or GRUB in some way with the manjaro install? I thought I gave it the correct boot flags when partitioning but maybe not...? I don't know how to get to see that now since my live USBs won't read either.

With only a brand new primary HDD installed, and no cd, sd, or usb connected, what else might give this message that i can check for? It does not see any disk at all, and even the live USBs of both arch and manjaro now don't read. I was still using it as a bios with gpt machine, not using the optional efi settings since it was created during that transitional period and I didn't trust the efi not to be buggy.

Thanks for any help or info you can provide.

[erico]

If you press the power button do you see the POST screen?

Are you able to boot into BIOS?

I suggest downloading the HP 3-in-1 Diagnostics USB key. Boot to it and run system and component tests. See the following HP web document for a download link. You will need a USB flash drive for this.

http://www8.hp.com/us/en/campaigns/hpsupportassistant/pc-diags.html

[tony20171]

Thanks for that link, erico.  I have to find another laptop to get it, but will report back as soon as I can. Yes, I do see the hp logo splash screen, and I can get into the bios with f10. It attempts to perform checks on command, and I can reset the boot order etc. Just will not see the HDD I have in there, neither the older one nor the new, so the tests all fail.

[CF4]

Hi

The usual suspect is a legacy boot install onto a GPT UEFI disk.

BIOS may be mis configured. Secure boot setting needs to be checked.

[tony20171]

I don't have bios set to EFI and never did, but I did install with gpt with several linux distros and it always worked fine using gpt-bios. Linux is ok with that. Secure boot is not on. Still trying to download that HP diagnostic tool mentioned above. Somehow bios and boot seem confused, for sure, but I did get into the system with a manjaro live cd on an SD card, installed it in a basic mbr-bios fashion, gparted show that it did partition and install the manjaro OS, but I am still getting the same non-system error; it still does not see the brand new HDD.

[tony20171]

Hi cf4, you were right about the legacy usb setting inside bios, it was unchecked. I can now read and boot from the usb sticks. Thanks for that.
Am unable to get the hp diagnostic tool to run tho, at least not yet. Still trying. And it still won't read the hdd, same error msg.
But, how is the uefi on these probooks? Should I switch it over to efi without secure boot and try an efi installation?

[CF4]

Hi

I never know. My HP is very tolerant, my Acer is abominable inSyDe BIOS.

I do suggest EFI and Linux may need shim adding for secure boot.

[tony20171 · Accepted solution]

I just took a look at my partition scheme using fdisk and noticed that there was no 'boot' flag on the main partition (I just used one large one for expediency and testing, will set a better table now).

I used fdisk to 'toggle the bootable flag' on that partion, the asterisk flag shows now, and it boots directly into the hdd manjaro installation. A few odd messages in the bootup sequence, but that's a different issue. It now boots smoothly and reads the drive normally, looks like it just needed that flag.

I will call this one solved - thanks CF4 and erico, for all your help.

[erico]

You're welcome!

           🙂

[CF4]

Prego.