No hard drive installed

[JT9715]

I was using my laptop and it froze and kick me out to a blank screen. I researched and did the restart F2 option, ran a memory test and hard drive test and it came back with, "No hard drive installed", I cannot figure out how to get back into my laptop or how to reinstall the windows. Any suggestions for a non techy mom?! 

[Max3Aj]

@JT9715, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 
Got you! Let’s walk through this together in simple steps. It sounds like your HP laptop is having trouble detecting the hard drive, which is why it's showing a blank screen and not loading Windows.

Here's what could be going on:

• The hard drive got loose (especially if the laptop was dropped or bumped).
• The hard drive has failed completely (common with older or heavily used laptops).
• Or it's a software/connection issue causing the system to misread it.

👣 STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO FIX OR REINSTALL WINDOWS:

🧪 Step 1: Double-check the hard drive

1. Turn off the laptop.
2. Turn it back on, and quickly press F10 repeatedly (once every second) as it starts up.
3. This should bring you to the BIOS setup screen.
   • In BIOS, look for a “Storage” or “System Information” section.
   • Do you see your hard drive listed (could be named “HDD” or have a brand name like “Toshiba”, “Seagate”, “WD”, or “Samsung”)?

💽 Step 2: Reinstall Windows (If hard drive is OK)

If the hard drive shows up in BIOS, you can reinstall Windows easily using another computer and a USB drive.

What you need:

• A working PC (maybe a friend’s or your kid's).
• An empty USB drive (at least 16 to 32 GB).
• About 30–45 minutes.

Instructions:

1. On the working PC, go to this link:
   👉 Windows 10 Installation Media
2. Click "Download tool now" under "Create Windows 10 installation media".
3. Run the tool and follow these steps:
   • Choose "Create installation media for another PC".
   • Select your language and version (Windows 10), then choose USB Flash Drive.
   • Insert the USB drive and let it finish (takes 10–20 min).
4. Plug this USB into your HP laptop.
5. Turn it on and press ESC or F9 repeatedly to get to the boot menu.
6. Select the USB drive.
7. You’ll see the Windows setup screen — choose "Install Now".
8. Follow the prompts to install Windows. Choose Custom Install, and select your hard drive (it’ll usually say something like “Drive 0”).

❗ IF THE HARD DRIVE IS STILL NOT DETECTED

If BIOS still says “No hard drive installed”:

• The hard drive might have come loose — especially common in older HP laptops. A tech-savvy friend or a repair shop can check this in 5 minutes.
• Or the hard drive has failed, and you’ll need to replace it. 

You're doing great — tech can be overwhelming, but you’ve already taken smart steps like running diagnostics!

You’ve got this, supermom 💪💻❤️

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support