hard drive

[noclue87]

my hard drive crashed and i have bought a new one.  i am trying to figure out what i need to do to get my windows 8.1 back.  I have the re-install download on usb but when i start the computer it says no bootable disc.  I do not have a disc drive on this computer and the OS came with the computer when i purchased it and do not have the product key since i have moved several times and i did purches it in 13 or 14.  what the hell do i do

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

What utility did you use to transfer the W8.1 ISO file to your USB flash drive so that it is bootable?

You can't just copy and paste the ISO file to the flash drive.  It won't boot that way.

If you did not use a utility to create the bootable W8.1 installation flash drive, I have zipped one up and attached it below.

The product specs page for your notebook indicate that it came with W8.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03735558

The W8 product key is in the BIOS.

You will need to use this generic W8.1 standard product key when you go to install W8.1.

334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT

After you get W8.1 installed, you will have to change the generic key to the W8 key in your notebook's BIOS.

I have zipped up and attached a free utility below, that will show you the W8 product key in the BIOS.

To boot from the W8.1 installation media, have it plugged into a USB port.

Turn on the PC, and tap the ESC key at the beginning of the HP welcome screen to get the menu of options.

Select the F9 boot options menu and from that, select the USB flash drive and press the enter key.

The PC should now boot from the flash drive.

If that doesn't work, enable legacy mode and disable secure boot in the BIOS.

See this link for the settings to change.  Access the BIOS from the menu of options (after tapping the ESC key), and select the F10 setup option from the menu, and press the Enter key.

https://www.support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03736054/

After you change the settings, restart the PC, and tap the ESC key at the beginning of the HP welcome screen to get the menu of options.

Select the F9 boot options menu and from that, select the Legacy USB flash drive and press the enter key.

The PC should now boot from the flash drive.

[noclue87]

when you say utility im not sure i had a tech remotely get on my computer and he set up the usb for me and said when i get my new hard drive i should be able to plug it in turn on the computer and it should start the install, and if not to do like you were saying change bios and use f9 and select USB.  Still nothing just bootable disc disc disc. I dont have a disc drive on this pc so i am at a **bleep** loss

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Since I cannot verify the W8.1 installation media was properly made, the only suggestion I can offer would be to test it on another PC and see if you can boot from it.

You can cancel out of the installation when the Install Now screen comes up.

If it boots up, then I wouldn't have a clue why it won't boot on your notebook if you tried all of the above suggestions I posted.

If it doesn't boot from another PC, then remake the installation media.

Download the plain W8.1 ISO file from the link below, and use the Microsoft tool I zipped up and attached in my first reply to make the USB flash drive bootable.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows8ISO

[noclue87]

I am re downloadingn everything so when its done what do i do with the 7 zip tool and the other zip file you sent

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Unzip and run the W7 USB-DVD tool to transfer the W8.1 ISO file you downloaded to a USB flash drive.

The tool will do all of the work for you.

After you get W8.1 to install, run the showkey plus utility to report the W8 product key in your notebook's BIOS.

You will need to change the generic product key you entered to the W8 key in the BIOS so W8.1 will activate.

[noclue87]

everything works just tried the usb on the laptop i am on right now and it came right up to install windows 8.1, i just  cant get my other one that that OS was on to reconize it, all the ports work i have checked them all.  i just keeep gettign the no bootable disc, insert bootable disk and hit any key. or its not on my hard disk.  like i stated before my old hard drive crashed so this is a new one.  i am at a loss on what to do now.  I refuse to take it in and have it worked on the places i have called i might as well go buy a cheap new computer for what they want to charge to do it, and i like learning new things and fixing stuff myself if at all possible, and i know this is i am just missing something small

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Sorry that nothing seems to be working for you.

Unfortunately, I am also at a loss to figure out why Windows won't install on your notebook.

Hopefully, you will get it figured out.