BIOS error 03F0 boot device not found with healthy hard drive

[samHamm]

After attempting to boot Linux Mint 17.1 from a DVD, I got the 03F0 error, boot device not found. I removed the drive from the laptop, plugged it back in, tried rebooting, got the same error. Did the full disk check, 2 hours, 48 minutes, passed both checks. Memory check also passed. Still get same error when rebooting. Getting very frustrated with this. Please help. Thank you.

HP Pavilion 17-e017dx

Windows 8.1

AMD A8-5550M APU 2.1GHz processor

4GB RAM

750GB hard drive

purchased January, 2014

[visruth]

Hi,:


Remove the HDD, connect it to another PC using SATA to USB adapter:
http://www.amazon.com/Anker®-Converter-Adapter-Cable-included/dp/B005B3VO24

Run the HD tune free program and test the hard drive:
http://www.hdtune.com/download.html


If it is still good, I think you should contact HP directly for ruling out any motherboard issue causing the problem for you.


Regards

Visruth

[samHamm]

Hi Visruth,

I do have an Apricorn SATA to USB reader, but when I hook it up to another Windows machine, nothing happens (which also could be an intermittent connection from the power cable to the adapter?).

I ordered the Windows 8 recovery discs from HP which should be here in a week or so. I'm going to try to restore the master boot record, at a friend's suggestion, when they get here.

I'm doubtful this will work, however, because it sounds a lot like what this poster is going through:

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Hardware/Boot-device-not-found-03F0/td-p/4916832

Thanks for your suggestion,

Sam

[visruth]

Hi Sam,


You're welcome!


Is the adapter powered? Use adapter similar to I suggested and hook it up with another PC, try accessing the drive and do the HD tune tests.

Did you do the extensive hard drive tests from BIOS in your laptop? Did it come good?

You said - "after attempting to boot Linux Mint from DVD"
Was the boot successful?
After taking out the disc and changing the boot order again to internal HDD, you couldn't boot up - and boot device not done error came? Am I correct?

If you've not done any formatting of HDD or change to HDD recovery partition, you can access BIOS and try System Refresh/Factory Reset:

http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03489643

Note: Factory reset is a destructive process and will format while HDD, you'll loose all the data from it.


Regards

Visruth

[samHamm]

Yes, the adapter is powered.

I did the 3 hour test on the hard drive using BIOS and it passed.

I could boot the live LinuxMint DVD and run it from the DVD but when I tried to install it, that's when I got the error.

After changing the boot order I couldn't boot the computer, that's right.

I ended up formatting the hard drive and installing Ubuntu 14.04. So no more Windows for me. Just Linux from now on.

Thanks for your help.

Sam

[visruth]

Hi,


Okay Sam, glad to hear you could install Ubuntu on it. It might have corrupted Windows boot files somehow the first time and thereby making it unbootable from later on.

Anyway you can try factory reset using the Recovery media you ordered later on. Just boot from the discs by changing the boot order and start installation on the HDD. You don't have to change anything else.


Regards

Visruth

[Deepanshu2]

hey,
plzzzz help , when I'm starting my laptop it's showing hard drive not found, and error is 3F0

[Resolv_S]

Hi@Deepanshu2,

Thanks for stopping by HP Support Forums.

I came across your post and would like to help.

Error during boot (3F0). Is that, correct?

I am able to find a suitable solution for the issue and am sharing the link for the steps below.

I request you to try the steps and check if that works.

http://support.hp.com/in-en/document/c01443463

Hope the solution answers your query. Feel free to reply back for more.

Resolv_S

Glad to help you. I work for HP

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