"Boot device not found" Hard Disk - (3F0) when starting my Pavillion

[Joachim123]

I have installed Ubuntu dual boot alongside Windows 10 on my Pavillion and then I uninstalled Ubuntu. Now I cannot start up Windows. When pressing the start button I get

"

Boot device not found

Please install an operating system on your hard disk.

Hard Disk - (3F0)

F2  System Diagnostics

For more information please visit: www.hp.com/go/techcenter/startup
"

How do I get Windows back?

I have already tried steps like this one: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-safely-uninstall-ubuntu-in-windows-dual-boot-environment/

[iomare]

Hi,

Do you have Windows 10 installation media? Did you create a bootable USB pendrive with windows 10 on it?

Let me know,

David

[Joachim123]

Hi David,

No installation media came with the PC, but I did create one USB memory Windows 10 recovery unit. I tried that one with the steps described on the web page, but that did not work - and after that I was not able to use the USB recovery unit again so I burned an image onto a DVD.

BR

Joachim

[Joachim123]

Anyone?

[iomare]

Hi,

On a different computer download the media creation tool from Microsoft and run. With this you can create a bootable drive with windows 10 on it.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

When prompted click on to install on different computer and make sure to get the same edition which was already installed on the PC. This edition will be automatically activated if installed. 

Once you have the bootable pendrive boot the computer from this drive and once you get to the windows install, in the lower left there will be the option to repair this PC. Click on this and in advanced options see if you can perform a startup repair. 

If this does not work or if you like you can perform a clean installation of Windows 10 (with creators update). If asked for product key click on "do not have one" and Windows will be automatically activated once installed. I like to perform clean installations of the OS when there are major updates.

Let me know if you need further help,

David

[Joachim123]

Thanks David,

Perhaps a stupid question, but does this also include OEM installations like the one I have? (and which I guess HP PCs usually come with)

BR

Joachim

[iomare]

Hi,

Yes all computers which have had windows 10 installed on it are remembered by Microsoft servers and if the same edition is installed again, it will be automatically activated once conected to internet.

Let me know,

David

[Joachim123]

I have tried using that USB pen drive to recover the bootloader, without success (following the terminal input mentioned in the link I provided above). So I guess a full installation is the only way out now...

I am a bit unsure when it comes to the partitions. I have the following ones now:

Unit 0 unallocated space   260 MB

Unit 0 partition 1  16 MB  Type MSR (reserved)

Unit 0 partition 2: Windows 221.6 GB Primary

Unit 0 partition 3: Windows RE tool 980 MB Recovery

Unit 0 partition 4: 15.6 GB OEM (reserved)

How should I reorder my partitions for a new installation?

[Joachim123]

I would very much like to know what to do here since if I delete any more partitions there is probably no way back... So I have to know that the installation process above actually works and how to delete and aggregate which partitions.

[iomare]

Hi,

You could try recovering the system with HP recovery at startup or by ordering recovery disks

https://support.hp.com/rs-en/document/c04758961

Personally when I perform a clean install I choose custom install and delete all partitions, creating one unallocated space and I choose this space to install Windows. Windows will recreat e MSR partiton and can recreate the Windows recovery partition.

So that is my advice. 

Let me know,

David