No boot disk has been detected or the disk has failed

If when you boot your Windows 11/10 computer and you receive the No boot disk has been detected or the disk has failed error message, then this post may help you. In this post, we will identify some potential known causes that can trigger the error and then provide the possible solutions you can try to help remediate this issue.

This error occurs because, during the boot process, the system checks the HDD/SSD for boot information and other Operating System information to utilize the information to boot up the system. However, if the computer is unable to retrieve any boot information or the OS details on the drive, the error message is displayed on the screen.

What causes PC boot failure?

You might encounter this error message due to one or more (but not limited to) of the following known causes:

• Incorrect boot order settings.
• Missing operating system from the HDD.
• Hard Disk failure.
• Loose hard disk connection to PC.
• Corrupt Boot Configuration Data (BCD).

No boot disk has been detected or the disk has failed

If you’re faced with this No boot disk has been detected or the disk has failed issue, you can try the solutions below and fix the issue.

1. Check the PC-to-HDD/SSD cable connection
2. Check the PC’s boot priority
3. Check if the HDD/SSD is failing
4. Run Automatic Repair
5. Run CHKDSK and SFC
6. Rebuild BCD & Repair MBR.

Let’s get into the details of each method.

1] Check the PC-to-HDD/SSD cable connection

The cables connecting the HDD/SSD to the computer and vice versa might have been unfastened which can give rise to the No boot disk has been detected or the disk has failed error message.

Follow these steps to check the connections and fix the problem:

Note: You may require the services of a computer hardware technician.

• Power off your computer and remove the battery.
• Open up your computer’s casing afterward.
• Detach the HDD from your computer.
• Clean all the ports and wirings linking the HDD to the computer and vice versa.
• Now, reconnect the HDD to the computer. (Ensure that all the connections are fastened tightly).
• Lastly, attach the battery and power up your computer.

Check to see if the issue persists. If so continue with the next solution.

2] Check the PC’s boot priority

You may be receiving the No boot disk has been detected or the disk has failed error message on boot because your computer is trying to boot from another source and failing to find any boot information instead of booting from the boot disk. If that’s the case, all you need to do to resolve this problem is to ensure that the boot disk is at the top of your computer’s boot order.

If this doesn’t resolve the issue, try the next solution.

Fix: Boot failure detected in Windows 11

3] Check if the HDD/SSD is failing

Another reason for the computer’s inability to boot up is because the HDD/SSD is in a failed state which triggers the No boot disk has been detected or the disk has failed error message.

You can detach the drive from your PC and connect it to another PC to access the files and folders on the PC to check if the drive is accessible. If you are unable to access the contents of the drive, you need a replacement.

Alternatively, you can check the drive’s S.M.A.R.T. status.

Most modern drives have a feature called S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) that monitors different drive attributes in an attempt to detect a failing disk. That way, your computer will automatically notify you before data loss occurs and the drive can be replaced while it still remains functional.

In Windows, you can manually check the S.M.A.R.T. status of your drives from the Command Prompt. Here’s how:

Press the Windows key + R.

In the Run dialog box, type cmd and hit Enter to launch Command Prompt.

In the command prompt window, copy and paste the command below and hit Enter.

wmic diskdrive get model,status

It will return “Caution” or “Pred Fail” if your drive is failing or has already failed, or “OK” if the drive’s health is fine.

If the result shows the drive is failing, it’s recommended you back up your data and replace the drive.

4] Run Automatic Repair/Startup Repair

You can also fix the No boot disk has been detected or the disk has failed issue by performing Automatic Startup Repair on your system by using Windows bootable installation DVD.

Here’s how:

• Insert Windows bootable installation DVD and restart your PC afterward.
• Press any key to boot from CD or DVD when prompted to continue.
• Select your language preferences, and click Next.
• Click Repair your computer in the bottom-left.
• In the Choose an option screen, click Troubleshoot > Advanced option > Automatic Repair or Startup Repair.
• Wait for the Windows Automatic/Startup Repairs to be complete.
• Restart your PC.

If the issue is still not resolved, continue with the next solution.

5] Run CHKDSK and SFC

In this solution, utilizing CHKDSK and SFC to repair the disk could help resolve the issue.

Do the following:

Repeat the steps in Solution 4 above to enter the Advanced Startup Options list.

Then, choose the Command Prompt option.

In the command prompt window, type the command below and hit Enter.

sfc /scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows
chkdsk c: /r

When the operation completes, exit the command prompt and restart the PC.

If the issue is still not resolved, proceed with the next solution.

6] Rebuild BCD & Repair MBR

Provided that the boot sector is damaged or corrupted, the No boot disk has been detected or the disk has failed error will occur. In this case, you need to rebuild the Boot Configuration Data file, repair the Master Boot Record file, and see if that resolves the issue.

Also read: Hard Drive not showing up on Boot Menu in Windows 11/10

How do I fix No boot disk detected or Disk has failed?

When you face no boot disk detected or a disk has failed error on a Windows 11/10 PC, you can check the hardware cables and the connections, change the boot order, repair the boot sector, run the automatic Startup repair, run SFC and CHKDSK scans, and install a fresh Windows if nothing else works.

Related read: Invalid System Disk, Replace the disk and then press any key