# no operating system---ME



## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

My friend has a compaq presario 1200 laptop.....when he turned on the computer yesterday it says "no operating system". We put in a bootdisk and when we try and fdisk it says no fixed disk is found......Whats next?????


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Ok! Did you check if the BIOS was detecting the drive?


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

are you talking about the hard drive c:??when I go into bios how do I check that?


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

You can check it in the BIOS too, to enter the BIOS as soon as the computer starts hit the F10 key. If that doesnt work out then you can also try with the F2 key too!


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

the boot sequence shows the floopy then the harddrive...everytime wehn I put the bootdisk iin I get the following message....windows me has detected that drive c does not contain a valid FAT or FAT32 partition.....when I try and fdisk from the prompt it says no fixed disk present


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Now, there is no need to check for the boot sequence. All you need to check in the BIOS is whether the HDD is being detected or not? I'm not too sure as to how a compaq's BIOS looks like so cant tell you exactly where to look for info regarding the HDD. But there should be a screen, which will show the HDD size and some info about it. See if you find that!

Also am looking for the BIOS screenshots of your compaw model, will get back once I can find them. In the meantime plz check for the HDD in the BIOS.

Also, can you see the HDD at the POST screen? As soon as you start the computer, the screen which lists the Primary Master Drive, Primary Slave, Secondary Master... Is the HDD listed there?


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

I see no post screen....as soon as computer is turned on it shows compaq splash screen then says no operating system. I can find nothing in the bios...I will check again....


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Ok! 

Check in the BIOS about it! See if the HDD detection is set to Auto or Manual. Though that wont matter most, but just check it.


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

I will respond tomorrow as the laptop is at work....... thanks.......as i saw the bios did not have any of that but will report tomorrow


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## bandit429 (Feb 12, 2002)

I don't think you can just fdisk and format a compaq,,,I believe you will lose your f10 access to the bios on that computer,,,you should apply your efforts in the direction PVC9 suggested..If you have no operating system for whatever reason the first step is to be sure the hard drive is recognised in the CMOS part of the Bios.
Also in the bios you have the option of disabling the compaq screen so you can see the boot sequence. On this computer which is not a compac it is in the Boot section of the bios and the name of the option is "Boot Time Diagnostic Screen" (enabled I can see the boot sequence)
During the boot sequence on some computers you can pause the bootup so you may read (pause break key)
Hope this helps


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

The problem is when i get in bios i dont see any of this......just three tabs with nothing to do with enabled or anything...this is really a strange bios at least comparred to what I've seen before.

Also my buddy is telling me it came with no recovery disk or systems disk at all. On a compaq is it on the part of the hard drive somewhere?


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## bandit429 (Feb 12, 2002)

I think your f10 bios access is on the hard drive,,in other words fdisk the hard drive no bios access. What are the words on the tabs? look through the menus but don't change anything.
Here is a link click below:
http://communities.compaq.com/servl...10+bios+and+fdisk&USEARCHCONTEXT_QUESTION_S=0


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

ok....some more inf...when you first turn on the computer it sounds like a laser gun from starwars firing....then you get the compaq splashscreen...then the error "no operating system". This morning I went into the bios and there are 3 tabs that look like this:

Main:
system time
system date
supervsior password clear
set up supv. pw enter
password on boot disabled


Boot:
+diskette drive
atapi cd rom
+harddrive


Exit:
exit saving changes
exit discarding changes
load setup defaults
discard changes
save changes

That is all that appears.....wow cant do much of anything. so this morning I did load setup defaults and saved. Nothing same problem..........I also went to the a prompt and went to c: and looked at directory........there is no windows directory that I see.....I also tried from a>prompt c:\windows\options\cabs and got bad command or file name......any suggestions of what to do next?


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

What? You got the C:\> prompt???

If yes, then guess the HDD detection problem is almost solved! But, how many drives were their on the HDD prior to the starting of this problem? I mean the msg that No OS found... Was there only a single drive (c) or any other drives too? If yes, then check for those drives too!

About the command, that wont execute until and unless the files are present on the C drive. So see if you can access the C drive/all other drives too(Not the Cd rom).

So nothing is present in the C drive at all? What happens when you execute the dir command? Any files? Atleast one???


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

Thanks pvc9 for your quick response.....yes there are many files on the c drive when i go to c:dir.......c is the only hard drive on the laptop....


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Np 

Ok! Once you are at the C:\> prompt do this -

C:\>win [enter]

Type the *win* at the prompt!

BTW are you taken directly to the prompt or what happens when you boot without a floppy? Any luck?


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

no without a boot disk all that comes up is the compaq splash and then a black screen with "no operating system found" I get to the a prompt and then the c prompt using the boot disk


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Ok! BTW what bootdisk are you using?

Check with this -

Once at the A:\> prompt type this command -

*sys c:* and hit the enter key. You should get a message System Transferred to C or something similar to that! After that restart the computer and let it boot directly and not through the floppy! Does the computer boot to the Command Prompt atleast?

If this works or even if it doesnt work then try what I posted earlier, once at the c:\> prompt type the *win* command and hit the enter key. What happens?


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

using an me boot disk that someone made for him using another presario laptop. I tried the sys c and no go. Also i tried the c:\win and said bad command......i get the following when i do a c:dir

ATTRIB
CHKDSK
COMMAND
DEBUG
EDIT
EXT
EXTRACT
FORMAT
HELP
MSCDEX
README
SCANDISK EXE
SCANDISK INI
SYS

whenever i attempt to do the sys c or fdisk /mbr or anything to do with the c drive i get the message "no fixed disk present"


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

WHAT???

Guess we thought the main HDD detection problem was solved Not yet! Ok!

Need some info! Where did you type that dir command? At which prompt? A or C???

May be you need to get into the BIOS again and check the things there! Now from your earlier post I guess the HDD info in the BIOS should be somewhere here -

*
Boot: 
+diskette drive 
atapi cd rom 
+harddrive 
*

Click on the _+_ symbol and what do you see there? Any info about the HDD?


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

I will explain so that you can make sure I'm doing it ok........i put the boot disk in and turn on computer...it boots with the info about the c drive not fat or fat32 due to ............and gives three possible reasons. Then the a>comes up and I type c: and get c> prompt and then type dir and get what you see above.......

as far as the bios the only thing the boot tab does is change the boot sequence by changing to + etc......


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Ok! I guess things are clear enough now! The C drive that you probably saw was just the RAM drive that the bootdisk loads!

So, it brings us back to the same place again - WHERE IS THE BOOTDISK!!! I've got no hands-on experience on compaq laptops, so cant guide you in the exact direction, but will PM now some of the members and will see how the things go from here!


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

ok thanks for your time......i will be waiting anxiously


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Did we ever figure out how the bios is seeing the hard drive? In the area where you saw hard drive....what is the setting there? Auto? User? Does it identify the hard drive by brand name?


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

You're welcome, but am following it...


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

acacandy the only time i see hardrive is on the boot tab and it looks like it is just to change the boot sequence......further info for pvc9 and Aca....when I did a sys c: at the a>prompt i get the following message

Cannot find the system file in the standard locations on drive c: SYS can only be used on drive C: to attempt a repair of an already existing installation of windows. Use windows setup to make drive C: bootable

Aca there is no mention of brand name of the harddrive ......again all I see is 
+diskette drive
atipi cd rom
+hard drive
again this is under the boot tab and is jsut to change the boot sequence I think

Under the main tab there is no mention of anything about a harddrive


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

The reason for that error message is you're trying to make the ram drive bootable, since the C: drive can't be found, the boot disk makes a 'fake' C: drive, which normally should be the D drive....but in the bios setup, there has to be some mention of the hard drive, other than the boot sequence. Go to that hard drive tab.......


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

i did and it was highlighted and i hit enter......the + sign next to it went away and under it appeared bootable add in cards so it looked like this
+diskette drive
atapi cd rom
-harddrive
bootable add in cards

this is a really strange looking bios....with only the info listed that I posted earlier


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Hold on, I'm trying to locate a picture of a Compaq bios screen....I have a Compaq laptop (not mine thank goodness  ), but not with me right now.....so I can't do a hands on check..........


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

Some more info........my buddy told me today that the problem started when he used an external burner hooked to his laptop to trasfer some pictures. the next time he turned on he got this "no operating system found". Trying to give you all the info possible


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Can you have him try to load default settings in the bios setup? Save changes coming out.......


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

> _
> Originally posted by AcaCandy : _
> *
> Hold on, I'm trying to locate a picture of a Compaq bios screen....I have a Compaq laptop *


Ah! That feels better...

edit : Msg edit


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

Did that Aca ............ loaded default settings and saved and nothing happened......still same ole problem


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

While we're waiting for PVC to scrounge up some pictures.......the external drive that was hooked up....was it USB or parallel? Was it recognized immediately upon connection, or was there some changes etc. that had to be made? I'm assuming some software of some sort would have been loaded, no?


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Sorry AC... I was just quoting your earlier posts!

Msg edited so that its better! But, np will see if I can find a screen shot and get back


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

it was a usb connection and it was recognized right away he said....not sure of what software but it is a hp external burner.....he said he had used it before with no problems but not this time


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Ok, anything like IDE controllers?

Here's a listing of what should be on the F 10 setup screen:

What changes can be made in F10:

System
PCI Bus Mastering
System Post
Power Managment
Power on Password
Set up Password
Alternative Memory reporting
System inactivity timeout

Communications
Parallel Port Mode

Storage
Diskette A
Diskette B
Select Operating System
Primary IDE Controller
Secondary IDE Controller

Input Devices
USB legacy keyword support
Mouse wake up event

Multimedia
PCI VGA Snoop
Compaq USB Multimedia moniotr
Onboard monochrome video mode su
pport Compaq amplified speakers

Exit
Save changes and reboot
Ignore changes and exit
Set defaults and reboot


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Check this link and compaq's site got nothing better -

http://www.compaq.com/support/techpubs/illustrated_parts_map/index.html

HTH!


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

No Aca when I get into bios(says pheonix bios at top) it has only what i listed in post #13........as I said earlier I've never seen a bios like this one.......nothing there hardly


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

It sure is a really weird BIOS! Never ever seen one such. Even the DELL has better BIOS! Well whatever, if you cannot change anything I'm afraid to tell this, but may be we need a technician's intervention who can open up the laptop may be and see whats wrong! 

But before that lets see what Candy suggests


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

I have already told the guy it looks as if you may need to take this one in........but I will wait until I hear from aca to see if there is anyting else we can do........by the look of the bios its almost as if they dont want people ot get in and make changes.....man I'm glad I dont own a compaq(sorry to you compaq owners out there just my 2 cents)


Is it possible the bios is damaged and/or corrupt and this is not the total bios I am seeing????


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Well, not having the hard drive being recognized means either, a loose connection (which shouldn't have happened by plugging in a USB burner) or a complete hard drive failure, which would be really strange as well......I have a Phoenix Bios on my Gateway machine, so I'm not quite sure why you have such limited choices.....does it show a version number?

Here's a pic of a Phoenix Bios:

http://www.computerhope.com/help/phoenix.htm

That 1200 machine is only about 3 years old, no? I'm sure that's the same model my friend has in Mexico.......(and I do hate working on that).


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Candy,
Isnt this weird? A BIOS with no options, I mean is it a full BIOS at all??? Doesnt make sense to me at all


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## itsmeitsmeitsme (Apr 29, 2002)

well thanks so much for your guys time....i am not going to see this guy for awhile so i dont know for sure what he is going to do...thanks so much and I'll let you know what he does to get it going again.

again thanks for helping


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

You're very welcome

Sorry that I wasnt of much help!


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