How can I extract files from a laptop hard drive that has had a system failure?

The "no bootable devices found" error can create headaches, as well as occasional heartache if you're a laptop user. This error appears when your computer is unable to find a device or file required for normal operation. It could indicate one of three issues: hard drive failure, software error or motherboard malfunction. Any of these potential problems can render your laptop useless. Hard drive failure or software errors can lead to data loss, which can cause anguish and catastrophe, depending on the files business information, family photos, student projects at risk.
Hard Drive Failure The interior of a hard drive is akin to a turntable. Most hard drives contain two to three discs, known as platters, which are similar to records. These platters are read and written on by a tiny needle called the read/write head, similar to the arm and needle on a turntable. When a hard drive functions properly, the platters spin and the read/write head accesses the files necessary to boot your computer. Improper function of any of these physical pieces can cause a mechanical failure and result in the "no bootable devices" error. Software Error
In rare instances, a software problem more specifically, a particularly nasty virus may cause the "no bootable devices" error.
Most often, if a virus attacks and corrupts your system, your computer can still detect the hard drive and operating system, and you'll see some attempt at a normal boot.
If a virus attacks certain system and startup files, however, they may not be detectable next time you boot your computer, thus causing you to see "no bootable devices."
This may also happen if you are manually deleting files from your computer and accidentally delete system files.
Motherboard
Sometimes individual components of your laptop's motherboard malfunction, which can cause problems ranging from loss of wireless capabilities to inability to detect an external power source.
If the components that detect your hard drive fail, your laptop is unable to receive signals from the hard drive and therefore may display the "no bootable devices" error.
Repair
Fixing a "no bootable devices" error can prove costly.
If motherboard failure caused the error, you're probably better off purchasing a new laptop; unless it's under warranty; the average motherboard replacement costs $250 to $500.
You can reinstall your operating system to resolve software errors, which is fairly inexpensive by computer repair standards, costing $80 to $130 dollars, but this step may also overwrite your existing data.
In some cases, data may prove so badly corrupted it's not salvageable.
If you can recover it, however, that raises your repair costs. additional fee.
If hard drive failure caused your "no bootable devices" error, you can replace the drive.
If you need to recover data from a malfunctioning hard drive, send it to a clean room for recovery.
In a clean room, technicians disassemble your hard drive and image each platter; this kind of data recovery is extremely expensive, costing up to $2000 depending on the work involved.
Prevention
There is no way to guarantee you will never receive a "no bootable devices" error, but there are some steps you can take to help prevent it from happening.
Keep your laptop on a flat surface when using it, and avoid any bumps that may cause the hard drive's read/write mechanism to lock up.
Avoid transporting your laptop while the hard drive is active; turn your computer off while traveling.
Additionally, regularly run an anti-malware program to catch and remove viruses or spyware before they cause system problems.
http://www.upgradenrepair.com/Issues/N/nobootabledevicefound.htm

also you might
HP laptop no bootable devices found
Turn on your HP laptop with Windows Vista or Windows 7 and press the "Esc" key repeatedly to access the startup Menu. Press "F10" to access the BIOS.
Press "F9" to restore the BIOS to its default settings. Press "Enter" to verify that you want to restore the BIOS default settings.
Press "F10" to save your changes and exit the BIOS. Press "Enter" to confirm that you want to save the BIOS changes and continue booting up the laptop.
HP Hard Disk Test
Hold the Power button down for 15 seconds when the laptop is turned on to turn off the laptop.
Press the Power button again to turn on the laptop and press the "Esc" key repeatedly to access the startup Menu.
Press "F2" to access the System Diagnostics.
Click "Hard Disk Test" to begin testing the hard drive.
If "Pass" is displayed after all of the tests then the program fixed the error.
If "Fail" is displayed after any of the tests, proceed to Section 3 if you are using Windows Vista and Section 4 if you are using Windows 7.
Recover Windows Vista Factory Settings
Click "Start," "All Programs," "Recovery Manager" and "Recovery Manager" again to open the HP Recovery Manager.
Click "Advanced Options," then click "System Recovery" and "Next."
The laptop will restart and will boot up to the HP Recovery Manager.
Click "System Recovery" and click "Next."
Click "No" when asked if you want to use Microsoft System Restore and click "Next."
Select "Recover without backing up your files" and click "Next."
Click "Next" to begin the recovery process.
When the process is finished the laptop will restart and boot to the Windows Vista setup screen.
Recover Windows 7 Factory Settings
Click "Start," "All Programs," "Recovery Manager" and "Recovery Manager" again to open the HP Recovery Manager.
Click "System Recovery."
The laptop will restart and will boot to HP Recovery Manager. Click "System Recovery," then click "Next."
Click "No" when asked if you want to use Microsoft System Restore and click "Next."
Click "Recover without backing up your files" and click "Next."
Click "Next" to begin the recovery process.
When the process is finished the laptop will restart and boot to the Windows 7 setup screen.

possible your hard drive

A hard disk failure can be catastrophic if it jeopardizes the data stored on your computer.

In addition to rendering a laptop inoperable, a failed hard disk can damage other files stored on the drive as well.

It is critical to determine whether an actual drive failure has taken place, and there are several steps to troubleshoot a drive before hard disk failure can be declared.

Unplug any devices such as printers, speakers, cameras and other external peripherals. Boot the laptop by pressing the power key.

If this does not result in a successful boot, try booting Windows in "Safe Mode."

Reboot the computer, and hold down the F8 key this will vary depending on your computer and operating system

From the menu choices, choose "Boot Windows in Safe Mode".

If the boot up progresses, then the computer is likely experiencing a software issue, not a hard drive failure.

Reset the hard drive.

This will involve turning off laptop (removing the battery is a good move, too) opening the laptop unit, and unplugging all connections and cables from the hard drive.

If possible, replace the hard drive with another drive.

This will help determine if the hard drive is causing the problem.

Plug all connections back in to the hard drive, and reboot the computer.

Repeat Step 2 if necessary.

If the computer does not reboot, the laptop is more than likely experiencing a hard drive failure and will probably have to be repaired by vendor.

hope this helps

The error PXE-E61: Media test failure usually means the hard disk has failed or the hard disk needs re-seating or the disk controller is faulty. First - re-seat the hard disk and reboot the computer. If the computer does not boot up then reboot and go into the BIOS configuration to see if the BIOS detects the hard drive. If it doesn't detect the hard drive then it could be faulty. Next - to check if the hard drive is faulty, remove the hard drive and insert it into an USB hard drive adapter and connect it to a working computer's USB port. If this computer cannot see it as an USB mass storage device and you cannot open the various folders and files on this drive, then this confirms the hard drive is faulty. Then the hard drive needs to be replaced in the computer/laptop, Windows installed and the computer or laptop's device drivers plus your programs etc. to get a functioning computer/laptop again.

A hard disk failure can be catastrophic if it jeopardizes the data stored on your computer.

In addition to rendering a laptop inoperable, a failed hard disk can damage other files stored on the drive as well.

It is critical to determine whether an actual drive failure has taken place, and there are several steps to troubleshoot a drive before hard disk failure can be declared.

Unplug any devices such as printers, speakers, cameras and other external peripherals. Boot the laptop by pressing the power key.

If this does not result in a successful boot, try booting Windows in "Safe Mode."

Reboot the computer, and hold down the F8 key this will vary depending on your computer and operating system

From the menu choices, choose "Boot Windows in Safe Mode".

If the boot up progresses, then the computer is likely experiencing a software issue, not a hard drive failure.

Reset the hard drive.

This will involve turning off laptop (removing the battery is a good move, too) opening the laptop unit, and unplugging all connections and cables from the hard drive.

If possible, replace the hard drive with another drive.

This will help determine if the hard drive is causing the problem.

Plug all connections back in to the hard drive, and reboot the computer.

Repeat Step 2 if necessary.

If the computer does not reboot, the laptop is more than likely experiencing a hard drive failure and will probably have to be repaired by vendor.

hope this helps

The computer is having trouble finding the hard disk.
The problem could be a faulty hard disk or a faulty disk controller.
First - re-seat the harddisk and reboot the computer. If the computer does not boot up then reboot andgo into the BIOS configuration to see if the BIOS detects the hard drive. If itdoesn't detect the hard drive then it could be faulty.Then the hard drive needsto be replaced in the computer/laptop, Windows installed and the computer orlaptop's device drivers plus your programs etc. to get a functioningcomputer/laptop again.

Technically, YES, the hard drive can be formatted as an external (with the appropriate equipment) on your laptop (if there are still files on it, you may even be able to extract them from it) but it still won't be bootable because it does not have an operating system on it.

That would be the part where you need the recovery disc. Windows setup programs from these boot discs already have the format utility so if there aren't any files to extract from the drive, you can skip to reinstalling Windows on the desktop and formatting it in the process.

Bottom line is that you need a Windows installation disc to make the hard drive bootable again, regardless of where you format it.

Hi,

Here the reason why youre getting the error message the system is not reading the operating system on the hard drive.Heres some thing that you can do.


Change your Computer's boot sequence in you Bios. Make sure that you select a device (Hard drive) that has boot files (or Operating System files) installed. If still cant boot you might need to reinstall a new operating system to your machine. Keep in mind that if you reformat the machine all the save files on the drive will be wiped out

Thanks for using Fixya

Sounds like it could be a bad hard drive. With your laptop turned off, take out the hard drive and put it back in and make sure its nice and snug.

Then go ahead and turn on the laptop and see if you can boot back up into windows.

If you can't get into windows and you get the same message then boot up the laptop and go into the BIOS by pressing F2. When you get into the BIOS look and see if your BIOS is recognizing the hard drive, if it's not seeing the hard drive then that means your hard drive is bad and would need to be replaced.

If your hard drive is showing up then that means you have corrupt system files and you'll need to restore your laptop back to factory defaults with your recovery cd's.

You see this message when the laptop trying to boot from a remote server using the network card. If you didn’t see the PXE-E61 message before, it means that the network card was listed after the hard drive in the boot order (you can set the order in BIOS) and the laptop booted directly from the hard drive. Now, when the hard drive has failed, the laptop cannot detect it and tries to boot from the next available device – the network card. Your laptop is not configured to boot from a remote server using the network card, that’s why you are getting PXE-E61 Media test failure error. You have to replace the hard drive and reinstall the operating system.

you have no choice but to open it up, this is to check that the hard drive works or has disslodged, pull the hard drive out and then reseat it again, reboot the laptop and see if the bios has found the hard drive, if it does try to boot into it

kind regards