Windows 8 unbootable

How to use TestDisk to recover lost partition
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bonez2046
Posts: 1
Joined: 19 Dec 2013, 19:34

Windows 8 unbootable

#1 Post by bonez2046 »

machine: acer aspire E1-531-4694
error: PXE-E61 media test failure, check cable No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key

this laptop belongs to my son. I don't know if he jarred/dropped/otherwise shocked the machine but it was booting into recovery mode yesterday, but today it's not even booting up..yesterday it would load up the recovery process and just loop in that without any change, without booting to the desktop.

Can testdisk work on windows 8 or only on prior windows versions?

Lito
Posts: 83
Joined: 08 Sep 2012, 06:58

Re: Windows 8 unbootable

#2 Post by Lito »

Your machine is trying to boot from a network.

https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/s ... heck-cable

You will have to get into the BIOS configuration of the laptop.

How to get into your particular machine depends on BIOS brand, laptop manufacturer, etc.
You can try pressing the F1 key as soon as the machine starts (before Windows starts to load). If it does not work, try pressing F2 in the same fashion. Some laptops give you access pressing Shift+Escape others pressing Delete.
The manual of your machine will tell you or you might find out this information in the manufacturers website.
You could also watch the screen carefully for any message (when the screen is still black) about entering SetUp.

Once you are in, look for the Boot options or a similar tag at the top of the screen. Normally you woud have to highlight Optical Drive (CD/DVD) for example and using the + or - keys to move it up and down in the list of bootable devices.

A normal setup would be:
1- CD/DVD
2-Hard Disk with your main OS (Windows?)
3- Secondary HDD or External USB also with an OS
4- Any other device you would like to boot from or otherwise Disabled
5- PXE (Network Boot) Better to turn this one as Disabled

Best of luck

Merry Christmas to all!

quipob
Posts: 3
Joined: 20 Dec 2013, 08:14

Re: Windows 8 unbootable

#3 Post by quipob »

personally running 7.
are u using laptop or tablet that needs to be booted?

booter from usb flash drive
parralel hd, secondary or an external usb/2 usb hard drive with a preinstalled win >>> in bious apply 1st boot type must be hdd, sdd, w/e u sure u have ur booter at
; might be
;system files from a previous win installation (also 1st win install)
;copied booter from another source that already contained booter that may be compatbe with ur own Os that with the broken booter atm
;downloaded and/or unpacked '"win installation".iso:> alot about it online; downloads from mydigitalriver probably ur bet; or microsoft store
;also u may try to use a recovery option, a bit selfsearchonthat....

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