ivinvirus

Estimable
Nov 8, 2015
18
0
4,560
Hi guys, so few days ago I found my old rotten school laptop, I wasn't admin on it so I thought I might as well just take its harddrive out and format it with sata usb cable and reinstall operating system.

I did format the drive through disk management, used full format. The drive is completely empty and reinserted into the laptop. now when I start the laptop I get the error "An operating system wasn't found. Try disconnecting any drives that don't contain an operating system"

I did expect something like this but now I have no idea on how to install an operating system on it, reason being the laptop doesn't contain a DVD drive.

Please help, I have installed operating system once which was to enter the dvd and start pc and it should help you out as you enter your product key.

I don't have the dvd on me, I do have USB with 16gb capacity, I do have windows 8 product key which works. but please i don't know the steps from now on, help please, pretty please, god bless you

ps: I'm not getting any sort of boot menu, just the message I stated above
 
Solution


The image is kind of hard to make out, but that does look like the CMOS battery. Unplug that for a while, and you should be good. Make sure the laptop power, and battery is also unplugged

boodaddy

Estimable
Nov 7, 2015
15
0
4,570
Please download the Windows 8 Media Creation tool below. Once you open it, please select the operating system you want to install 32 or 64 bit. It will ask you to connect your USB drive, and it will format it.

If you have anything on the USB drive you don't want to loose, please make a backup of the files. You will need to enter the bios and have it boot from the usb drive to start the windows installation. The first link is the Windows 8 media creation tool. The second link is an overview.

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=510815

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

After your windows 8 installation is complete, make sure you install all the updates. After that, you can upgrade to Windows 10 for free.

Please also post the computer specs. Model number etc...

Good Luck Man!
 

ivinvirus

Estimable
Nov 8, 2015
18
0
4,560


Tried it already, no luck , same old error
 

boodaddy

Estimable
Nov 7, 2015
15
0
4,570


You downloaded the Windows media creation tool, and installed windows via USB?
 

ivinvirus

Estimable
Nov 8, 2015
18
0
4,560


I got it on the usb as the creation tool told me to, inserted into the laptop, turned it on, still getting the error

 

ivinvirus

Estimable
Nov 8, 2015
18
0
4,560

Brand: Lenovo
Model: X130e
Ram: 2gb
Harddrive space: 300gb
originally ran windows 7 but since its formatted, nothing there...
 

boodaddy

Estimable
Nov 7, 2015
15
0
4,570


Ok appreciate that. Make sure the computer is shut down. Turn it back on and immediately keep Pressing F1 on boot to enter BIOS. From there you can change the boot options. Let me know if this works.
 

ivinvirus

Estimable
Nov 8, 2015
18
0
4,560


just a lock appears

Edit: nvm got on to it, just had to press enter, what shall i do now?

 

boodaddy

Estimable
Nov 7, 2015
15
0
4,570



Not sure what that's about. Try this. Shut down, and turn back on, and keep pushing F12. This will allow you to select your boot device, but you will have to do this every time until you can get into the BIOS and change it as default.
 

boodaddy

Estimable
Nov 7, 2015
15
0
4,570


There will be options in there for boot devices. You will need to change the first device to USB, and then the second to your harddrive. Use your arrows on your keyboard, and go to "Boot"
 

boodaddy

Estimable
Nov 7, 2015
15
0
4,570


Use the F1 key to get back into the bios. Use your arrows to go over to "Boot" and change the first boot device to USB, and the second to your harddrive. There should be some form of instructions on how to edit each one on the bios screen..
 

ivinvirus

Estimable
Nov 8, 2015
18
0
4,560


I can't, its just displaying my harddrive, there are some configurations in BIOS in which the laptop is not letting me change
 

ivinvirus

Estimable
Nov 8, 2015
18
0
4,560


I get what you're trying to say, Im saying the laptop isn't letting me pick certain options including f12 boot device list, my arrow keys are working
 

boodaddy

Estimable
Nov 7, 2015
15
0
4,570
Then it must be because it is locked, and a password is required. The only way to clear the password, is to take the laptop apart, and remove the CMOS battery for at least 10 seconds.