Acer aspire cannot find os - help!

Tbrooks

Honorable
Aug 17, 2013
4
0
10,510
Had been using Acer Aspire laptop without problem. Then left it for about 15 mins. On return I heard strange noise and saw black screen claiming couldn't find operating system. Help!
 
Solution
HDD could have died, or it could be a very bad virus too.

If you have important data on it, you might have to take the HDD out and plug it to another computer to do a back-up.

Then you could use your recovery disks or try to access the hidden recovery partition, they're both the same and will restore your system to factory default (just like when booted it for the first time). But note that this operation is destructive so all data will be wiped, this is why I was suggesting to do a back-up first.

Of course, if it's a defective HDD you won't be able to do a recovery, you'll have to replace the HDD or contact Acer if it's still under warranty.

MC_K7

Distinguished
HDD could have died, or it could be a very bad virus too.

If you have important data on it, you might have to take the HDD out and plug it to another computer to do a back-up.

Then you could use your recovery disks or try to access the hidden recovery partition, they're both the same and will restore your system to factory default (just like when booted it for the first time). But note that this operation is destructive so all data will be wiped, this is why I was suggesting to do a back-up first.

Of course, if it's a defective HDD you won't be able to do a recovery, you'll have to replace the HDD or contact Acer if it's still under warranty.
 
Solution

MC_K7

Distinguished
Not because you never had trouble with it before means it will never give you trouble. When dealing with electronics they can break all of a sudden without a warning. Software can break too, like Windows problems, viruses, etc...

By the way Norton isn't a really good anti-virus it's more expensive because you pay for the name, and it only does an average job compared to others. There are many other security suites now that can do a much better job like: Avira, BitDefender, Kaspersky, Avast, etc...
 

Tbrooks

Honorable
Aug 17, 2013
4
0
10,510


 

Tbrooks

Honorable
Aug 17, 2013
4
0
10,510
You were right. Hard drive had failed - all of a sudden and out of the blue. Took it to a local shop and saw it dead for myself. Wow. Never thought it would ever just up and die without any warning -- and not a result of any bug/virus, etc. And only after about 3-4 years.