Upgrade/rebuild HP e9120y

[Dmalli]

Hello,

I keep getting "insert boot media in selected boot device" on start up. I had a friend look at it and he said it was either my hd or motherboard. I was wondering if I could upgrade my motherboard, cpu, and video card. I know its an older pre-built, so I was wondering if I change these three things and buy a new os, if it would work. If so, what are some reccommendations for the three. I wanted to build a new computer to run games and a golf simulator, but I had this lying around and was wondering if it would work, all the other parts of it are working and I have a new hard drive for it.

 

[clutchc]

Before you give up, boot to the Win7 disk and have it do a repair/disk check.
https://kb.wisc.edu/page.php?id=6565

If it can't access the disk to perform the repair, you may well have a failed HDD. I guess it's possible that it could be the MB chipset instead, but usually that brings other issues along with no disk access. If the disk is otherwise useless, you may want to try to reformat it. Of course, you'll lose any data on it.

 

[Dmalli]

Before you give up, boot to the Win7 disk and have it do a repair/disk check.
https://kb.wisc.edu/page.php?id=6565

If it can't access the disk to perform the repair, you may well have a failed HDD. I guess it's possible that it could be the MB chipset instead, but usually that brings other issues along with no disk access. If the disk is otherwise useless, you may want to try to reformat it. Of course, you'll lose any data on it.

I forgot to mention that i no longer have the disk that came with the system. Sorry. Is there something i can do for that?

 

[clutchc]

I forgot to mention that i no longer have the disk that came with the system. Sorry. Is there something i can do for that?

Do you have a legal copy or is it a bootleg?

 

[Dmalli]

Do you have a legal copy or is it a bootleg?

The disk I had was a legal version.

 

[clutchc]

The disk I had was a legal version.

Then download an .ISO file you can use to create a Win7 installation disk. It will be identical to the retail OEM one. It will work as a full Windows 7 installation for up to 30 days if you want to do a clean install. During that time, you then can enter your product code (COA) from the original disk and make it legal.
http://www.mydigitallife.info/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-from-digital-river/

In your case however, you simply want to use the finished installation disk to attempt the repair process.

 

[tsnor]

Or, easier, call HP and for $10-$20 they will send you a recovery disk with all the correct drivers.

'Very unlikely this is a MB error, very likely it is a failed disk. That said, they the following.

1. Remove any media from Optical drives. Sometimes a CD/DVD appears bootable but isn't. You get the message you saw. Ditto any USB attached drives.
2. Download and boot one of the DVD/CD based diagnostic disks. for example google "ultimate boot CD" Then run a disk daignostic from the bootable disk.
3. In the BIOS verify that your hard drive is being detected. If the BIOS can't see your hard drive it has most likely failed.

Once you are sure that the disk has failed, you must get a replacement disk before you can re-install the operating system. A place like Newegg or amazon will sell you a goot 1TB or 2TB hard drive for $100. Or you can slap in a 256GB (=1/4 TB) of SSD for $200. Post if you do not know how to buy or install a hard drive. Its not bad. It's also in your manual if you want to read about it before posting.

gl.

 

[Dmalli]

I unplugged everything except the hard drive and the cd tray. It now goes to the blue start up screen where you can select restore, bios, and two other options I can't think of off the top of my head. I enter the bios cd and nothing happens, when I try to press f11 or any of the other function keys to trigger one of the options, it does nothing. It may be my downloaded bios disk, where I didn't transfer it to the cd correctly...I don't know.