How to fix 'No Boot Device Found Press Any Key to Reboot the Machine' error on Windows

This issue mainly affects Dell PCs and laptops but can also occur on devices from other manufacturers. What is causing the problem, and how can you fix it? We will discuss that in this article.

1. Make sure the hard drive can be detected and plugged in properly

Since your device cannot access the storage drive containing the operating system, check that the Windows installation drive is properly plugged in and available for access. Follow these steps to find out:

1. Hold the power button for a few seconds to turn off the device.
2. Restart the computer by pressing the power button and keep pressing F2 until your BIOS settings appear. (See instructions on entering the BIOS for the keys you need to press to access the BIOS on devices from manufacturers other than Dell.)
3. Go to System Information on the left.
4. Find the Device Information section on the right and check if your main hard drive is listed there.

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If your computer has multiple drives installed, check to see if your system can access the drive containing the operating system, which means the drive details will appear in the device information section.

If your device can access the storage drive where Windows is installed, you can proceed to the third fix. However, if the drive doesn't appear in the device info, it's undetectable. In that case, run the diagnostics.

2. Run the diagnostic process

Diagnostics helps us identify problematic hardware on our device. Since the storage drive can be problematic in this situation, you should run a diagnostic to confirm your suspicions. Follow these steps to run the diagnostics:

1. Hold the power button for a few seconds to turn off the device.

2. Restart the computer by pressing the power button and keep pressing F12.

3. Select Diagnostics and press Enter.

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4. Click Yes in the next window.

5. After the diagnostic test is finished, it will let you know if there is a problem with your hard drive or any other components.

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If the diagnostic test indicates that your storage drive is not plugged in properly, check that its cord is properly connected. If the outlet is plugged in properly, disconnect and reconnect it as this may fix the problem.

If you can't find the problem, or if the problem is on your laptop and you can't quickly check for hard drive connection problems, have a technician check your device.

3. Change the boot sequence

The boot sequence refers to the order in which the computer looking for data can boot. If your computer is installed with multiple storage devices, placing the drive, where the operating system is installed, on the top will help your computer access boot data faster. Doing so may fix the "No boot device found" error.

Follow these steps to change the boot sequence:

1. Hold the power button for a few seconds to turn off the device.

2. Restart the computer by pressing the power button and keep pressing F2 until your BIOS settings appear.

3. Go to Boot Sequence from the left menu.

4. Select Legacy in the Boot List Option if it is not already selected. Changing boot options will show Boot Sequence settings .

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5. In the Boot Sequence , make sure that the box next to the storage device that you are using to boot the operating system, most likely an HDD or SSD, is checked.

6. Then locate the storage device containing the operating system in the string. If it's not at the top, select it and click the up arrow to move it to the top.

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7. To save the changes, click Apply.

8. Then click Exit and your computer will reboot.

Hopefully changing the boot sequence solves the problem. But what should you do if your BIOS is missing Legacy Boot or the boot option is grayed out? You can easily fix the grayed out Legacy Boot option on Windows. However, if it's not available, try the next fix.

4. Reset settings to default

If the Legacy Boot option is not available in your BIOS, you can restore the default settings by following these steps:

1. Hold the power button for a few seconds to turn off the device.

2. Restart the computer by pressing the power button and keep pressing F2 until your BIOS settings appear.

3. Select General on the left.

4. Then click Load Defaults .

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5. Click OK in the warning pop-up window.

6. Click Exit .

Warning : Performing this step will restore the BIOS settings to default, so you may lose customizations you've made.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 27 June 2023