Optiplex 990, New hard drive not working

Question

Hello,

So recently my Dell Optiplex 990 SFF just randomly showed up this message on startup that said "hard drive not found" or something like that, which made me very confused because i swear absolutely nothing happened to it. So I tried looking up a solution on the internet and found several, none of which actually worked. I tried fiddling with the settings in the BIOS and Diagnostics, but came to no avail. I then decided to just open my pc and reseat the hard drive, turn the computer back on again, and still showed the same message. After that, I just went on and bought a brand new hard drive to replace the current one that wasn't working. So once I got my new hard drive (which was today), I replaced the hard drive in the computer with my old one, turned my computer back on, and yet it still shows the same message. Except this time it actually shows that it detects the hard drive unlike last time when I had my old hard drive. So can someone please help me with this problem I've tried everything I can to fix this but it still shows the same "no bootable devices found, unable to launch hard drive, etc" message on startup.

Thanks, Justin

Apologies for my bad english btw.

fireberd · Answer

What is on the new hard drive? If its just a "new" drive, there is nothing on it and you will have to install Windows and whatever else. If this is the case then that is why "no bootable devices found".

speedstep · Answer

New Blank hard drives are NOT FORMATTED and have no OS on them.

The Dell recovery Tool will allow you to make recovery media that you can F12 boot from.

https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/04/sln299044/

You can enter the service tag of the unit onto another machine and use it to make a 16 gig to 32 gig flash drive into recovery media.

8 gig units do not actually have 8 gigs free its more like 7.25

16 gig units are 14.50

32 gig units are 29.0

You must F12 reinstall using USB 2 ports. USB3 ports WILL NOT WORK.

digi121 · Answer

Ok so I have downloaded the Dell OS Recovery Tool just like it said in the link you sent to me. But when I try entering my service tag, it says in the program 'No OS images defined for the product.' I also tried entering the express service code, but it still said the same message. The operating system that I had with my pc was Windows 10 Home so I don't know why it doesnt show anything. Is there another way I can recover my operating system?

Tesla1856 · Answer

@digi121 wrote:

Dell Optiplex 990 SFF

showed up this message on startup that said "hard drive not found"

I just went on and bought a brand new hard drive to replace the current one that wasn't working.

Except this time it actually shows that it detects the hard drive

but it still shows the same "no bootable devices found, unable to launch hard drive, etc" message on startup.

Your English is fine.

However ... "hard drive not found" is NOT the same as "no bootable devices found,". This new message simply means it can't find a bootable copy of Windows on the new HDD.

See relevant section here:

https://dell.com/community/Alienware-Desktops/M-2-NVMe-bootable-options/td-p/6073037

speedstep · Answer

If you had a legit activated Windows 10 Home you can download and burn an ISO of windows 10 and reinstall.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

When it gets to the part where you are asked for a key click the button that says I DO NOT HAVE A KEY. To get started, you will first need to have a licence to install Windows 10. You can then download and run the media creation tool.

https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209

Then choose windows 10 Home.

Once online it will re activate UNLESS it has been 180 days since you were online OR you never had a Legit Key in the first place.

Optiplex Desktops

Optiplex 990, New hard drive not working

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