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Top 5 Ways to Fix Disk Boot Failure in Windows 10
With 5 effective methods, you can fix the error disk boot failure in Windows 10 easily. Also, a method to recover the disk data is included.
By Lori / Updated on April 2, 2024
Have you encountered a “Disk boot failure - insert system disk and press Enter” error message in Windows 10? This condition prevents your BIOS from being able to read the disk, and you may lose some data during the repair process.
Fortunately, this article has the top 5 ways to fix disk boot failure in Windows 10 and teaches you how to recover disk data due to this error. Let’s read!
Error Explanation
When you see the error message: "Disk boot failed - insert system disk and press Enter," it means that the BIOS cannot read your disk, preventing Windows from loading.
The boot process for any computer typically includes the following steps:
- Power on
- Power-on self-test (POST)
- Find the boot device
- Load the operating system
- Transfer control to the operating system
These steps are always carried out quickly and unnoticed. If anything goes wrong with the above process, you will face startup issues. For example, if the BIOS fails to load the operating system, you may be stuck on a screen that says "Windows is loading files." If the BIOS cannot find the boot device, you will see the above error message.
Reasons for Disk Boot Failure Error
There are many reasons for disk boot failure in Windows 10. Here are some common reasons:
- Incorrect BIOS Boot Order
- Corrupted Boot Sector
- Disconnected or Faulty Data Cables
- HDD Corruption
- Virus or Malware Infections
- Corrupted System Files
- Insufficient Power Supply
How do I Fix Disk Boot Failure in Windows 10?
You don’t have to be afraid of the error disk boot failure because there are 5 ways to fix it. Please carefully apply the various methods discussed below.
Way 1. Check the Boot Order
Upon encountering the disk boot failure in Windows 10, your first course of action should involve a careful review of the BIOS settings, specifically the boot order.
1. Restart the computer and repeatedly press the prompted key (F2, F8, F10, F12, Esc, or Del) to enter the BIOS.
2. Use the arrow keys to select the Boot tab. You will then see system devices in order of priority.
3. If the system disk is not first in the boot order, move it to the top of the hard drive list.
Way 2. Use System Restore
System Restore will restore your computer to its previous state, where the system was configured correctly. So if your disk fails to boot or has other problems, you can use Windows Repair Tool System Restore.
1. Connect the Windows installation media (DVD or bootable USB drive) to your PC to enter Windows RE (Recovery Environment). Click Next.
2. On the install Windows screen, Choose to Repair your computer.
3. Click Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore.
4. Click Next on the pop-up window.
5. Choose a system restore point and click Next to go on.
Way 3. Use Startup Repair
Your corrupted operating system can also cause the disk to fail to boot error. You can use System Repair which will automatically fix your computer startup issues.
1: Go to the Advanced options interface and click Startup Repair.
2: Wait a few seconds, it will fix common Windows 10 boot issues.
Way 4. Use Command Prompt
You can use the Windows command line tool CHKDSK to fix the problem of disk boot failure caused by a damaged operating system or system disk. But sometimes you may find CHKDSK deleted files, causing some files to become inaccessible and unrecoverable. Please see the next part to recover data. Here are the steps to fix the disk boot failure error.
1. Go to the Advanced options interface and click Command Prompt.
2. After opening, enter the command “chkdsk *: /f ” (replace * with the letter of your drive with boot failure that’s not getting recognized), and press Enter.
3. Wait for CHKDSK to complete the process. Depending on the size of your disk, this process may take several hours.
Way 5. Remove Newly Installed Hardware
A disk boot failed error may also occur if you connect a new hard drive to your computer and do not configure it properly. Please follow these steps to fix it:
Step 1: Remove the newly installed hard drive from the computer and restart the computer.
Step 2: Check the hard drive cable where the operating system is installed. Make sure they are connected correctly.
Step 3: Check the hard drive jumpers.
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The above three steps are independent solutions to fix the disk failure error and all can help you fix the disk boot failure error.
How to Recover Data From Disk With Boot Failure?
After going through the above ways, you might have solved the disk boot failure error easily. Regardless of your situation, you may find that you have lost valuable files and want to recover files from the disk. We recommend you use an efficient and easy data recovery tool MyRecover to get your disk data back.
Here are the main features of MyRecover:
- Have a high success rate and fast speed.
- Recover 200+ formats: Recover deleted Microsoft Word, Excel, PPT, PDF, PPTX, ODP, CSV, WPS files, and more.
- Filter and recover disk data quickly without losing quality. You can also preview them before processing.
- Support all brands of external hard drives (HDD/SSD): Seagate, Acomdata, Asus, Buffalo, Hitachi, Maxtor, Toshiba, LaCie, SanDisk, Samsung, ADATA, Transcend, etc.
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Before trying data recovery on a drive with disk boot failure you need to connect it to another working PC using a SATA cable. If your computer only has one slot, connect it via an adapter or enclosure as an external hard drive.
Steps to recover data from disk
Step 1. Download MyRecover on Windows, install, and run it. Hover the mouse over the drive saved deleted files before, and click Scan.
Step 2. MyRecover will scan your disk with boot failure automatically and thoroughly to locate all the found data on the disk.
- Type: Select the file type (Documents, Images, Videos, Audios, Mails, Webpages, Compressed files, etc.)
- Date modified: Set the date (today, yesterday, last 7/30 days, etc.)
- Size: Filter the file size (<128KB, 128KB~1MB, 1MB~ 512MB, 512MB above, etc.)
Step 3. You will see a list of data that MyRecover found on the disk. Select the files you want to recover and press Recover x files.
Step 4. Select a new location to save the recovered files and click Select Folder to confirm it. Your files will be recovered in a few minutes or longer, depending on the amount of data you want to recover.
Congratulations. Your data from the boot failure disk has been recovered!
- You can recover data from disk with boot failure, up to 500MB. Once exceeded, please upgrade to the advanced editions.
- If you are unable to recover disk data with software, it's advisable to seek help from data recovery services such as Geek Squad. They have trained experts and advanced equipment to handle even the most difficult data recovery cases.
Conclusion
With the above top 5 methods, you can fix disk boot failure in Windows 10 easily. Also, get useful information to recover data from a disk with a boot failure error. We recommend that you back up your storage device regularly to reduce the risk of data loss. When disaster strikes, you'll be able to quickly restore files from backups and get them back in no time.
FAQs
1. How do I fix disk boot failure?
You can solve this issue using 6 ways:
Way 1. Check the Boot Order
Way 2. Use Startup Repair
Way 3. Use System Restore
Way 4. Use Command Prompt
Way 5. Remove Newly Installed Hardware
2. What does disk boot failure insert system disk and press enter mean?
This usually means that your computer cannot find a bootable operating system on the selected disk or drive. The BIOS wants you to add or plug in the disk drive that has the operating system installed on it.
3. How do I force Windows 10 to repair startup?
You can run startup repair from your desktop:
- Click Start > Power on your computer.
- Press the Shift key and click Restart.
- The computer will restart and see the Troubleshooting boot menu.
- Click Advanced Options > Startup Repair.
4. How to prevent the "Disk boot failed" issue in Windows 10?
To prevent such problems, it is important to regularly back up your data to an external source. Additionally, keep your system and drivers updated, avoid sudden power outages or system shutdowns, and use diagnostic tools to regularly check the health of your hard drive. Maintaining a clean and healthy operating system reduces the likelihood of experiencing disk boot failures.
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