Missing Operating System: what it means and how to fix it

Missing Operating System it means that the operating system suffered a mishap, so you’re technically left without an operating system (this is true regardless of which version of Windows you’re using).

This happens when you somehow move files from a folder protected by the operating system, either when Windows is updating and installing and the computer shuts down unexpectedly, or when you change the settings set in your computer’s BIOS.

This is a fatal error for many users. As soon as they see the message “Missing Operating System” on their computer screen they know that they probably have run out of operating system; therefore, without your precious information.

What is the actual reason why this error happens to us? The answer is not easy to give, because even Microsoft has not yet been able to find the reason that generates it. One of the possible causes may be incompatibility between the hardware and the software which is being installed.

It can also be generated when an error occurs during the installation of a Microsoft Windows update (between 75% and 90%, according to users). A change of access to the hard disk where the BIOS is located (modification of the initial configuration of the motherboard) may also affect it.

Lastly, this error may have been generated by sudden changes within the Windows root directory. It can be fixed? Yes. You can contact an expert on the official Microsoft page, and you can see the following recommendations, which you must follow to the letter (we are not responsible for their misuse).

How to solve it?

If what you did was just a change to the path that determines where the hard drive is, and perhaps you configured the system so that the computer boots from a flash drive, CD-ROM/DVD, or other hard drive (which is not where the operating system), you can see the following steps where we explain how to solve this error.

Change BIOS settings

Before proceeding you should know that the BIOS is the one that is in charge of starting and verifying that all the components of your computer (hardware), work properly. The name BIOS stands for Basic Input Output System (Basic Entry/Exit System).

To verify it, you are going to turn on your computer.

As soon as you turn it on you will see that a screen appears where it says the brand of motherboard you have (in this it will indicate with which key you can access the BIOS setup).

If you could not enter the configuration menu because you did not have time, nothing happens: restart your computer and try again.

Then, as soon as you can see that your computer is turning on, press «F2» on your keyboard to access the BIOS.

It is important to know that not all BIOSes can be accessed by the “F2” key; in some it is accessed by keys such as “Del” or “Del”.

Once inside the BIOS setup menu, look for the following: “Exit”. To get here you need to move in the menu using the Up – Right – Right – Right -Right keys.

Once in the submenu you will find several options, but you will choose the one that says: “Load Setup Defaults” (in Spanish it is “Load the default settings”). Then press ENTER to make the changes.

It will show you a dialog box confirming what you are about to do and you will choose “Yes”. Then press ENTER.

You need one more step. Go to the “Exit Saving Changes” option and press ENTER. Then a confirmation box will appear in which you will select “Yes” (in Spanish “Sí”), and press ENTER.

Once you have finished these steps, remove all USB devices that you have placed on the computer (pen drives, USB type adapters, CD/DVD).

Ready! Now your computer should have rebooted, and if it was a problem caused by you somehow tampering with which hard drive booted first in the BIOS, with the default settings you should have fixed it.

other causes

What if the problem was not caused by changing which device will boot first? At this point we can tell you that you have run out of operating system.

You have lost the information that you had inside the computer and what you have left is to reinstall the Windows operating system from scratch.

Reinstall the operating system

The first thing you should do is look for your Windows Live-CD of your choice. Turn on your computer, insert the CD/DVD, and then restart the computer so that it can read it.

If your computer does not detect the CD/DVD, you should select boot. As? Restart the computer, and as soon as you see that the screen emits any image, press the F12 key; then select where you want your computer to start.

The Live-CD will start. Then choose the language in which Windows will be installed and click “Next”.

Then the following dialog box will appear. Click “Install Now”.

In the next step you will have two options: one is to update the system (but since we do not have a system, you must select the second one), and the other is «Custom». Click on that one.

Now you will see the units that your computer has. Select one of these and click “Next”.

As you can see, the installation of your Windows has already started (you have to be patient and wait for the installation to finish).

Finally! You now have Windows installed again. Now you just have to customize it to your liking.

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