No Bootable Device! Please help

[sjpetry]

Hello Macrumors,

I’m in a real bind at the moment. My brother tried to install Windows XP Pro on our MacBook. Under normal circumstances this would be a walk in the park. The problem is, we are in Costa Rica, on vacation, right now and he thought we had a copy of Windows, but we don't! So now the MacBook boot up to a DOS screen saying, "No bootable devise -- insert boot disk and press any key." And of course I don't have a bootable devise. Is there anyway to revert back to windows? I have tried holding down the escape key which then gives me the same message about the bootable devise, over and over. Any help would be greatly appreciated since I'm taking all the heat for the computer not working (I'm supposed to be the computer guy ).

Thanks

 

[Mattydj]

If you have osx still hold down option and boot into that and live it out until you can get a disk to install Windows off. It's pretty certain that he's formatted Windows off the partition so nothing you can do really

 

[sjpetry]

Thank you so much. It works now.

I feel so stupid right now. Of couse hold down option.


Thanks a lot.

 

[savvas]

It works for a bit

Hey thx it works but when i start up again i must do the same thing... is there a way of totally fixing this?

 

[chas0001]

When you hold down the Option (or ALT) Key during startup the computer should display a list of bootable devices. Usually OS X is on the disk called "Macintosh HD". Choose it and the computer should boot into OS X.

Remember that when you boot into OS X to open System Preferences / Startup Disk and make sure that the "Macintosh HD" is highlighted, otherwise the next time you restart you will have the same problem as before.

 

[StrudelTurnover]

Hi, sorry to revive such an old thread but it's still a relevant problem. Largely caused by the Bootcamp Assistant not being clear that it's changing your startup drive even if you click Not Now to postpone the Bootcamp process.

With my 10.7.1 iMac 2011 and its included Bluetooth keyboard, the computer *does not recognize* the Bluetooth keyboard in time for holding Option to work, while it's trying to load the Bootcamp partition for the first time. Prolonged grey screen, then DOS message for no bootdisk.

So with an iMac, if you don't have your Windows disc handy, and don't have a wired keyboard handy, you might be up the creek. Be aware. (If you're using a Macbook it should not apply.)

After setting the iMac to boot from the OSX partition, holding Option works as expected. So with my anecdotal experience in the last 30 minutes, this appears to be a "first time into Bootcamp" issue relating to Lion and/or the current booting firmware.

 

[!MacForTheWin!]

This also happend to me but it is easy to fix all you have to do is hold down the power button till it shuts down then boot up your MBP while holding options(alt), then select Macintosh HD it then should boot up. To stop the problem go on to system preference and select start up device and select Macintosh HD and there you go problem fixed


!MacForTheWin!

 

[GooGoo23]

I get the no bootable problem thing too but what exactly do i need to do, not very good at these things so if you could explain it as if im a 5 year old please. I have the newer mac tho

 

[hafr]

I get the no bootable problem thing too but what exactly do i need to do, not very good at these things so if you could explain it as if im a 5 year old please. I have the newer mac tho

It's been explained several times already, but maybe adding a picture will help

If the computer is still on, press and hold the power button until the computer shuts down.

Then press the power button again to power it back up.

When the screen goes from black to grey, press and hold the alt-key (just like this dude: http://derekhat.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/IMG_1407.jpg) and keep holding until you see a list of drives to boot from.

Choose Macintosh HD (I'm guessing you haven't changed its name) and voilà - you're booting into OS X.

 

[GooGoo23]

unfortunately that didnt work how long do i hv to hold the alt key but i dont know how to add a pic, sorry.
its a new mac pro if that helps