How long does computer repair take at The Computer Cellar in Durham NC?

Most diagnoses and common repairs at The Computer Cellar are completed within 24 hours of check-in. If uncommon replacement parts are needed, they usually take 1-3 days to arrive. Walk in Mon–Fri 10AM–6PM at 720 9th Street, Durham NC.

Do I need an appointment at The Computer Cellar?

No appointment is needed at The Computer Cellar in Durham, NC. Just walk in Monday through Friday, 10AM to 6PM. We are located at 720 9th Street, Lower Level (basement of The Regulator), Durham NC 27705.

Does The Computer Cellar repair Macs and Apple computers?

Yes! The Computer Cellar repairs both PCs and Macs including MacBooks, iMacs, and Mac Minis. We fix hardware and software issues. Visit us at 720 9th Street in Durham or call (919) 314-3327.

What computer repair services does The Computer Cellar offer?

The Computer Cellar in Durham NC offers virus and malware removal, laptop screen replacement, battery replacement, data recovery, water damage repair, hardware upgrades, custom PC builds, and refurbished laptop sales.

Where is The Computer Cellar located in Durham NC?

The Computer Cellar is located at 720 9th Street, Lower Level (basement of The Regulator bookstore), Durham NC 27705. Open Monday through Friday, 10AM to 6PM. Call (919) 314-3327.

"Boot Device Not Found" — What It Means and What to Do - The Computer Cellar

“Boot Device Not Found” is one of the more common error messages we see at the shop, especially on HP laptops. It looks scary, but the cause is usually fixable in under ten minutes.

boot-device-not-found error screen illustration

What the error actually means

The BIOS looks at every drive connected to the machine and asks, “Is there an operating system on you?” If none of them say yes — either because there’s no drive there, the drive isn’t responding, or the drive is unreadable — you get this message.

It’s mechanically the same problem as “No Boot Device Found” or “No Bootable Device” — different brands just use different wording.

The first thing to try

Unplug every USB device — flash drives, SD cards, hubs, phones charging via USB, even external monitors that have USB pass-through. A blank USB stick will hijack the boot process and trigger this exact error. Restart with only the keyboard and mouse plugged in.

If that doesn’t fix it, the next stop is BIOS.

Checking BIOS

Restart and tap F2, F10, or Esc (HP), or F12 or F2 (Dell), during the manufacturer logo. Once in BIOS, look for the Boot Order or Boot Priority section. Confirm your main drive is at the top.

While you’re in there, find the System Information or Storage page. The BIOS will list every drive it can see. If your main drive is on that list, your drive is alive and you have a settings or boot-loader issue. If it’s missing, the drive itself may have failed or come loose.

HP-specific: the built-in diagnostic

HP includes a hardware diagnostic you can run from BIOS. Press Esc at startup, then F2 for System Diagnostics. Run the hard drive test. If it fails, the drive needs replacement. If it passes, the drive is fine and we’re looking at a software-level issue (corrupted boot sector, missing bootloader).

When it’s a settings problem vs. a hardware problem

Drive shows up in BIOS → almost always fixable as a software repair, often without losing data.

Drive missing from BIOS entirely → likely hardware failure or a loose connector. Data usually still recoverable, but the drive itself probably needs replacement.

Walk It In

If you’re stuck, bring the laptop to our 9th Street shop in Durham. Most boot-error diagnoses are completed within 24 hours of check-in, and we’ll always tell you whether your data is at risk before doing any work. Mon–Fri, 10AM–6PM. (919) 314-3327.

Related errors: “No Boot Device Found,” “No Bootable Device,” “Operating System Not Found.”