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.

"No Boot Device Found" — What This Error Means and How to Fix It - The Computer Cellar

If your computer powers on and shows a black screen with the words No Boot Device Found, it looks terminal. It usually isn’t. The error simply means the BIOS looked for a drive with a working operating system on it and didn’t find one. There are three common reasons that happens, and only one of them involves a dead drive.

no-boot-device-found error screen illustration

What this specific error is telling you

“No Boot Device Found” is the language used by HP, Dell, and a few other brands. It’s the BIOS’s polite way of saying “I can’t see anything I’m able to start up from.” That can mean the drive is missing, the drive is there but unreadable, or the BIOS is just looking in the wrong place.

Try these in order

1. Unplug every USB device. Flash drives, SD cards, even phones plugged in for charging can hijack the boot order. The BIOS tries to boot from the empty USB stick, fails, and shows this error. Unplug everything except the keyboard and mouse, restart, and see if the problem goes away. This is by far the most common fix.

2. Check the BIOS boot order. Restart and tap F2, F10, F12, or Del during the manufacturer logo to enter BIOS. Find the Boot or Boot Order section and make sure your main drive (often labeled with the brand like Samsung, WD, Crucial, or “Windows Boot Manager”) is at the top of the list.

3. Check whether the BIOS sees the drive at all. While you’re in BIOS, look at the Storage or System Information screen. If your drive is listed there, the hardware is fine and you’re dealing with a settings issue. If it’s not listed, the drive may have failed or come loose.

4. Reseat the drive. On older laptops especially, drives can work loose. Opening the bottom panel and reseating the SSD or SATA cable fixes it for free if you’re comfortable doing that.

When it’s actually a failed drive

If the BIOS doesn’t see your drive at all, it’s likely the drive itself has failed — common on hard drives more than five years old, or any drive that’s been dropped or had liquid damage. The good news is your data is usually still recoverable even if the drive won’t boot.

Bring It By

If you’ve tried the basics and still see this error, walk it into our 9th Street shop in Durham. Most diagnoses are completed within 24 hours of check-in. Open Mon–Fri 10AM–6PM. Call (919) 314-3327.

Related errors: “Boot Device Not Found,” “No Bootable Device,” “Operating System Not Found,” “Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device,” and the Windows blue screen “INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE.”