The starting computer show a message like “HardDisk not found, press F1 to continue,” this means the computer is unable to find the default hard drive when it loads or boot. This could be an indication of something easy to fix like a bad BIOS setting or a loose cable;so it can also indicate a much more complicated problem like a corrupted hard drive registry, a boot sector virus or a broken hard drive.
Continue by Pressing F1 button
1.By pressing F1 key to continue is a contingency procedure that can work around an error. The computer may still load into Windows correctly after you press the F1 key.
2.If the computer is able to work correctly with the button-push interruption, then problem is likely a bad setting in BIOS. This can be fixed by adjusting the BIOS setup or resetting the BIOS. “Drive not found, press F1 to continue” is a BIOS error message.
3.The BIOS handles the basic setup and boot process for your computer and prepares it to load the operating system.
BIOS Setup Fixes
1.Correcting bad BIOS settings can get the error message to stop tripping as well as fix errors that can both trip the message and prevent Windows from loading.
2.The BIOS errors can be addressed by entering the computer’s BIOS setup and adjusting the boot device priority. The hard drive that contains Windows should appear first on the list. Any SATA ports that do not have hard drives connected to them should appear below the Windows boot drive on the list.
3.Flashing or resetting the BIOS may also fix the problem. BIOS settings can be reset by removing the CMOS battery for about five minutes with the power disconnected.
Check the Connection
1.The “Drive not found, press F1 to continue” error is coming because the computer isn’t physically connected to the hard drive. The motherboard and hard drive may have a loose wire connection or the SATA cable and power cable may have worn out.
2.Connection problems can be corrected by removing and reconnecting the cables from both the hard drive and the motherboard. If the cables are bad, take out the SATA cable and use a different power cable from the power supply.
Windows Repair Install
1.A bad Windows installation or boot-sector virus could cause the error and prevent Windows from loading. If Windows sees the hard drive when running a refresh or repair install, the drive is probably not broken.
2.The error might be fixable by running a repair or refresh installation. This installation will erase personal data on the hard drive. If the re-installation process doesn’t work, then hard drive may be infected with a boot-sector virus and require format to fix or change the hard drive to fix this issue permanently .
Broken Drive
Remove the hard drive from the computer and use it as a secondary drive on another computer to see if it still works. If it does not, then it may be broken. If it does, then the motherboard’s northbridge or southbridge are broken.