Problem with Advent Laptop Help and advice on software, hardware, configuration and general computing issues and problems

[Doreen]

Hi All , I need help with a problem have had a Advent laptop for just over 18mths now and I went to use it and it is now telling me there is no operating system I look at the bios as I no nothing about computers lol and under hard drive it says none the hard disc drive seems to work so my grandaughter informed me but it won't do anything it just says no operating system do I need a new sata hard drive please help I can't afford to take it to be repaired .Doreen

[Doreen]

Hi again is there 2 parts to a Hard Drive ?

[plumbbob]

The operating system is on the hard drive so either the drive has failed, or the operating system (Windows) is missing or corrupted.

The hard disk and drive are the same thing and a computer normally has one hard drive referred to as the C: Drive or main drive.

If the drive is not being detected by the BIOS, it is failing the basic test. It is reasonable to suggest (although not absolutely) the drive could be damaged and all data may be lost. Another possibility is the drive has become unplugged from inside the computer. Has it been dropped or bumped recently?

Has the computer shown any unexpected error messages before the failure?

Unfortunately, the backup software is usually stored on the hard drive so a straightforward rescue is not possible if the drive has failed. To be honest if it has failed, repair is beyond the scope of a novice user.