OPERATING SYSTEM NOT FOUND | No OS detected

Industry

Systems & Devices

Canonical

/systems/bios-uefi/error-codes/operating-system-not-found/

Last Updated

Feb 27, 2026

Summary

Firmware could not find a bootable operating system on the selected device.

Learn More

Use these links to pivot between the directory, a focused guide, and nearby related codes.

Hub

Guides

BIOS/UEFI Error Beeps & POST Codes: RAM/CPU/GPU Diagnosis

Related Codes

What This Code Means

This message appears when the firmware boot process cannot locate an OS loader on the chosen boot device. Causes include incorrect boot order, non-bootable media, missing partitions, or drive failure.

Where Users Usually See This Code

Immediately after POST
After drive replacement, cloning, or partitioning

Why This Code Appears

Boot order points to an empty or non-bootable device
Boot partition/loader is missing
Drive is not detected or cannot be read

What Typically Happens Next

System cannot boot until boot device or OS installation is corrected

What This Code Is Not

It is not an application error
It is not a networking issue

Troubleshooting Checklist

□ Confirm the drive is detected in BIOS/UEFI
□ Set the correct boot device and remove external boot media
□ If the OS was recently moved/cloned, verify partitions and boot mode match
□ Backup data before repair attempts

Notes And Edge Cases

Secure Boot settings can also prevent boot if the loader is unsigned or the mode is incorrect.

Related Codes

8 links