Can a PC boot without a hard drive?

B2B89 -
gardiendelanuit Posted messages 1772 Registration date Status Member Last intervention - 20 Sep 2016 at 15:21

Hello,

I have a tower without a hard drive in it. When I turn it on, the computer runs for a few seconds (between 15 and 30 seconds).
Is this normal since there's no hard drive with the OS, or could it be due to another problem?

Thank you for your responses

Configuration: Windows Vista / Firefox 14.0.1

4 answers

Answer 1 / 4

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gardiendelanuit Posted messages 1772 Registration date Status Member Last intervention 267

Hello,
A computer is perfectly capable of functioning without a hard drive; if the processor is present, you will be able to access the BIOS and modify its settings, such as booting from a USB key or a CD that contains an OS.

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84
1. B2B89 Posted messages 25 Registration date Status Member Last intervention 5
  
  Hello Gardiendelanuit,
  Well, thank you for that answer. I have a processor present, RAM, etc., but my computer shuts down too quickly for me to have a chance to access the BIOS menu. I won’t be able to boot from the CD to try Jumo's solution :(
  Does anyone have any ideas as to why a computer shuts down so quickly?
  
  3
2. petitmecano Posted messages 6545 Status Member 1 119
  
  In safe mode?
  
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3. gardiendelanuit Posted messages 1772 Registration date Status Member Last intervention 267
  
  Processor fan not working properly, power supply not sufficient.
  
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4. gardiendelanuit Posted messages 1772 Registration date Status Member Last intervention 267
  
  Safe mode impossible before the BIOS. Otherwise, it could also be the small battery that is flat (the one on the motherboard).
  
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5. B2B89 Posted messages 25 Registration date Status Member Last intervention 5
  
  oh just the battery? I thought it only affected the date! just like it does on the replacement computer I'm currently using :)
  
  The CPU fan is running. The power supply, I haven't changed it, and it was working before..
  
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Answer 2 / 4
rafit jad kuldinger Posted messages 9193 Status Member 1 155

Of course it can boot without a hard drive...

It can: with a CD
a USB stick depending on the motherboard
a 3.5-inch floppy disk.

On the other hand, in terms of performance, it will be the bare minimum.

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1. B2B89 Posted messages 25 Registration date Status Member Last intervention 5
  
  What should I put on the CD? Is there something specific depending on the computer used?
  
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2. jumo
  
  Hello
  What should I put on the CD?
  A free downloading Linux ISO for example.
  You can take a small Toutoulinux in French which has plenty of options, booting from the CD or USB stick, capable of running entirely in memory freeing up the CD drive, several installation options from the OS in memory, etc.
  http://www.moulinier.net/
  
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3. B2B89 Posted messages 25 Registration date Status Member Last intervention 5
  
  ok Jumo,
  thank you, I will try that as soon as I'm back. However, I hope I have time to boot up before the computer turns off.
  
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4. B2B89 Posted messages 25 Registration date Status Member Last intervention 5
  
  Well, it shuts down too quickly to do anything... :(
  
  Do you have any other ideas, brilliant internet users?
  
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5. petitmecano Posted messages 6545 Status Member 1 119
  
  Did you change the battery? You need exactly the same model (normally, they are watch batteries)
  
  Without a battery => no BIOS
  No BIOS => no Windows
  No Windows => well, you got it...
  
  2
Answer 3 / 4
petitmecano Posted messages 6545 Status Member 1 119

I advise you to put backtrack on a CD (okay, it's not the operating system that comes first and it's complicated to boot) and boot from it.
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1. B2B89 Posted messages 25 Registration date Status Member Last intervention 5
  
  ok, little mechanic, backtrack seems interesting to use for a security audit. However, there's a slight problem: my computer shuts down pretty quickly - in 15 to 30 seconds from cold. So I won’t have time to boot into anything.
  
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2. petitmecano Posted messages 6545 Status Member 1 119
  
  Clean it, it's definitely an overheating issue!
  
  Otherwise, turn it on and leave it in the BIOS to see if it still shuts down.
  
  How old is it?
  
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3. B2B89 Posted messages 25 Registration date Status Member Last intervention 5
  
  I cleaned it, even though it wasn't very dirty.
  No time to take it to the Bios, it shuts down before.
  I bought it by mail order almost 2 years ago.
  
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4. petitmecano Posted messages 6545 Status Member 1 119
  
  second-hand?
  check the thermal paste
  
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5. RagaSonic Posted messages 555 Status Member 5
  
  A computer can start up if it has a power supply, a processor, memory sticks, and a monitor.
  Logically, it automatically starts the BIOS (not inside the BIOS) and scans your installed hardware.
  Then it will tell you that there is no operating system installed (which makes sense if there is no hard drive).
  After that, you can use an operating system pre-installed on a DVD or USB flash drive.
  
  If your computer does not turn on, when testing, try the memory sticks one by one and check that your processor is properly secured. Usually, the speakers in PCs, if connected, emit repeated beeps indicating that something is wrong with the installation. Generally, it’s the memory sticks.
  
  In short, good luck.
  
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Answer 4 / 4
Anonymous user

A PC without a hard drive, therefore without an operating system... I don't see what it's for... 15 and 30, basically it boots the motherboard and that's it...

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2
1. B2B89 Posted messages 25 Registration date Status Member Last intervention 5
  
  It's to test the equipment, I connected the hard drive to another PC to be able to scan it (indeed, my computer was shutting down, I thought it was a virus. But Antivir detected nothing, and neither did Malwarebytes). Before reconnecting the hard drive, I wanted to see if I could check from the hardware side.
  
  0

Can a PC boot without a hard drive?

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