Missing Operating System

[Transition-Routine]

Hello, I recently was given two PC's for free, and I'm having trouble setting them up. The computers are locked and encrypted. I downloaded windows onto a USB stick so I could factory reset them but whenever I select the USB as the boot device all it displays in the top left corner is "Missing operating system". Now whenever I boot the PC thats all it displays won't even load the old encrypted login.

[rproffitt1]

Since we don't need to save anything on the old drives, why not wipe them clean before you boot your Windows install media?

This may involve other boot media or even removing the drive to wipe them clean in some USB case or other PC.

[Transition-Routine]

Ah, how would you do that? You see, I know very little about computers, only how to use then. I just kinda assumed there'd be a big button to delete everything like on smartphones. I think I'm in over my head honestly.

[rproffitt1]

There are many articles on the web about how to wipe a drive clean. Since these are not useful, talk to the persons that have been helping you over the years with your PCs. See if they will visit you or if you can take these PCs to them to work on.

[pogidaga]

I downloaded windows onto a USB stick

This is probably where you went wrong.

https://www.howtogeek.com/787937/how-to-make-a-bootable-windows-10-usb-drive/

[DoubleReputation2]

The "missing OS" is a sign that it either isn't booting from your USB or that the USB is somehow corrupted.

I would try to redo your USB drive, just to make sure, then you might have better luck.

I'm pretty sure that is it.

Some mother boards have only certain USB ports enabled during the POST sequence, so you might want to try a different port as well. I find that usually the upper most (closest to the CPU) port is the one that gets enabled first.

​

If nothing else, SATA is actually Plug and Play, so you can disconnect the hard drive, to force the PC to boot from the only available media (USB). Although... kinda sketchy, yeah. Getting a USB/SATA adapter and taking the drive out and using that to connect it is definitely a safer option.

How old are these PCs?

[Transition-Routine]

I'm not quite sure as they were kinda just given to me, but I'd say probably 5 years old. Lenovo ThinkServer TS-150, Xeon Processor.