The "Boot device missing" message normaly means that the maid drive is DEAD, the media descriptor is corrupted (same as dead), or disconnected.
It can also mean that the main boot sector is corrupted. In this case, it can't boot but still can be accessed as a secondary drive.
Remove the battery and unplug the charger.
Make sure that the main drive is correctly connected. It have a power connector and a data connector. Both must be properly connected. Both are made to connect in only one way and can't be interchanged.
If it now work, it's fixed for free.
If the drive is properly connected but you still can't boot, you need a new drive. It also mean that you'll need to install the operating system from scratch and that any data on the original drive are probably irrevocably lost.
Sadly, now, the fix is not free, it's the cost of a new drive.
Chose the largest drive you can afford. If you get a generic drive, it's cheaper and about just as durable and performant as a brand name model of the same capacity. The main difference is the packaging (only an anti-static bag or big cardboard box, foam cushions, anti-static bag and some documentation) and the branding. Both are probably made on the same assembly line...
Take your drive and connect it in another computer, preferably a desktop model.
Try to access it. If you can access it, IMMEDIATELY COPY all the data it contain to another unit using the drag and drop procedure: You don't know how long you have before it becomes totaly unusable.
You can't use copy and paste as there is way to much data to transfert.
DON'T copy the Windows folder.
Copy the "Users", "Programms" and "ProgramData" folders.
You don't need to copy the "PerfLogs" folder nor any other files or folder you may see.
If the drive contains more than one partition, also copy it's content unless it concist only of an ISO, BIN or other drive image file format.
Electro, September 2012
