Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device

[sgm]

Hello again.
The last time I had a computer problem this forum was amazing so I have returned from more help. I was able to rescue my computer from my daughters psychotic boyfriend but when I tried to boot it up, I got this message. "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device"

I have an older system probably 2002 or 2003 and it has windows XP professional on it. I can boot from another windows xp home edition cd since the psychotic girl beater kept the cds and messed with the computer.

I was able to try fixmbr from the recovery console and tried fixboot, but neither have changed the message. Not sure what else to try here or whether it is hopeless.

Thank you all so much.

 

[Route44]

I doubt I have the knowledge base to give your complete advice but can you access the BIOS and if so are your bootable devices enabled?

 

[Frosty21]

I had that message when i booted my computer for the first time from a new build.
It means you ain't got any operating system on your Hard Drive. I'm guessing that 'psychotic girl beater' wiped the HD clean.
How should you fix it?
Well you can start off by inserting a bootable windows/Linux CD into our optical drive and doing a fresh install of an Operating System. Be sure that the CD is bootable.

 

[sgm]

Thank you so much for the information. I checked the Bios and found that he had disabled the 1st hard drive. So I have enabled it and voila! It now boots properly without the disk in the CD Drive.

Thank you , thank you.

 

[Route44]

Excellent! Thanks for the update. And somehow get those disks back.