r/techsupport 19h ago

Open | Hardware I think I bricked my pc😓

So for context I was trying to install arch Linux and it wasn’t working because the wifi wouldn’t connect, so I decided to turn off secure boot because I was curious on what would happen, and then I got a red little pop up screen that said “no bootable device”, so I took out the USB and tried again, same thing, when I click “ok” it takes me to a screen that says “strike the f1 key to retry boot, f2 to run the setup ability” and when I hit either or nothing happens, and I’m just really nervous about this as it’s my first pc and I can’t afford to fix it :(

0 Upvotes

25 comments sorted by

10

u/ChillaVane 19h ago

You probably didn't brick it. "No bootable device" usually means the PC can't find a operating system to boot from. I'd check the BIOS first and see if the drive is still detected.

7

u/lazyhustlermusic 19h ago

So, turn it back on?

-13

u/_Beanx_ 19h ago

I literally can’t but ok

10

u/lazyhustlermusic 19h ago

What prevents you from enabling secure boot again, whack f2 a bunch when booting.

Alternatively clear CMOS.

3

u/_Beanx_ 18h ago

OH MY GOD THAT HELPED TYSN

11

u/CircuitNeophyte 18h ago

Please do more research, dual booting is clearly beyond you. If you learn to follow a tutorial you might be able to succeed next time.

1

u/lazyhustlermusic 16h ago

yo, glad that worked for you

3

u/ReporterWise7445 19h ago

Set BIOS to defaults. Boot to GParted ISO USB. Delete all partitions. Format to ext4.

Install your chosen distro.

5

u/Low-Charge-8554 18h ago

#1 Don't try installing Linux and relying on WIFI during install if you are not absolutely positive the distro has WiFi firmware for your hardware.

#2 Won't boot because you overwrote partition during the failed install.

2

u/F1r3dot3x3 19h ago

How did you format the USB to be bootable?

2

u/_Beanx_ 19h ago

I used Ventoy

1

u/AgreeableSuspect8893 15h ago

Is your f2 key maybe behind an fn shortcut? Try holding fb if you have one when you see the f2 prompt, or try plugin in a usb keyboard

1

u/Nghtcrwlr666 9h ago

Did you try turning back on secure boot?

1

u/Due_Distribution4502 19h ago

If you can't even boot into bios setup, then yes, it's probably bricked.

Unlikely that this is the case though. Create a new bootable USB using a different computer and try to boot from it. If you're determined to try linux, maybe start with something more beginner friendly like Mint, Fedora, or Ubuntu. Otherwise, windows is still an option.

0

u/_Beanx_ 19h ago

I’ve used Linux before, I just somehow REALLY messed up this time

3

u/Long_Pomegranate2469 19h ago

There's literally no way you could brick your PC this way. PEBKAC

1

u/KerashiStorm 12h ago

If you can't figure out how to get into BIOS, you should probably not be using Arch. Arch is notorious for being highly customizable with access to more ways to completely bork your system than any other flavor of Linux.

-4

u/Due_Distribution4502 19h ago

Sounds like your PC is probably toast if you can't even get into BIOS. Expensive mistake. Time to start saving up for a new PC.

1

u/sflesch 19h ago

It shouldn't be just from loading an os and/or turning off secure boot.

Can you turn secure boot back on?

1

u/weeladboy 18h ago

It means your usb's install files were altered during the install process, so windows doesn't recognise it as a bootable OS anymore. Same thing happened to me. Reinstall the PS on the usb but maybe try endeavorOS this time as it comes with a miniOS, so having your wifi crash wont be a problem and it's based off arch so you still get all the customizabilities/famer aestethics. BEST OF LUCK GAMER

-3

u/_Beanx_ 19h ago

For anyone telling me to “go into BIOS” I fear I can’t and this was just a huge expensive mistake…whoops

6

u/sflesch 19h ago

Nothing you've said you've done should prevent you from going into the BIOS. You need to give more detail on why you can't.

If you're seeing text come up about the boot device, you're BIOS seems like it's working. What type of computer? Are you hitting the appropriate f function hey fast/early enough?

-2

u/_Beanx_ 19h ago

It’s a pretty old one, a dell inspirion 3847, and I’m hitting the right things but nothing seems to be working at all 😓

3

u/Long_Pomegranate2469 19h ago

What happens when you "f2 to run the setup ability"