Any BIOS I have worked with over the years will give you an error message if there is no OS even if a system has never been loaded so there is no MBR at all. As to the specific wording, that may vary depending on the bios.

The BIOS will typically complain that there is no bootable device. The exact message, "Missing operating system," is pretty specific to the MBR.

Rickkk - sorry I didn't get back to you, no, sadly it didn't work. It is now an ex-computer.

Yancek - yes, it used to have a fully functioning Windows 8 system, up to the point where it ceased to function and gave me the error message.

The boot repair software didn't work so I was unable to find anything out about the system.

I am grateful to you all for taking the time to help, but I have to report that I got fed up, thought that my time was worth more than what it would cost to buy a new computer. The Amilo is no more.

You can euthanize this Thread via ThreadTools at top, marking it 'Solved'. RIP Amilo

"An alternative source of "whines" is fans.
If the bearings dry out that can produce a noise like a siren
It can be cured either with a couple of drops of oil or replacement."

How would a whining fan explain a missing OS ? If the HDD itself is failing it explains both the noise and the missing OS.

"Suicidaleggroll - I Googled this but can't see any way to check the smart status when I can't get into the computer at all. You Tube wasn't much help either as his computer would actually open in the first place."

Do you mean you can't physically open the box ? Are there no screws to remove ? You would need to remove the HDD and connect it to the SATA port of another computer's motherboard to use smart status.

Amilo's GHOST seems to be haunting you: it is attempting to usurp your time, to force you to remove it's [whining] HDD drive, so it can reincarnate itself as myVT-x64bit some else's nice laptop.

The only way to escape instantly, trusting that crashed heads have scratched-off 160billion characters of your most-personal info, may be to post a notarized photograph of its new owner, smiling and holding it.

p.s thanks for the 'Solved'. Tho I seem to have failed on my "euthanized Thread" 'promise'