"The drive where Windows is installed is locked.Unlock the drive and try again."

Anonymous
2013-01-22T22:31:56+00:00

What to do when you get the following message on "the most stable", Windows 8, operating system?

"The drive where Windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again."

I got that message after the following:

I wanted to open a PDF file from my customer on OUTLOOK - a regular, every-hour procedure - and my computer froze. Nothing worked; therefore, only manually disconnecting my computer from the power source, I was able to shut it down.

After I restarted, I could not get passed the login screen - my computer used to enter the "blue background color and nothing else" mode. 

I decided to use USB Flash drive to repair Win8 but it failed. I wanted to refresh my Windows 8, but I got that message:

"The drive where Windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again."

Just 4 days ago, I did a "clean install" of Windows 8 OS.

What should I do besides another "clean install" of Windows 8?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2014-09-06T13:07:42+00:00

2 SSD drives one SATA HDD

win 8.1 on SSD #1

this is what I did:

  1. shutdown
  2. unhooked HDD
  3. restarted
  4. yay !!
  5. reconnected HDD
  6. restarted
  7. yay !!

cheers

Thank you.  Of all the proposed solutions this is the only one I tried and it worked perfectly.  My computer is back up and running.  Thank you so much!

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Anonymous
2013-04-16T06:32:07+00:00

I clean installed windows 8 on a second HD and then the original came up as an option.  the key is to disconnect the first hd with the good install on it. and then go into the bios and adjust your boot sequence.  

At least this worked for me.  As soon as this works you must defeat any options for fast start as that is likely where the trouble is.  This is outrageous as it is happening to customers across the world but yet the company is trying to pass it off as a virus.  I was told I would have to buy a second license to get the install to stabilize.  It is BS.

Good Luck

KC O'Dunn

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-02-08T03:32:05+00:00

    Hey Dicky,

    We have detailed step by step instructions of how to fix this error on our blog here:  http://blog.ideaz.net/2013/12/how-to-fix-windows-8-start-up-error.html

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-02-08T03:42:42+00:00

    I have done those steps sir and It still will not auto repair and system restores fails as well. The problem I have with the laptop thats causing me to try to repair windows is. Windows 8 boots up to log in screen and at the screen my keyboard does not work. It does work in msdos to run commands. Will not work so I can log onto windows tho.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-02-11T14:08:03+00:00

    Did you try CHKDSK /R

    /R is for Repair.

    More details can be found here: http://blog.ideaz.net/2013/12/how-to-fix-windows-8-start-up-error.html?showComment=1392126026557#c6902821931410329403

    Kevin

    <Link removed>

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