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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?
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.
2 SSD drives one SATA HDD
win 8.1 on SSD #1
this is what I did:
- shutdown
- unhooked HDD
- restarted
- yay !!
- reconnected HDD
- restarted
- 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!
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
"Drive is already locked, as per the error code"
So installer does not detect a partition to install an OS.
It says unlock the drive and try again.
so clean install doesn't work here.
Any other solution to this issue?
Good Luck All
Hi all,
even though this thread is of several month old, Google shows it for the query 'unlock drive' so some people might find useful what I say.
So, I also have the same issue, with total Windows freeze short after startup, so absolutely unusable. But, disregarding the root cause, whatever it is for everyone, the problem with 'unlock drive' is most likely caused by the USB used. When you load from USB and try to repair your Windows, unfortunately it is too stupid to understand that USB is not an option for repair and still considers its Windows folder as a valid OS installation! And same reason for the message 'Restart and choose Windows installation' bla-bla. Both problems have the same cause.
In my case I am lucky to have a recovery partition created during my previous installing Windows, you know that small area on disk where some emergency tools are. So I can start repair from that area, NOT from USB. And that works, both System Restore, System Refresh etc. Also there is available option 'Startup Options' and you can restart in Safe Mode etc from there. I have not tried, but for those who need it, you can try 'shutdown -s -o' from Cmd from your USB recovery. This should restart and give you the startup options like Safe Mode etc. Then when finally in Safe Mode (if you are lucky to reach it) you may try see Event Log, run SFC /SCANNOW and run Defender to see if you have viruses. When you do so, you'll definetely have some more information, at least to decide if you really must re-install only.
Finally, about booting from recovering partition. Usually, if you have it, Windows tries to load from it after two failed starts. So you may try to do two 'hard restarts' with a button or something like that. Sorry no recipe here since it always goes like some roulette, you just need to play, try etc.
Good luck everyone!
