Inaccessible Boot Device error in Windows 10

I have Norton installed on my system but don't know if it has anything to do with the problem or not.

I have Norton installed on my system too.

Not sure if Microsoft has posted anything officially or if it was on there end.

IMHO it was a faulty update and it could have been a number of things.

I will be ready if this ever happens again.

Given that the inaccessible boot device means you have an unbootable device, there's no way to "roll back the impact" with a patch that merely is installing registry keys.

Let me go see if I can get any sort of unofficial official guidance here.  All we have right now is get a bootable ISO, boot from that, go into the troubleshooting section and do a refresh (does not remove applications, only refreshes the OS) as a "solution"

Susan,

I don't use the CMDLine for RegEdit.exe, I either use the GUI through Registry Scanner form NirSoft or the .reg extension, therefore I can only guide so far.

If one uses WinPE CMDLine, one can set Registry Entries/Keys, names/values for AU/WU/MU as well as these 2 Meltdown and Spectre Keys, setting them to 3 as a precaution if nothing else. That should turn off the Kernel Code for Both Meltdown and Spectre Variant 2. Variant 1 would still be running as I understand it, if one was not successful in removing ALL OF THE PATCHES, and keeping them out.

So, either why, do you think that would circumvent the persistent ReBoots and/or BSoD? One certainly would want to confine this to about 3-5 Lab/NON production PCs, with and maybe some without the problems we have seen, at least until one had a successful and fail safe procedure.

I am not sure if anybody has tried that here or else where????........

Best Regards,

Crysta

Given that the inaccessible boot device means you have an unbootable device, there's no way to "roll back the impact" with a patch that merely is installing registry keys.

Let me go see if I can get any sort of unofficial official guidance here.  All we have right now is get a bootable ISO, boot from that, go into the troubleshooting section and do a refresh (does not remove applications, only refreshes the OS) as a "solution"

Crysta,

What are you saying? I don't understand almost any of your post.

From what I read the kb is to fix random reboots and unexpected behavior in specific processors by turning off the fix that broke them. Doesn't this seem to suggest this registry edit could rollback the changes that are causing the bsod?

Like I said, if someone has the bsod and can test the kb or the registry edit before testing their PC, I think it could be very helpful.

I was hopeful but I do understand Bobby, that is why I was as Simplistic as I can be/know how to be.

If this your first exposure to Boolean Algebra(it is very minimal here) and Bit Maps, it needs rereading. This is a very minimal foyer into how computers work, Bobby. 

Have you been following the evolution of the Registry adjustment that I show there. It has been across 3 or 4 KB's over about 10 days 2 weeks(time has run together a bit for me) if I remember correctly?

Simply put, the "KB4078130 in my experience, does very little. For those Folks who would just as soon not go into the Registry, it turns off  "Spectre Variant 2" or in official speak: "disable Variant 2: CVE 2017-5715"Branch Target Injection", by setting bit 1........." from the previous post.

"Spectre Variant 2" requires "fully patched with MICROCODE" installed via a BIOS update. Microcode is 'Firmware on bare metal, ie Chips in the Chipset, CPU Cores, and other chips installed on controllers/Drives/Network Cards/GPU's, etc. The Kernel accesses the Microcode through the BIOS for the Windows OS usage. Turning off "Spectre Variant 2" in the Registry, STOPS the Kernel/OS from accessing the Microcode that MIGHT, MIGHT be causing BSoD. However the BIOS and other Chips in the Chipset still have access to the BIOS and potentially the Microcode.

That is why Intel has recommend reFLASHing the BIOS to an earlier STABLE version, which, "should, should" remove the unstable Microcode.

Therefore if one HAS NOT FLASHED the BIOS for Meltdown and/or Spectre DO NOT. Wait until things have thoroughly stabilized, especially on Production PC's. It is possible for the Kernel software from earlier, January, Patches to cause BSoD without the Microcode but less likely. That patch should turn off the new code for "Spectre Variant 2". 

Keep in mind that the same Registry Keys are used for Meltdown(Bit 2) as well. If both Keys are set to 3, Meltdown and Spectre 2 will be turned off BUT there is Kernel Code in the Patches for "Spectre Variant 1" which does not require Microcode(like Meltdown DOES NOT) that will still be running merrily away, as I understand it. The only way to turn that off, again, as I understand it, is to turn off AU for WU/MU and remove all January Patches. The ONLY REASON, I would go that far is if I was convinced they were still causing my BSoD's and other instabilities.

I hope that helps, Bobby, your head is not the only one that is drowning in this morass and crap filled Sea. Intel started conceiving of this, starting in 1992.

Best Regards,

Crysta