Inaccessible Boot Device error in Windows 10

Anonymous
2018-01-09T16:46:16+00:00

I manage multiple computers running Windows 10 Pro 64-bit with the latest Current Branch and recently had multiple computers randomly startup with this BSOD: Inaccessible Boot Device.

I have tried everything:

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-fix-update-causing-inaccessible-boot-device-error-windows-10

Which recommends deleting registry keys and install packages, though no pending installs could be found

SFC /SCANNOW - No corruption found

CHKDSK /R - Some minor issues corrected

BOOTREC - Scan OS shows 0 windows installations

FIXBOOT - Successful, but this tool finally made the entire process fail without being able to get to the recovery environment, just boots to the legacy screen and shows options for safe mode, but those fail too.

I am at my wits end, because I find thousands of websites and desperate users and admins, but the only fix that works is to clean install. I can't clean install the whole company. This is insane, there has to be a better known cause / fix out there...

*Modified title for accuracy*

*Original title: Inaccessible Boot Device error - cause? fix?*

Windows for home | Windows 10 | 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
2018-01-17T17:16:49+00:00

WIN 10 BSOD FIX - Inaccessible Boot Device - THIS WORKS!  I Just Repaired 2 computers that went down at the same time last night on 1/16/18

Good Afternoon Bobby,

Here is the fix I came across from another kind IT tech, please see below.  Credits go to them, I'm just forwarding so everyone can finally get their computers back up and running.

Boot Windows 10

Go to Repair

Go to Tools/Options to get a command prompt.

Confirm the drive letter for the Windows image. Usually D: –> dir d:

Run the following to view the installed packages which will also show a date of install.

Dism /Image:D:\ /Get-Packages

Find the package(s) that were just installed by date. Run the following command on the last installed package:

example: dism.exe /image:d:\ /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_KB4014329~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.0

Reboot.

The patch that caused my issue was from 1/6/18 or 1/10/18     Remove the latest windows update entry with Rollup Fix in it's name.  Once complete, close command prompt, turn off computer.  Power back up.  You should be back into WIN10.

If you still receive BSOD, rinse and repeat with the next latest update, try it again.  You'll eventually boot right back into WIN10.

I hope this helps.

Have a great day.

Showster

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-02-25T09:07:43+00:00

    Hey Wiz,

    Done that, several times now - result is the same.

    Del Feb only - BSOD

    Del Feb and Jan - BSOD

    Del Feb, Jan & Dec - Booted once then BSOD on further restart.

    Dism Get

    Dism Remove

    Dism restore

    Each time same results.  :(

    It is only a personal media server and test bed for Hyper-V etc.  But going through the process of re-configuring everything from scratch on the back of a crapped out MS patch hurts the mind and body.  I'm meant to be studying for 410 and 411 but I really need this box up to be able to finish those.  :(

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-02-25T17:05:41+00:00

    I don't understand why this isn't being addressed by Microsoft, this is a huge problem, we have four systems on our incoming repair workbench with this very issue and refreshing the systems is not an option for our clients who said to hold them until we can find a solution.

    The one system I'm focusing on, on my day off, is an HP laptop and here are the details:

    • HP notebook with AMD a8 CPU, 8 GB of RAM
    • UEFI boot, originally a stock HP Windows install of an earlier version of Windows 10
    • Symantec Antivirus pre-existing (updated it in between, see below)
    • BIOS was updated to the latest, did not resolve problem
    • chkdsk / sfc did not find any issues

    dism /image:C:\ /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~16299.192.1.9 /scratchdir=c:\temp

    dism /image:C:\ /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_KB4056887~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.0 /scratchdir=c:\temp

    dism /image:C:\ /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_KB4058702~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~16299.188.1.0 /scratchdir=c:\temp

    System booted after this!!

    ... unfortunately Microsoft no longer respects its users by asking them if they want to break their computers with Microsoft updates, so the system installed more updates and broke again*!*

    dism /image:C:\ /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~16299.125.1.6 /scratchdir=c:\temp

    This did not fix the issue this time, unfortunately. I had one shot in Windows and then that was that.

    Anyone have any ideas? There are no more 2018 updates on the system that I can remove, the rest are from 2017, between August and December.

    edit: I should also add that this is a clean system, as in it hosts no malware, spyware, etc..

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-02-25T17:26:18+00:00

    I and others have had success by doing the following:

    IMMEDIATELY after that first successful boot, plug in the USB flash drive and do the inplace upgrade-repair.  Details are found earlier in this long thread.  For extra insurance, disable AV and firewall and have no network connection.

    As of a few days ago, the media creation tool produced version 1709 (16299.125) after doing the inplace upgrade.  The system was then rebootable. All files and apps were preserved.   Immediately disable updates.  Enable system restore, create restore points, etc (described in detail earlier in this thread).  I then manually download and run KB4058258 which produces a (stable imo) version 16299.214.  

    Leave updates disabled while waiting for a fix from Microsoft.

    Good luck and let us know if this works.

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-02-25T17:35:12+00:00

    Susan,

    I'm reposting this question with my original typo fixed.  Wondering if you have any advice for this case?

    "Any advice when a system is sitting at 1709 ver 16299.192 and has ALREADY DOWNLOADED KB4074588 (ver 16299.248) and is just waiting to restart to finish installing the update?  I would like to prevent the completion of the update with its possible death trap until Microsoft gives us a positive fix.

    Thanks,

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