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
    2018-01-19T21:53:43+00:00

    I had the same issue with an i5-4750 ASRock B85M (with TPM module) machine. Since I didn't have a system backup I  had to reinstall Win 10 Pro to fix the error. I reinstalled it onto a factory new SSD since the message "inaccessible boot device" made me suspect a hardware error. Luckily I made backups during the reinstallation process because the error reoccured (on the brand new disk). I reset the machine today, using my trusty backup. I didn't encrypt the drive with Bitlocker this time though.

    Did you all have Bitlocker enabled? Maybe that's the culprit with some machines? Do you use Norton Internet Security?

    No Bitlocker or Norton on the two machines that i fixed.

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-01-19T22:03:15+00:00

    Thx. Then it's probably only a matter of time until I run into the "inaccessible boot device" error again.

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-01-19T22:58:52+00:00

    Looks like I'm not the only one having this issue. I work as the IT guy for a large office, and the past few days had been just trying to fix this issue, since almost everyday we would receive 3-4 calls from the users saying their computers are encountering this BSOD. We use HP Elitedesk 800 series desktops.

    I removed the January update from the affected computers in WinPE and it booted up fine again. But then after a reboot it would go back to the same boot problem again. I went back in to WinPE and used DISM to check for any other update packages installed in January, but there were none. So even after removing the January update, it will only work until the next reboot.

    What I tried before rebooting when Windows did load after removing the update:

    • Update Symantec Endpoint Protection to a compatible version
    • Disconnect network and then pause updates

    But the blue screen came back after a reboot....

    I noticed that when it doesn't work, the hard drive activity light does not turn on during the boot screen with the spinning circles, meaning no hard drive activity (we use normal HDDs, not SSDs). Normally, the hard drive activity indicator will light up rapidly when loading all the files during startup. I thought it was a hardware issue and the drive failed, but after cloning to a new working hard drive, the same issue still persists. Could the update be messing with the bootloader? We use MBR 

    System restore worked at first, but then it goes back to boot loop and blue screen after a reboot. We had no choice but to reimage the computers to get them back up and running. Really Microsoft can release a new, fixed patch soon.

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-01-20T00:29:45+00:00

    Thanks, it fixed my problems, thank GOD!

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