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
    2018-02-08T18:36:30+00:00

    It would seem that the newest patch upgrade of .214 is a working and viable solution.

    What I had to do is follow the steps for the DISM uninstallation of the packages and make sure that .6 or .9 was taken off and then in some cases if that still did not work, I did a restore back to the most recent restore set.  Tried the uninstall of the most recent package again and then after this and getting booted into windows again, TURNED OFF UPDATES, PAUSED THEM and it IMMEDIATELY tried to reinstall the same BAD UPDATE again.  Once that was done, I MANUALLY installed the KB4058258 and then rebooted and it seemed to update fine.  Once back in windows, I rebooted again and once again JUST TO BE SURE.  It seems that if you can get from version .125 to .214 it will correct the issue.

    I have tested this and updated 10 pcs now that had the BSOD happen for the "Inaccessible Boot Device".  This seems to have done the trick.

    If people would post their results, I would appreciate it.

    HOPEFULLY MICROSOFT SEES THIS and builds off their latest .214 KB4058258 version so the thousands of techs and computers that have been affected are safe from here on out.  This was a HARDSHIP on a lot of companies and it NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED!

    Thanks all.

    IT Admin

    Duane

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-02-08T18:50:59+00:00

    We run VIPRE Endpoint Security, however, after installing KB4058258 version .214, it seems like everything is running ok now.  I had to use DISM to remove the bad packages, but once done, rebooted and then installed the above KB4058258 package manually.  Windows updated, rebooted fine and just did a couple reboots to be sure and it was good.  Vipre has never seemed to be the problem.  As a test I have a PC without any ANTIVIRUS at all that I test with which is newer Core I5, 8GB, 256SSD and it also had the same BSOD problem for booting.  

    Its definitely the packages microsoft released and it would seem there was a couple bad ones.  If I upgrade from version .125 to .214 then everything seems to be ok.  If I am at .192 or .188 those PCs FAILED!  I had to roll back to .125 after uninstalling the bad packages and then it worked ok.

    Hopefully this helps you.

    Thanks

    Duane

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-02-09T02:43:21+00:00

    I also have the same problem, system restore does not work

    Please hel me

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-02-09T17:38:13+00:00

    I want to thank everyone for their input on this thread in helping to resolve this issue. It's been an extremely frustrating week while this bad update took out more than a few production PC's at our company resulting in 3 days of downtime. I ended up having to reload Windows 10 and software completely, and as i write this, i'm having to reload yet another this morning...

    Running DISM per Showster's suggestion to remove the bad patch had seemed to work for one reboot on all the affected machines, only for them to fall into the same pattern of failing to boot the next day and bringing them to the "Advanced options" boot screen.  Nothing else has worked under those options to repair the PC, whether you choose Startup Repair or booting into Safe mode.  Nothing. The system halts the boot process every time.

    I'm glad MS has resolved this with the .214 patch to KB4058258 update, but after this week it seems per our experience that the bad version of the update cannot be fully removed from the troubled machines.  The only way I've been able to get my downed computers running again is through a complete system reset (reload of windows 10), where then windows update loads in the .214 in place of the previous...

    We've all seen bad patches before and I understand that folks at MS are human, but because of the sheer amount of heartache this has caused our company this week i have to ask.... What the heck happened here? What did you guys at MS miss that ended up with PC's just deciding to catastrophically fail one day?  

    This simply should not happen.

    As we've all seen the aggressive nature of WIndows updates and entire builds being pushed out since WIndows 10's release, I just knew i might find myself in this situation one day where work is needlessly disrupted.

    Get it together, Microsoft. Test your ****.  This is unacceptable and is the kind of nonsense that costs people money and lost time.

    -Another frustrated IT Admin.

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