Inaccessible Boot Device error in Windows 10

Anonymous

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?*

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

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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506 additional answers

Anonymous

2018-02-13T16:41:17+00:00

I ran into this issue last night. I did the dism fix to remove the most recent "amd64" package and got my PC up and running again. Yay!

Unfortunately, I left it running, and it re-installed the same bad patch and rebooted automatically and now, as others have noted, the same fix won't work a second time (I tried removing some additional packages via dism, too - made no difference).

I don't think I have a Restore Point. Is my only option now to Reset?

I was able to recover in this case by running this command:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:\$Windows.~BT\Sources\Install.esd /LimitAccess

For more info, check this page

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-dism-command-line-utility-repair-windows-10-image

section "Using DISM with an install.ESD file"In my case the repair is not successfull, but the machine would reboot. When it is back on, run the in-place install.
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Anonymous

2018-02-13T18:45:34+00:00

Thank you! And just so I'm clear (since I've read so much in this thread it's hard to keep it all straight), what is the "in-place install" I want to run now?
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Anonymous

2018-02-13T19:01:38+00:00

Thank you! And just so I'm clear (since I've read so much in this thread it's hard to keep it all straight), what is the "in-place install" I want to run now?

Download installation media from Microsoft and run Windows install from it. You need to have current install media. Be sure keep the option to keep all apps and settings on. It will effectively reinstall Windows, not touching your files. So far, it is the only way to repair the broken windows image.
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Anonymous

2018-02-13T22:51:21+00:00

I followed the instruction carefully (I thought) and got the offending update package name. However, when I try to delete it, i get the following message: "Error: 87 The remove-package/packagename option is unknown. For more information, refer to the help by running DISM.exe /?." Help. What am I doing wrong?
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