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
    2018-01-16T07:30:02+00:00

    We've had 3 out of 26 PC's go down in the last week - 1 was repairable using the "repair start-up" function, one is currently going through the repair function so fingers crossed and the 3rd cannot be repaired at all as it appears the the C: drive has now become the D: drive (I can access all files on the PC in D: drive through command prompt).  These PC's are 5 years old and we've never had one go down so for 3 to fail within a week is more than a coincidence and has to be related to a Windows update.

    Ever figured out a way to get the one where the C drive turned into D working again?

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-01-16T07:38:01+00:00

    I had two Dell XPS computers come up with the same inaccessible boot drive report after a reboot on Jan 11.

    Both Dell are Intel computers. (The reports that all problems are related to AMD does not appear to be true)

    The older Dell had been a free upgrade from Windows 7.  It had a single internal drive

    The newer was a week old and had PRO installed. It had an SSD plus a hard drive. I rebooted that unit because explorer did not show both drives.

    Both had Norton Security Suite and were updated.

    It reports that the drive is locked and will not allow me to reset 

    I have run SFC /scannow but after 10 minutes, it reports that it can not perform the operation

    It was a royal pain to build this computer the last time and I don't want to just replace windows and wipe out all of the drivers.

    Does anyone have a solution to this Microsoft debacle?

    Ever found a solution to this?  Experienced the same thing with my upgraded Acer Windows 7 laptop to Windows 10 Home, including the additional drive not showing issue.

    No matter how I've tried the bootrec /fixboot command, I either get a message saying "element not found" or "access denied".  Looking at the name of the partition, it doesn't even say Windows any more and the /scanos command shows 0 Windows installations on the disk (SSD).

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-01-16T08:27:02+00:00

    I have exactly the same issue.

    I'm quite certain this is due to a Windows 10 update on 14th Jan.

    I'm have a 5-6 year old Lsnovo ThinkPad, running Intel i5.

    I've tried all theh fixes mentioned, but none work.

    Not sute what to do now..

    I'm based in the UK

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-01-16T09:37:22+00:00

    I have seen a similar behaviour with Lenovo Yoga's that originally had Windows 8.1 but have since been updated to Windows 10.

    The solution in this instance was to download the latest BIOS from Lenovo and install it.

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