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

2018-03-08T01:23:15+00:00

Thanks! I see I can download an *.msu file now. Can I apply this from the command line (since I still can't boot into Windows proper)?
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Anonymous

2018-03-07T07:44:30+00:00
Release notes have been updated:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4090913/march5-2018kb4090913osbuild16299-251

This update includes quality improvements. No new operating system features are being introduced in this update. Significant changes include the following:
- Addresses issue where some USB devices and onboard devices, such as a built-in laptop camera, keyboard, or mouse, stop working. This may occur when the Windows Update servicing stack incorrectly skips installing the newer version of some critical drivers in the cumulative update and uninstalls the currently active drivers during maintenance.
- Addresses issue where some devices may fail to boot with "INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE".
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Anonymous

2018-03-06T13:50:59+00:00
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4090913/march5-2018kb4090913osbuild16299-251

This update includes quality improvements. No new operating system features are being introduced in this update. Significant changes include the following:

Addresses an issue in which some USB devices and onboard devices, such as a built-in laptop camera, keyboard, or mouse, stop working. This may occur when the Windows Update servicing stack incorrectly skips installing the newer version of some critical drivers in the cumulative update and uninstalls the currently active drivers during maintenance.

Still looking for an update that will fix the inaccessible boot device issue as that's still listed as a known issue for this update.
My Surface Book, which had no issues along the way and stood at build 248, attempted to install the latest update to bring it to 251 and - guess what - inaccessible boot device! I knew this was a possibility since Microsoft specifically stated this was a known issue in their KB article about this latest update as Susan pointed out. But my experience had been that if a machine haden't had the issue with 125, 192, or 248 then it was likely to continue to be OK going forward. Well, now I'm not so sure. Just letting everyone know that past performance does not indicate future results.
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Anonymous

2018-03-05T23:48:37+00:00
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4090913/march5-2018kb4090913osbuild16299-251

This update includes quality improvements. No new operating system features are being introduced in this update. Significant changes include the following:
- Addresses an issue in which some USB devices and onboard devices, such as a built-in laptop camera, keyboard, or mouse, stop working. This may occur when the Windows Update servicing stack incorrectly skips installing the newer version of some critical drivers in the cumulative update and uninstalls the currently active drivers during maintenance.
Still looking for an update that will fix the inaccessible boot device issue as that's still listed as a known issue for this update.
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