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

2018-01-22T19:48:30+00:00

Hi,

Susan, have you seen this:

I got a starter on this from earlier in the thread(can't remember handle, but thank you):

http://www.varidan.com.au/how-to-fix-the-dreaded-windows-error-0x800f082f/

with the hint to change this key in the registry

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\SessionsPending]

"Exclusive" from 4 to 0

So, after changing the registry key : "Exclusive" from 4 to 0, the uninstall worked and the system is up and running again.

I decided to focus on the registry as I know that in previous versions of windows, there was a registry entry that told the computer that a reboot was necessary and not to do anything else until that was done, so I thought “why should this be any different?” After some searching and hunting, I found what I was looking for:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\SessionsPending]

"Exclusive"=dword:00000004

"TotalSessionPhases"=dword:00000001

So, as a educated guess more than anything, I changed these settings to:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\SessionsPending]

"Exclusive"=dword:00000000

"TotalSessionPhases"=dword:00000000

Then I rebooted the server. After the reboot, which took longer to perform than usual – which to me was a good sign, I attempted to run a Windows Update….

It worked!

http://www.varidan.com.au/how-to-fix-the-dreaded-windows-error-0x800f082f/

Now you may still want to install follow, Susan, but this can be real handy to know in the future.

Best Regards,

Crysta
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Anonymous

2018-01-22T19:20:28+00:00

Do you have another pc or a friend with a pc? Go to the media download site and make a booting iso. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Create a media from that link/put it on a flash drive. Then boot from that on that impacted Windows 10.
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Anonymous

2018-01-22T19:09:12+00:00
Things I tried for each successful boot(had to keep restoring to a 1/11/18 point to get a single boot):
- Disconnected network cable before boot and disabled Windows Update through services.msc
- Removed 16299.98.1.20 and 16299.25.1.6 along with 16299.192.1.9 before successful boot.
- Installed KB4073290 while in Windows.
- Installed KB4073290 using DISM, which allowed a single boot as always.
Now the working restore point was automatically removed, so I believe this computer is going to get the clean install treatment. I have another system I can't even remove 16299.192.1.9 from because DISM fails with 0x8000ffff no matter what package you are removing or adding. Remember when you used to be able to repair install Windows XP from outside of Windows? What doof(s) at Microsoft decided the only way to offer an repair install(i.e. in-place upgrade) should be from a booting copy of Windows?
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