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
    2018-02-04T22:45:55+00:00

    I shall give these a try thanks.

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-02-04T21:53:45+00:00

    I just managed to boot into a "twice broken " system. Here is how I did it. I won't  reboot now :)

    Not sure what helped, so I list all actions here.

    Install this package kb4058258, download it from update catalog first.

    dism /scratchdir:c:\temp /image:c:\ /add-package /packagepath:d:\newhope\windows10.0-kb4058258-x64_69f87cf7f2ea83509d5e61ba2d525a103a6d64f9.msu

    List packages installed. In the list you will see Package_for_RollupFixXXXX - you need the names to run uninstall command.

    remove the packages with dism, first the new one just installed, and and after it is successfull the one ending with 192.1.9 - the broken one.

    You will get the well known error.

    Now you need to repair the store. Apparently the repair is not fully successfull, but repairs boot.

    You need to run the command:

    dism /image:image /scratchdir:/tmpdir  /cleanup-image /restore-health /source:(PATH TO YOUR INSTALL.WIM ON THE USB DRIVE OR DVD)/install.wim:1 /limitAccess

    You need to have install image (wim) accessible it is usually stored in <usbdrivename>:/soures/install.wim - it is the huge file.

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-02-04T21:06:36+00:00

    Hey guys, I toggled the "Pause Update" switch back today after I saw a lot of Win 10 updates lately, on machines that had not been hit by the "inaccessible boot device" issue. It seems the risk of updating the troubled machine paid of since I haven't seen the the "inaccessible boot device" error yet. The Win 10 build that seems to work for me is 16299.214. Good luck to you.

    I re framed from booting  all customers Intel I5 PC's for the past 10 days, waiting for all the updates to slow down and maybe get the ones that resolve BSOD.  Friday, Feb 2nd I felt it was about time to move forward.  I installing all update available before shutting down/rebooting (8) PC's.  (2) of the (8) experienced BSOD, not a good sign.  Can't try any more until fixing the two.  Note the BSOD PC's don't respond to the same fix for the one time boot I experienced before.  Errors on backing out the 16299.214 Update Fix.  That one boot, although fleeting, helped.

    Haven't ran across any official fixes from Microsoft on fixing BSOD computers short of a O/S reload.  I would think they would help us out here.  It is in their own best interest.

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-02-04T20:26:13+00:00

    Hello,

    Hoping somebody can help. 

    After the command prompt type

    diskpart

    it will start disk managmenet utilty

    type:

    select disk 0

    type:

    list volume

    You will get all your volumes, with drive letter (Ltr), Type and Size. If any problem in identifying the corrrect letter,  paste the output here.

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