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

2018-02-15T19:35:17+00:00
The fix for us:
1. Using recovery console (not with bootable media): System restore to January 14th
2. Once booted following system restore (DO NOT reboot again): Disconnect network cable and immediately run in-place upgrade using USB drive loaded with latest Windows 10 1709 build (ISO) from Microsoft. Don't check for updates and select option to keep personal files and apps.
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Anonymous

2018-02-15T18:33:17+00:00

A quick followup:

After the reboot loop problem on one of the affected systems, I did a system restore from RE to get back to a working system, and then performed an in-place update of Win10 Pro 1709 without the check for updates option, which took 90 minutes to complete. I disconnected the network cable during this process. After the update was complete I went to WU and turned on the advanced option to pause updates for 1 month. After running Norton Security Live Update to get things back up to date, I created a system restore point, reconnected the network cable and the system was good to go.

Today on this system I did a full image backup to a networked disk and then turned off the pause option to allow WU to download updates. The only updates were the 0218 CU, the Adobe Flash update, and the Malicious Software check update.

After restarting (and before rebooting), the WU update progress indicator only went to 17% before rebooting. After the reboot, the progress indicator went to 30% and then restarted again as expected. After this reboot, I again got stuck in the reboot loop mentioned above. After 2 such reboots, I was back in RE. I did a System Restore from the latest restore point created by WU, again turned on WU pause updates (now pauses for 5 weeks), and will now wait it out for MS to come up with a real fix. Note: If after system restore WU shows updates still paused, don't believe it. Before reconnecting the network, turn off pause, reboot, turn on pause, then reconnect the network.

TLDR; For some reason an in-place update doesn't solve reboot issues with the 0218 CU. Pause updates until a fix is released.
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Anonymous

2018-02-15T18:29:57+00:00

Hello,

I've tried the Dism fix but that didn't work.

I went through the process of making a usb installation media. When I boot to the usb drive and select Upgrade: install Windows and keep files, settings, and applications, I'm getting an error saying "The upgrade option isn't available if you start your computer using Windows installation media.

The problem is that I can't boot to windows to run the setup.exe. Any help with this would be appreciated.
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Anonymous

2018-02-15T18:15:10+00:00

Hello,

I've tried the Dism fix but that didn't work.

I went through the process of making a usb installation media. When I boot to the usb drive and select Upgrade: install Windows and keep files, settings, and applications, I'm getting an error saying "The upgrade option isn't available if you start your computer using Windows installation media.

The problem is that I can't boot to windows to run the setup.exe. Any help with this would be appreciated.
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