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
    2018-02-21T01:54:51+00:00

    I generally use Norton Security. But I have had the issue on 2 systems running ONLY Windows Defender where Norton wasn't present.  I have ONE customer with about 30 machines running McAfee (ugh) because they get it for free as part of their FIOS contract.  Strangely (to me) none of those machines have failed to boot.

    On the first system I struggled with inaccessible boot device (long before I found this thread), I suspected Norton.  It was in Dec 2017 so before the rollups we've been concentrating on.  That system booted after a system restore and I immediately removed Norton.  After rebooting a number of times successfully I thought the machine was fixed.  It then failed to boot again.  I had not yet reinstalled any antivirus. I never found the root cause.  I restored that machine from an image (it had Veritas) and it's been working fine.  I didn't record the versions back then.   I've convinced myself from my experiences and posts from others showing this happens with a variety of AV products that the AV software is not the root cause.

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-02-21T01:34:20+00:00

    I'm pushing for a KB still.  Ira?  What antivirus do you have on those machines?

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-02-21T01:25:49+00:00

    Thanks for that idea!!---I missed the boat on that one.  When system restore failed to achieve bootup, I didn't think to then try the dism remove-package again.

    What you suggest falls in line with my post on Feb 18 about using an image restore followed by dism for this situation but of course many people won't have an image backup.  Your idea should certainly help more people recover.

    I have found that most systems only show 2-3 restore points.  I don't think it is because they don't have enough space allocated to System Restore but on all systems I repair I increase the allocated space.  Remember to turn on system restore as many of these repair methods result in it being disabled.

    I have an interesting case where one small office has 2 identical Dell optiplex systems, bought on the same day, configured exactly the same.  One crashed with this "inaccessible boot device" while the other sits happily at version 16299.248, having successfully updated on its own.  Go figure.

    It's pretty sad that Microsoft isn't giving us any feedback.

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-02-21T00:42:00+00:00

    Has anyone found any methods to achieve successful bootup after this week's Feb rollups (.245 or .248).  Systems are left where DISM Get-Packages shows these versions as pending or installed but Remove-Package does not work.  Any new ideas to achieve bootup so an in-place upgrade can be done, or is the only option a Reset followed by reinstalling all programs?  Thanks,

    Ira..

    I have had one of my customers hit hard with about 12 systems all being affected by this issue. A couple of them were recovered using System Restore, others I had to fully reset the PC. On a few I used the DISM technique, but also found the issue where I could not remove the Rollup due to one update Pending Uninstall and the other Pending Install. The Remove package command would fail on those two Rollups due to the odd state they were in.

    What I discovered is that if you have the issue where you cannot remove the two Rollups because neither one shows as "Installed", is that if you perform a System Restore to a previous point (usually as far back as you can go) this will then change the status of the two Rollups that are in a limbo state. Keep in mind that when you perform the System Restore, it will fail to boot properly and give you the "Inaccessible Drive" blue screen, but if you go back into DISM and check the status of the two Rollups, they will then show as being installed and you will then be able to remove them using the remove command and get up and running again.

    I was able to get at least 4 systems to successfully boot back to the desktop after performing those steps. And once I was back at the desktop, I paused the updates and then disabled the service. Knock on wood, those systems have not had a repeat of the problem. I figure postponing updates for 30 days will hopefully give MS enough time to come up with a permanent solution.

    I hope this method helps others out. YMMV... and Good luck!!

    -A

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