15 Ways to Fix Inaccessible Boot Device in Windows 10

How to Fix "Inaccessible Boot Device" Error in Windows 10

"When I updated Windows 10 on my laptop, it started out fine for a while. But after restarting the computer yesterday afternoon, I got a blue screen stop code: Inaccessible Boot Device. Even when I restarted the computer it didn't help, it looked like it was stuck in a blue screen loop. My friend gave the advice to restore the computer, but I'm worried about losing data on the computer, so I've been hesitant. Does anyone have a better suggestion? I really don't want to restore the computer."

Windows 10 "Inaccessible Boot Device" is one of the most common errors in the Blue Screen of Death, with a stop code of 0x0000007b. This error can occur on hard drives, SSDs, CDs/DVDs, and removable drives. But from the large number of reports, it is more common in SSDs. Therefore, the error can also be divided into these cases.

🖥️ "Inaccessible Boot Device" of Windows 10 SSD
⚠️ Windows stop code "Inaccessible Boot Device"
🌐 Windows 10 blue screen "Inaccessible Boot Device"
🔌 Windows 10 stop code "Inaccessible Boot Device"
🧰 "Inaccessible Boot Device" on external hard drive
🔄  "Inaccessible Boot Device" reboot loop

No matter which situation you're in, the fix for it is similar. To learn more about the specific steps, please read the following in detail. But before you start, it is advisable to understand the cause of the error.

What Causes "Inaccessible Boot Device" in Windows 10?

If you are still confused about the occurrence of this error, please go through the following to understand the exact cause, as it will help in the next fix.

• Corrupted or outdated driver.
• Hardware conflicts caused by system updates or changes.
• Hard drive is corrupted.
• Presence of viruses or malware.
• File system initialization causes data on boot devices to be unrecognized.
• Error during initial system installation.
• Windows registry file is corrupted.
• Incorrect BIOS settings.
• Computer hardware is faulty.

15 Ways to Fix "Inaccessible Boot Devices" in Windows 10

When you don't know how to fix "Inaccessible Boot Device" in Windows, please refer to the following 15 methods which are believed to help you fix this error.

#1. Check Computer Hardware and Disconnect All External Devices 💾

If your computer hardware is faulty or there is a conflict with an external device, it can also lead to "Inaccessible Boot Device" error in Windows 10. So, when you encounter this error, the first thing you should do is to check for hardware failure and disconnect all external devices to try to fix it.

1. Turn off your computer completely and open the side panel of the case (laptops need to have the back cover removed).
2. Check the memory and hard disk for obvious damage in turn, and replace with different interfaces.

3. Then check for loose cables. If you have recently installed new hardware, it is recommended to remove this hardware first.
4. After all checks are correct, restore the computer, and then disconnect all external devices, including mouse, keyboard, headset, etc.
5. Restart your computer and see if this error still persists. If the error is still not resolved, go to the next method.

#2. Uninstall the Recently Installed Updates via Command Prompt

If you set Windows Update to install automatically, your computer may automatically install Windows updates without you noticing. And these recently installed updates can also be the trigger for the “Inaccessible Boot Devices " error in Windows 10. Therefore, you need to uninstall the most recently installed update.

1. Enter the Windows Recovery Environment by forcibly shutting down and then rebooting the computer twice.
2. Click Troubleshoot -> Advanced Options -> Command Prompt in turn and wait for your computer to restart.

3. In the Command Prompt window, type dir c: and press Enter. If your Windows installation is on another disk, replace c with the appropriate disk number.
4. Type Dism /Image:c:\ /Get-Packages and press Enter, you will see the list of recently installed updates, please remember the name of the installation package you want to uninstall.

5. Type dism.exe /image:c:\ /remove-package /[package name] and press Enter. Replace package name with the name of the installation package you remembered from the previous step.
6. Type exit and press Enter to exit Command Prompt.

#3. Enter Windows Safe Mode

Safe Mode is a special diagnostic mode in Windows that allows you to start your computer without loading third-party device drivers, mainly for troubleshooting and fixing system errors. This mode will help you to fix "Inaccessible Boot Device" error in Windows 10.

1. In the Windows Recovery Environment, click Troubleshoot -> Advanced options -> Startup Settings, and press F4 or the number key 4 to Enable Safe Mode.

2. If the computer starts normally in safe mode without blue screen issues, then the problem is most likely with the driver. You can make changes to these drivers as needed.

#4. Update or Reinstall the Driver

Drivers are tools that assist Windows in using the hardware properly. But outdated or incorrectly installed drivers can instead cause compatibility issues or various other issues, such as the "Inaccessible Boot Device" error in Windows 10. Here are the detailed steps to update or reinstall the driver for IDE ATA /ATAPI controller as an example.

🚩 Update Drivers

1. Enable Windows Safe Mode with Networking, right-click the Start button of the taskbar, and select Device Manager from the expanded menu.
2. Select and expand the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, right-click on the Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller, and select Update driver from the expanded menu.

3. In the Update Driver window, tap on the Search automatically for drivers option and wait for this process to complete.

🚩 Reinstall Drivers

1. Open Device Manager as above.
2. Select and expand the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, right-click on the Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller, and select Uninstall device from the expanded menu click on Uninstall again in the new window and wait for this process to complete.

3. Right-click the computer name at the top, then click Scan for hardware changes. Then the driver for the Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller will be installed automatically. Restart your computer and see if this error still persists.

#5: Enable AHCI Mode in BIOS

Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) is an Intel technology standard that supports features such as native command queuing and hot swapping. This mode increases hard drive speed compared to Integrated Development Environment (IDE). From many user feedback reports, enabling AHCI mode in BIOS helps to fix the "Inaccessible Boot Device" error in Windows 10, which is a worthwhile approach.

1. Reboot your computer and press F2 or DEL during the boot process to enter the BIOS.

Note📝: Different brands of motherboards have different ways to enter the BIOS. It is recommended to consult the motherboard manual or seek help from the motherboard manufacturer.

2. In the Advanced Options menu, change the mode of Configure SATA as to AHCI, save and exit the BIOS.

#6. Perform Blue Screen Troubleshoot

Troubleshoot is a utility in Windows 10 that can help you fix some common computer problems and can also be used to fix blue screen errors. So, when you encounter the "Inaccessible Boot Device" error in Windows 10, you can try to fix it using Windows 10 Troubleshooting.

1. Enable Windows Safe Mode with Networking and use Windows + I to open Windows Settings.
2. Select Update & Security, switch to the Troubleshoot tab in the left panel, and tap Additional Troubleshooters in the right panel.
3. Under Find and fix other problems, select Blue Screen and tap the Run the Troubleshooter button.

#7. Remove Pending Updates That Are Not Yet Installed

Some additional settings can cause Windows 10 to automatically install updates without notice, which means you can't know if the update process is going well or if there's an update that's stuck and hangs. These not-yet-installed updates can cause the "Inaccessible Boot Device" error in Windows 10. So you need to delete them.

1. Go to the Windows Recovery Environment and tap Troubleshoot -> Advanced options -> Command Prompt in order.
2. In the Command Prompt window, enter the following three commands in sequence and press Enter after each command is entered to execute.

• reg load HKLM\temp c:\windows\system32\config\software
• reg delete "HKLM\temp\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\SessionsPending"/v Exclusive
• reg unload HKLM\temp

3. Type dism /image:C:\ /get-packages again and hit Enter, remembering any tags with updates not yet installed.
4. Type MKDIR C:\temp\packages again and press Enter to create a temporary archive.
5. Finally type dism /image:c:\ /remove-package /packagename:[package name] /scratchdir:c:\temp\packages and press Enter to move all the updates that are not yet installed to a temporary archive. Please replace package name with the tag of the not-yet-installed update.

6. Type exit and press Enter to exit Command Prompt.

Method 8. Check and Repair the Hard Drive

If there are bad tracks or errors in your computer's hard drive, it may lead to "Inaccessible Boot Device" error in Windows 10. For this purpose, you can use CHKDSK tool to check and repair the bad tracks or errors present in the hard disk.

1. Enter Windows Safe Mode with Command Prompt, use Windows + S to open the search box, type cmd, and select Run as administrator.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type chkdsk C: /f and press Enter to execute the command.

Note📝: You need to replace C in the above command with the local disk drive where the system archive is installed.

3. Press the Y button again to confirm the check at the next system reboot.

#9. Scan and Remove Viruses and Malware

If you have viruses and malware on your computer, it may also cause the "Inaccessible Boot Device" error in Windows 10. You can use third-party antivirus software or Windows Defender to scan and remove them, but here it is more recommended to use Windows Defender.

1. Enable Windows Safe Mode with Networking, use Windows + S to open the search box. Type Windows Security and open it.
2. In the Windows Security window, tap Virus & threat protection.
3. In the Current threats section, tap on the Scan options.
4. Switch the default Quick scan to Full scan in the expanded menu, and tap the Scan now button.

5. Wait patiently for the scan to complete, and if any viruses or malware are scanned please remove them promptly. Restart your computer and see if this error still persists.

#10. Perform SFC And DISM Scans

The System File Checker (SFC) is primarily used to repair system files, and the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) is primarily used to repair system images. The combination of the two can fix the "Inaccessible Boot Device" error in Windows 10.

1. Enable Windows Safe Mode with Command Prompt, use Windows + S to open the search box, type cmd, and select Run as administrator.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type sfc /scannow and press Enter to execute this command.

3. Enter the following commands in turn and press Enter to execute the commands respectively.

• Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
• Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
• Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

#11. Verify That the Boot Device Is Connected and Accessible

1. Enter the Windows Recovery Environment and tap Troubleshoot -> Advanced options -> Command Prompt in order.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type diskpart and press Enter.
3. Type list disk again and press Enter to confirm that the system disk is listed correctly.
4. Type list vol again and press Enter to confirm that the boot device is listed correctly.

If it is not listed correctly, then you may need to repair the boot partition yourself.

#12. Verify Boot Configuration Database Integrity

The boot configuration database is a replacement for the Boot.ini file, which contains boot configuration parameters and controls how the operating system boots. When it becomes corrupted in any way, it may cause "Inaccessible Boot Device" error in Windows 10, so we must fix it as soon as possible.

1. Open Command Prompt from the Windows Recovery Environment as previously mentioned.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type bcdedit and press Enter. Please note the distinction between UEFI and BIOS.

3. Make sure that identifier is set to default and that device and path are pointing to the correct partition. If you cannot confirm the above, it means you need to fix the BCD.

🚩 Setting the Default Device Partition

1. In the Command Prompt window, type bcdedit /export C:\temp\bcdbackup and press Enter to back up the BCD. To repair the backed up BCD, type bcdedit /export C:\temp\bcdbackup.
2. If there is a device error or missing under default, enter bcdedit /set {default} device partition=C and press Enter to execute the bcdedit command.

🚩 Rebuild BCD

In the Command Prompt window, enter the following commands in sequence and press Enter for each to execute the command.

• bootrec.exe /fixmbr
• bootrec.exe /fixboot
• bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd

🚩 Verify the Location of the Windows Boot Manager and Boot Loader

Follow the steps above to navigate to the Windows Boot Manager and Boot Loader directories and use the Attrib -s -h -r command to unhide the archives. If they are no longer in the above locations, use the following command to rebuild them.

In the Command Prompt window, type Bcdboot <**OSDrive* >:\windows /s <**SYSTEMdrive* >: /f ALL and press Enter. Please replace OSDrive in the command with the Windows Boot Loader available location and SYSTEMdrive with the Windows Boot Manager available location.

#13. Perform A System Restore

If you created a System Restore Point before the Windows 10 "Inaccessible Boot Device" error, you can use the System Restore feature to restore your computer to a previous point in time to fix this error.

1. Go to Windows Recovery Environment and tap Troubleshoot -> Advanced options -> System Restore in order.

2. Select your User Account and enter your password, select the system restore point you created earlier based on the time. Then follow the prompts and wait for this process to complete. Restart your computer and see if this error still persists

#14. Reset This PC

1. Enter the Windows Recovery Environment and click Troubleshoot -> Reset this PC in order.

2. You can choose to Keep my files or Remove everything according to your needs, here it is recommended to choose the first one.

3. Finally, tap the Reset button and wait for your computer to finish resetting automatically.

#15. Reinstall Windows 10

1. Reboot the computer and enter the BIOS to set the optical drive or removable disk to the highest priority.
2. After restarting, press any key to execute the Windows 10 installer.
3. Set the language and input method in turn -> Install Now -> Enter the product key (you can also skip it) -> Select the version of Windows 10 you want to install -> Accept the license terms -> Select the Windows installation type, here we recommend choosing Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).

4. Next, you need to select the disk where you want to install Windows 10 system, tap Next and wait for the installation process to complete, and finally follow the prompts to set it up.

Create Disk Backup Images to Quickly Restore Disks If Needed

When you face the "Inaccessible Boot Device" error in Windows 10, it is recommended to fix this error as soon as possible to avoid affecting your work and life. This problem may be caused by the damaged hard disk, so it is recommended that you use AOMEI Backupper Standard for disk backup during daily use. This provides extra security for important data on your computer so that it can be quickly restored if needed.

AOMEI Backupper Standard allows you to create disk backup images for free on Windows 11/10/8.1/8/8/7 etc. and backup all the contents on the disk to any location such as cloud, NAS device, external hard drive, etc. In addition, the software provides efficient and convenient features for File Backup:

👍 Automatic file backup: You can enable daily, weekly and monthly regular automatic backup function to prevent data loss due to forgetting to backup.
👍 Back up only changed files: If files change frequently and you only want to back up changed files. Then it is recommended that you choose incremental backup, which will save a lot of backup time.

1. Run AOMEI Backupper Standard, switch to the Backup tab in the left panel, and select the Disk Backup option in the right panel.

2. In the Disk Backup window, tap the Add Disk button. In addition, you can tap the pencil icon in the upper left corner to modify the name of this backup task.

Tips📒: you can customize your backup by clicking Options, Schedule Backup and Backup Scheme in the lower left corner.

• Options: Allows you to add comments to the current backup job for free and enable email notifications. When upgraded to the Pro version, you can also enable encrypted backup features.
• Schedule Backup: Allows you to set daily, weekly, monthly, event triggers, and USB plug in backup to disk (the latter two are available in the premium version).

• Backup Scheme: Allows you to change the backup method to full or differential backup. The differential backup and auto-cleanup features are only available after you upgrade to the professional version.

3. Please modify the path of the disk backup and tap the Start backup button at the bottom right corner.

The purpose of creating a Disk Backup image is that when the original data is lost or damaged, the Disk Restore function can quickly restore all the data on the previous disk. In addition, you can also confirm the backup image file by Explore Image function, so as to restore exactly the disk data you want.

Final Words

If you don't know how to fix the "Inaccessible Boot Device" error in Windows 10, read this article in detail to learn the cause of the error and 15 ways to get your computer back to normal. If you're experiencing the inaccessible boot device after cloning, you can also take advantage of some of these methods to fix it.

However, you must be reminded that the hard drive corruption involved will lead to serious consequences, so it is recommended that you regularly make a disk backup with AOMEI Backupper Standard to quickly recover all your data in case of hard drive corruption.