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[Solved] Inaccessible Boot Device in Windows 11 SSD
when you are in trouble facing inaccessible boot device in Windows 11 SSD, you can try the following 6 ways to fix it. Also, you can try the best free backup tool to backup your system so that you can restore it no matter what system errors occur.
By Clytze / Updated on October 25, 2022
User case
How to fix inaccessible boot device stop code
Hey guys, I have a problem with my SSD. This is an old SSD (A) with Windows already in it. Because I wanted to do some testing I installed another SSD (B) from another computer to have access to some files. Everything was working fine. After I disconnected the SSD (B), I tried to boot to the SSD (A) and then it crashes and it gives me the error INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE. I tried changing the boot priority from the UEFI BIOS and it just shows a white underscore and then the screen goes absolutely black. Can anybody help with this? Thanks!
- Question from tom’s HARDWARE
What causes inaccessible boot device SSD?
Inaccessible Boot Device error on Windows 11 is a blue screen of death (BSOD) error that stops Windows from booting properly. That means Windows failed to access the system partition while starting the system. These errors are more common on PCs that have an SSD.
The Inaccessible Boot Device in Windows 11 SSD error can arise due to incompatible or outdated device drivers, corrupted system files, or faulty hardware. If you are very urgent to figure out how to fix inaccessible boot device in Windows 11, you can switch directly to the next section to learn the fixes.
How to fix inaccessible boot device in Windows 11
Facing the stop code of Windows 11 inaccessible boot device, you must be feeling irritated and overwhelmed, wondering how to effectively settle this problem and get your computer back to normal use. Don't worry, I have summarized 6 practical and effective methods that have been reported by many users. You can try them all to see if they work well and if your computer is back to a healthy state. In addition, if you don't want to be bothered by endless system problems, this article also recommends the best free third-party tool for you. Now, let's get started.
Way 1: Perform Windows Startup Repair
Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) is a recovery environment that can repair common causes of unbootable operating systems. You can try to boot into WinRE to fix inaccessible boot device on startup using the steps below.
1. Shutdown your computer at the startup screen, and repeat it three times to boot into WinRE.
2. Select Troubleshoot＞Advanced options＞Startup Repair.
Way 2: Run a system file scan
The Windows System File Checker (SFC) is a tool that is embedded in all modern versions of Windows. This tool allows you to repair corrupt system files in Windows.
1. Type Command prompt in the search box, select it and Run as administrator.
2. Input the command DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth, and press Enter.
3. Then type sfc /scannow and press Enter to wait for its completion.
Way 3: Update IDE ATA/SATA Controller Drivers
An outdated or corrupt driver can be one of the reason for the Inaccessible Boot Device error, updating or reinstalling it should fix it.
1. Open Device Manager by right click the Start icon in the taskbar.
2. Select and click the arrow to expand IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, and right-click the option to choose Update driver.
3. In the newly opened window, you will be provided with two options. Choose either of them according to your needs.
4. Then you just need to follow the wizard’s prompts and restart the PC normally.
Way 4: Reset BIOS configuration
According to some user’s feedback, enabling AHCI mode in BIOS is a very effective way to solve the Inaccessible Boot Device error.
1. Restart your computer and during this process, press F2/DEL to enter the BIOS.
2. In the Advanced Options menu, change the mode of Configure SATA as to AHCI, tap F10 to save and exit the BIOS.
Way 5: Run a Check Disk scan
Check Disk scans your hard disk for errors and corrects those errors. But you should notice that since CHKDSK takes over the hard disk and does not allow other programs to run until complete. It is important to run CHKDSK when several hours of downtime is acceptable.
1. Type cmd in the Start menu search bar, then click Run as administrator.
2. Input chkdsk/f /r X:(drive letter) and press Enter. CHKDSK will scan for drive errors and let you know if it found any you should repair, but it won’t try to fix them without a command.
3. Press Y when you are prompted to check the disk the next time that the system restarts.
4. Restart the computer to check if it works.
Way 6: Rollback Windows 11 updates
This issue can also appear after a system update, you can roll back to the previous suitable version as you like.
1. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates from the WinRE.
2. Select the update you want to uninstall, follow the on-screen instructions and wait for the process to complete.
Bonus tip: Backup your system before Inaccessible Boot Device occurs
Being plagued by Inaccessible Boot Device error can be very frustrating. In order not to interfere with the daily use of your computer, it is time to try professional third-party software when the above 6 methods have failed to meet your needs. Here, I strongly recommend you the best free backup software – AOMEI Backupper Standard. The system backup it creates for you provides additional security for the important data on your computer so that it can be quickly restored to a previous stable state if needed.
✿ You can easily backup your system to various locations, such as backup Windows 11 to USB drives, NAS devices, external hard drives, etc.
✿ It has high compatibility that supports Windows PC operating systems such as Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP.
✿ It allows you to use the incremental or differential backup (differential backup is available in paid edition) to optimize backup efficiency compared with Windows’ built-in tool.
Follow the graphical steps to create a system image backup to prevent system errors occur.
First of all, download this freeware to your PC, install and launch it.
Step 1. Click System Backup under the Backup option in the left panel.
Step 2. The program automatically chooses the system-related partition(s) as the source data. You just need to select a destination path.
Step 3. Click Start Backup to backup your Windows 11.
After having created a system image backup, you can use it to restore your PC to a previous state once you need.
☄ If your Windows system has crashed or can’t boot up correctly, you can use the function Create Bootable Media under Tools to restore the system backup created before without Windows.
Wind up
These are the 6 solutions on inaccessible boot device in Windows 11 SSD. You can try them one by one to see if one of them can meet your needs. If you don't want to be bothered by system problems all the time, then it is recommended to ask help from third-party backup software. AOMEI Backupper can create a system image of your computer in advance so that you can use this backup to recover your computer to a healthy state in case you encounter similar system errors.
It is the best free and professional software that can safeguard your files or data. No matter whether you want to wipe an external hard drive or you are in need to improve your Windows 11 performance, it can spare you from a lot of trouble. There are more powerful features waiting for you to explore, so try it by yourself now!
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