Windows 10 is throwing an error on boot. Solution for INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE error when booting Windows

If the Windows 10 platform displays disk errors, then the reasons can be very diverse, as well as the consequences for your computer. A damaged hard drive, incorrect system files - all this can be the cause of the appearance.

If a similar problem occurs, you should act immediately, otherwise there is a risk of losing all the information that is stored on your PC. There are several methods that allow check windows 10 for errors and fix them.

Testing a Hard Drive for Errors Using the Command Line

To start testing the hard drive, you must activate the command line as an administrator. This can be done through the "Start" or by holding down the WIN + X keys.

In the activated command line, we write the chkdsk command, as well as the name of the disk and scan parameters.

It should be noted that this utility works with directories formatted in or .

chkdsk C: /F /R is the correct command, where:

• C is the disk to check for errors,
• F - all detected problems are fixed automatically,
• R - testing problem partitions and data recovery.

If you plan to test a disk that is used by the system, you will be prompted to scan after restarting the PC. We prescribe Y - if you agree and N - refuse.

After confirming the operation, the scan will be instantly activated. Upon completion, a detailed report on the errors found and problem sectors will be presented.

In those situations where testing finds errors on the hard disk or, but cannot fix them, it is explained by the fact that a functioning system or application is currently using the disk.

Starting an offline scan

In such a situation, activating offline disk scanning will solve the problem. The partition to be scanned is detached from the system, tested, and then it is put back into the system. If disabling is unacceptable, then CHKDSK will be able to scan the next time the PC is restarted.

To activate the offline disk check, run the command prompt again as an administrator and enter chkdsk C: /f /offlinescanandfix.

If a notification is displayed that it is not possible to execute the command, since the presented section is being used by another process, enter Y, turn off the command line and restart the PC. The disk will start checking automatically when you start Windows 10.

If you need a detailed report on the test, you can see it by holding Win + R and typing eventvwr.msc.

Testing a hard drive with File Explorer

The lightest check disk for windows 10 errors is to apply a conductor. It will require you to do the following:

• select the required section, right-click on it,
• then "Properties"
• go to the "Service" category,
• activate check.

In Windows 10, a notification is usually immediately displayed that a disk check is not needed at the moment. However, if necessary, you can activate it by force.

Testing a drive for errors using Windows PowerShell

Checking for Windows 10 Errors is available not only through the command line, but also in Windows PowerShell.

To perform this action, activate Windows PowerShell as an administrator. To do this, go to "Start" and in the search, start typing PowerShell. Next, click on the detected element and run it as an administrator.

Windows PowerShell uses the following commands:

• Repair-Volume -DriveLetter - used to test the required drive,
• Repair-Volume -DriveLetter C -OfflineScanAndFix - Entered to enable offline scanning.

If the NoErrorsFound notification is displayed as a result of the check, this indicates that no errors could be found on the disk.

We test the disk with a third-party program

Sometimes certain errors appear after testing the hard drive due to the connection of peripherals. To find the problem, you need to scan using a special program. Be sure to save all important information in a safe place before starting the test.

The Victoria utility is one of the most popular. Hard disk testing is carried out comprehensively, which allows it to detect all damaged places and errors.

The "Standart" section provides information about the required disk. Its volume, parameters, sectors and much more are described.

In the "Smart" category, the disc is tested using the smart system. To activate the scan, first hold down the "Get Smart" key. At the end of the test, the final result will be presented.

Checking for bad sectors is carried out in the "Test" item. Before starting the check, you will need to check the box next to "Remap". If problem sectors are found, the program will try to fix them. During the procedure, the status of the sectors and the possibility of their correction will be displayed.

Additional disk check methods

In addition to the methods already presented above, you can still apply some additional utilities that are present in the system. In Windows 10, scanning, maintenance, and defragmentation are carried out automatically on a specific schedule, during the period of time when you are not working at your computer.

To get acquainted with the data on whether errors were found, go to the "Control Panel", from there to the "Security and Service Center". In the "disk status" item, you will find the data obtained during the last check.

Another tool that is available in Windows 10 is the Storage Diagnostic Tool. To use this tool, you will need to open a command prompt as an administrator, and then enter the command stordiag.exe -collectEtw -checkfsconsistency -out.

The verification process will take a certain amount of time, it may seem that everything is frozen, but you should patiently wait for the end. All disks will be scanned and a report on the check done will be presented.

If nothing helped

If a hard drive error windows 10 has not been fixed, then back up all necessary important files, data, etc. They can be dragged to work sections, or better yet, transfer everything to removable media.

After all important information is stored in a safe and secure place, you can test the hard drive for further performance. You can try to return the maximum performance using full formatting. To do this, right-click on the disk and select .

Important. The formatting process is very long, the total time depends on the size of the partition. You'll have to be patient.

All the recommendations presented on how to check Windows 10 for errors should help solve the problem with possible disk errors. Additionally, you can reinstall the system. This usually helps to solve almost all problems and get rid of any errors that appear during the operation of Windows 10.

Windows 10 is doomed to give errors due to its newness. Frequent problems with the operation of the operating system have not yet been fixed. Before a bright future, there is still a decent amount of time left without problems, but for now, users are shocked by failures. For example, if you reset Windows 10 to factory settings, you can get the message: inaccessible boot device.

Causes

Reasons for inaccessible boot device can be:

• Outdated drivers that are not correctly configured for a particular system. This happens all the time, because the new axis has a long way to optimize for the hardware component of the computer.
• A Windows 10 user can damage the system registry due to their misbehavior. You can remove the wrong programs or do such an action inaccurately, affecting important system files. Also, the axis itself may unsuccessfully change files and cause an inaccessible boot device.
• It is not excluded the influence of malicious software that is unauthorized installed on the computer. These little nasty utilities can affect the Windows Operating System, causing problems with the boot system.
• Driver versions can be updated, but suitable hardware will refuse to work as required. In this case, the inaccessible boot device will be caused by a hardware driver conflict.
• Installing Windows 10 add-ons can also crash the Windows Operating System. Updates often overlay working patterns, breaking them and causing the computer to behave in a non-standard way.
• As the most unlikely option, but not completely impossible, this is a breakdown of the machine's RAM. In this case, there will be nothing left but to change the broken element to a working one.

The decision is difficult

As always, in solving any problems there is an easy way and a difficult one. First, we will describe the complex one so that users have an idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe methods of dealing with the inaccessible boot device. So, depending on the cause of the appearance described above, the following actions can be implemented:

• Registry editing, which is best done only by a specialist who knows his business very well. This can be done using special software, for example, the CCleaner utility is great for this purpose. The program is downloaded from the official website and gives detailed prompts for actions.

• It is recommended to scan the machine for viruses. Suitable for these purposes is absolutely any antivirus that is able to scan the system.
• To get rid of the inaccessible boot device, we can recommend cleaning Windows 10 of unnecessary trash. Usually these are temporary program files that are not removed from the computer due to their need at a certain point in time. Unfortunately, such garbage will not be removed by itself. The same CCleaner is suitable as a cleaning tool.
• Alternatively, you can install the latest drivers. You will need to go to the device properties of the control panel and right-click on each. A context menu will appear asking you to update the driver.

• Uninstalling and installing the Windows Operating System can help deal with an inaccessible boot device. After all, if some elements of this system are damaged, then its fresh download will bring everything back to normal. The program is removed from the list of utilities in the control panel as a normal application.
• Updating all drivers is only part of the solution. You can also try to install generally all updates for Windows 10 that are only available at the moment. This will close weak spots and neutralize disruptions.
• Checking the integrity of the RAM can help identify a potential problem with this hardware. Usually, the computer beeps alarmingly when loading, which may indicate a hardware malfunction.

The solution is simple

As always, the developers of Windows 10 offer to fix this problem in a completely original way - reinstall the system. The activated version of Windows 10 will not be lost. In theory, no difficulties should arise, because a clean installation of Windows 10 is not much different from installations of axes of previous generations.

In order to have a place to install Windows 10 from and defeat the inaccessible boot device error, you need to create bootable media. It can be a DVD disc or a USB memory stick. A number of steps are required:

• First of all, you need to download a special installation tool from the official Microsoft website. Its name is Media Creation Tool.
• Once the program is downloaded to your computer, you can run it and select the option to create installation media.

• We click on the Next button and we get to the next window in which you will need to select the system language and its bit depth. The architecture can be 32 or 64 bits. If you are not sure which processor architecture is on your computer, you can select both.

• Then a window will appear prompting you to select a storage medium. The installation file with Windows 10 will be written to it.

• Once the Windows 10 media has been created, you will need to enter the BIOS and change the boot area. This can usually be done in the Boot section. If Windows 10 is burned to DVD, then you need to select a DVD drive. If Windows 10 is written to a USB drive, then it is better to select USB.

• It is important to remember that after the installation process in the Boot menu, you need to return everything to its place, otherwise the installation image will start every time you boot.
• So, the removable media is selected, so you can proceed to the direct solution of the inaccessible boot device problem. The installation dialog box opens, in which you need to click on Custom installation.

Hello friends, I recently encountered a problem like inaccessible boot device error when loading Windows 10. It happened on a netbook. I don’t know the exact reason, but before that, a friend got into the BIOS, changed some settings, and then put everything back in place again. After that, the system stopped loading and a blue screen appeared with an error.

I want to say that these are not the only reasons for the appearance of the inaccessible boot device error. They can also include the following:

• Installed damaged or incorrectly installed
• is damaged due to the installation of some software or user intervention in the registry.
• Viruses. They are also the cause of this error.
• Installing new hardware, which caused a driver conflict.
• , their removal. The reason for this can be both the user and the program.
• Errors in the hard drive.
• Errors in RAM.

As you can see, there can be a huge number of problems, and it is not known what to do in this or that case, but it is worth getting rid of the error.

What is the inaccessible boot device error?

When you start Windows 10, a blue screen of death appears with a smiley, at the very bottom we see the name of the error: inaccessible boot device. It means that the system is trying to access the partition where the necessary files are located to boot the system, but cannot do this. The blue screen is a precautionary measure to keep important data safe and sound.

Inaccessible boot device how to fix?

There are two ways to fix this problem. The first is if the system boots and works for a while, then we will try to use the command line.

Open command prompt as administrator and type the following command:

Thus, the check of the entire disk and the elimination of errors will start.

If the system does not boot, you can try and run these commands there, or, alternatively, restore to a previous restore point.

If this method did not help, then only one thing remains -. Yes, unfortunately nothing can be done. Experts from Microsoft advise downloading the system image using the Media Creation Tool and performing a clean installation.

How to create a bootable flash drive using the Media Creation Tool?

To get started, download this tool from the official website. Now you can run the utility and select "Create installation media for another computer". As you already understood, the creation of a bootable USB flash drive is done on another PC.

Now we select the language and edition of Windows 10 and architecture. Then we press Further.

The creation of bootable media will begin, you will need to wait. The files will be downloaded from the Internet, so if yours is not high-speed, you can go about your business.

As soon as the media is ready, you need to insert the USB flash drive into the computer and put it in the first place. If you have any problems with this, then it is better to immediately contact the comments, and then continue.

A standard window appears where we click "Custom Installation". There you choose where you will install the OS, and also, do not forget to format the system partition.

After all that has been done, Windows should boot up quietly. If so, then I congratulate you.

As you can see, Windows 10 is still not finalized, various bugs and errors appear. But Microsoft is fighting it, and that's a good thing. We are waiting for the next updates to improve Windows. By the way, a global Redstone update is expected for a couple of months, which will radically change Windows 10. At least that's what they say in the news. Therefore, we are waiting.

The experience of the Windows 10 developers, along with the Windows Insider program, did not help to avoid problems in the final edition of the new operating system. In the first weeks after the release, Microsoft representatives had to work hard to make their product function properly on a variety of users' computers.

From the very first day of its existence, the developers propose to solve all the problems that arise with the work of the “dozens” by downloading and installing updates that appear as needed. Sometimes, after installing updates, the display shows an Inaccessible boot device error when loading Windows 10.

She will be discussed. Let's consider why such a message appears, what it means, how to avoid the problem in the future, and, most importantly, how to fix it in order to continue working at the computer.

The error appears not only after updating the "dozens" (although this is the main reason for its occurrence). This also happens when restarting the PC after rolling back the operating system, updating the BIOS of the motherboard, breaking down the hard / solid state drive, and in other cases.

When the message appears: Inaccessible boot device Windows 10 while turning on the computer, perform the following steps:

• we check the priority of boot devices in the corresponding BIOS / UEFI section (the hard drive where the “ten” is installed should be the first);
• we disconnect all external drives from USB ports, which include flash cards, a camera, a camera, a smartphone, an e-book.

Sometimes after that, Windows 10 boots properly, but the percentage of successful launches is low.

If immediately before the error appeared, any hardware part of the PC was replaced or a new hard drive was connected, be sure to check the reliability of the connections, and in the case of the HDD, connect it to another free cable (SATA port).

Problem appearing due to a Windows 10 update

Let's start from simpler solutions to the problem, when the inscription: "Inaccessible boot device" prevents the system from starting.

The method is relevant for cases with updating Windows 10 and its complete reset.

1. After displaying information about the error, a menu appears prompting you to open a window for additional system boot options, which we do.

2. In it, go to the "Troubleshooting" icon.

3. Go to the "Boot Options" section and click on the "Restart" button.

After the reboot, a pre-boot menu will appear asking you to select the operating system startup mode.

4. Select "Safe Mode" using the F4 key (sometimes it's just "4").

5. After turning on the PC in debug mode, restart it by any convenient method.

In most cases, such a simple solution helps out.

If the option does not fit, at the third step of the proposed guide, select "Startup Repair". Oddly enough, the algorithms proposed by Microsoft can solve even more serious problems.

The cause of the problem was an improper shutdown (power failure) or flashing the BIOS chip

Here, the “Inaccessible boot device” culprit is the BIOS setting, which is responsible for the mode of operation of hard drives using the SATA interface (this standard is mainly used on modern computers). After reprogramming (software update) the BIOS in the settings, the operating mode of the SATA drive can be set to IDE.

If this happens, we change it to AHCI (sometimes the inverse replacement of operating modes, especially if you have an old HDD connected via IDE, also helps to start Windows 10).

The mode of operation of the drive can also go astray if the CMOS battery (a microcircuit that works like RAM, only on a BIOS scale) has depleted its charge. In this case, it is worth purchasing a new power supply (it looks like a flat tablet) and replacing it, changing the mode of operation of the SATA drive after that.

Damage to the hard drive or a change in its logical structure

The essence of the message "Boot device is not available" speaks for itself: during the transfer of control to the boot loader, the latter was not detected (or it was damaged). The reasons for this can be both problems of the physical level (damage to the hard drive) and logical (defects in the file table, unsuccessful HDD breakdown).

In any case, you should boot into the "dozens" resume environment using the "Advanced Options" or an external bootable drive with the Windows 10 distribution.

1. In the recovery environment, go to the "Troubleshooting" section.

2. In the "Diagnostics" subsection, call the command line.

3. Find out the letter label of the system volume.

This is done through a set of sequentially executed commands:

• diskpart - call a utility for working with disks and their partitions;
• list volume - visualization of data on all volumes and non-volatile storage media connected to the computer (it is in the table after calling the command that we pay attention to the letter designation of the system partition and disk, with a volume of about 300-550 megabytes, where the operating system loader is located);
• exit – termination of the utility operation.

4. Run the program to search for damaged system files.

To do this, execute the command "chkdsk c: / r", where C is the label of the system partition, and / r is the argument for launching the application to check the integrity of system files with the function of restoring them.

If it was necessary to launch the scan in the operating mode of the system, we agree with the launch of the scanning application the next time the computer is restarted.

With a significant amount of disk space and/or a fair amount of bad sectors, the scanning and recovery procedure may take several hours.

If you assume that installing a second operating system or partitioning a hard drive, one of its partitions, or making changes to the file system of the drive by any other method has become a factor in the appearance of the problem, use the bcdboot system tool. It is designed to form system partitions and restore Windows boot.

To fix the problem, enter "bcdboot.exe C:\Windows /s F:":

C - system volume;

/s is an argument telling the application that the system disk will be manipulated;

F - letter label of the partition (its size is in the range of 300-550 MB) with the bootloader.

After executing the commands, close the command line, reboot.

Finally

Windows 10 still won't boot? In this case, it is recommended to roll back the operating system. The restore point should be the one that was created before the problem occurred. As a last resort, before the next reinstallation of the operating system, use the hard reset feature of Windows 10.

Since the PC does not boot to reset the operating system, we will use the boot device from which the “ten” was installed, or the drive with the Windows 10 distribution kit of the same assembly as installed on the computer.

1. We boot from the installation flash drive using the ability to quickly call the boot-menu.

2. We get to the screen with the "Install" button and click on the inscription located at the bottom: "System Restore".

3. In the OS recovery environment menu, select "Troubleshooting".

6. We check the specified parameters and click "Reset" to start the rollback of "tens".

When you try to reset Windows 10, the files of which are located on the system partition, a problem may arise: the program that performs the rollback will most likely refuse to save the data and offer to reset Windows 10 by deleting them. In this case, you will have to start from a bootable Live CD and copy important files to a volume other than the system volume.

This article collects the most common startup errors in Windows 10 and how to fix them. We hope this information will make life a little easier for those who switched to the new version of the system and suddenly found themselves between a rock and a hard place.

1. Windows 10: "The computer did not start correctly"

The first common problem when starting Windows 10 is that the system reports some kind of critical error ( CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED, INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE) and then displays a blue screen of "Automatic Repair" with the text .

Automatic Repair: The computer did not start correctly

The reason for this error, in most cases, is damage and deletion of system files or registry entries. This may be caused by installing and removing programs, or by the actions of antiviruses or utilities for cleaning the Windows registry.

The solution to the problem is to restore files and registry entries that are damaged:

1. Click on the button Extra options on the blue screen, select Troubleshooting> Extra options > Download options.
2. Click Reload.
3. In the window Download options press the F6 key or the number 6 on the numeric keypad to start Safe Mode with command line support.
4. The computer will restart in safe mode and a command prompt will open automatically. In it enter:

sfc /scannow dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth shutdown -r

The computer will restart and after that Windows will start in normal mode.

2. Windows 10 won't load past the logo

Another known issue is that the system boots up to the Windows logo, after which the computer randomly shuts down. The reason for this error is also the corruption of system files, however, unlike the first case, the damage is so severe that the system cannot start the recovery itself.

In this case, you will have to create a Windows Rescue Disk on another Windows 10 PC:

1. In the Windows 10 Control Panel, find and select Recovery > Create a recovery drive.
2. In the window that appears, set the parameter Back up system files to a recovery drive and press Dalley.
3. Connect an empty USB drive to your computer. Select it in the Create Recovery Drive window and click Next > Create.Wait for the files to finish copying and press Ready.
4. Remove the USB drive from your computer, plug it into one that won't run Windows 10, and enable BIOS to boot from it.
5. The Windows Recovery Environment will start. It has to choose Restoring a system image, or item Command line, and then enter the commands from the instructions for solving the first problem in it.

Windows Recovery Environment

You can also start the System Restore Environment from the disc that you installed Windows from. To do this, you need to boot from the installation disk, in the bootloader instead of Install press System Restore. In the menu that appears, select Troubleshooting> Extra options. The same options window shown above will open.

After recovery, the computer will restart. Set the BIOS back to boot from the hard drive and the system should start correctly.

3. "Boot Failure" and "An operating system wasn't found" errors

In some cases, when starting Windows 10, instead of loading the operating system, a black screen occurs with one of two errors:

1. boot failure. Reboot and Select Proper Boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device.
2. An operating system wasn't found. Try disconnecting any drives that don't contain an operating system. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart.

There can be two reasons for this error:

1. Wrong boot device order in BIOS or UEFI. Make sure you are booting from the drive where Windows 10 is installed.
2. Damage to the system loader. In this case, you will also need an installation disk or an emergency recovery disk for Windows 10. After booting from it, in the recovery environment, select Boot recovery and let the bootloader files be overwritten.

Also, the problem may be hardware damage to the hard drive from which you are booting.

Boot failure error

4. Windows 10 won't start: black screen

A common error when starting Windows 10 is a black screen with no signs of loading the desktop, with or without a frozen cursor on the screen. This often happens as a result of incorrect installation of any drivers: after a reboot, the computer works, but the OS does not boot.

In most cases, the solution to the problem lies in the rollback of the system. To do this, you will also need an installation disk or a Windows 10 emergency recovery disk. After booting from it, in the recovery environment, you can try to select the item System Restore.

This will allow you to roll back the system to the state before the problem occurred. The system will prompt you to select a restore point to which the rollback will be performed, and after confirmation it will perform it. As a rule, after a reboot, the black screen disappears.

5. Windows 10 takes a long time to boot on startup

There is a situation when Windows 10 does not load, the waiting icon is spinning, and that's it. In fact, most likely, nothing bad is happening - the system simply installs the updates that it downloaded the last time you used the computer.

In this situation, it's best to just wait. This state can last for several hours, depending on the number and volume of downloaded updates. It is recommended not to turn off the computer, but to leave it in the boot state for 1-2 hours.

To prevent this error when starting Windows 10 again, you can set up a scheduled computer update so that the system does not download updates without your knowledge. To learn how to edit update policies, read our.