Inaccessible Boot Device Windows 10

[JorgeW]

I neeed help to recover this computer.  It was upgraded to Window 10 Home from Windows 7 x64.  If i remember I was able to do it for free.

It will not boot up into Windows.  I have tried all options fo restore to earlier image, restore files so-on, but it will not work.  I do not have any backup disks for Windows 7 or Windows 10.

The error message is INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE.  Next screen: automatic repair.  Doesn't wor.  Next screen shows two options: restart or advanced options.  These buttons don't work.

The hardware is OK checked vis Diagnostics (F2) at th Sartup Menu.

No software has been added nor any devices have been installed recently.  

How can I boot in a Safe Mode, if at all?

If I have to make a system recovery (erases the HD) where do I obtain the WIN 10 files to reinstall?

I tried using the HP backup program (F11) but have not been able to save the files neither to a pen-drive nor to an external HD.

I will appreciate any help on how to fix this especially how to save my files.  

Reply

0

[WAWood]

@JorgeW

Hello;

Allow me to welcome you to the HP forums!

In an older PC, that error message often means the hard drive is failing, causing corruption of the file system and the boot loader files.

You can not boot into Safe mode if the boot loader files are corrupted.

These problems are generally due to one of two basic problems:
1) Failed hard drive
2) Corrupted/missing boot loader files
 
As to the first, please follow the directions in this link for testing your hard drive: http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c00439024
 
If that confirms your drive has failed, then you need to replace it.  Please report back if that is the case.
 
As to the second, you will need access to a working PC for this step in order to create the media needed to repair your PC boot loader.
 
Once you have that, please download and create Win10 install media from this link: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/media-creation-tool-install?ocid=ms_wol_win10
 
Note that when you go do download and build install media, the tool defaults to matching what is already installed on your PC (as in, Home for Home, 64-bit for 64-bit).  While you CAN change these settings, do NOT. If you do, the resulting media will be different and will force you to enter a NEW product code!
 
Boot from the media you created, and follow the directions in this link: http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2294-advanced-startup-options-boot-windows-10-a.html
 
You will need to go to the Advanced Options screen and click on Startup Repair.  You will probably have to run Startup Repair three times for it to fix all the boot loader problems.
 
When done, your PC should boot OK. If it does not, there is a more serious problem.

[PiotrekK]

Hi i have to the same error. I think the problem started when system install latest spectre i meltdown updates from microsoft. I lookin solution about one week and nothing. I have this problem on 15 random computers hp 8200 and 8300 SFF.

[JorgeW]

Hi:  Nothing worked;  I had to reinstall Win 10.

[PiotrekK]

Format is not solution for me

[PiotrekK]

Hi The solution is: when you see blue screen must restore to last checkpoint.

After system starting install KB4073290. Working for me

[PJV_Consulting]

We're seeing the same issue on Intel based PCs, like the ProDesk 600 G2 SFF. 

User gets a black screen on restart. We have to unplug PC, replug, power back on... Windows attempts a repair, restarts, fails to repair...blue screens to Inaccessible Boot Device.  We can then either restore to previous restore point or reimage. In either case, the issue seems to return once either Windows updates or HP Support Framework updates (still trying to determine which is causing the issue). 

Installing KB4073290 does not apply, as these are not PCs using the AMD chipset. 

Anyone else have a solution specific to Intel chipsets? 

[eruokonen]

Same thing with me! Several clients HP desktops running Windows 10 Pro are reporting Inaccessable Boot Device. This is a huge problem! What's the fix? I can't wipe these computer and reinstall. I need to get the machines back!

[mdklassen]

>  The error message is INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE. 

> No software has been added nor any devices have been installed recently.

Are you sure that a BIOS update was not done? 

That is a "software update", of sorts.

It may have changed some BIOS settings.

Enter BIOS SETUP, and check the mode (IDE,  AHCI, RAID) that the motherboard is using.

If it is different from the mode that was in effect when Windows was installed, you will get that 'INACCESSIBLE' message.

This does *NOT* mean that there are any "physical" problems with the disk-drive.

As you stated, the disk-drive gets a "pass" from the HP Hardware Diagnostics.

[PJV_Consulting]

Unlikely to be a BIOS issue since choosing a previous Windows restore point will in some cases get the PC to boot. To reiterate... not a reimage... simply choosing Advanced Troubleshooting during Windows 10 repair options, and picking a restore point a few days before the event will often get the PC back to a working state. But, this has proven to be a temporary fix, as the issue will return soon after. We assume, the issue is returning due to a Microsoft, HP, or Intel Meltdown patch... but, still have not managed to narrow in on which patch is causing this on HP desktops. 

What's weird is that its random. In an office with six identical ProDesk 600 G2 PCs running Win 10 Pro, only 2 have exhibited the issue and we have found nothing different on these PCs from the others. 

My theory is that the cause is Windows Meltdown related patches being installed in an improper order on the PCs in question ...since so many of the Meltdown patches have been corrected by subsequent patches. 

My strategy on the PCs where reimaging has not worked (the issue returned), has been to reimage to a date prior to Jan. 3, 2018 and then either delay/pause the updates or hope for the best with Automatic Updates. Jan 3 appears to be the release date for most of the Meltdown Windows patches. 

My guess is that when we reimage using say a mid January backup... there's still a Windows patch that was installed on or after the 3rd that conflicts with a subsequent patch. 

Whether this is going to resolve the issue remains to be seen. We have also noted quite a few BIOS updates on HP PCs lately ...so, it's possible something BIOS related is also at play. But these issues appear to me to be more registry related than anything else. Something corrupts or changes the registry in such a way as to make the PC unbootable.

Additionally, the PCs we've seen this behavior on all have single 250 GB Samsung SSDs (factory HP), so there would be no other BIOS option for the SATA interface besides the default AHCI ....As opposed to RAID or IDE, for example.  In other words, why would a BIOS update default to something other than AHCI? 

Neverthless, since we've been seeing this consistently, we will check the BIOS on the next one and compare it with other working stations of the same model.