Tired of the crash error Inaccessible Boot Device on Windows 11?
All Windows users are generally expected to have encountered the Blue Screen of Death error at least once in their life. It’s a common crash of your boot crash error that prevents your system from accessing the system drive and consequently from booting up. Out of frustration, users may straight up reinstall their Windows without exploring any fixes.
To prevent this, Windows will display a stop error code so that you may search the internet to learn how to resolve the issue. The Inaccessible Boot Device is one such stop code. There are various causes for it like faulty drivers, corrupted system files, damaged BIOS, disconnected HDD or SSD, or even some third-party programs.
If you’re experiencing this, don’t panic. Below, we’ve covered several fixes for the Inaccessible Boot Device error on Windows 11 that will help protect your system from failing.
So without further ado, let’s get right to it!
1. Check Boot Device For Any Damage.
One of the reasons for the Inaccessible Boot Drive error on Windows 11 is loose connections. So before we jump to some serious fixes, your first step should be to take out the drive, clean the pins, and reinsert it. Also, make sure you’re connecting the SATA/IDE cable correctly.
If you find that the drive may be damaged, it’s best to take it to the nearby hardware store and get it checked. If the damage is verified, immediately recover the data before it becomes readable. After that, get yourself a new device to replace the damaged one.
2. Remove Recently Installed Programs.
At times, a third-party application may start interfering with the system and prevent it from booting up. In this case, you should uninstall the program immediately so that you can regain access to your computer.
The uninstallation process can be managed by using CMD, which is accessible in the Recovery mode. You can also use the Windows installation media for the same reason.
Just follow the steps below to uninstall third-party programs from your PC:
- Plug in the Windows installation media and click on Next from the installation wizard.
- After that, select Repair your computer.
- From Choose an Option screen, click on Troubleshoot.
- Choose Advanced Options.
- Then, click on Command Prompt.
- Now, type out the following command and hit the Enter key:
dir- Then, copy and paste the following command, erase LTR, and include the drive letter where your Windows is saved:
Dism /Image:LTR:\ /Get-Packages- To uninstall a program, use this command and press the Enter key:
exe /image:LTR:\/remove-package/packagename:NAME3. Perform Startup Repair.
The BSOD error renders your computer inaccessible. Fortunately, a built-in utility called Windows Recovery Environment is available outside of Windows, through which you can perform various functions to repair your system.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Click on Troubleshoot after rebooting into the Recovery mode.
- Choose the Advanced option and click on Startup Repair.
- Provide your account info to sign into your account.
- Wait for the system to resolve any startup issues in your computer.
- Lastly, restart your PC.
4. Update Or Uninstall Drivers.
Outdated or faulty drivers, specifically SATA and GPU, most often result in the Inaccessible Boot Device on Windows 11. So, you are advised to update or uninstall such drivers to resolve the issue.
Since you can’t access your system normally, boot into Safe Mode instead to perform the task. Here’s how:
- From the Recovery mode, open the Command Prompt.
- Check for the drivers installed on your PC through the following command:
type C:\drivers.txt- Now, copy and paste the command and replace NAME with the driver you wish to uninstall:
pnputil.exe -d NAME.inf- To install or update a driver, use this command:
pnputil.exe -a LTR:\NAME.INF- After you’re done, enter this command to close Command Prompt:
exit- Lastly, reboot your computer and recheck if the issue persists.
6. Run CHKDSK.
CHKDSK is a command to run a disk scan on your computer. Once done, it displays the report for that disk and also corrects all errors found in it. However, it requires the Autochk.exe file to run.
Follow these steps to run CHKDSK on your PC:
- Boot your device into Recovery Mode and click on Command Prompt from the Advanced Options screen.
- Next, type out the following command and press Enter:
chkdsk /f /r c:
- Once done, close the Command Prompt by entering the following:
exit
Restart your computer and check if the issue is resolved or not.
7. Run SFC And DISM Scan.
Both the SFC and DISM scans can be performed on your PC from the Command Prompt. SFC tool scans all system files for any damage and replaces or repairs them. Afterward, DISM is run to service and restore Windows images.
Below are the steps you need to follow:
- Launch Command Prompt from the Recovery mode.
- Run SFC scan on your PC with the command mentioned below:
sfc /scannow
- Now, copy and paste the following command to repair Windows images:
DISM /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Try rebooting your computer now and check whether you’re able to boot into Windows 11. Otherwise, you may have to reset Windows 11.
8. Reset Windows 11.
The Inaccessible Boot Device on Windows 10 and 11 is a common problem among users. If it is so severe that none of the fixes prove effective, your last resort is to reset Windows. Since you won’t be able to log in, you’ll need to use the Windows Recovery Environment.
Here’s how to do it:
- Launch Windows Settings by using the Win + i keys from your keyboard.
- Next, navigate to Windows Update from the left pane and select Advanced options from the right side of the screen.
- Then, click on Recovery.
- Now, choose the Reset button from the Recovery options section.
- Finally, follow the on-screen instructions to reset your PC.
This brings us to the end of our guide on how to fix inaccessible boot device on Windows 11. If you have further queries, feel free to utilize the comments section below. We’ll be more than happy to help.
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