Solved Can't boot b/c "device inaccessible" after Windows Update (SSD)

[crosswithyou]

Can't boot b/c "device inaccessible" after Windows Update (SSD)

Hi. I'm running Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. Yesterday I installed some new Windows Updates. Everything went fine, but when I restarted my PC in the morning, it would not boot because the "device is inaccessible." Huh??? I ran Startup Repair from my installation disk and that was unsuccessful. Chkdsk did not help either. The bootable OS is on a Toshiba 128GB SSD I recently purchased, and along with the OS only programs are on the drive. All my files are on separate HDDs.

I reinstalled Windows on my old HDD partition (of course I had to go and format it since I thought the SSD was finally stable enough and I didn't need that old OS partition anymore >__>) and ran TestDisk on the SSD. I tried repairing the boot files or something but it told me that the Backup Boot Sector (I think it was?) was not writable and that it couldn't repair. I am still able to access the SSD and its files with no problems. I just can't seem to boot from it. It'll be starting up and then flash a blue screen for a split second (too fast for me to read what the text says) and then restarts.

I'm thinking of reinstalling all my programs on this fresh install of Windows (after I get MS to reactivate my product code but that's another story) and then cloning it over to the SSD. That's a real pain though so if I can somehow get my PC to boot off the SSD again that would be best. Any ideas??

 

[rvcjew]

if you can get into the recovery with a startup disk then run bootrec.exe /fixboot and see if it helps might also have to do rebuildbcd take a look at this http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392 before attempting it. and make sure it does it to the right drive(might want to unplug all of them except for the ssd including external drives).

 

[crosswithyou]

if you can get into the recovery with a startup disk then run bootrec.exe /fixboot and see if it helps might also have to do rebuildbcd take a look at this Use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows before attempting it. and make sure it does it to the right drive(might want to unplug all of them except for the ssd including external drives).

Hi. I'm trying to run BootRec from the command prompt but while typing bootrec.exe will give me a list of options, I don't know how to execute any of them. Typing a number of combinations to try to execute them gives me "The parameter is incorrect." I've grid typing things that others have written in guides but none work. Any ideas?

 

[rvcjew]

do do any of the options listed in that link i posted you need to do for example:
bootrec.exe /fixboot

 

[crosswithyou]

do do any of the options listed in that link i posted you need to do for example:
bootrec.exe /fixboot

Yes, I tried that and then it told me that the parameters were incorrect. Typing just "bootrec.exe" works but all it does is give me a list of possible commands and what they do, FixBoot being one of them. I can't figure out how to actually make it do any of the commands.

 

[rvcjew]

are you putting a space between exe and /?
also try
bootrec.exe /scanos

 

[crosswithyou]

are you putting a space between exe and /?
also try
bootrec.exe /scanos

Yes I am. I've tried "bootrec.exe /fixboot," "bootrec.exe/fixboot," "bootrec.exe fixboot" and many other variations, including typing it as "FixBoot," etc. Nothing seems to work. I'm not at home right now so I can't try the above command, but it's possible it might just give me the same result.

 

[rvcjew]

are you putting a space between exe and /?
also try
bootrec.exe /scanos

Yes I am. I've tried "bootrec.exe /fixboot," "bootrec.exe/fixboot," "bootrec.exe fixboot" and many other variations, including typing it as "FixBoot," etc. Nothing seems to work. I'm not at home right now so I can't try the above command, but it's possible it might just give me the same result.

it may be giving you the problem with the other one because it doesn't think windows is installed. the scanos command will scan all drives to look for windows. EDIT: when you installed windows initially did you have you hdd in at the same time as your ssd?

 

[crosswithyou]

it may be giving you the problem with the other one because it doesn't think windows is installed. the scanos command will scan all drives to look for windows. EDIT: when you installed windows initially did you have you hdd in at the same time as your ssd?

Uh-oh. I tried /scanos and it's giving me a big fat zero. That doesn't sound good. When I open up Repair my computer, the messed up install does show up as "Windows 7 Professional (recovered)" or something though. Do I have no choice but to reinstall from scratch?

My SSD was plugged in when I reinstalled Windows on the old HDD partition.

Geez, how could a Windows Update go so wrong?? -____-

 

[crosswithyou]

I ran chkdsk again and get a "The second NTSF boot sector is unwriteable" error. I'm assuming this is the root of my problems. Any idea on how to fix? Or maybe even how this problem happened in the first place? I'm wondering if my SSD is bad or something, though I can still access it, just not boot Windows from it.

 

[rvcjew]

do you get the same problem with /rebuildbcd ? You might want to do a repair install or back up your data and install from scratch yes. either way when you do either do not have anything but the ssd in the computer so its bcd is made onto that drive and nothing else, you basically have a os atm with no bootloader. as for the error you might also have a dying ssd that is possible too. for that reason i would if you have the resources back up that drive then reinstall windows from scratch and in the windows installer delete all partitions on the drive and let the installer make new ones for the install. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

 

[crosswithyou]

Ended up reinstalling Windows on a different drive, formatting the SSD, and then copying the OS partition onto the SSD again. Lots of work but things are up 'n running again.