How to fix the Inaccessible Boot Device (Stop Code 0x0000007B) issue

"Inaccessible Boot Device" refers to a situation where the operating system fails to locate or access the designated startup device, such as a hard drive, USB drive, or CD/DVD drive, during the computer's boot process. This often leads to a blue screen error with the mentioned message. This issue can be caused by hardware failures, driver issues, incorrect BIOS settings, or damage to the operating system. To resolve it, one may need to check hardware connections, update drivers, correct BIOS settings, or repair/reinstall the operating system.

The specific error message "Inaccessible Boot Device" and the related "Stop Code 0x0000007b" might sound foreign, but the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is something we're all familiar with. Simply put, the "Inaccessible Boot Device" error is one of the most common BSOD errors that often occur during the boot process of a Windows 10 PC or laptop, especially after a major Windows 10 upgrade, software update, or system reset. As such, when you encounter this inaccessible boot device issue, you won't be able to start Windows 10 as usual and access your computer data because Windows loses track of the path to the system partition.

Common boot devices include hard drives, SSDs, CDs/DVDs, and USB drives. Reports suggest that BOSD issues are more common in computers running on SSDs.

So, the million-dollar question is how to get past an inaccessible boot device, remove the 0x0000007B error, fix the blue screen of death or restart your computer without losing any important data? You need to figure out the possible causes and first try to get access to your computer data using a reliable third-party bootable data recovery software in some other way.

What is an inaccessible boot device?

Why can't the boot device be accessed? You may ask. Similar to other Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) messages, like Operating System Not Found or Critical Process Died, this issue is usually caused by:

The problem can be caused by any of the following:
• Damaged, outdated, or incorrectly configured drivers
• A damaged, corrupted, or failed hard disk (i.e., the boot drive)
• Hardware conflicts with system updates or changes
• Other minor factors, such as loose or damaged cables connecting to the software; malware or virus infections.

How to Recover Data from an Unbootable Boot Device

There's no need to be an expert to handle a Blue Screen of Death data recovery, as there are smart tools that can do the job for you. The Data Recovery Wizard Pro with Bootable Media tool is designed to recover data when Windows fails to start, boot, or gets stuck in an endless black or blue screen of death loop, such as the “Access Denied Boot Device” error.

Since your computer is completely frozen with the “Non-system disk or disk error” message, you will need to use a working computer to download and install the necessary bootable data recovery software, and then create a bootable CD/DVD or USB drive. The entire data recovery from blue screen of death process can be divided into three stages:

Create a bootable drive on another computer – Boot the unbootable computer from the drive you created – Complete the full data recovery.

Step 1: Create a Bootable Disk

Launch the Data Recovery Wizard, select Crashed PC Recovery, and then click Recover.

Select an empty USB drive and click “Create.”

Warning: When creating a bootable disk, tools Data Recovery Wizard will wipe out all data saved on the USB device. Please back up important data in advance.

Step 2: Boot your computer from the bootable USB

Connect the bootable disk to the unbootable computer, and change your computer's boot order in BIOS. For most users, restarting your computer and pressing F2 to enter BIOS will work.

Set the computer to boot from “Removable Device” (your bootable USB drive) instead of the hard drive. Press “F10” to save and exit.

Step 3: Recover data from a crashed system/computer

Boot from the Data Recovery Wizard Bootable CD/DVD/USB, select the drive you wish to scan for all lost files. Preview and recover desired files to a secure location.

How to Fix Unbootable Boot Device Issues (6 Verification Methods)

Given that most users encountering the “Unbootable Boot Device” Blue Screen issue aren't exactly tech-savvy, they're worried that they can't fix it. Thanks to simple and reliable data recovery solutions, we can at least access the data and export it to a safe location. Likewise, the five troubleshooting methods below have been proven to help the OS locate the boot device correctly and start the computer properly.

Fix 1: Use the Windows Repair Service to Address Unavailable Boot Device Issue

You may refer to Windows Data Recovery Service to fix any system startup issues, including system crash, blue screen, BIOS issues, boot device problem, etc.

Windows Recovery Utility

Contact our experts for a free assessment via live chat

Consult with our data recovery specialists for personalized manual recovery assistance. After a free diagnosis, we offer the following services:

• Fix Windows boot issues, including Blue Screen errors
• Repair Windows errors and configure the Windows environment
• Restore the system when it fails to start
• Optimize Windows computers for improved performance

Solution 2: Uninstall recently installed packages

You would need to use the Windows Command Prompt to perform this task, to uninstall recently installed packages that might be causing the error.

To launch the Windows Command Prompt immediately, go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now. This will bring up a new blue screen from where you should continue to select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.

When the Command Prompt window appears, proceed with the full steps to uninstall the unwanted package that you recently installed.

Step 1: Type dir c: and press Enter. (C is the drive where Windows is installed.)

Step 2: Run Dism /Image:c:\ /Get-Packages. Here, you'll see all the packages installed on the system. Identify the recently installed package by using appropriate means such as date. Note down the name of the package.

Step 3: Type dism.exe /image:c:\ /remove-package /[package name]. This command removes the specific package that is causing the problem.

Step 4: Restart your computer.

Fix 3: Remove 'Pending Upgrade' packages

Windows 10 loves to install updates without notifying you, and you never know when an update might get stuck indefinitely. Some Windows updates can get permanently stuck while installing. Pending update packages can cause the “Access is denied” boot error. You can also try using the Windows Command Prompt to remove incomplete update packages.

Step 1. Like in Solution 1, open the Windows Command Prompt.

Step 2. Run the three commands in order from the list to delete the SessionsPending registry entry. Press Enter after each line.

Load the registry key into HKLM\temp: reg load HKLM\temp c:\windows\system32\config\software
Delete a registry value: reg delete "HKLM\temp\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\SessionsPending"/v Exclusive
Unload the HKLM\temp registry key: reg unload HKLM\temp

Step 3: Next, list all the updates to be processed by typing dism /image:C:\ /get-packages and redirect the output to a temporary file. Note any updates listed as “Pending Installation.”

Step 4. Type MKDIR C:\temp\packages to create a temporary folder, and then press Enter.

5. Finally, type dism /image:c:\ /remove-package /packagename:[package name] /scratchdir:c:\temp\packages and press Enter to move all pending packages to the temp folder.

Fix 4: Enable AHCI mode in the BIOS

The steps for accessing the BIOS and the appearance of the BIOS menu itself can vary slightly, depending on the manufacturer (like Lenovo, Dell, or Acer).

In any case, one way to resolve the "Inaccessible Boot Device" error is to switch the AHCI mode value to Enabled in the BIOS. You can enter the BIOS by pressing the corresponding key (usually F2, Escape, or Delete), then navigate to the Advanced options menu > Set AHCI Mode, and change the value to Enabled.

Fix 5: Update Drivers

Drivers are crucial for Windows to use hardware correctly. Issues with a driver, such as it being outdated, corrupted, or incompatible with Windows 10, can lead to problems like the “Access denied to the startup device.”

There are two ways to update your faulty driver. If you still remember the manufacturer of your hardware, visit its official website and download the latest controller driver, such as IDE/ATA or SATA.

Alternatively, you can update the driver automatically through Device Manager. Press Windows + R, then type devmgmt.msc into the Run prompt and press Enter. In Device Manager, locate and expand the IDE ATA/SATA controllers sub-menu, right-click on Standard SATA AHCI Controller, and select Update Driver. After restarting, Windows will automatically check for and install the necessary drivers for you.

Fix 6: Check and fix hard drive damage

This could be caused by a damaged boot partition. To check and repair the system C: drive, you need to boot into Windows using the Recovery Console and run the following command.

Note: Running chkdsk to fix hard drive corruption can lead to data loss. Therefore, perform data recovery beforehand and then proceed with the CMD method.

Step 1: Press the Windows + X keys and select "Command Prompt (Admin)."

Step 2: Type chkdsk /r C: and press Enter.

Are you interested in general solutions for a blue screen of death? The video showcases three of the most common ones that can help you get rid of a BSoD and are also worth trying for an “access denied” boot device error.

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Conclusions

This article primarily discusses the meaning, causes, and solutions for the "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD) issue, specifically with the error message "Access Denied to Boot Device," and a stop code of 0x0000007B. Additionally, when you encounter a BSOD or black screen that prevents immediate computer startup, you can attempt to use a bootable data recovery software tool to access important data.

I also often get questions about “unbootable boot devices.”

How to fix the "Unbootable Boot Device" error?

On this page, we've outlined the complete method to fix the "Inaccessible Boot Device" error - 0x0000007B. To summarize, here are all the possible fixes you can try:

• #1. Uninstall recently installed software packages
• #2. Remove "Pending Updates" packages
• #3. Enable AHCI mode in BIOS
• #4. Update drivers
• #5. Check and fix hard drive issues for corruption

For a step-by-step guide, refer to the 6 proven methods on this page for assistance.

What does it mean if your computer says “No Boot Device Found”?

The “Inaccessible Boot Device” error with the code 0x0000007B is a typical Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) issue that often occurs on Windows-based computers and laptops.

In short, “No Bootable Device” means that your computer can't find your hard drive (HDD). This means that all the data stored on your computer (files, programs, photos, etc.) and the version of Windows or other operating system you have installed can't be accessed or loaded.

Then you get a blue screen of death, and the computer won't start up.

How do I fix error code 0xc0000001?

Here's a quick guide to fix the 0xc0000001 error on Windows 10/8/7/XP:

1. Restart your computer. 2. Hold down the Shift + F8 keys while booting up to access the Recovery screen. 3. Select "Advanced repair options." 4. Navigate to "Troubleshoot" and then choose "Advanced options." 5. Select "Windows Startup Settings." 6. Click on "Restart."