Inaccessible Boot Device

[KonArtist]

Hello everyone

So I'm having a problem with my ACER Aspire 5 laptop. When I turn it on, it brings up the ACER logo and the spinning wheel as if it loading, but then after a few seconds it goes to the dreaded blue screen with the message inaccessible boot device. I've taken the rear cover off, removed and then reseated the SSD but still nothing. What you saying, am I looking a dead SSD or could something else be at play. I am planning on plugging the SSD in in to my desktop just to see if windows can see and read it but apart from that not really sure what else to do. Any ideas?
Not to sure on the specs before people ask.

Thanks

 

[Zed Clampet]

Sounds like it, but not necessarily. Recently after a Windows update my laptop lost track of my D drive, and I had to get it to recognize it again. You might want to make a bootable external drive, and go in and see what it looks like, etc.

 

[KonArtist]

That's a good idea, I'll need it anyway to put windows on a new drive. Saves putting in the desktop as well. Gonna give this a go.
Thanks.

 

[Colif]

I have seen this fixed by a clean install of windows.
Its also possible its the ssd itself, and if its a physical problem, software diagnostics might not see it.

 

[Zed Clampet]

I have seen this fixed by a clean install of windows.
Its also possible its the ssd itself, and if its a physical problem, software diagnostics might not see it.

How exactly do you do a clean installation of windows on a drive that isn't registering?

The most likely problem is the SSD is dead, but it's worth the time to troubleshoot it. The first step should be the Windows troubleshooter. It takes less than 5 seconds.

 

[Colif]

How exactly do you do a clean installation of windows on a drive that isn't registering?

it can depend on if drive always behaves the same way. Sometimes the error can be on and off, so PC will boot fine most of the time, and then others it won't. In those cases you can clean install or at least format drive.

 

[Zed Clampet]

it can depend on if drive always behaves the same way. Sometimes the error can be on and off, so PC will boot fine most of the time, and then others it won't. In those cases you can clean install or at least format drive.

You're still trying to get me to reinstall Windows, aren't you?

 

[KonArtist]

You're still trying to get me to reinstall Windows, aren't you?

it can depend on if drive always behaves the same way. Sometimes the error can be on and off, so PC will boot fine most of the time, and then others it won't. In those cases you can clean install or at least format drive.

To be honest it was all of a sudden. Booted up fine one day and then nothing the next. I deffo think SSD is dead.

 

[Colif]

SSD can just die. They aren't like hdd where you can hear noises that offer a clue. They can just stop.
I haven't had that happen as yet. AFAIK all of mine still work, the only unknown is in a PC I haven't turned on for 5 years, so good chance its started to forget data. But that isn't a fault of the drive itself, more a feature of most ssd if left unpowered for a few years.

 

[KonArtist]

Thanks still haven't had the time to look in to this some more but will let you guys know more when I do.

 

[KonArtist]

Ok guys finally got around to creating the bootable usb. I used Rufus as windows media tool is so slow. Anyway can't access the boot menu to change the order. So guess it's back to my original idea to take the SSD out and put it in our desktop and see if I can figure anything from there.

 

[Charagma]

Hi, I am new here so just saw your post.

Few possibilities to look into before destroying your drive or reloading.

1. Unplug the ssd and plug it back in (Both sides of the cable if it has a cable connector. (Retry starting)
2. Goto your BIOS and check if the drive shows up in your bios under devices. If not do a search for it and if it does not detect, start looking at the hardware side of things.

If it finds your ssd....... (Retry booting to it)

3. I have found on some HP laptops, the system loose the UEFI. For this you need to switch in your bios to non uefi. Windows will be having a field day with you but get it to start up in safe mode with command prompt. Once there run the DISM and Scannow from the command prompt with administrator. I can search the commands in google for you if you are unable to (Just tell me if you need me to). When it is complete (few hours) go back into your BIOS and switch back to UEFI booting. Window's will do the rest.

4. Lastly SATA vs IDE vs EIDE (Think was EIDE, was enhanced something) switch in some BIOSes. If you installed in the one you cannot switch to the other. It simply would not recognize any software on the drive if changed. Once you select one stick with it.

Hope it helps. Unless the SSD completely crashed or your port on the laptop burned, there is still hope.

 

[KonArtist]

Hi, I am new here so just saw your post.

Few possibilities to look into before destroying your drive or reloading.

1. Unplug the ssd and plug it back in (Both sides of the cable if it has a cable connector. (Retry starting)
2. Goto your BIOS and check if the drive shows up in your bios under devices. If not do a search for it and if it does not detect, start looking at the hardware side of things.

If it finds your ssd....... (Retry booting to it)

3. I have found on some HP laptops, the system loose the UEFI. For this you need to switch in your bios to non uefi. Windows will be having a field day with you but get it to start up in safe mode with command prompt. Once there run the DISM and Scannow from the command prompt with administrator. I can search the commands in google for you if you are unable to (Just tell me if you need me to). When it is complete (few hours) go back into your BIOS and switch back to UEFI booting. Window's will do the rest.

4. Lastly SATA vs IDE vs EIDE (Think was EIDE, was enhanced something) switch in some BIOSes. If you installed in the one you cannot switch to the other. It simply would not recognize any software on the drive if changed. Once you select one stick with it.

Hope it helps. Unless the SSD completely crashed or your port on the laptop burned, there is still hope.

Thanks for your response. I have tried most of your suggestions already but wont even boot into the bios to have a look. What I believe has happened is, some how, I think the boot loader has been corrupted.
My plan was to redownload windows to a pen drive (done), enter the bios change the boot order and reinstall. But like I said can't even do that.
So what I have done is , I've removed the SSD from the laptop and put it in our desktop. Entered the bios and can see the SSD. I then tried to change the boot order so it would boot into our normal os and reformat the SSD and then reinstall windows and replace back into the laptop and just like magic all working again.
What has actually happened is, put SSD in desktop, tried to change boot order( failed) booted straight to SSD and windows 11 downloaded and installed it's self.
Now I know this sounds like it's all good, which it is , but the really strange thing about that is, our desktop runs 10, CPU is not on the windows 11 list so supposedly can't install or run 11 but with the SSD in it it done it directly from Microsoft , I literally didn't do a thing.
So what we've decided to do is leave the SSD where it is and run 11 on our desktop as the laptop was not great anyway. Only wanted it for convenience really anyway.
Got some other stuff to make a better pc that will run 11 officially so at some point gonna just transfer it all over.

 

[Charagma]

All is good that ends well. Just remember to fix your devices on your Microsoft account. Someone might just get his or hands on your old laptop and you end up without Windows 11 because THEY fix YOUR devices. LMAO

 

[KonArtist]

Thanks, been an absolute PITA, glad it's sorted, weird though init. I don't understand how hardware Microsoft is saying can't run their latest os, make one very small change and that very same hardware is running it perfectly. Probably very good advise, never really thought about removing devices from Microsoft before. But you know what, I'm gonna do it.