Windows 10: move boot disk to PCIe SATA controller: inaccessible boot device

Just a disclaimer upfront: This is about Windows Server 2019 but I believe it will be the same for Windows 10. Win Server 2019 is build 17763 which is version 1809 (October 2018 Update). The boot disk (SSD) was attached to the mainboard's onboard SATA port when I installed the system. I recently decided to attach the boot disk to a PCIe SATA controller card instead. It is quite an old card that shows in device manager as "Silicon Image SiI 3132 SATALink Controller". Driver and BIOS dates for that card are from 2009 but it works just fine with Windows. Windows did not boot anymore and showed a blue screen (inaccessible boot device). In the Recovery Environment (RE) I could see that the drivers for the SIL card were loaded and the boot disk's partitions and volumes where accessible. Windows still refused to boot. It looks like Windows is looking for the boot disk on the mainboard's SATA controller and refuses to boot if it cannot find the disk there, even though it should be able to find the disk on the SIL controller. I don't think it is a driver problem because the disks on the SIL controller show up in Windows RE command prompt. I ended up attaching the boot disk directly to the mainboard's SATA port again and Windows booted normally again. My question is: How can I have the boot disk on the SIL controller without getting the 'inaccessible boot device' error? I would like to avoid reinstalling Windows.

:)

 

Inaccessible boot device - reinstall storage controller

Hi,

I have a Dell Precision 3530 with a PCIe SSD. In a try to get Windows to see my newly installed secondary m.2 SATA SSD, I've set the "BIOS" (UEFI) from RAID mode to AHCI mode. The boot was unsuccessful, now I get BSOD with "Inaccessible boot device" even
after reverting to RAID mode.

Prior to the AHCI reboot, I've also removed both* Intel Rapid Storage controller drivers so that the default Microsoft Storage Space controller be used in the AHCI mode.

* In the Storage controllers branch in Device Manager, I had four entries: An Intel RST, an Intel RST Premium, and two MS Storage Space controller instances. This is how I received the laptop from the reseller.

Right now Windows sees my system disk, partitions and files. I can use the recovery command line, or boot to a recovery safe mode (e.g., not my OS). No booting though. Automatic repair cannot fix the problem.

The system disk has GPT partitions. diskpart / list vol shows my partitions with no flags in the Info column, except for the ESP partition which is hidden.

Is there any way to reinstall/reset the missing/problematic storage controller drivers?

 

Inaccessible boot device

"INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE" msg suggests it is hardware (or driver) problem; in addition to missing disk. Try to disconnect your ntb from power supply and to remove battery for one minute. Then check your BIOS settings (SATA/AHCI/RAID). If it does not help, open your ntb and check your disk-related HW (SATA & power cables, connectors, disk itself).

 

inaccessible boot device

Ciao,

here is a list of commone causes (and resolutions) of this BSOD:

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/inaccessible-boot...

Please let me know if any of those worked for you.

Ciao

Ugo