One of the very common errors that every Windows user can face is a blue screen with the text “UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME”. Blue screens of “death”, as they are popularly called, never lead to anything good. If you translate this particular error, then the system informs the user that it could not mount the boot volume for further processing by the operating system. If such an error occurs on an ongoing basis, you can resort to independent attempts to solve the problem.
CONTENT
- What does the UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME error mean in Windows?
- How to fix UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME?
- Method 1: scan hard drive and system for errors
- Method 2: repairing the bootloader
- Method 3: check RAM
- Method 4: roll back Windows update
- Method 5: reinstall Windows
- Method 6: check disk and memory health
What does the UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME error mean in Windows?
Every time the user presses the power button and turns on the computer or laptop, the system creates a boot volume, which is the basis for starting the OS. This means that the pre-boot system BIOS initiates the formation of a specific file system, which is already the reason for the further launch of the operating system and its operation. If the installation of the boot partition does not occur, then Windows will not work either. Typically, the UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME error in Windows is caused by damage to the file system or Windows bootloader. But also the problem may be with the partitions of the hard disk itself, its physical malfunction, or it consists in damage to some system files.
How to fix UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME?
With this problem, you can contact professionals and carry out repair procedures through the service center. But you can try to solve everything yourself, there are several ways to fix this problem without specialists. All of them require certain skills in working with computer file systems, but using our instructions, even a beginner can figure it out.
Method 1: scan hard drive and system for errors
Since the user cannot load the operating system, he must go the other way. In Windows there is a special area for restoring the original settings, through it you can enter the command line, and there you can already initiate the start of checking the hard disk and the system for errors. To do this, follow these steps:
- Connect a bootable Windows USB flash drive to your computer.
- On the OS installation screen, hold down the Shift + F10 key combination to open the command line.
- At the line you need to enter the diskpartcommand , and then the list volume command to display all system disks. It is necessary to select the drive that is the system drive, as a rule, this is the C: drive , but the letter may be different.
- Next, enter the command chkdsk C: / F / Rand press Enter to start checking the disks for errors and fix them automatically.
- It is necessary to wait for the complete check of the hard disk and file system, it may take a little time.
After the check is completed, you can restart the computer in the standard way and remove the bootable USB flash drive. If the system booted without a blue screen, then the problem was precisely in the file system errors. If the error continues to appear, you need to move on to the next solution to the problem.
Method 2: repairing the bootloader
The Windows boot loader has a separate partition on the hard drive where files hidden from the user are stored. It is from them that the boot volume is formed and it is because of them that the system can start. If the bootloader is damaged, the system will not start, and the user will see the same error on the screen on a blue background. To fix this problem, you need to restore the boot area. To do this, you should do the following procedures:
- Connect a bootable Windows USB flash drive to your computer.
- On the OS installation screen, click System Restore.
- Select “Troubleshooting”.
- Select Startup Repair.
- Wait for the automatic bootloader repair.
If everything went well, and you see a message stating that the recovery was successful, you can reboot the system in standard mode. In the case when Windows started, we can conclude that the problem was precisely in the bootloader. Otherwise, you need to move on to the next solution to the problem.
Method 3: check RAM
Memory problems are a very common cause of this error, so it is reasonable to check its status. This can be done using standard operating system tools. Since the user cannot enter Windows itself, it is necessary to use the same boot disk or USB flash drive. To check your RAM, follow these steps:
- Connect a bootable Windows USB flash drive to your computer.
- On the OS installation screen, hold down the Shift + F10 key combination to open the command line.
- At the command prompt, enter the command mdschedand select Check and Reboot.
- Before rebooting, pull out the bootable disk or USB flash drive to boot from the system media.
- Wait for the end of the check.
If the check passed and the user sees errors in the report, then the RAM will have to be changed. If the check passed and there is a message on the screen stating that no problems were found, then you should proceed to the next way to solve the problem.
Method 4: roll back Windows update
One of the common causes of this issue is a failed update of the Windows operating system. Perhaps it went wrong, the internet or electricity went out. As a result, some system files were damaged, and this has already become the reason that the boot volume cannot be formed. In this case, you need to roll back Windows updates. To do this, follow these steps:
- Connect a bootable Windows USB flash drive to your computer.
- On the OS installation screen, hold down the Shift + F10 key combination to open the command line.
- Enter the command wmic qfe list brief / format : tableto display all the updates that are in the system.
- Remove the selected update with the command wusa / uninstall / kb: 4578846, where the last update number will be at the end.
- Reboot your computer.
If the reason was precisely in the update, then the blue screen at boot time will no longer appear. If the error persists, then you need to move on to more serious solutions.
Method 5: reinstall Windows
This is a rather commonplace way of solving the problem, but it may be the most effective. Reinstallation of Windows is performed from a bootable USB flash drive, where it is necessary to give consent to the formation of a new operating system. In this case, all disk partitions will be overwritten, from the system volume to the boot area. To perform a clean reinstallation of the system, you must initially boot into Windows through a virtual disk and save all data from the main system disk, because during the installation it can be formatted.
Method 6: check disk and memory health
In order to test the physical performance of the disk and RAM, you can use third-party programs. However, there are standard tools for testing these vehicles. To check the RAM, you need to go to the command line and enter the mdsched command , this will initiate a RAM check and display the result on the screen. To check the hard drive, you need to press the F8, Esc or F12 key when booting the computer to enter Bios. In the system settings need to find the item «Primary Hard Disk Self Test», this is a full-time inspection of the hard disk. Initially run a quick scan and then a slow and detailed. At the end of the procedure it will be possible to view a report and understand the condition of the vehicle.
All these actions can be performed independently, you just need to prepare a bootable USB flash drive in advance or take the one from which the operating system was installed earlier. All these actions are aimed at restoring normal Windows boot and getting rid of the UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME error on a blue background.
