How to Fix an Unmountable Boot Volume in Windows 10
The Unmountable Boot Volume Windows stop code error is very frustrating. Since it usually stops you from getting into your Windows, you can’t troubleshoot it like you would do with other errors.
However, it’s also possible to fix this error with the right methods. We would show you how to fix the unmountable boot volume error and get back into your Windows PC.
What Is the Unmountable Boot Volume Error?
The “boot volume” is the partition of your hard drive that holds together your Windows. This error happens when your computer can not load Windows properly, resulting in a blue screen of death.
A “stop code” is the particular error message that identifies the problem that your Windows ran into in this case, it is the unmountable boot volume stop code.
It usually happens due to a damaged file system or a corrupted Windows files. Mostly, you would see it after applying a major Windows update. While this error can also come from an improperly configured BIOS system, that’s rarely the case unless you have recently modified the BIOS.
Thankfully, this error doesn’t always mean that your hard drive is dying.
Step 1: Reboot The PC and See If It Happens Again
Same as most blue screen messages, the unmountable boot volume error is not always something to worry about if you are only seeing it once. In some cases, Windows runs into a temporary hiccup that you never have an issue with again.
If you notice the unmountable boot volume error blue screen while working with your windows pc, restart your PC and try to log into it again. You should be clear if the error does not return for some time.
In some cases, though, you will see the unmountable boot volume error when you try to boot into your PC and it would not let you load your Windows at all. In that case, go forward with a more in-depth troubleshooting.
Step 2: Create a Windows 10 Install Disk
Since you cannot boot your windows pc normally, you will need to create a Windows installer on a USB drive or on a DVD using another PC. This will let you access Windows’s troubleshooting tools by booting from a different device.
Step 3: Use Windows Automatic Repair
Allow Windows to start from your USB until it fully loads up, then click on the Next button. You will now see the Install now screen. But you’re not interested in reinstalling Windows; click on the Repair your computer that is in the bottom-left instead.
On the screen that follows, select Troubleshoot to get a list of Advanced Options. Choose the Windows Startup Repair.
From there, Windows will run an automatic repair that would hopefully handle your problem for you. Once it is completed, go away from the installer and try to boot into your computer normally.
If Windows still shows an unmountable boot volume error after this, go over to the next step.
Step 4: Repair the Master Boot Record
The Master Boot Record (MBR) in windows holds information about where Windows lives on your hard drive and helps windows to load properly when you turn your computer on. If this record becomes corrupted, it can lead to an unmountable boot volume message coming up.
To repair the Master Boot Record, boot again from your Windows 10 install media and select Repair your computer > Troubleshoot. This time, on the Advanced Options screen that comes up, select the Windows Command Prompt.
On the Command Prompt that cones up, enter the following command to run an MBR repair:
bootrec /fixmbr
Wait until it completes its process, then run the following commands to attempt extra repairs:
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Type in "exit" to leave the Command Prompt once these finish running. Then reboot again and see if the error would continue to come up.
Step 5: Run the Ckhdsk Command
If an automatic repair and MBR repair didn’t solve your problem, you should next try Chkdsk. This very important Command Prompt tool allows you to check the hard drive for errors, which may cause the unmountable boot volume message to come up.
Follow the steps above again to open up a Command Prompt from the recovery menu, and then enter the following command:
chkdsk /r c:
The /r flag would locate any bad sectors on your disk and fixes those errors. If you don’t include this flag, Chkdsk will simply report errors that it finds. You need to also include c: so the operation would scan your Windows partition (the most common location for it). Replace c: with d: or any other letter if you have moved your location to somewhere else.
Chkdsk may ask you to run it the next time the system restarts. If it does, enter Y for yes and reboot to your pc to start it.
This can take some time, so you may have to wait a moment. Once it’s done, reboot again and see if the issue has cleared up.
