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Win10 error 0xC000021a, Unable to update boot sector

On a Win10 Pro system getting error 0xC000021a. In the past I've used NeoSmart EasyRE automated repair successfully, but in this case it is not fixing the problem. As the Automated Repair dialog scrolls by I see where it says "Unable to update boot sector".

This is a M.2 SSD with data I need to retain for the customer. Is there anything else I can do short of reformatting the drive and reinstalling Windows from the Lenovo recovery media? TIA

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ste5an

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noxcho

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nobus

what model of SSD is it? most manufacturers have a toolkit for diags
check also if there is no firmware update for it

David Johnson, CD

if the boot sector is damaged then the drive can be used as a data drive but not a boot device.
you could try booting from recovery media (or a os install disk) selecting repair and then command prompt
and running the bootrec command

bootrec /fixmbr 
bootrec /fixboot

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sasllc

ASKER

This is a Western Digital M.2 SSD installed in an almost-new Lenovo PC that has been running fine until one day when they rebooted and it went to the BSOD screen with the error 0xC000021a.

Yesterday I received an adapter so I could move this SSD to a different computer, in part to eliminate the possibility of a RAM error. While plugged into the USB port on the other computer, I am able to access the data. But when I run this NeoSmart EasyRE utility I get this same error as it does it's automated repair, saying it cannot update the boot sector.

Re: if the boot sector is damaged then the drive can be used as a data drive but not a boot device.
you could try booting from recovery media (or a os install disk) selecting repair and then command prompt
and running the bootrec command...

please provide details on what type of recovery media this might be. And when we talk about an OS install disk, would that mean going out a buying a copy of Win10 off the shelf? Would it matter what version it is on the shelf, and would it need to be Win10 Pro since that is what this PC is running?

David Johnson, CD

windows 7/8/8.1/10 install disk or winpe disk with recovery options. can be usb drive
pro/home/enterprise/education doesn't matter as all we are doing is rewriting the boot block (the very first sector on the drive) And the recovery tools are the same. you could use the windows 10 media creator and create a usb stick.

nobus

here the WD toolbox : https://support.wdc.com/downloads.aspx?p=279

i suggest hooking the drive to a desktop sata cable and try again; usb is not very good for handling errors

sasllc

ASKER

I've never used a "WinPE disk with recovery options", but I'd like to try that now that I am back at the customer site. I see several online, but I'm not sure which is best. Please recommend which is best to use in this case, regardless of the price. Thank you.

David Johnson, CD

any windows installation media has the recovery options

sasllc

ASKER

If by that you mean a Windows installation CD, unfortunately I don't have one of those, since all the PCs I sell are Lenovo with Windows preinstalled. But when you recently said "or winpe disk with recovery options", I was hoping there was one I could buy online and download to make a bootable CD. Is there such a thing that you recommend? If so, what is the name of the product or the website URL?

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David Johnson, CD

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nobus

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