The Drive Where Windows Is Installed Is Locked Unlock the Drive and Try Again Windows 10 Dell

Summary :

"The drive where Windows is installed is locked" error always happens in Windows x/8/viii.i when you lot reset or refresh your PC to restore the PC to a normal country. Here, this post shows you 6 effective solutions and read information technology to know how to unlock a hard drive effectively.

Quick Navigation :

• Fault - The Bulldoze Where Windows Is Installed Is Locked
• 6 Solutions - The Drive Where Windows Is Installed Is Locked
• Bottom Line
• The Drive Where Windows Is Installed Is Locked FAQ
• User Comments

Error - The Drive Where Windows Is Installed Is Locked

When Windows 8, Windows eight.i, or Windows 10 is unbootable or runs in errors, many users choose to refresh or reset their PC for fixing since this may restore their computer to the state when information technology works well, with keeping personal files intact.

In most cases, you can practise refresh successfully, but sometimes you may receive the following mistake message: "The drive where Windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again."

Are you troubled by such an consequence? Why is the hard drive locked?

Possible Causes for "Hard Drive Locked" Error

It is difficult to say what is the exact culprit for this error, and so here we just list 4 possible causes:

1. mbr(principal boot record) is damaged.
2. Windows arrangement files are corrupted or damaged.
3. BCD (boot configuration data) is damaged. (Note: here, I guess you might be interested in this post: 4 Ways to Fix Kicking Configuration Information File Is Missing .)
4. There are errors on the disk.

Afterward knowing causes, you may ask: Windows drive is locked how to unlock Windows ten/8/8.1. Adjacent, allow'southward see how to unlock a hard drive to fix this error.

six Solutions - The Drive Where Windows Is Installed Is Locked

Method 1: Rebuild MBR with MiniTool Partitioning Wizard Bootable CD

MBR (main kicking record) is a special blazon of boot sector at the very beginning of partitioned reckoner mass storage devices. It contains a small amount of executable code called the master kick lawmaking, the deejay signature, and the partition table for the deejay.

And the master boot code scans the partition tabular array for the agile partition, finds the starting sector of the agile partition, loads a re-create of the boot sector from the agile segmentation into memory, and transfers control to the executable lawmaking in the boot sector.

Once the master kick code is damaged or corrupted, yous are very likely to receive "The drive where Windows is installed is locked" mistake message when booting or refreshing estimator. And then you lot can endeavour rebuilding MBR to see whether this can fix the Windows locked hard drive mistake.

Now, you might exist wondering: How to rebuild MBR effectively to unlock drive Windows 10/8/8.1?

Here, MiniTool Partition Wizard, a professional partitioning magic developed past a famous software development company based in Canada, is recommended here. Since Windows cannot boot because of hard drive locked mistake, you lot can click the Bootable Media characteristic to get MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable Edition.

Tip: The free edition of MiniTool Partitioning Sorcerer doesn't provide Bootable Media Architect since this characteristic is simply included in paid editions. Here, you can get MiniTool Partition Wizard Pro Edition from the button beneath to rebuild MBR to unlock hard drive.

Buy At present

Step 1: Launch MiniTool Division Wizard Pro in another normal computer, and so click Bootable Media in the toolbar.

Stride ii: Click WinPE-based media with MiniTool plug-in.

Step three: Create a bootable USB drive or CD/DVD drive.
Step iv: Connect the MiniTool bootable difficult drive to your PC with locked hard drive, and boot from it.
Footstep 5: Then, MiniTool Partition Magician volition launch by itself to its main interface.

Step 6: At present, select the organisation disk which is facing MBR damage and click Rebuild MBR from the left console or correct-click carte.

Stride seven: Click the Apply push to perform all changes to fix "The bulldoze where Windows is installed is locked" fault.

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In the primary interface of MiniTool Segmentation Wizard, experienced users volition cull to back up information saved on the locked hard drive to proceed data 100% condom because whatever accident during repair could result in data loss. Hither, you can also do this with the following steps.

Step 1: Select the current system deejay and choose the Copy Deejay feature from the left action panel.

Stride 2: Select the disk that is used to concord the copy of the system disk and click Adjacent.

Annotation: Please backup all important data on target deejay in advance, because all its data volition be deleted.

Footstep 3: Select a copying option to decide the layout of the target disk, or manually alter sectionalisation size and location by irresolute the length and location of the partition handle.

• If you lot are an SSD or advanced format HD user, you tin check the option Align partitions to 1MB to amend disk performance.
• If the target disk is larger than 2TB, yous can check the Employ GUID Partition Table for the target disk, because it supports disks larger than 2TB while MBR supports the maximum deejay size of 2TB.

Step four: Read the popup note carefully, and then click the Cease push button to continue.
Pace v: Click the Apply button in the elevation left corner to employ all pending operations.

After rebuilding MBR, if your Windows hard drive is withal locked, how to unlock Windows 10/viii/viii.1? Try method 2.

Method 2: Repair Your Computer with Windows Installation Disc

The Repair your computer characteristic in Windows Installation Disc could fix issues that are preventing Windows from running. Afterwards repair, your Windows might exist bootable, and there is no need to refresh the computer. Even if Windows is withal unbootable, the error "The drive where Windows is installed is locked" could be fixed, and then you lot can refresh your computer.

Stride i: Yous accept to prepare an installation disc or repair disk, either USB or CD/DVD.

Tip: You'd better use the installation disc which is for the same edition of Windows you are trying to repair.

Step ii: Connect the installation disc to your computer and kick from it to get the window below (hither we accept Windows 10 installation disc for example):

Step 3: Choose a language, a time, a currency, a keyboard, or an input method, and then click Next to continue.

Step 4: Choose Repair your reckoner rather than Install at present.

Step 5: Click on Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Repair to gear up problems that keep Windows from loading to unlock hard drive.

Sometimes, some Windows 10 users will find their Automatic Repair doesn't work. If you have the same trouble, don't worry and yous can discover answers from this mail service: How Practise I Solve - Windows Automated Repair Non Working.

Subsequently the fix is completed, you should be able to starting time Windows or refresh your calculator. But what if this besides failed to gear up the hard drive locked mistake? Now, how to unlock a hard drive in Windows 10/8/eight.one? Endeavour the third manner.

Method Iii: Prepare Kick-related Files with Bootrec.exe Tool

Bootrec.exe is a Windows snap-in tool to troubleshoot startup issues, and it can repair Main Boot Record, Boot Sector, and Boot Configuration Data.

On the internet we institute lots of people give feedback and said this method helped them set up the "The drive where Windows is installed is locked" fault, so we promise this tin as well aid you unlock bulldoze Windows x/8/8.1.

Here are the steps.
Step 1: Insert the Windows bootable drive and kicking from it.
Step ii: Select your language preferences, and click Next.
Step iii: After selecting language, press Shift + F10 to open Command Prompt.
Stride iv: Type bootrec.exe in command prompt and press Enter fundamental to launch the tool.
Step 5: Blazon the post-obit commands, and each command should end with pressing on Enter key:
bootrec /FixMbr
bootrec /FixBoot
bootrec /RebuildBcd

Tip: If you are running Windows from UEFI/GPT boot fashion, in that location is no need to type the beginning command, considering it is used to prepare MBR which is just seen in MBR deejay.

After the repair is completed, you can quit from Command Prompt and endeavour starting Windows or refreshing reckoner.

When the former three are finally proved to be useless, Windows drive is locked how to unlock Windows 10/8/8.1? In improver, we likewise detect other iii solutions. Just effort them to solve the hard bulldoze locked issue.

Method 4: Fix Disk Errors with CHKDSK.exe

CHKDSK is a Windows built-in utility to report disk/volume land if we run information technology without giving any parameters, and repair issues caused by, or related to, bad sectors, system errors, cross-linked files, directory errors and lost file clusters if we utilize information technology by specifying parameters, like /f, and /r. It examines disks and tin can correct many types of mutual errors on FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS drives.

So you lot tin can follow the instructions beneath to effort fixing the "The drive where Windows is installed is locked" error.

Step 1: Insert the Windows bootable bulldoze and kicking from it.

Pace ii: Click Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Avant-garde Options > Command Prompt.

Step iii: Type the following command and press Enter.
Chkdsk C: /R or chkdsk C: /F

Tip: C is the letter of the alphabet of the bulldoze where Windows is installed. If your Windows is installed on D: drive, replace C with D. In addition, with specifying the parameter /R, chkdsk.exe will price much more time to set errors compared with giving the /F parameter because the one-time will locate bad sectors and recover readable information, not limited to fixing errors.

Stride 4: Blazon exit and press Enter to exit command prompt. Later on that, you should exist able to refresh your computer or start Windows.

Helpful Article: Does CHKDSK utility delete your important information? Here are means to help your recover CHKDSK deleted files in few steps. CHKDSK Deletes Your Data? At present Recover Them in Few Steps

If this way also fails to fix the locked hard drive, how to unlock a hard drive in Windows 10/8/8.1? Try the side by side fashion.

Method Five: Utilize Arrangement File Checker to Repair Missing or Corrupted Organisation Files

System File Checker (SFC) is a utility in Windows that allows users to scan for corruptions in Windows system files and restore corrupted files. However, how to use this tool to repair missing or corrupted system files to unlock hard drive?

Step i:Open Command Prompt. (Please see Method Iii: Gear up Boot-related Files with Bootrec.exe Tool know how to open information technology.)
Step ii: Type sfc /scannow and so printing Enter key to perform the functioning.

Later on that, you can endeavour rebooting Windows or refreshing reckoner to meet whether the difficult bulldoze locked error still exists.

If you still get the locked hard drive mistake later on trying the above 5 solutions, you lot can attempt the last solution to unlock hard drive Windows x/8/8.i.

Method Six: Restore Windows

Some users say they successfully deal with the "The drive where Windows is installed is locked" error past restoring Windows and the steps are shown beneath.

Step 1: Boot reckoner via the installation disc.
Step two: Select your language preferences, and click Next.
Step 3: Click Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore.

Step four:And so, you will see the System Restore interface as follows. Now, click Adjacent push button to continue.

Step five: Afterward that, you lot will be given detailed operating prompts. Simply do as told to restore the operating arrangement to unlock bulldoze Windows x/eight/8.ane.

Note: Sometimes you may find this restore operation stuck on restoring files. This postal service Hands Fix: Windows 10 Organization Restore Stuck (Focus on 2 Cases) shows you solutions.

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Bottom Line

Don't know how to unlock a hard drive in Windows 10/8/8.1 when receiving the error "The drive where Windows is installed is locked"? Endeavor the above 6 solutions at present to go out of the trouble.

Should you accept whatever other problem with this locked difficult drive issue or operating MiniTool products, just feel free to contact us via [email protected] or leave a bulletin in Comment part below.

The Drive Where Windows Is Installed Is Locked FAQ

How practice you fix the bulldoze where Windows is installed is locked?

1. Rebuild MBR with MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable CD
2. Repair Your Calculator with Windows Installation Disc
3. Set Kicking-related Files with Bootrec.exe Tool
4. Fix Disk Errors with CHKDSK.exe
5. Use System File Checker to Repair Missing or Corrupted System Files
6. Restore Windows

How do I unlock a locked drive in Windows 10?

1. In Windows, click the Commencement and enter cmd in the Search field, then press the Enter key.
2. Type bootrec /RebuildBcd and printing Enter.
3. Type bootrec /fixMbr and printing Enter.
4. Type bootrec /fixboot and press Enter.

How can I unlock my drive which is locked with BitLocker?

1. Go to Windows Explorer.
2. Double click the Bitlocker encrypted drive.
3. Choose Unlock Drive from the context menu.
4. Enter the countersign to unlock the Bitlocker encrypted drive.

How to format a locked drive?

1. Open Deejay Direction.
2. Correct-click on the drive or division and click on Format.
3. Select the file system and cluster size.
4. Click OK to format the BitLocker encrypted drive.

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Source: https://www.minitool.com/partition-disk/fix-the-drive-where-windows-installed-locked.html

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