We had a computer in our New Jersey computer store the other day with an error I hadn’t seen since Windows 8. It gave us the error code 0xc00000e9. This code is unusual as it can be a hardware error and not just software. It can stop the computer working and prevent you saving anything to disk. So what is error 0xc00000e9 and how can you fix it?
Error 0xc00000e9 in Windows 10 means that Windows is having issues reading from, or writing to your hard drive. This is referred to as an I/O fault. It can be caused by problems with the hard drive, cabling, your file system or Windows itself and requires a process of elimination to properly troubleshoot.
Fix error 0xc00000e9 in Windows
There are a few things you can try at home before bringing your computer in to Dave’s Computers. You might like to try them before coming over just in case you can fix it yourself.
Reboot your computer
A full reboot is the first thing you always do with a Windows PC. It can fix so many issues and may just do the trick here.
Faulty media
If you are trying to install something when the error occurs, try different installation media. Download the program or game again or acquire a different copy of CD or DVD if you’re going old school.
Check all cabling inside your PC
If you have been inside your computer case, you may have bumped something while you were there. Turn off your computer and take a look and make sure the hard drive connections are secure and that all connections that you can see are fully in place.
Remove all peripherals
Having lots of USB connections can sometimes cause error 0xc00000e9 in Windows. If you use lots of peripherals, remove them and retry whatever it is you’re doing. If error goes away, gradually add peripherals one at a time until the error reappears. The last device you added is the likely cause.
Update motherboard and disk drivers
Depending on your setup, you may be using Windows default drivers or vendor specific drivers. If it is the former, skip this step. If you use vendor drivers, check for updates and install them. You can optionally replace the existing driver if there is no update available.
Run chkdsk
Type CMD into the Windows Search box, right click the menu item and select Open as administrator. Type ‘chkdsk /f /r C:’. If it isn’t your C: drive giving the error, change ‘C:’ to the drive letter in question. This command uses disk checker to ensure your drive is working okay.
Run SFC
SFC, or System File Checker is an internal integrity checker within Windows. In the same CMD window you used above, type ‘sfc /scannow’ and hit Enter. This will check Windows for damage or corruption and will automatically fix anything it finds.
Bring the computer to Dave’s Computers
If all the previous steps fail, it might be a good idea to bring your PC to our store in New Jersey. We can perform advanced troubleshooting and fix the problem. Our computer repair experts will have you back up and running in no time!
