Forum Discussion
Windows 10 can't find "C" on my computor
What can I do, I spent about 7 hours on it this early a.m and tried to figure out something. All I got was could not find "C" and Admin securitys . Also looked liked, unknown network names. I did do some Diagnosie , and I think I sent the feedback to Microsoft. It was so hard to get any help from Dell or Microsoft because my Warrinty is out of date. Sorry for this long post, but I'm so fedup. Some of my App won't open up can't find "C" it says ???
4 Replies
If Windows can’t find drive C:, this is usually a drive problem, not an app issue.
What to check first:
Disk Management (Win + X)
– If C: is missing, RAW, or unallocated, Windows can’t read it.
– If it exists but has no letter, assign C:.
BIOS (F2/F12 on Dell)
– If the drive doesn’t appear there, the HDD/SSD is likely failing.
If C: does appear, run:
chkdsk C: /f
sfc /scannow
Bottom line:
If the drive isn’t seen in BIOS, it’s a hardware failure and the drive needs replacement.
If Windows can’t find drive C:, this is usually a disk or system file issue, not an app problem.
Start with these checks:
1. Check if C: still exists
Press Win + X → Disk Management
- If C: is missing or shows as RAW / Unallocated, Windows can’t access it.
- If it’s there but without a drive letter, right-click it and assign C:.
2. Check BIOS
Restart and enter BIOS (F2/F12 on Dell).
If the drive does not appear in BIOS, the hard drive/SSD may be failing.
3. Run disk and system repair
If C: appears:
Open Command Prompt (Admin) and run:
chkdsk C: /f
sfc /scannow
4. Unknown network names
This often happens when Windows permissions or system files are damaged, which matches the missing C: errors.
Important note
If Disk Management and BIOS both cannot see the drive, this is very likely a hardware failure. Software fixes won’t help, and data recovery or drive replacement is needed.
Summary:
Windows apps can’t open because the system can’t access drive C:. Check Disk Management and BIOS first — that will tell you if it’s a repairable Windows issue or a failing drive.
Boot in safe mode and repair the boot the sector with BCD command.
Boot your computer using a Windows 10 installation USB or system repair disk, select "Repair your computer," then run "Startup Repair" to fix system boot and drive recognition issues.
