Some users encounter error 0x800701E3 when performing various operations with hard disk or SD card. In most cases, the problem occurs when trying to move files from one hard drive to another. Other users have reported that the problem occurs when installing Windows 10 or another version of Windows. Literally, the error code 0x800701E3 is denoted as DEVICE_HARDWARE_ERROR: “The request was not completed due to a fatal device hardware error.”
Causes of error code 0x800701e3
Unfortunately, this particular issue could be related to a serious hardware issue or a malfunctioning peripheral such as a SATA cable or SD card adapter. Also, the specified error may appear when trying to uninstall an old version of Windows after installing a new one. In some cases, error 0x800701e3 may be a sign of a faulty user disk.
But even if error 0x800701e3 is a sign of disk failure, there are several solutions that will allow you to bypass the error message and complete the data transfer. In this article, we will just look at these solutions. If one of the methods is not applicable in your specific situation, then skip it and use another.
Method 1: working with bad sectors
If you see error 0x800701E3 when trying to install the original version of Windows, then this may be due to the fact that there are too many bad sectors on the hard disk being used. Fortunately, Windows has software that can, to some extent, fix bad sectors or bad blocks, as they are also called in the common people.
Some of the users have reported that they were able to complete Windows setup without error 0x800701E3 after performing CHKDSK and SFC scan on disk. Here are guidelines on how to do it:
- Turn on your computer and press any key to boot from the installation media until the “welcome” screen appears.
- On the Windows Setup screen that opens, click System Restore.
- In the Advanced Options menu, find the Troubleshoot section and click Command Prompt.
- Type the following command at a command prompt and press Enter to run a CHKDSK scan on the appropriate drive: chkdsk / f X (where X is the letter of the desired disk partition). This command will start scanning and repairing missing or corrupted system files.
- After the CHKDSK scan is complete, enter the following command and press Enter to run the SFC (System File Checker) scan: sfc / scannow
After completing the second scan, try again uninstalling the old OS version and see if the Windows installation process can be completed without error 0x800701E3.
If this method is not applicable or does not help to solve the problem, then go to the next method.
Method 2: disabling Secure Boot
Some of the users who encountered this issue reported that the 0x800701E3 error no longer occurred during the original Windows installation after disabling Secure Boot in UEFI / BOOT.
Secure Boot is an industry standard developed by major PC manufacturers to ensure that software is exclusively used by original equipment manufacturers (OEM). However, this security feature is known to cause problems with installation media created outside of official channels (using Rufus and other similar software).
A quick guide to disabling Secure Boot:
- Press the button responsible for entering the UEFI / BIOS settings several times (during the initial boot sequence). This button can be Esc, F1, F2, F3, F8, F9, F12, or the Del key.
- Once you enter the BIOS menu, find the option with Secure Boot and set it to Disabled.
The exact name and location will vary depending on the manufacturer of your device, but you will usually find it in the Security tab, Boot tab, or Authentication tab. If the error message is still valid, or if this method does not apply to your current scenario, go to the next method.
Method 3: replacing the connecting cable / card adapter
This error usually indicates a hardware or SD card problem. However, in some cases, the problem can be caused by peripheral devices such as SATA cables or SD card adapters. If possible, replace the connecting cable / SD card adapter and make sure that 0x800701e3 no longer appears.
Method 4: repeating the operation over and over
If the data you are trying to copy or move is of the utmost importance to you, you can continue to restore chunks by repeating the process over and over. Instead of copying or moving all files at the same time, try moving the desired data separately and see what happens. Several users with a similar problem reported that they were able to gradually copy data in separate chunks and avoid the appearance of error 0x800701e3.
Method 5: using third party data recovery software
There are several specialized programs that will help you recover data in cases where other methods do not work. Most of the software is designed to try out different strategies for overcoming, repeating, and skipping blocks that cannot be transmitted.
Here are some free recovery software we recommend:
- DDRescue
- Unstoppable copier
- Disk Drill
But for ease of accomplishment of the task, we will consider a guide to recovering with Unstoppable Copier, since it is in demand and is widely used as the most reliable program for data recovery.
Instructions
- Download Unstoppable Copier from the developer’s official website.
- Open the downloaded file and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the Unstoppable Copier installation.
- Once the installation is complete, launch Unstoppable Copier and agree to the license agreement.
- Inside the Unstoppable Copier, go to the Copy tab and set the failed disk as the migration source.
- Then set a healthy drive as the final target. Then just click the “Copy” button to start the transfer.
Once the process starts, the program will automatically try a different transfer strategy and ignore bad sectors that cannot be repaired. When the process is complete, navigate to the target location and see if you were able to recover your data. We hope that this article was helpful for you and that you were able to fix or at least work around the error 0x800701e3.