Member Avatar for ALJ

Hi, after a while of searches I have decided to ask the community for help.

This post is the closest to mine, however it's been inactive for a while.

Here is what I did prior to the problem. (I've had my computer for a very long time, so new hardware is not the cause of the problem). I will post comp specs if needed. Currently running Windows Vista 32bit.

I noticed my boot up was becoming quite slow so I went into msconfig to change number of processors as well as to set maximum memory. (In the general tab, selective startup is checked). After clicking apply, it says something of not being able to change as there isn't enough system resources or something like that. I then opened cmd.exe and ran both sfc /verifyonly (detected some problems) and /scannow (unable to fix the problems) it asked for a restart but I did not restart. I later installed cineform studio from the gopro website. Upon turning on the computer the next day, it would just bluescreen right when the green Windows Vista load bar comes on.

In my attempt to fix this problem. I have tried booting it up in every mode provided - safemode, last known, normal, etc. All resulting in a BSOD. I have tried booting up with the Vista CD to try and repair automatically, does not work. As well as system restore, which also doesn't work - unable to load a previous date (says something about being limited so unable to redo changes). I have tried going into command prompt and have done the following: bootrec /fixboot, /fixmbr.

Here is the BSOD error:
stop: 0x0000007b (0x80799BB0, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

-Andrew

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by mjdodd

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Stop 0x0000007B is the INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE error — Windows lost access to the system partition while starting. Common causes are a failing boot disk, a damaged partition/MBR, a change in BIOS/drive mode (IDE/AHCI/RAID), or missing/incompatible storage drivers. The Microsoft documentation on this error explains those root causes and why the OS fails so early in boot. Microsoft: Bug check 0x7B (INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE). (learn.microsoft.com)

Given ’s notes (msconfig changes, an SFC report, then CineForm install) and ’s sensible HDD suspicion, follow this prioritized, data-first checklist:

  1. Quick BIOS and hardware sanity check — reboot into BIOS to confirm the drive is detected and the SATA mode (IDE/AHCI/RAID) matches how Windows was installed. If the SATA mode changed recently, revert it; changing modes without enabling the correct driver in Windows commonly produces 0x7B.
  2. Physical checks — reseat power and data cables, try a different SATA port or cable, and remove any recently added devices.
  3. Don’t chase repairs before backing up — boot a Linux Live USB to copy critical files off the disk (or attach the drive to another machine). Ubuntu Live USB download. (ubuntu.com)

From a Live environment you can run two fast diagnostics and recovery tools:

  • Check SMART to see if the drive is failing: run smartctl -a /dev/sda (smartmontools). If SMART shows reallocations, pending sectors, or long seek times, treat the drive as failing. smartmontools project page. (github.com)

  • If hardware looks healthy, use TestDisk to scan and repair partition tables or NTFS boot sectors; it can often restore a bootable partition without reinstalling Windows. Run testdisk from the Live environment and follow the guided menus. TestDisk (CGSecurity). (cgsecurity.org)

If diagnostics show physical problems, image the disk (ddrescue) immediately and replace it. If manufacturer tools are preferred, run the vendor utility (for example, Seagate SeaTools) to confirm hardware faults before attempting repairs. (seagate.com)

This order preserves data, rules out simple BIOS/cable issues first, and then separates hardware failure from software/partition corruption so recovery choices (repair, clone, or reinstall) are safe and effective.

Member Avatar for mjdodd

without more technical kit available I would begin to suspect the hard disk, either electrically or problems on the surface in the vicinity of the MBR, but for that you either need to try to boot from a USB or linux bootable CD to be able to look directly at the hard disk. If it is the HD a reformat might help
M

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