What is 0x0000007B?
INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE is a critical-severity Windows operating system issue. Windows lost access to the root system partition during startup. Typical causes include change disk controller mode in BIOS (IDE -> AHCI/RAID) and corrupt storage driver. Work through the steps below in order.
Common Causes
- Change disk controller mode in BIOS (IDE -> AHCI/RAID)
- Corrupt storage driver
- Corrupted partition table
Step-by-Step Fix Guide
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1
Change the SATA mode in the BIOS back to the original
Begin with Change the SATA mode in the BIOS back to the original; it's the step that resolves 0x0000007B for the largest share of reported cases.
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2
Run Startup Repair
Where the fault comes back, look to the later steps — they're built around uncommon windows instability triggers.
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3
Try booting into safe mode
If earlier steps didn't help, "Try booting into safe mode" directly addresses change disk controller mode in BIOS (IDE -> AHCI/RAID).
Commands & Diagnostics
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Frequently Asked Questions
In most cases, change disk controller mode in BIOS (IDE -> AHCI/RAID) is behind 0x0000007B. Corrupt storage driver and corrupted partition table can trigger it too.
Most 0x0000007B reports resolve after "Change the SATA mode in the BIOS back to the original". The rest of the guide above is there for the cases that don't.
Yes — 0x0000007B is a critical-severity error and can lead to data loss or hardware damage if it's ignored. Don't put off the fix steps above.
In most cases, yes — the guide above resolves 0x0000007B without a clean install. Treat a reinstall as the last resort, not the first move.
Sometimes. Microsoft regularly releases patches that fix known BSOD triggers including 0x0000007B. Make sure Windows is fully up to date via Settings → Windows Update before attempting more advanced fixes.
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