Microsoft KB Archive/257813

= Using Sysprep May Result in "Stop 0x7b (Inaccessible Boot Device)" on Some Computers =

PSS ID Number: 257813

Article Last Modified on 11/20/2003

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP1
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP1
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1

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This article was previously published under Q257813





SYMPTOMS
When you use Sysprep (including versions 1.0, 1.1, and later versions) to create images for computers, some computers may generate a "Stop 0x7b" error message upon reboot after the mini-Setup wizard finishes.



CAUSE
This behavior can be caused by various issues. One common cause in previous versions of Windows is boot-sector viruses. To be safe, you may want to scan the the target and master computers and any boot floppy disks that are used to boot the computers with a virus-scanning utility.

After you verify that a virus is not causing the issue, you may want to check the four parameters in the "Stop 0x7b" error message. The parameters have the form (0x00000000, 0x00000000, 0x00000000, 0x00000000).

Specifically, check the second parameter. It begins with the letter "c" and may be either of the following codes:

0xC0000034

0xC000000E

Status Code 0xC0000034
This status code equates to STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND, which means that the mass-storage device required to boot the computer is not present or is disabled. If the target computer generates this stop message before it begins the mini-Setup wizard, the required boot device may not be present or may not have been included in the master image. If this seems to be the case:
 * Check to make sure that you are using Sysprep 1.1. The version is displayed when the you run the utility if you do not use the -quiet switch. Earlier versions of Sysprep do not include functionality to load different mass-storage controllers. This includes the version of Sysprep.exe that is included on the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. You can download Sysprep version 1.1 from http://www.microsoft.com.
 * If you are already using Sysprep 1.1, make sure that you have added the adapter that is required on the target computer to the [SysprepMassStorage] section of the Sysprep.inf file.

If this stop message occurs after the mini-Setup wizard runs successfully, there may be an issue with the sysprep -clean command incorrectly disabling the device that is needed to boot the computer. The sysprep -clean command is run at the end of the mini-Setup wizard; it disables any boot devices that were loaded by the [SysprepMassStorage] section in the Sysprep.inf file. The command issues a stop command through Service Control Manager; any device that does not have hardware present responds to the command. This issue is currently under investigation. To verify that the issue is caused by the sysprep -clean command, remove this command from your Cmdlines.txt file. If a system that is cloned with this image boots properly, this is the problem.

Status Code 0xC000000E
This status code equates to STATUS_NO_SUCH_DEVICE. This issue usually occurs when the size of the target computer's volume is larger or smaller than the size of the master image. For example, the image may have been created on a 3-GB volume; the target computer has a 12-GB volume and the manufacturer-supplied imaging software automatically extends the volume.

When this status code occurs, it always occurs before the computers starts the mini-Setup wizard because the information about the size of the volume no longer matches the information in the Windows 2000 registry. This information is tracked by a disk signature located in the master boot record (MBR).

NOTE:: This is not a problem with Windows 2000; it is an issue with the manufacturer-supplied imaging software. When the software automatically extends the volume, it should also zero out the disk signature.

You can verify this issue by booting the computer with an MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows 95, or Microsoft Windows 98 boot disk, and then using the fdisk /mbr command. This removes the disk signature on the volume. If the computer then restarts successfully, you are experiencing this issue.

To resolve the issue, contact the manufacturer of the imaging software and request a version or update that can zero out the disk signature when you are cloning Windows 2000 volumes.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

If the problem is created by the -clean switch, install the following hotfix.

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Windows 2000 Service Pack that contains this fix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The typical support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later: Date       Time    Version        Size    File name -- 06/22/2000 06:34p  5.0.2195.2096  64,272  Sysprep.exe

Note that the hotfix package updates Sysprep.exe only if the Sysprep.exe file is located in the Winnt\System32 folder. The hotfix package replaces the version of the Sysprep.exe file that is located in the System32 folder with the updated version that is contained in the package. It does not update any other instances of Sysprep.exe on the on the computer. If there are any other instances of Sysprep.exe on the computer, you can update them manually by copying the updated version of Sysprep.exe from the package to the locations of the other instances. This may be inconvenient if you followed the Sysprep documentation and installed Sysprep in the C:\Sysprep folder.

Additional query words: 0x0000007b

Keywords: kberrmsg kbprb kbsetup w2000setup KB257813

Technology: kbwin2000AdvServ kbwin2000AdvServSearch kbWin2000AdvServSP1 kbwin2000Pro kbwin2000ProSearch kbWin2000ProSP1 kbwin2000Search kbwin2000Serv kbwin2000ServSearch kbwin2000ServSP1 kbWinAdvServSearch

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