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Arthur SmithFlag for United States of America

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Windows Server 2012 Inaccessible_boot_device

A virtual server (Windows Server 2012 R2 64-bit) was recently found to be in a failed state following routine security patching. After opening the console session to the affected server in vCenter, I found it was stuck at the Windows Server troubleshooting screen (proceed to start Windows normally, advanced troubleshooting, shut down). Rebooting the server into safe mode, reverting to a previously known good configuration or other start up options does not bring me to the Windows desktop. Instead, all options lead me to the INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE blue screen message before rebooting. After getting to a cmd prompt on the affected server through recovery, I run bootrec /scanos and the result is Total Identified Windows Installations: 0. Then, I perform the following operations:
bcdedit /export c:\bcdbackup
attrib c:\boot\bcd -h -r -s
ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old
bootrec /rebuildbcd

Now, the Total Identified Windows Installations is 1 and C:\Windows is listed. I proceed to add installation to boot list and the command prompt returns that this is successful. However, I immediately run bootrec /scanos next and the Total Identified Windows Installations return to 0. I have performed this operation from the built in recovery console and from mounted Windows Server installation media.
For the sake of troubleshooting, I've also performed bootred /fixmbr, bootrec /fixboot, sfc /scannow, chkdsk /r, removed VMware Tools via command line, and will try performing an offline DISM next.
Why do my changes appear to not be persistent on the server? If I can get bootrec to find the Windows installation after rebuilding bcd, but then it appears to disappear, what do I need to do to keep the primary Windows installation visible? diskpart shows my drives and partitions as healthy and active otherwise.
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noxcho
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I assume the exception code of BSOD was 0x0007b, right?
Inaccessible Boot Device means that system cannot find a driver for your boot drive controller. Did it recently change?
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Unfortunately, I was unable to few the specific code for this BSOD, only inaccessible_boot_device. I am not aware of any changes that may have been made to the server. This server has been rebuilt to address this problem.
This server has been rebuilt to address this problem.
Means the problem does not exist, right?
Usually if the BSOD is too fast then it is recommended to use a phone cam to take the video and then play it and check the message.
Luckily, I was able to screenshot the BSOD
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noxcho
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Thanks for the input, I ended up rebuilding the OS.