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teeter
Contributor
Contributor

INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE for Windows 2012 Server vm

iMac 2019 running Fusion 11.5.6 on macOS Catalina. Windows Server 2012 vm that had been working just fine for a long time. VM lives on a Drobo Mini RAID attached via USB-A.

Was removing some not often used software from Windows...I recall the titles being FileZilla and Parallels Tools. (Yes, this VM had been migrated from VMware to Parallels and back to VMware over the years.) The Parallels Tools removal asked for a reboot, not unexpectedly. Rebooted the VM and...BSOD with 'INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE' error.

I can boot Windows Server 2012 into Repair Mode. But none of the reduced function boot modes work - Safe, Safe with Networking, etc. - all fail to boot.

The only thing I'm able to do is boot to the Command Line. diskpart shows all of the volumes, partitions, etc. that I'd expect. chkdsk /f completes successfully. But I can't seem to force re-recognition of the boot disk.

I've tried creating a new VM, using the existing virtual disk from the original VM. No success there.

I am able to mount the virtual disk in another VM. Again, the disk appears to be ok - chkdsk, Disk Management > defragmentation - both complete successfully. The partition map appears to be viable. But, still can't boot the VM to which the virtual disk belongs.

I realize I'm not the first person to encounter this...'INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE' is discussed all over Microsoft forums / KBs, VMware forums / KBs, etc. I'm just hoping to scare up some suggestions for things to try to resurrect this VM. Thanks very much.

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scott28tt
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Moderator: Thread moved to the Windows guest area, seems more like a Microsoft matter than a VMware one.


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a_p_
Leadership
Leadership

The error is often related to missing disk controller drivers. One possible reason could that the migrated VM uses and IDE controller rather than a SCSI controller.

Please check the VM's configuration regarding the disk controller model/type, and also the  the settings in the virtual disk's header/descriptor. Depending on the virtual disk's file type (monolithic, or split) the descriptor is embedded in the large binary .vmdk file, or a small text file.

In doubt, please run ls -l in the VM's folder/package, and post the result in a reply.

In any case - unless already done - make sure that you backup the VM, so that you can revert to the current state, in case that's needed.


André

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teeter
Contributor
Contributor

Disk is of type split...

createType="twoGbMaxExtentSparse"

And it certainly appears to be of type SCSI...

ddb.adapterType = "lsilogic"

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