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p_d
Contributor
Contributor

Blue screen 0x0000007B VM boot error with 64-bit Windows 2003

Blue screen 0x0000007B boot error with 64-bit Windows 2003 virtual machine converted from physical machine.

I am running VMWare Converter Starter Edition version 3.0.0 build-39557 installed on a Dell PowerEdge 2950 (a couple of months old) running Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64 R2 (version 5.2.3790, SP1 with all the latest updates). The server has SCSI RAID drives (2 separate arrays for a physical C: and 😧 drive).

The physical machine is a new clean installation of 64-bit Windows Server 2003 with no other software installed except for VMWare Server and Converter.

I am attempting to create a virtual machine from this machine to run in VMWare Server (version 1.0.1 build-29996) on the same physical machine. The conversion appears to succeed, but when I attempt to start the new virtual machine, it begins to boot, displays the Windows 2003 startup screen briefly, and then fails with a blue screen with the following error:

STOP: 0x0000007B (0xFFFFFADFD520F3C0, 0xFFFFFFFFC0000034, 0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000)

I understand the "0x0000007B" means that it can't access the boot device for some reason. I have searched these forums and the knowledge base, but haven't found a solution to this problem.

I have been able to successfully convert and boot a 32-bit Windows Server 2003 physical machine as a virtual machine running in this same VMWare Server. I don't have any other 64-bit machines to test this with.

I am logged in directly to the console of the physical machine with the administrator account. I enabled virtualization in the BIOS. I have tried various combinations when building the virtual machine (customizing or not, fixed or variable disk sizes, importing both C: and 😧 drives or importing only the C: drive, etc). I have the SYSPREP files from the x64 installation disks locally on the server, and I have run SETUPMGR in this folder to create a SYSPREP.INF file. All of these various attempts have failed with the same boot error.

Is it possible to build a 64-bit virtual machine using VMWare Converter Starter Edition? Any suggestions on how to resolve this issue?

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51 Replies
bretti
Expert
Expert

I don't see why it would not work.

What services do you have running on the source server? Are there any non essential services you can disable to troubleshoot?

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Are you able to boot up in Windows Safe Mode?

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Paul11
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

I have the same problem booting a 64-Bit converted Windows 2003 System. Booting in Windows Safe Mode doesn't change anything, it's the same Blue screen with 0x0000007B ...

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pdmana
Contributor
Contributor

Hello,

I had about the same problem. I configured in the BIOS that the processor must be virtual enabled. After that my 64bits server was working. Hope is is helpfull to you

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Paul11
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

The BIOS Settings are correct, new installed Windows 2003 64-Bit machines are working fine, only converted machines do not boot after the migration.

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trifox
Contributor
Contributor

I have the same problem. I think it is because my original 2003 server has an IDE controller but the converted VM has a SCSI controller. Does anyone know how to tell Converter to create IDE drives?

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Converter by default creates SCSI virtual disks. It can handle IDE source disks and convert them to SCSI.

What do your disk entries say in your .vmx?

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trifox
Contributor
Contributor

They all say scsi (except the cd/rom) but since the source OS thinks that it is booting from IDE, won't this cause a 7B on booting?

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Can you try running Converter -> Configure on that unbootable VM again? It should properly replace the controller inside the Guest to match the .vmx settings it originally created. Converter did create the VM for you, correct?

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trifox
Contributor
Contributor

How do I do that? Converter built a directory with all the files. I did configure before the conversion so that it would use a different ip address, hostname, etc... Where is the Configure option to run on an existing VM?

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trifox
Contributor
Contributor

Ok I found it (right in front of me!). I redid the Configure on the existing unbootable VM, no luck.

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

I would try attaching the VM's unbootable disk to another Windows VM and looking inside it to verify that the boot.ini is correct.

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Bengeler
Contributor
Contributor

I'm also having the exact same problem, in fact my situation is identical right down to the hardware, software and method. If i run a repair option from the Windows x64 cd the server comes up fine, but i would have thought the converter would have worked fine.

Any updates on what else to try? I have checked the boot.ini and all is normal. Suggestions?

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lvi123
Contributor
Contributor

One possible reason is that the VM ended up with BusLogic SCSI controller instead of LSI Logic. Can you please post the contents of your .vmx file to verify that this is the case?

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PROSTEPAG
Contributor
Contributor

same problem here.. trying to convert a 64bit XP to VM and getting 7b stop code...

Tried changing LSI to Buslogic, but didn't help..

I think theres a major issue with 64bit compatibility with VMware Converter

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joshuastarr
Contributor
Contributor

I have had the same exact issue that has been described above. Used the Converter on a SUN Fire X2100 Server 2003 x64 install and it blue screens when I try to load the VM. Hope this gets figured out soon.

Josh

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TsachiSAP
Contributor
Contributor

ANY PROGRESS WITH THIS COMMON ISSUE?

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TsachiSAP
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Pangchen,

could you please let us know if there is solution to this BSOD?

I'll appreciate this a lot!!!

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lvi123
Contributor
Contributor

OK, Converter 3.0 is not installing LSI Logic SCSI driver into the target VM. This causes Windows to BSOD with 0x7b aka "inaccessible boot device". Stay tuned for the fix availability. Sorry for the delay.

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