Rightek Rescue · Guides · Inaccessible Boot Device

INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE (0x7B)? Here's how to fix it

This blue-screen stop code means Windows started to boot but couldn't reach the drive it lives on — usually because the storage controller mode changed or a driver isn't primed. The disk and your files are fine; Windows just can't talk to the controller.

What you're seeing

A blue screen: INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE
Stop code 0x0000007B
It started after a BIOS/UEFI change (AHCI ↔ RAID ↔ VMD), a Windows update, or cloning to a new SSD/PC

Why it happens

The firmware's storage controller mode (AHCI / RAID / Intel VMD) was switched, so Windows loads the wrong disk driver
The boot-start storage driver is missing or was half-injected after a hardware move
A failed update left the storage stack in a bad state

Fix it yourself — the manual steps

Easiest: reboot into BIOS/UEFI and set the SATA/VMD mode back to what it was (often AHCI). If you don't know, try toggling AHCI ↔ RAID/VMD.
Or boot Windows install media → Repair → Troubleshoot → Command Prompt and prime the inbox controllers so Windows can start in any mode.
If it followed a clone, make sure the new drive is first in the boot order.
Reboot.

⚡ The one-click way: let Rightek Rescue do it

Rescue primes every inbox storage controller to boot-start — so Windows can reach the disk whatever controller mode the firmware presents — automatically. On any working PC: download Rescue, put it on a USB (one click makes it bootable), boot the affected PC from it, and choose Fix My PC. It finds the exact cause and repairs it — your files are never touched. Not sure what's wrong? It tells you free before it fixes anything.

Get Rightek Rescue → See it work

FAQ

Will changing the BIOS mode erase my drive?

No - switching AHCI/RAID/VMD mode doesn't touch your data. It only changes how Windows talks to the disk.

Will I lose my files?

No. This is a boot/system problem, not a data problem - your files are almost always intact. Rescue repairs the system side and never overwrites your personal files.

Do I need a second computer?

Yes - any working PC to download Rescue and make the USB. Any USB stick 8GB+ works.

Which Windows versions are supported?

Windows 10 and 11. Rescue runs from the USB, outside your broken Windows, so it works even when Windows won't start.