KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q150815: Windows NT May Fail to Boot on Toshiba Portable Computers

Article: Q150815
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:3.51,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsetup
Last Modified: 09-AUG-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51, 4.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SYMPTOMS
========

Windows NT may fail to boot on certain portable computers, in particular Toshiba
portable computers, when the system partition is located on an NTFS partition
other than the boot partition. The following error message is displayed:

  STOP 0x0000007B
  Inaccessible Boot Device

CAUSE
=====

The problem occurs during shutdown when the system corrupts the last sectors
being written to disk. This appears to be a hardware problem relating to the
drive head and power shutdown, which results in an Error Correction Code (ECC)
error when reading the sector on restart.


RESOLUTION
==========

Obtain the following update or wait for the next Service Pack.

A modified Ntfs.sys driver for Windows NT and instructions for installing them
are available from Microsoft support channels or directly from the following
Internet locations:

For Windows NT 3.51:

ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-public/fixes/usa/NT351
/hotfixes-postSP5/toshiba-fix

For Windows NT 4.0:

ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-public/fixes/usa/NT40
/hotfixes-postSP1/toshiba-fix

The fix detects the bad sector in the restart area and uses the alternate restart
area during boot.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT versions 3.51 and
4.0. This problem was corrected in the latest Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 U.S.
Service Pack. For information on obtaining the service pack, query on the
following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

  S E R V P A C K


Additional query words: prodnt

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbsetup 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT351search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS351search
Version           : winnt:3.51,4.0

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.