How to troubleshoot "Stop 0x0000007B" error messages that occur when you run Windows 2000 Setup (822051)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional

IN THIS TASK

SUMMARY

This article describes how to troubleshoot "Stop 0x0000007B" error messages that may occur when you run Setup to install Microsoft Windows 2000 Server on your computer or when you install a Windows 2000 service pack on your Windows 2000-based computer. In certain situations, you may receive an error message that is similar to the following on a blue screen when you install Windows 2000 or when you install a Windows 2000 service pack:
***STOP 0x0000007B (parameter1, parameter2, parameter3, parameter4)
INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE
The "Stop 0x0000007b" error message is a Windows 2000 Executive character-mode Stop error message. It can be caused by various issues. It may indicate that either a failure occurred during I/O system initialization when the driver for the boot device initializes the device that Windows is trying to start from, or that the file system did not initialize because it did not recognize the data that is stored on the boot device. This error message may occur in the following situations:
  • If Windows is installed on an unsupported disk or small computer system interface (SCSI) controller.
  • After the installation of a new SCSI adapter or disk controller
  • When the disk was repartitioned with the system partition.
This article discusses both general and specific troubleshooting steps that you can use in situations when you receive this error message during the installation of Windows 2000 or during the installation of a Windows 2000 service pack.

Note This article discusses how to troubleshoot "Stop 0x0000007B" error messages that may occur when you run Setup to install Windows 2000 or when you install a Windows 2000 service pack. To troubleshoot general "Stop 0x0000007B" error messages that may occur on a Windows 2000-based computer that are not specifically related to Setup, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

822052 How to troubleshoot "Stop 0x0000007B" error messages in Windows 2000

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General troubleshooting procedures

Before you troubleshoot a "Stop 0x0000007B" error message, read the contents of this article to determine if any one of the specific issues that are listed later in this article apply to you. If they do not, use the following general troubleshooting steps:
  1. If you are installing Windows 2000 for the first time, make sure that your computer meets the Windows 2000 system requirements, including the amount of RAM and disk space that you must have to load the operating system.

    For more information about the system requirements for Windows 2000, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    304297 System requirements for Microsoft Windows operating systems

  2. If you recently added new hardware, remove the new hardware or reconfigure it so that it does not conflict with the resources of any other installed controllers.

    If an IRQ or I/O port address conflict exists between the boot controller and another controller, Windows 2000 may display a "Stop 0x0000007B" error message. Check the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) to make sure that the hardware that you want to add and its drivers are compatible with Windows 2000. For more information about the HCL, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

    http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx

    For information about the hardware that you want to install, contact the hardware manufacturer.
  3. Use the Last Known Good Configuration feature. Using the Last Known Good Configuration feature may resolve the problem if you recently installed a device driver that is incompatible with your boot controller.

    When you use the Last Known Good Configuration feature, you start your computer by using the most recent settings that worked. This feature restores registry information and driver settings that were in effect the last time that the computer started successfully. Use this feature when you cannot start Windows after you make a change to the computer (for example, if you install or upgrade a device driver).

    To start the computer by using the Last Known Good Configuration feature, follow these steps:
    1. Restart the computer.
    2. Press F8 when you receive the following message: Please select the operating system to start.
    3. On the Windows Advanced Option menu, use the arrow keys to select Last Known Good Configuration, and then press ENTER.
    4. If you are running other operating systems on the computer, click Microsoft Windows 2000 from the list that appears, and then press ENTER.

      Warning After you start your computer by using the Last Known Good Configuration feature, changes that you made since the last successful startup are lost.

      If you can start your computer by using the last Last Known Good Configuration feature, the last change that you made to the computer (for example, the installation of a driver) may be the cause of the problem. To troubleshoot a problem, you can either remove or update the driver, and then test Windows to determine whether the problem is resolved.
  4. Use an Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

    If you have an ERD, use it to troubleshoot the problem. You can use the emergency repair process to repair the system files, the partition boot sector, and the startup environment.

    For more information about the emergency repair feature, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    231777 How to create an Emergency Repair Disk in Windows 2000

  5. Read the contents of the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base to determine if the troubleshooting steps apply to your situation:

    122926 Troubleshooting Stop 0x0000007B or "0x4,0,0,0" error

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Specific troubleshooting procedures

Boot sector viruses

You may receive a "Stop 0x0000007B" error message if your computer is infected with a boot sector virus. Use an antivirus program to check your computer for viruses. Additionally, check any floppy disks for viruses before you use them again.

For more information about how to help protect the boot sector from viruses, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

122221 How to protect boot sector from viruses in Windows


Microsoft does not provide software that can detect or remove computer viruses. If you suspect or confirm that your computer is infected with a virus, obtain current antivirus software. For a list of antivirus software manufacturers, click the following article number to see the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

49500 List of Antivirus Software Vendors

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List of specific issues

The following list contains more information about specific situations where a "Stop 0x0000007B" error message may occur when you run Windows 2000 Setup to install Windows 2000 on your computer or when you install a Windows 2000 service pack. Click the link or links that you want for more information about how to troubleshoot the problem: back to the top

A "Stop 0x0000007B" error message occurs when you run an unattended Setup with the ExtendOemPartition option and you install the Microsoft Loopback adapter

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A "Stop 0x0000007B" error message occurs when you use a Universal Serial Bus (USB) CD-ROM drive to install Windows 2000

If you use a USB CD-ROM drive to install Windows 2000 on certain legacy-free computers, you may receive a "Stop 0x0000007B" error message when you start the computer by using the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. Because many legacy-free computers do not have a standard CD-ROM drive or a floppy disk drive, the USB CD-ROM drive may be the only method that you can use to install or to recover Windows.

Cause

Windows 2000 Setup does not support certain USB CD-ROM drives as bootable devices. When you start the computer by using an unsupported USB CD-ROM drive, you may receive a "Stop 0x0000007B" error message during the text-mode portion of Setup.

Resolution

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest Windows 2000 service pack.

For more information about how to do this, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260910 How to obtain the latest Windows 2000 service pack


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A "Stop 0x0000007B" error message occurs when you upgrade your computer to Windows 2000 if DPT Storage Manager Version 2.26 or earlier is installed on your computer

When you try to upgrade your computer from Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 to Windows 2000, you may receive the following Stop error message on a blue screen, and your computer may not start:
STOP:0x0000007B, 0xF4063848, 0xC000034, 00000000, 00000000

Cause

This problem may occur if DPT Storage Manager version 2.26 or earlier is installed on the computer. DPT Storage Manager Setup creates an incorrect Plug and Play registry key that prevents the upgrade operation to Windows 2000 but has no adverse effect on Windows NT 4.0-based computers.

Resolution

To resolve this problem, either upgrade the version of DPT Storage Manager to Storage Manager version 2.27 or later, or obtain and install the W2kprep.exe file from DPT. The W2kprep.exe file is included with DPT Storage Manager version 3.03 and later.

For more information about Storage Manager, visit the following Adaptec Web site:

http://www.adaptec.com

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A "Stop 0x0000007B" error message occurs when you upgrade your computer to Windows 2000 if your computer has a HighPoint UltraDMA ATA/66 controller

If you start your computer by using a Windows 2000 CD-ROM to install Windows and your computer uses a HighPoint UltraDMA ATA/66 hard disk controller, the computer may stop responding (hang), and you receive the following message: Loading Machine InformationYou cannot press F6 to install a secondary controller driver.

If you upgrade your computer from Windows NT 4.0, Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows 95, you may receive a "Stop 0x0000007B INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE" error message.

Cause

This problem occurs because there is no Windows 2000-compatible driver for the HighPoint UltraDMA ATA/66 hard disk controller.

Workaround

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods, as appropriate to your situation:
  • Use a low-density data cable.
  • Disable ATA/66 support in the computer's BIOS.
  • Use a non-ATA/66 hard disk on the computer.

Status

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

Additional information

The HighPoint UltraDMA ATA/66 hard disk controller is common on ABIT motherboards such as the BE6 motherboard.

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A "Stop 0x0000007B" error message occurs when you install Windows 2000 Professional to a mirrored volume

When you install Windows 2000 Professional to a mirrored volume that was created by using Windows 2000 Server, you receive a "Stop 0x0000007B INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE " error message.

Cause

This problem occurs because Windows 2000 Professional does not support mirrored volumes.

Resolution

To prevent this error message, start Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2000 Server Setup and remove the mirrored volume. You can also delete all volumes from both mirrored drives during the text-mode portion of Setup.

Status

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.back to the top

A "Stop 0x0000007B" error message occurs when you install Windows 2000 if you use SCSI adapters that are not included in the HCL

There are several SCSI adapter drivers that that were previously included in Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 and Microsoft Windows NT 3.51, that have been removed from Windows 2000 . If you use one of the SCSI adapters that are listed later in this article, you may receive a "Stop 0x0000007B" error message when you perform a "clean" installation of Windows 2000. Note that an upgrade operation from Windows NT to Windows 2000 is not affected because Windows 2000 is compatible with the drivers in Windows NT.

The following is a list of drivers and a description of the mass-storage adapters that were previously included in Windows NT, and that are not included in Windows 2000:
  • delldsa - Dell Drive Array
  • ncr53c9x - NCR 53C9X SCSI Host Adapter
  • spock - IBM MCA SCSI Host Adapter
  • oliscsi - Olivetti ESC-1/ESC-2 SCSI Host Adapter
  • ncrc700 - NCR C700 SCSI Host Adapter
  • aha174x - Adaptec AHA-174X EISA SCSI Host Adapter
  • dptscsi - DPT SCSI Host Adapter
  • ultra14f - UltraStor 14F/14FB/34F/34FA/34FB SCSI Host Adapter
  • ultra24f - UltraStor 24F/24FA SCSI Host Adapter
  • ami0nt - AMIscsi SCSI Host Adapter
  • fd7000ex - Future Domain TMC-7000EX EISA SCSI Host Adapter
  • fd8xx - Future Domain 8XX SCSI Host Adapter
  • arrow - Adaptec AHA-274X/AHA-284X/AIC-777X SCSI Host Adapter
  • slcd32 - Sony Proprietary CD-ROM Controller
  • mkecr5xx - MKEPanasonic CD-ROM Controller
  • mitsumi - Mitsumi CD-ROM Controller
These adapters are not included in the Windows 2000 Hardware Compatibility List (HCL).

For more information about devices that are not listed on the Windows 2000 HCL , click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

142865 Microsoft support policy on hardware not in the Windows Catalog (Windows HCL)

If you want to perform a clean installation of Windows 2000 and you are using one of these SCSI adapters, contact the SCSI adapter manufacturer to inquire about the availability of drivers for Windows 2000. Note that if they are not available, you can try to use the Windows NT 4.0 drivers that are provided by the manufacturer.

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A "Stop 0x0000007B" error message may occur after you press F6 to specify an OEM driver during Windows 2000 Setup

When you install Windows 2000 on a new computer or on a computer that has the latest SCSI or IDE controller technology, you may have to use an OEM device driver to support to continue with the installation. For example, you may have to use a new mass storage controller to continue with the installation. Windows 2000 Setup may stop, and you may receive an error message if Setup does not correctly detect the controller. If you start the computer by using the installation floppy disks or the installation CD-ROM, you receive the following error message:
Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your system.
If you upgrade to Windows 2000 by using the Winnt32.exe file, or if you perform a new installation by using the Winnt.exe file, you receive the following Stop error message:
STOP 0x0000007B (parameter1, parameter2, parameter3, parameter4)
INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE
This problem may also occur after you update the firmware or the BIOS of a supported SCSI controller if the update causes an incompatibility with the SCSI driver that is included with Windows.

During the text-mode portion of Setup, Windows pauses briefly and prompts you to press F6. This option appears in the status line and permits you to use an OEM driver. Use of an OEM driver is limited to installing a driver that is not natively supported or that does not match a driver that is included with Windows.

If you use a newer version of an OEM driver, and this new OEM driver has the same name or Plug and Play Identifier as a driver that is included with Windows, the Setup program ignores the new OEM driver and uses the driver that is included with Windows. As a result, you receive the error message that is described earlier in this article. If you require an updated OEM driver to support an existing controller that is natively supported by Windows but is not detected during Setup, you must replace the Windows driver that is contained on one of the four Windows Setup floppy disks or that is located in the temporary installation folder ($WIN_NT$.~BT) with the new OEM driver. This replacement permits Windows to use the updated OEM driver during the text-mode portion of Setup, but you must copy the same updated OEM driver to the System32\Drivers folder of the final Windows installation before the installation continues to the graphics-mode portion of setup.

Note that if you choose to format the partition with the NTFS file system during Setup, you cannot copy the newer OEM driver to the System32\Drivers folder after text-mode portion of Setup is completed. This problem occurs because Windows Setup formats the partition as NTFS file system before copying files. To work around this limitation, install Windows to a FAT partition that is less than 2 GB or to a FAT32 partition that is less than 32 GB. Doing this permits access by using a startup disk from Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me). After you install Windows 2000, convert the FAT or FAT32 partition to NTFS. To do so, type the following line at the command prompt, and then press ENTER:

convert c: /fs:ntfs

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A "Stop 0x0000007B" error message occurs when you start Windows NT 4.0 after you install Windows 2000 in a dual-boot configuration with Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 3 (SP3)

If you install Windows 2000 in a dual-boot configuration with Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 3 (SP3), you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:
  • When you start Windows NT 4.0, you receive an error message that is similar to the following:
    STOP: 0x0000007B (0x8881Ae30, 0x00000000, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)
    INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE
  • You cannot access your NTFS partitions by using Windows NT 4.0.

Cause

This problem occurs because Windows 2000 Setup does not update the Windows NT 4.0 SP3 Ntfs.sys driver in a dual-boot configuration. The Ntfs.sys file must be updated so that Windows 2000 can gain access to NTFS partitions.

Resolution

To prevent this problem, apply the latest Windows NT 4.0 service pack before you install Windows 2000.

For more information about how to obtain the latest Windows NT service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

152734 How to obtain the latest Windows NT 4.0 service pack

Status

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.back to the top

You receive a "Stop 0x0000007B" error message when you restart your computer after you install Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3)

When you try to install Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3), you may experience one of the following symptoms:
  • When you restart your computer, you receive the following error message:
    Winlogon.exe has generated errors and will be shut down
    The computer restarts, displays the same error message, and then restarts again.
  • You receive the following Stop error message on a blue screen:
    ***STOP 0x0000007B (parameter1, parameter2, parameter3, parameter4)
    INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE
    Note The Stop error message may also occur when you try to remove Windows 2000 SP3.

Cause

This problem may occur if antivirus software is running on your computer when you install Windows 2000 SP3.

Resolution

To resolve this problem, follow these steps.

Warning If you choose to use the information that is contained in this article to repair a Windows 2000 Server-based computer that is a domain controller, note that the repair process overwrites the Active Directory directory services database. Before you use the repair process, you must back up the Winnt\Ntds\Ntds.dit Active Directory database. For more information about how to back up the Active Directory, see the "Back Up System State Data" topic in Windows Help.
  1. Start the computer from the Windows 2000 CD-ROM.

    Note You may have to change your BIOS settings before you can start your computer from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. For more information about how to configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, see your computer's documentation or contact your computer manufacturer. If you cannot start your computer from the Windows 2000 CD-ROM, insert the Setup disk 1 of the four Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks in the floppy disk drive, and then restart your computer.
  2. On the Repair Options screen, press R to start the Emergency Repair process.
  3. Press F to perform Fast Repair.
  4. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to complete the repair process.
  5. When the computer restarts, start your computer from the Windows 2000 CD-ROM or the Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks.

    Make sure that the computer is not currently started to Windows.
  6. Repeat steps 2 through 4, and then restart your computer.
  7. Make sure that your antivirus software and all other programs that start automatically are disabled or removed, and then install Windows 2000 SP3.
Note If you do not reinstall Windows 2000 SP3 after you perform steps 1 through 7, Microsoft Windows Installer and Microsoft Internet Explorer may not work correctly.

To resolve issues with Windows Installer, download and install Windows Installer Redistributable for Windows 2000. To do so, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4b6140f9-2d36-4977-8fa1-6f8a0f5dca8f&DisplayLang=en

To resolve issues with Internet Explorer, reinstall it. For more information about how to do so, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx

Note that backup media for Active Directory has a limited lifespan. Therefore, existing backups eventually become obsolete.

For more information about the lifespan of an Active Directory backup, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

216993 Useful shelf life of a system-state backup of Active Directory

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You receive a "Stop 0x0000007B" error message when you restart your computer after you install Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 (SP2) on a Windows 2000 Advanced Server-based computer

After you install Windows 2000 Advanced Server Service Pack 2 (SP2) on a computer that has an integrated device electronics (IDE) drive, you may receive a "Stop 0x0000007B" error message when you restart the computer.

Cause

The Atapi.sys service is started, and the Atapi.sys file appears to exist on the computer.

Resolution

To resolve this error, use the Recovery Console to rename the existing Atapi.sys file, and then expand a new copy of the Atapi.sys file from the original Windows 2000 installation CD-ROM. To do so, follow these steps:
  1. Start the computer from the Windows 2000 installation CD-ROM.

    Note You may have to change your BIOS settings before you can start your computer from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. For more information about how to configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, see your computer's documentation or contact your computer manufacturer. If you cannot start your computer from the Windows 2000 CD-ROM, insert the Setup disk 1 of the four Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks in the floppy disk drive, and then restart your computer.
  2. Press R to repair a Windows 2000 installation.
  3. Press C to use Recovery Console.
  4. Type the number that represents the Windows 2000 installation that you want to repair, and then when you are prompted to, type the Administrator password.
  5. In the Recovery Console, rename the existing Atapi.sys file to Atapi.old.
  6. In the Recovery Console, use the Expand command to expand a new copy of the Atapi.sys file.

    To do so, insert the Windows 2000 CD-ROM in you computer's CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, type the following line at the command prompt, where source.cab is the path and file name of the CAB file (.cab) that you want to expand, and destination is the path and name of the folder where you want to store the expanded file, and then press ENTER:

    expand source.cab /f:atapi.sys destination

  7. Restart the computer.
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You receive a "Stop 0x0000007B" error message or partitions are listed as unformatted after you install a Windows 2000 Service Pack

When you restart your computer after you install a Windows 2000 service pack, you may experience one or both of the following symptoms:
  • When your computer restarts, you may receive the following error message on a blue screen:
    " Stop 0x0000007B INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE"
  • After your computer restarts, partitions on physical hard disks may either be missing or may appear in the Disk Management tool as 7.88 gigabytes (GB) and "Healthy". However, one or more of the partitions on the hard disk may be listed as being unformatted or damaged. Additionally, if you try to open the partition in Windows Explorer, you receive a message that indicates that the drive is not formatted, and then you are prompted to format the drive.

Cause

This problem occurs because Windows 2000 service packs introduced a fix to correct when Cylinder, Head, Sector (CHS), or Logical Block Addressing (LBA) addressing should be used to address a drive. Some IDE hard disks provide a jumper that limits the number of cylinders. If this jumper is in use, the hard disk is not addressed correctly after you apply a Windows 2000 service pack. Note that this jumper is not required when you are running Windows 2000, is not typically installed as a default setting by the manufacturer, and should be removed.

Resolution

To resolve this problem, remove the jumper that limits cylinders from each affected IDE hard disks so that the drive can be addressed correctly after you apply the Windows 2000 service pack to your computer. For information about how to do so, and to obtain detailed information about your specific model of hard disk, do one or more the following as appropriate to your situation:
  • View the documentation that is included with your hard disk.
  • Contact the hardware manufacturer.
  • View the hardware manufacturer's Web site.
Note that after you remove the jumper, operations should return to normal. If your computer still does not start after you remove the jumper, you may need a BIOS update to provide correct translation of the drive. As a temporary workaround, follow these steps:
  1. Start the computer from the Windows 2000 CD-ROM or from the Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks.

    Note You may have to change your BIOS settings before you can start your computer from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. For more information about how to configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, see your computer's documentation or contact your computer manufacturer.
  2. Press R to repair a Windows 2000 installation.
  3. Press C to use Recovery Console.
  4. Type the number that represents the Windows 2000 installation that you want to repair, and then when you are prompted to, type the Administrator password.
  5. In the Recovery Console, rename the Atapi.sys file in the %systemroot%\System32\Drivers folder to Atapi.sp1.
  6. In the Recovery Console, copy the Atapi.sys file from the service pack uninstallation folder (%systemroot%\$ntservicepackuninstall$) or from the original Windows 2000 installation CD-ROM to the %systemroot%\System32\Drivers folder.
  7. Type exit, and then press ENTER to exit Recovery Console.
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MORE INFORMATION

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products. back to the top

REFERENCES

For more information about how to use Recovery Console, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

301645 How to use Recovery Console on a computer that does not start in Windows 2000

229716 Description of the Windows 2000 Recovery Console

216417 How to install the Windows Recovery Console

For more information about how to disable a service or device that prevents Windows from starting correctly, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

165748 How to disable a service or device that prevents NT from booting

For more information about how to troubleshoot startup problems in Windows 2000, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

315396 How to troubleshoot startup problems in Windows 2000

For information about how to contact your hardware manufacturer, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

65416 Hardware and software vendor contact information, A-K

60781 Hardware and software vendor contact information, L-P

60782 Hardware and software vendor contact information, Q-Z

Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information. back to the top
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/4/2006
Keywords:kb3rdparty kberrmsg kbHOWTOmaster kbinfo KB822051 kbAudITPRO
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