Windows 7 - BSOD 0x7B with GA-X58A-UD3R mobo due to BIOS Reset

Keywords: BSOD, 0x7B error code, GA-X58A-UD3R motherboard, BIOS reset to failsafes, AHCI, IDE

Background: I run Windows 7 Pro x64 on a Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R motherboard (BIOS version F5) with AHCI enabled in the BIOS and the OS. My system locked up coming out of hibernation and I hit the reset button. Apparently this caused the BIOS to revert to failsafe settings, which included changing AHCI settings back to IDE. I didn't catch this and the OS loaded, at which time it loaded new drivers and requested a reboot. Once I realized that I had lost the AHCI settings and could not simply re-enable them in BIOS, I researched how to revert back and this is what I found out for my specific motherboard.

Problem: BIOS reverted back to IDE and AHCI settings were lost. OS would not boot after changing BIOS back to AHCI - received BSOD with 0x7B error code.

Solution, Pt1: In BIOS go to the Integrated Peripherals tab and change the setting for ICH SATA Control Mode, eSATA Ctrl Mode, GSATA6_7/IDE Ctrl Mode, and GSATA8_9/IDE Ctrl Mode from AHCI to IDE so that you can get the OS to load without getting an 0x7B BSOD. Note: on my system, I only had to change the ICH SATA Control Mode, as that is what controls my boot hard drive... your config may be different, so I listed all four possibilities.

Solution , Pt2: I searched these forums and found a link to Microsoft Knowledge Base article 922976 Error message when you start a Windows 7 or Windows Vista-based computer after you change the SATA mode of the boot drive: "STOP 0x0000007B INACCESSABLE_BOOT_DEVICE". I tried this but it did not work. Make sure you backup the registry, preferably to a flash drive, before making any edits.*

Solution, Pt3: I re-loaded the system drivers for the GA-X58A-UD3R for the Intel Chipset, Marvel console, and SATA2/3. Once I did that, I re-booted, went into BIOS and changed from IDE to AHCI and was able to get the OS to successfully load. Apparently some drivers other than what was mentioned in KB922976 were affected on my system when I first booted with IDE enabled after the BIOS failsafed.

*Side Effects: When my system booted into IDE mode after the BIOS failsafed, I found that all my system restore points were gone. As a result, I suggest that you manually back-up the registry to a flash drive, in addition to creating a system restore point.


I hope this helps some folks so that they do not have to spend over an hour researching this as I did. And yes... I did remove the evil hibernation from my desktop.