[Win7] 0x0000007E Unbootable - Safe mode too

[Jake1702]

Hello everyone! Not the best way to introduce myself, but I've tried on multiple places and got no assistance for this issue I have.

Ok, so I'm sure at least some of you know that Microsoftstilllet you upgrade to Windows 10 for free with the "assistive services" offer. I had to take it, in order to run a program for school. I no longer needed it, so I did what any sane person would do, used the recovery options to go back to Windows 7 from the settings panel as it is. When I first installed Windows 10, it took like 4 hours for everything to finish. When I went back to 7, the revertion process took like 5 mins, which was really weird. But in any case, I saw it showing the Windows 7 boot screen I know and love. I was happy, but not for long. I saw it freeze at part of the animation, and the screen went black for a second, then came back on, but not just in the normal way, big, blue and with white text. What did this white text say? I wasn't too sure as it immediately restarted. I thought, "maybe it's just temporary" because I've had a lot of 1 time BSODs before. But nope, I got the same result. So next time, I decided to spam F8 as you do, and selected "Disable Restart on System Failure". Well, the ugly blue screen was back, but I got a look at the stop code - 0x0000007E. I said, "let me try safe mode", tried both normal and with networking, all for naught. I didn't look at the other codes in brackets at that time, and I quickly went to do a Google search for the error. I found a billion different results, reading and attempting solutions one by one, nothing worked. I soon decided to boot again, spam F8 once more, and choose "Enable Boot Logging". I got an ntbtlog file. How can I access it in an unbootable system? Well, luckily, a couple days before attempting to revert, I did a dual boot with Ubuntu. So yes, I have direct file access. I also made another "Disable Restart on System Failure", and then wrote down the WHOLE thing, which is: 0x0000007E (0xFFFFFFFF80000003, 0xFFFFF88001894059, 0xFFFFF880009A9468, 0xFFFFF880009A8CC0).

No, there is no error that SHOWS_LIKE_THIS in there, nor any driver or file mentioned. I don't even know if all the errors in brackets stay the same each time. I am quite frustrated trying to fix this.

Well, here is the [FONT=&quot]ntbtlog[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT] (I obviously can't run any BSOD checker as it is completely impossible to boot): ntbtlog.txt - Pastebin.com
What I noticed that is extremely strange is this line, "BOOTLOG_LOADED \SystemRoot\System32\drivers\condrv.sys". It's the last file the system loads before failing. I did a quick Google search, and everything that turns up for this file is for Windows 8 or Windows 10. But wait, this is Windows 7 that is failing to boot... It has come to my conclusion that Windows 10 broke it, and it is for some reason trying to cross load both Windows 10 and Windows 7 files, resulting in, obviously, a fatal error.

[FONT=&quot]Is there ANY possible way to save this without having to reinstall? As I mentioned, I have it dual booted with Ubuntu so I have direct file access if needed.
Also note, I did the dual boot BEFORE I reverted back to Windows 7.

[/FONT]

 

[jcgriff2]

Re: 0x0000007E Unbootable - Safe mode too (Windows 7)

Hi. . .

From your post:

0x0000007E (0xFFFFFFFF80000003, 0xFFFFF88001894059, 0xFFFFF880009A9468, 0xFFFFF880009A8CC0).

BSOD bugcheck 0x7e = a thread threw an exception. The first number inside the parenthesis is supposed to be the exception code. Yours is - 0x80000003, which means that a "breakpoint" in the code was hit. This is extremely unusual as breakpoints are usually only found in test versions of Windows. When one is hit, a BSOD is forced. Developers use them to help debug their code. The actual term is a "checked build".

Furthermore, we don't have the name of a 3rd party driver here that is causing the BSOD.

As for the drivers you see loading, it usually is the driver before the one listed, but in this case, your boot log says that condrv.sys was loaded.

condrv.sys is a Microsoft console driver - Driver Reference Table - condrv.sys

It very likely is just a default and either hardware unknown failure or a 3rd party driver is the actual cause.

I would advise that you back all of your personal files up via Ubuntu, then invoke the hidden factory recovery partition (usually via an "F" key or a combination of keys during boot-up. Check owner's manual) and reinstall Windows 7. The recovery partition should still be in tact, even in light of your temporary migration to Windows 10.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

 

[Jake1702]

Re: 0x0000007E Unbootable - Safe mode too (Windows 7)

Yes, that's what a few other people have told me as well. I suppose I have no choice... Thank you for your time.

Just a question though, is it a coincidence that all information I see about condrv.sys are for Windows 8 and 10? Or is it that it actually got so completely broken that it's loading a driver left back from Windows 10?

 

[jcgriff2]

Re: 0x0000007E Unbootable - Safe mode too (Windows 7)

Yes, that's what a few other people have told me as well. I suppose I have no choice... Thank you for your time.

You're welcome. Sorry that I was unable to come up with a definite solution so as to not completely reinstall Windows 7.

Just a question though, is it a coincidence that all information I see about condrv.sys are for Windows 8 and 10? Or is it that it actually got so completely broken that it's loading a driver left back from Windows 10?

What a great question! I myself gave no thought to it.

According to THIS write-up, condrv.sys was introduced in Windows 8, remained in Windows 8.1 and now it's also found in Windows 10.

It is NOT found in Windows 7. If the reversion of your system from Windows 10 back to Windows 7 was successful, this driver should be nowhere to be found. So it seems the current Windows OS in your system did not get fully restored back to Windows 7.

Great catch! Thank you.

Just for info, I did locate it on my Windows 8.1 system:

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\condrv.sys
C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-console-driver_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.16384_none_f8742b65a1cbe282\condrv.sys

If you need assistance with getting your system to boot via the recovery partition, please post back with the manufacturer and model number (get model number off of the sticker - on the bottom for laptops).

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

 

[Jake1702]

Re: 0x0000007E Unbootable - Safe mode too (Windows 7)

Well...
Manufacturer: Lenovo
Model: Ideapad B4-30 20390

I wouldn't be surprised if you find absolutely no information on this model, I myself can't. It was previously a school laptop which was given out with Windows 7, but the sticker under it indicates it originally had Windows 8.

Also, that's why the reversion from Windows 10 to 7 took like 5 mins, when the original "upgrade" took a few hours. I found that extremely confusing and have no idea what could have caused it to do it incompletely. Another thing, I found a ton of other people getting the same stop code; 0x7E after reverting from Windows 10 to 7, but most had access to safe mode. I do not. It seems like none of them had (0xFFFFFFFF80000003) in there though. Do you perhaps know what any of the other codes in brackets refer to?

 

[Jake1702]

Re: 0x0000007E Unbootable - Safe mode too (Windows 7)

Oddly enough, I just browsed through some system files. I cannot find condrv.sys, so how is it being loaded? Or is it that it's not being loaded, which is leading to the crash? This makes absolutely no sense to me, may it be because I did the dual boot before I tried to revert to 7 and the GRUB menu is using incorrect loading commands? It actually still labels it as "Windows 10 (loader)"

 

[jcgriff2]

Re: 0x0000007E Unbootable - Safe mode too (Windows 7)

Well...
Manufacturer: Lenovo
Model: Ideapad B4-30 20390

A Google search brought up this PDF manual for Lenovo B40/B50/N40/N50 models -

https://cdn.cnetcontent.com/63/f5/63f5d128-ff56-47bb-b953-2e1eb4e8b42c.pdf

A quick search in Chapter 3 did not provide the F key(s) I was looking for to boot the system up using the recovery partition (which may be Windows 8 and not Windows 7 based on statements that you have made).

I wouldn't be surprised if you find absolutely no information on this model, I myself can't. It was previously a school laptop which was given out with Windows 7, but the sticker under it indicates it originally had Windows 8.

Wow! Now we may have Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 thrown in the mix.

... Another thing, I found a ton of other people getting the same stop code; 0x7E after reverting from Windows 10 to 7, but most had access to safe mode. I do not. It seems like none of them had (0xFFFFFFFF80000003) in there though. Do you perhaps know what any of the other codes in brackets refer to?

If for reasons stated above, the system actually reverted back to Windows 8, that would explain the inability of accessing safemode as Windows 8 cannot be booted into safemode via the F8 key.

The full bugcheck was: 0x0000007E (0xFFFFFFFF80000003, 0xFFFFF88001894059, 0xFFFFF880009A9468, 0xFFFFF880009A8CC0).


The bugcheck itself was 0x7e - the first number.

Each number inside the parenthesis is referred to a parameter - P1, P2, P3, P4

P1 = 0x80000003 = The exception code that was not handled
P2 = 0x88001894059 = The address where the exception occurred
P3 = 0x880009A9468 =The address of the exception
P4 = 0x880009A8CC0 = The address of the context record

Wherever you see "address", it is referring to "memory address". The leading "F" characters are filler for x64 systems.

The parms cannot help us here as one would have to trace back each parm + a whole lot more via a live debugging session to even begin to try and figure any of this out.

No two systems in the world will BSOD with the same memory addresses in the parms; hence the reason why Googling the entire bugcheck brings up nothing matching the bugcheck + all 4 parms

To me, the exception error code (P1) is the most confusing. From Microsoft relating to bugcheck 0x7e -

If exception code 0x80000003 occurs, a hard-coded breakpoint or assertion was hit, but the system was started with the /NODEBUG switch. This problem should rarely occur. If it occurs repeatedly, make sure that a kernel debugger is connected and the system is started with the /DEBUG switch.

As I stated in an earlier post, it almost seems like you ended up with a "checked build" where developers hard-code these stops (or breakpoints) in the code for debugging purposes. All breakpoints are removed before the final Windows RTM (Release to Manufacture) is released.

Oddly enough, I just browsed through some system files. I cannot find condrv.sys, so how is it being loaded? Or is it that it's not being loaded, which is leading to the crash? This makes absolutely no sense to me, may it be because I did the dual boot before I tried to revert to 7 and the GRUB menu is using incorrect loading commands? It actually still labels it as "Windows 10 (loader)"

Good question as to condrv.sys, but I wonder that since the system originally came with Windows 8/8.1, it actually tried to revert back to 8/8.1 (instead of Windows 7). condrv.sys was introduced in Windows 8.

From Microsoft, the information given in the debugger help file debugger.chm for bugcheck 0x7e:

Bug Check 0x7E: SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
The SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED bug check has a value of 0x0000007E. This bug check indicates that a system thread generated an exception that the error handler did not catch.

Cause
The SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED bug check is a very common bug check. To interpret it, you must identify which exception was generated.

Common exception codes include the following:

0x80000002: STATUS_DATATYPE_MISALIGNMENT indicates an unaligned data reference was encountered.

0x80000003: STATUS_BREAKPOINT indicates a breakpoint or ASSERT was encountered when no kernel debugger was attached to the system.

0xC0000005: STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION indicates a memory access violation occurred.

For a complete list of exception codes, see the Ntstatus.h file that is located in the inc directory of the Microsoft Windows Driver Kit (WDK).

Resolution
If you are not equipped to debug this problem, you should use some basic troubleshooting techniques.

Make sure you have enough disk space.

If a driver is identified in the bug check message, disable the driver or check with the manufacturer for driver updates.

Try changing video adapters.

Check with your hardware vendor for any BIOS updates.

Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing.

If you plan to debug this problem, you might find it difficult to obtain a stack trace. Parameter 2 (the exception address) should identify the driver or function that caused this problem.

If exception code 0x80000003 occurs, a hard-coded breakpoint or assertion was hit, but the system was started with the /NODEBUG switch. This problem should rarely occur. If it occurs repeatedly, make sure that a kernel debugger is connected and the system is started with the /DEBUG switch.

If exception code 0x80000002 occurs, the trap frame supplies additional information.

If you do not know the specific cause of the exception, consider the following issues:

Hardware incompatibility. Make sure that any new hardware that is installed is compatible with the installed version of Windows. For example, you can get information about compatibility with Windows 7 at the Windows 7 Compatibility Center.

Faulty device driver or system service. A faulty device driver or system service might be responsible for this error. Hardware issues, such as BIOS incompatibilities, memory conflicts, and IRQ conflicts can also generate this error.

If a driver is listed by name within the bug check message, disable or remove that driver. Disable or remove any drivers or services that were recently added. If the error occurs during the startup sequence and the system partition is formatted with NTFS file system, you might be able to use Safe Mode to rename or delete the faulty driver. If the driver is used as part of the system startup process in Safe Mode, you must start the computer by using the Recovery Console to access the file.

If the problem is associated with Win32k.sys, the source of the error might be a third-party remote control program. If such software is installed, you can remove the service by starting the computer by using the Recovery Console and then deleting the offending system service file.

Check the System Log in Event Viewer for additional error messages that might help identify the device or driver that is causing bug check 0x7E.

You can also disable memory caching of the BIOS might to try to resolve the error. You should also run hardware diagnostics, especially the memory scanner, that the system manufacturer supplies. For more information about these procedures, see the owner's manual for your computer.

The error that generates this message can occur after the first restart during Windows Setup, or after Setup is finished. A possible cause of the error is lack of disk space for installation and system BIOS incompatibilities. For problems during Windows installation that are associated with lack of disk space, reduce the number of files on the target hard disk drive. Check for and delete any temporary files that you do not have to have, Internet cache files, application backup files, and .chk files that contain saved file fragments from disk scans. You can also use another hard disk drive with more free space for the installation. You can resolve BIOS problems by upgrading the system BIOS version.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

 

[Jake1702]

Re: 0x0000007E Unbootable - Safe mode too (Windows 7)

Well, I upgraded to 10 from 7, so I see no reason it should have tried to go to Windows 8. And about the BIOS, I can't even access that to do anything as it was previously a school laptop and they refuse even up to now to give it because I think they don't have it. Hardware is fine, the driver I assume causing it is condrv.sys but again it just doesn't exist on the hard drive. I searched the exact folder it mentioned in ntbtlog (system32/drivers) and yet it is not even there.

 

[xilolee]

Re: 0x0000007E Unbootable - Safe mode too (Windows 7)

Hi everybody. :wave:

Try to search the file from the command prompt, using this command:

dir c:\windows\condrv.sys /a /b /s

 

[Tekno Venus]

Re: 0x0000007E Unbootable - Safe mode too (Windows 7)

I just checked my Windows 7 machine, and yes - condrv.sys is nowhere to be found.

FYI - the list of drivers loaded in safe mode can be found in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal in the registry.

I have attached the export of this key from a working Windows 7 machine. You could try importing this into the registry, BUT I do not think it will work since I doubt any other parts of the reversion worked. DO backup your current version of that key if you replace it