Ok - here's my story in a nutshell. I'm running windows 2000 - I tried to install a backup program yesterday and got a runtime error, so I called tech support and they said to uninstall the program and re-boot. That's when I got this
"Inaccessible_boot_device" at one point I also got
"QL1240.sys corrupted" - but I haven't gotten that again
I loaded my Windows 2000 disk and got to the Recovery
I did a fixboot
and a fix MBR
neither worked I did a
CHKDSK /p
and got
CHKDSK found errors on this volume

I have NO idea what to do next because it still won't work. I'm SOOO NOT good at this. I'm really out of my element. These were just all the suggestions I found online.
Does anyone have any advice?
Frustrated - Maryann

Hello smitnlit,

Welcome to PCHF.

Looks like you already covered the things I would have suggested in the first place. You've given the two errors you have previously received, but what is the exact full message your currently having?

To me the Inaccessible Boot Device aligned with Chkdsk errors indicate the hdd is on the way out if not already done for.

Thanks for posting SO FAST Madmonkey.
Here is the exact message
Stop:0x0000007b (0x85e33af0, 0x000000032, 0x00000000, 0x00000000) Inacessible_Boot_device
If this is the first ime you've seen this Stop error...

Wouldn't I get some sort of warning? Hear it grind or something? It was working fine until I tried to install some software.

Na Wolfeymole could be right. You'll only ever hear a grinding noise if the head of the disk is actually touching the platter, but INACCESIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE can also mean a number of different things also. The only other thing I can think of, without having to install the OS. From the recovery console, is to try and recover your config settings from the latest backup. Use the following commands.

cd\windows\system32\config
ren system system.old
ren software software.old
ren SAM SAM.old
ren security security.old
ren default default.old
copy c:\windows\repair\system
copy c:\windows\repair\software
copy c:\windows\repair\SAM
copy c:\windows\repair\security
copy c:\windows\repair\default

If there are any major problems with the disk, you shouldn't be able to do any of this.

You might have got some warning if your BIOS has/had S.M.A.R.T enabled.
I have known hdd's die overnight, just like that.
More on SMART here: Active SMART - Hard drive diagnostic and failure prediction using S.M.A.R.T. technology