So for the record, are you trying to install fresh or fix an existing Windows installation?

Nvm, existing installation on disk. Does safe mode work? If not, what's the last line on the monitor? It should display a system file. But is sounds it goes directly to inaccessible_boot_device?

Fix an exsisting windows installation.
I tried looking for the server 2k3 SBS PL ISO but no luck, all were the english versions.
I could try to use the english ISO to repair this installation, but no idea if it'll even allow me to do it.

PD2JK wrote on Today, 18:09:

So for the record, are you trying to install fresh or fix an existing Windows installation?

Nvm, existing installation on disk. Does safe mode work? If not, what's the last line on the monitor? It should display a system file. But is sounds it goes directly to inaccessible_boot_device?

Nope, safe mode doesn't work. I don't get any extra error info aside from the stop code being 0x7b.

On archive.org there's a Polish version of Windows 2003 R2 Small Business Server. I'm not sure I'm allowed to share a link...
But you can try a repair installation. I'd clone the disk first in case things go wrong.

Yeah, cloning the disk is a very good idea.
Question, which CD should I use as there's 5 different ones labed 1 through 5, alongside two premium tech disks and a tech disk. I'm used to there only being two like on the enterprise version (1 being the main install one and the other having the additional software and whatnot).

I’d be tempted to try booting a VM from the physical disk using VMWare workstation or something.

I think you only need CD1 and CD2. I am also not familiar with more than two cd's. But you can always burn / mount them later when setup asks for them.

As another option which comes to mind, Acronis has some P2V tricks up it sleeves. Many years back, I had a disk image (TIB file format), and converted it to a Hyper-V machine. You could try that as well, that way the Windows installation is not hardware dependant anymore. A bit time consuming maybe, but that's what this hobby is anyway.

CD1 seemed to install the OS okay inside a VM, it asks me to continue setting up the server but I don't need to go further.
Here's my plan of action since I don't wanna fiddle with the .tib to .vmdk conversion:
1. Backup the current state of the server 2k3 by using Acronis true image
2. Make a 250GB disk under VMware
3. Boot to ATI and try recovering the .tib onto the virtual disk (set to SATA mode)
4. Confirm if vdisk is bootable and gives me 0x7b (or fixes itself)
5. Run the CD1 and hope that it allows me to repair

But before I start, the registry with the apps and whatnot stays the same during the repair process right? I won't lose access to ROOT\Program Files directory, if everything goes to plan that is?