Inaccessible_boot_device after installing KB2919355 on Server 2012R2

I have a server 2012r2 machine that I just installed KB2919355 (the mega 800+MB patch recently released for Windows 8.1 and Server 2012). Server is a Dell Poweredge R715. Disks are 2x500GB SAS in RAID1 on an H200 controller.

The server was working perfectly until the update - and I have the dell management tools installed, so I know there were no failing disk alerts or anything. The day before I had upgraded the firmware of the H200 controller, but the system rebooted after that without any issues.

After rebooting for the update, it came up to a black screen with a movable mouse cursor but nothing else - Ctrl-Shift-Esc and Ctrl-Alt-Del do nothing. Let it sit there for over an hour, nothing changed.

Booted with the "don't automatically restart on BSOD" option, and get INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE as the error reason. Strangely, it says "We're just collecting some error info, and then you can restart.(0% complete)" and stays at 0%, never making any progress.

Tried to reboot with Last Known Good Configuration, same BSOD.

Rebooting into Repair My Computer works. From the command prompt I can see all the partitions and all the files appear to be intact. chkdsk reports no errors.

After this, the server managed to boot normally once. After rebooting it, it never came back up despite repeated boot attempts, they all end in the INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE blue screen.

The issue seems to be with LSI raid controller cards. There is a thread on technet reporting others having similar issues with super micro machines - http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/6bf5815f-55d9-4403-8f41-a16ebcb83735/patch-kb2919355-makes-supermicro-machines-crash?forum=winserver8setup

I have a support case open with Dell, who is trying to replicate this issue in their lab. There probably isn't anything else anyone can do here.

Update

On Dell's advice, I wiped the system, and did a fresh install of Server 2012R2 Datacenter with GUI. I did nothing to it except install windows updates.

After installing KB2919355, the server rebooted properly. After rebooting again, it blue screened with the INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE error.

I highly recommend NOT installing this update on any servers with LSI based RAID cards until this issue is resolved. Hopefully Dell will come up with a solution quickly.

Update from Dell Support

This is an issue we are now looking into on a larger scale and most likely will have to be addressed by Microsoft as it is more widespread than just Dell. We will continue to work it until our resources have been exhausted. I will keep you posted as to what we find.

Another update from Dell Support

Dell has been unable to replicate this problem in their lab. I have confirmed 2 of my systems have the same issue, and reproducing it is easy - install windows, install updates until it gives you KB2919355, server dies on the second reboot after the update is installed.

They are currently building me an exchange machine to swap one of them with, so they have a broken machine to test with. Hopefully that helps them resolve it quickly.

You should open a case with Microsoft and DELL. It seems to have to do with LSI controllers. I don't think there's anything we can do at this point

Please see KB2977012 for a Workaround and (in the future) solutions.

Current status (2014/05/13):

Microsoft is researching this problem and will post more information in this article when the information becomes available.

Workaround:

Start the computer from media for Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8.1, or Windows Server 2012 R2, select the Repair your computer option, click Troubleshoot, and then click Command Prompt.

Note For this workaround, the media that you use should not include Update Rollup 2919355.

At a command prompt, run the following command:

Bcdedit /store <path of Boot Configuration Data (BCD)> /set {default} truncatememory 4294967296

Note The path of the BCD file is :\BOOT\BCD, in which the driver letter is the system partition. This command adds an entry to the BCD file under Windows Boot Loader that is named truncatememory. The new entry will have a value format of 0x100000000. For example, run the following command:

Bcdedit /store C:\BOOT\BCD /set {default} truncatememory 4294967296

Restart the computer. The computer should now boot to the desktop.

Note If you were installing Update Rollup 2919355 when this problem occurred, the computer will continue to complete the installation of the update. After you successfully start Windows, uninstall Update Rollup 2919355.

To remove the truncatememory boot option, run the following command at a command prompt:

Bcdedit /deletevalue truncatememory

Start the computer normally.