Windows Failed To Start File Efi Microsoft Boot Bcd

by Martin Brinkmann on February 05, 2018 in Windows - Last Update: May 22, 2018 - 14 comments

I was greeted by a Recovery error message the other day when I powered up a PC running Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system. The recovery screen stated that 'Your PC/Device needs to be repaired. The Boot Configuration Data for your PC is missing or contains errors'.

File: Windows system32 config system Info: Windows failed to load because the system registry file is missing or is corrupt; Info: The Boot Configuration Data for your PC is missing or contains errors; Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem: 1. I get the error message WINDOWS fails to start EFI MICROSOFT BOOT BCD. When i try to boot from system repair disk i get error This version of System Recovery. BCD System Store Settings for UEFI.; 6 minutes to read In this article. Device partition= Device HarddiskVolume1 path EFI Microsoft Boot bootmgfw.efi description Windows Boot Manager Device Setting. The device element specifies the. You can specify one of the Windows boot loaders in the BCD system store as the default loader. Windows 9 - The OS Microsoft WON'T Tell You About! Windows failed to start. File: Boot BCD 0xc00000f - Duration. Windows failed to start, Missing boot configuration data. Mar 19, 2011  BOOT BCD 0xc000000d unreadable boot configuration data I am running Windows 7 64 bit Ultimate on two PCs on my home network. I went to use one yesterday and was presented with a.

The PC shut down properly the day before and the whole thing was mysterious. The Recovery screen suggested to use recovery tools or contact a PC administrator or the PC/Device manufacturer for assistance.

Read on to find out how I repaired the PC and how you can do it as well.

Boot BCD startup errors

Boot problems related to the BCD come in many different forms. Here is a short list of error messages that Windows may throw during boot:

Windows failed to start file efi microsoft boot bcd 2
  • Your PC/Device needs to be repaired. The Boot Configuration Data for your PC is missing or contains errors
  • There was a problem with a device connected to your PC. An unexpected I/O error has occurred.
  • Your PC needs to be repaired. The Boot Configuration Data file doesn't contain valid information for an operating system.
  • Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause.

One common denominator is that the Recovery screen references the file bootbcd.

Cause of BCD related startup errors

The error can be a result of (among other reasons):

  • An unexpected shutdown.
  • Bluescreen or other errors that require a restart.
  • Data corruption.
  • Failing hard drives.
  • BCD file corruption or misconfiguration.
  • Malicious software.

What is BCD?

Boot Configuration Data (BCD) was introduced in Windows Vista by Microsoft. It replaced the boot.ini file in Vista. The BCD holds important boot-related information including the list of the available operating systems.

In short, it stores vital boot information required to start Windows. If the BCD is missing, corrupt or altered, Windows may not start properly anymore but display the Recovery screen at the top.

Fixing BCD issues if you cannot boot

Vmware Failed To Start File System Check

All issues described above have in common that you cannot boot into Windows anymore. You cannot use tools like the Visual BCD Editor to correct the issue on the affected machine because of that as you cannot boot into Windows anymore.

Generally speaking, it is required that you boot into the advanced startup (Windows 10 or 8.1) or system recovery options (Windows 7) and run several commands from the command prompt there.

If you do have Windows installation media, you can use it to boot from and access the recovery options.

Windows 10 users can download media from Microsoft instead.

Step by Step guide

  1. Insert the installation media into the PC. Connect the USB Flash Drive to the computer or put the DVD into the DVD drive.
  2. Find out how to access the BIOS/UEFI of the machine. This should be displayed during boot. Common keys are F1, F12 or DEL.
  3. Change the boot order so that the computer boots from the USB or DVD drive before it boots from internal hard drives.
  4. Click next on the first screen of setup. That screen should highlight the installation language and keyboard.
  5. Select Repair your computer on the next screen.
  6. When the 'choose an option' menu opens, select Troubleshoot.
  7. Select Advanced options.
  8. Select Command Prompt. This opens a command prompt interface.
  9. Run the following commands one after the other:
    1. bootrec /fixmbr -- This option writes a MBR to the system partition but does not overwrite the system partition in the process. It fixes MBR corruption and issues with non-standard MBR code.
    2. bootrec /fixboot -- This options writes a new boot sector to the system partition. Fixes damaged boot sectors, non-standard boot sectors, and issues caused by the installation of earlier Windows operating systems (pre-Vista). Ignore any error that may come up.
    3. bootrec /rebuildbcd -- This options scans all connected hard drives for Windows installations. If it finds additional installations, prompts you to add them to the BCD Store. Windows should pick up the installed operating system. Make sure you add it to the BCD store. Select (a) for all during the prompt, or add installations individually instead.
  10. Exit the command prompt window.
  11. Restart the PC to find out if the repair was successful.

Video walkthroughs

Resources

Related articles

How to fix Boot BCD startup errors on Windows PCs
Description
I was greeted by a Recovery error message the other day when I powered up a PC running Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system. The recovery screen stated that 'Your PC/Device needs to be repaired. The Boot Configuration Data for your PC is missing or contains errors'.
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