Bootrec Cannot Find Windows Installation
I have a Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit upgrade disc and a Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit installation disc. I was repartitioning my desktop to dual boot ubuntu and a third partition for data. The partitioning didn't complete and it broke the windows 7 partition. I tried to recover it using the. Installation & Setup: Windows 7 search doesn't.
Bootrec.exe Cannot Find Windows Installation
The error message when I boot reads:
File: efimicrosoftbootbcd
Status: 0xc0000225
Following the steps on the link above, where I get stuck is on step 4. Running 'bootrec /rebuildbcd' = 'total windows installations: 0'
When I get to step #6 (attrib c:bootbcd -h -r -s), I get an error that c:/boot not found.
Other sites suggest setting the system volume to 'active.' When I try that, I get an error that the volume is not a fixed mbr drive. (My HDD is a SDD formatted as GPT, as far as I know.)
My system:
Windows 10
Two EVO 850 SSDs (formatted as GPT)
UEFI
Anyone have any ideas? I'm wondering if there is something specific about trying to rebuild the boot rec on a GPT SSD that I don't understand?
Hi,
1. First Start System Recovery Options. To start system recovery options.
a) Boot from the disk, Once you get the welcome screen of installation with the option “Install now”
b) Click on Repair your computer
c) On the next page click on Advanced Options
d) Now click on Troubleshoot
e) Lastly click on Command prompt and follow the on screen instructions
2. At the prompt, type the bootrec command as shown below and then press Enter:
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Please wait, since this may take a while...
Successfully scanned Windows installations.
Total identified Windows installations: 0
The operation completed successfully.
4. Since the BCD store exists and lists a Windows installation, you'll first have to 'remove' it manually and then try to rebuild it again.
At the prompt, execute the bcdedit command as shown and then press Enter:
The bcdedit command is used here to export the BCD store as a file: bcdbackup. There's no need to specify a file extension.
The command should return the following on screen:
Meaning the BCD export worked as expected.
Bootrec Cannot Find Windows Installation
5. At this point, you need to adjust several file attributes for the BCD store so you can manipulate it.
At the prompt, execute the attrib command exactly like this:
What you just did with the attrib command was remove the hidden, read-only, and system attributes from the file bcd. Those attributes restricted the actions you could take on the file. Now that they're gone, you can manipulate the file more freely - specifically, rename it.
6. To rename the BCD store, execute the ren command as shown:
Now that the BCD store is renamed, you should now be able to successfully rebuild it, as you tried to do in Step 2.
Note: You could delete the BCD file entirely since you're about to create a new one. However, renaming the existing BCD accomplishes the same thing since it's now unavailable to Windows, plus provides you yet another layer of backup, in addition to the export you did in Step 5, if you decide to undo your actions.
7. Try rebuilding the BCD again by executing the following, followed by Enter:
which should produce this in the Command Prompt window:
meaning that the BCD store rebuild is progressing as expected.
8. At the Add installation to boot list? question, type Enter Y or Yes, followed by the Enter key.
You should see this on screen:
meaning that the BCD rebuild is complete.
9. Restart your computer.
Assuming that an issue with the BCD store was the only problem, Windows should start as expected.
Bootrec Commands
If not, continue to troubleshoot whatever specific issue you're seeing that's preventing Windows from booting normally.
Bootrec Can't Find Windows Installation
Important: Depending on how you started System Recovery Options, you may need to remove a disc or flash drive before restarting.