Windows 7: After booting System Repair Disc, error 0xc000000d winload.exe missing

I'm trying to restore my Windows 7 64bit machine to its factory settings at the moment, and I've tried the following but they've all failed.

1.) Boot up and hit F8, select Repair computer, but then it just boots Windows normally.

2.) Create System Repair Disc, and from BIOS boot-up, choose boot from DVD-RW, but when it does that and loads Windows files, Error 0xc000000d and winload.exe missing comes up.

3.) When I tried to insert the installation disc that came with my computer, it's not recognized and nothing happens (during boot from DVD-RW).

*Note - Just today when I tried to do a system restore, it said that I had no previous restore points, but I just restored a week ago, so that might add some info.



Any help please? I'm not too computer savvy so sorry.

Computer is Alienware by the way.

Hello Fanahtic Welcome to the Seven Forums!

My first guess which is likely to be the same as many would be the optical drive is where to begin as well as checking the disks for any scratches or finger marks from handling.

If the repair cd was simply a bad burn that would explain part of the problem when booting from it. The install/repair disk that came with the system might be a bad disk as well. That can happen where an OEM disk or even new media is simply a useless coaster.

Despite all that however if the drive is loaded up with dust and needs a len cleaning those are found in the dvd player, tv sections at any Target, Best Buy, Walmart, or other retail chein for a few bucks.

Or you might simply have to replace the drive itself if the lazer reader is now history if no other media is able to read from or burned to like a data disk. I just had to replace one of the two optical drives used on the present system due to some problems and put in a 7yr. old optical drive and all worked well! After a few years of use they can go on you.

Interesting point thanks!

I checked and used a lens cleaner on the optical drive, and then to test it, I first put in a generic game disc, and it worked. Then I put in a DVD and it played as well. Lastly I burned a video and a playlist to separate discs and those all worked as well. So I'm pretty convinced that the drive itself is not busted.

If you are still seeing all other disks read or booted from without any problem the two system disks would then be the likely problem. The error code itself often points to a corrupted system file such as an imcomplete burn to disk if not found locally on the main OS drive.

The problem with that however is that isn't specific to any one version of Windows or to any attempt to install or repair a present Windows installation. It also can appear with the Microsoft Security Essentials av program as well. The lack of any restore points that go back a few weeks isn't good either in case of any registry error being at fault.

One option for seeing just a good old clean install of Windows without losing the factory recovery partition would be nuking the C primary off the drive to see a brand new C primary replace it and borrow a 7 dvd from someone using the product key on the sticker usually found on the bottom on laptops. Check to make sure Alienware attached one there first however since they are not quite an HP or Dell.

Once the clean install on a fresh primary goes on you simply add the key on the sticker in to see the fresh install activated. The other option besides trying this by optical might even prove to be a working solution namely by a USB Install Key made with a flash drive you boot from instead. You would need a 7 dvd however to see one made up. USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create