Solved \Boot\BCD corrupted, won't boot despite several efforts

[Isoya]

EDIT: Fixed! Turns out that it was the hidden system partition all along. It may be important to take note as I was confused/lost because the System Partition is not easily accessible to diagnose or fix (i.e. chkdsk) and one might completely forget about it. Unless you are already aware of the existence of the hidden partition, or might find it through tinkering around with your partitions, one might have a problem connecting it to startup problems. Thanks to Vineet Garg for the help!


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A Windows 7 installation wont boot with those error messages. I went ahead and tried to use system repair on an installation disk which just says that System\BCD is corrupted and I need to chkdsk it, I did and it still wouldn't work. Likewise it also throws the error "cannot save start-up options" sometimes.

I tried both bootrec /fixmbr and bootrec /fixboot which says that they completed successfully, but still the same error appears. I then tried bcdbood c:\Windows which sayas it fails to copy some data.

Is there some other option I can try, The HD/Partitions are okay as I can read them in ubuntu and chkdsk doesn't show any error from them.

Can anyone help or point me in the right direction? I read one may try erasing/deleting the complete bootloader so that system recovery will try to rebuild the whole thing, is this possible and how do I go about doing it?

 

[Vineet Garg]

Hi Isoya,
Welcome to SevenForums!

Preferably, do these from an Installation Media where possible.

1. First of all You should run Startup Repair.

Startup Repair

You may need to run Startup Repair three times in a row

2. You can try 'Last Known Good Configuration' from Advanced Boot Options

Advanced Boot Options

3. Do you have any System Restore Point(s) prior to the problem?
If you choose System Restore from the System Recovery Options screen , It will tell you if any System Restore Point is available. You can restore it & check the issue.

System Restore

4. This sub forum is for BSOD. Did you have BSOD ? What were the BSOD error messages ?
( Anyway, we may solve it here & migrate the post if needed )

5. Can anyone help or point me in the right direction? I read one may try erasing/deleting the complete bootloader so that system recovery will try to rebuild the whole thing, is this possible and how do I go about doing it?

Very Smart! : Go as in EDIT

Let me know.

Thanks & Regards. ...

EDIT : Follow here to Rebuild BCD : Your PC needs to be repaired: Fix for Windows 8, 8.1
This thread is incomplete, refer post #4 : \Boot\BCD corrupted, won't boot despite several efforts

 

[iko22]

If you are dual-booting with Ubuntu, which operating system was installed first on the computer - Windows 7 or Ubuntu?

Command BCDEdit /enum should provide a list of bootloaders in the store.

 

[Vineet Garg]

Hi Isoya,
I am really Sorry, that Rebuild BCD tutorial is incomplete :

( Once the three commands are executed successfully & you run the fourth command : bootrec /rebuildbcd
There may be some results & you have to follow this article according to the result : From Step 4 onwards:
How to Rebuild the BCD in Windows

Thanks & Regards. ...

 

[Isoya]

Sorry about posting this in the wrong thread...

Anyways I tried startup repair and they all kept saying that "file or directory System\Boot is corrupt or unreadable, try chkdsk". I then clicked next to do a startup repair where it failed with an NoOsInstalled error found (ErrorSignature07). I tried three times, restarting to the recovery media after each time, still failed.

I then tried a old win7 dvd disk ( was previously using a USB ) and the error changed to a ExternalMedia BadDriver error. I thought it was a step in the right direction as before the recovery disk would find the OS in the selection box, but after running the recovery from the DVD it now identified it properly. Tried three times again.

Last known good configuration didn't work also. After each try, all of them booted to the "starting windows screen" and a quick BSOD flashes ( less than a second ) and then it restarts, and then failed to boot again ( the black screen with the error in the first place )

Imma try the RebuildBCD, if I can get some mileage out of it.

Clarification: I used to have ubuntu on it, installed win 7, then reinstalled grub to dual boot. Moved ubuntu partition unto another drive and it booted fine, also with windows. Beforehand I would just swap HDD to boot either of the OSs, bought a HDD caddy ( shaped like a laptop optical drive but you put a HDD into it ) to try and dual boot both again. Bios didn't recognize any of it, and now the HDD with windows won't boot

 

[Isoya]

The bootrec /scanos returns with the error "the file or directory \Boot is corrupt and unreadable"

It does not find the OS in my C:\ drive

 

[Vineet Garg]

@ iko22 : Good catch & tip sir!

@ Isoya :

1) Go ahead with bootrec /rebuildbcd & follow from 4th Point Onwards: How to Rebuild the BCD in Windows
Let us see what happens ?

2) Just run the command bcdedit /enum & let us see what's there ?

3) Did you use any type of drive encryption, Bit-Locker, TrueCrypt, etc. ? That may be blocking the access to OS.

Hope is there because things are moving/changing.

In the middle, I ask for your consent to move your thread in the proper sub-forum : Installation & Setup. May I check with admin sir if something can be done ? A proper sub forum would attract proper attention.

Rest for tomorrow!

Let us know.

Thanks & Regards. ...

 

[Isoya]

Results of bcdedit /enum

I didn't encrypt it nor anything. Just a normal windows installation.

Is there a command that fixes the \Boot folder, it seems to be complaining about it the most. Can I delete it and try to fix it again?

 

[Isoya]

I fixed the "System\Boot is corrupted" I unhid the hidden system partition, assigned a drive letter to it and ran chkdsk on it several times.

Chkdsk returned a lot pf errors/corrupted files/orphaned files so it was the one that was causing it to say "system\boot is corrupted". (Subsequent runs of startup repair didn't show this error again)

After I ran the chkdsk, I also ran the following in the specified order

bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootsect /nt60 all /force /mbr
bcdboot c:\windows /s c:
boootrec /rebuildbcd

After those, boot still fails in the exact same way. It feels like though that I am chipping slowly into the problem, and I'm getting closer.

Can I just delete/wipe clean the hidden system partition? It says that windows can be set-up without using a hidden system partition? Can I just set up the bootfiles under the c:\ drive?

 

[iko22]

Hello Isoya,

Ran these commands in the specified order

bcdedit /export c:\bcdbackup
attrib c:\boot\bcd -h -r -s
ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old
bootrec /rebuildbcd

As the computer runs the commands, you should make note of the output of each command. Make sure each command was executed successfully before you type in next command.

 

[Isoya]

Each command ran sucessfully and /rebuildbcd was able to locate the windows partition/installation at c: but it still fails to boot.

 

[Vineet Garg]

Hi Isoya,

Thanks to iko22 that you have made this far.

I am analyzing the things & checking my resources.
I am also eyeing Automated solutions to deal with the boot / windows recovery problems.
Our senior Sir SIW2 has some rescue ISOs to deal with these problems.
I am also eyeing solutions here : 5 System Rescue Boot Discs based on Windows PE • Raymond.CC

It may take some time!

Thanks & Regards. ...

 

[SIW2]

17514x86.iso
17514x64-v10.iso

 

[Vineet Garg]

Hi All,

@ SIW 2 : Sir, Thanks for the ISO. Its very handy.

@ Isoya : Do you have a good working win 7, 8 or 10 installation on any pc & can make a small install ?

Let me know.

Thanks & Regards. ...

 

[Isoya]

I have a windows 7 installation USB, if thats what you are asking.

 

[Vineet Garg]

Hi Isoya,

1.

I have a windows 7 installation USB, if thats what you are asking.

No, I am not asking about that. I am asking a working Windows system/pc. You need to download some ISOs etc. & burn them to CDs for recovery.
( I won't suggest USB pen drives because it seems for some reason bootable CDs are doing better on your problematic pc. )

2. Answer only the questions you can answer surely :

(a) Approx. age of the laptop ?

(b) You were using HDDs and/or SSDs ?

(c) The disks are SATA or NVMe ? AHCI or RAID ?

(d) Laptop has USB 2.0 and/or USB 3.0 ports ?

(e) The system was UEFI or BIOS ?

3. Download the ISO from Sir SIW 2 : 17514x64-v10.iso ( 390 MB Approx. )
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AkcyDjKJJ6KwiAf4qa7-wSbD6vWm

4. Download the lsboot.ISO : ( 157 MB Approx. )
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&confirm=jJ9S&id=1WuRy7qnqtIsrmE52ZkEAD4dwg6D0c89f
( Lazesoft Recovery ISO)

5. Download ImgBurn portable here : View attachment 407718
Extract the zip to a folder & Execute ImgBurn.exe when needed!

6. Get 3-4 good new CDs. Go for One Time Writable CDs only.
( Re writable CDs are often problematic )

Just download & Not to burn right now, Wait for the next instructions!

Thanks & Regards. ...

 

[Isoya]

Okay, I'm downloading, I don't have another windows PC, but I do have a working Ubuntu installation and can use it to write these .iso files.

 

[Vineet Garg]

So,

1. Once you complete the ISO downloads, check whether they are downloaded correctly. I mention MD-5 check sums for them. Make sure that they match identically :

(a) For 17514x64-v10.iso
MD-5 : c25258e299f374ca771d2283ee65775a

(b) For lsboot.iso
MD-5 : 0b2789822fcd36492ff15e3c102faea6

I don't know how you will do it on Ubuntu but it seems you won't need to install any app/tool because it is already a part of most linux distributions : HowToMD5SUM - Community Help Wiki

2. Burn the ISOs at the Write Speed of 2x to avoid any problems.

Let me know.

Thanks & Regards. ...

 

[Vineet Garg]

Hi Isoya,

a) Are you ready with rescue disks ?

b) Can you tell the exact Make, Model, buy date ? Is it a refurb or orginal ?

c) You did not answer any questions from the post #16: \Boot\BCD corrupted, won't boot despite several efforts

d) Is it a laptop or desktop ?

e) Do you have two or more hard disk ? Are you easy physically handling hard disks ? Ubuntu & Win 7 are on separate hard disks ? Ubuntu can boot with win 7 hard disk unplugged ?

f) EDIT SOON!

Thanks & Regards. ...

 

[Isoya]

Sorry wasn't able to post the relevant information.

I am using an onld Toshiba L745 Laptop ( bought around 2012). I am using two SATA HDD, One has windows while the other has ubuntu. I can swap the HDD in the laptops just fine before and it both boots Ubuntu and Windows. I also have a SATA to USB cable which I am using right now to boot from ubuntu as an external device and to read the windows HDD ( which is now mounted at the internal laptop mount ). I have three ports one is USB 3.0 and the rest are 2.0

I am using the .iso already, how do I use the 17514x64-v10.iso?