Solved Windows does not boot anymore - winload.exe could not be loaded

[silverangel]

Hi,

I have an ASUS computer bought in January running Windows 7 and a Linux Ubuntu (using grub).

When I start Windows (since today), the screen just remains black, and the only thing I can do is switching it off (the computer doesn't wait for the 5 seconds of the hard switch off, it immediately switches off when I press the button).
Grub also presents a partition called Vista, but which doesn't work much more (it still displays the windows logo, but in the end reboots).

I have nothing like "restore last working configuration", or "safe mode", neither from the BIOS nor from another menu. Anyway, I doubt it would work, since I downloaded and burnt what I think is "Win RE", and when booting from the CD, I get the following message (after a long delay):

Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:

[...] (basically to insert a Windows CD and click repair)

If you do not have this CD, contact your system administrator or computer manufacturer for assistance.

File: \Windows\system32\boot\winload.exe

Status: 0xC0000001

Info: The selected entry could not be loaded because the application is missing or corrupt.

A few more things:
- I do not have a Windows 7 CD since the laptop was bought with Windows directly installed
- I mounted the Windows partition on Linux and it looks ok; I could launch "ls -R" with success and the file winload.exe exists and is recognized as a windows executable

Is my only solution to buy a windows CD to repair that?

Thanks in advance,

SA

 

[Arc]

Run http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html . If still not worked, run it at least 3 times with restarts after each single run .

 

[Kaktussoft]

Don't buy a windows dvd! Use a window 7 repair dvd. If your win7 system is 64bits use 64bits repair dvd otherwise 32 bits repair dvd. You can make one from within win7. But don't use it either because "startup repair" will update yout MBR so deletes grub!!

you don't have such things as "safe mode" and "restore last known good working configuration" because you don't use windows bootmgr!

Now the problem. you say " File: \Windows\system32\boot\winload.exe Status: 0xC0000001"
are you VERY SURE that file exists???!! It should be \windows\system32\winload.exe

 

[Kaktussoft]

Don't start "startup repair"!!!! It removes grub.

 

[silverangel]

Thanks, but how can I create a system repair disc ?
From the tutorial you linked, I need to have a valid installation and I have only one computer with windows 7 (the broken one).
Did I miss something?

 

[Arc]

If you need , you can download the windows 7 repair disk from the link provided in the thread http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/182947-win7-repair-disk-download.html .

After fixing MBR, you can setup the dual boot using EasyBCD .

 

[silverangel]

Don't buy a windows dvd! Use a window 7 repair dvd. If your Windows 7 system is 64bits use 64bits repair dvd otherwise 32 bits repair dvd. You can make one from within Windows 7. But don't use it either because "startup repair" will update yout MBR so deletes grub!!

Good to know

you don't have such things as "safe mode" and "restore last known good working configuration" because you don't use windows bootmgr!

I'm not sure because on my previous laptop with seven, I still had these things.

Now the problem. you say " File: \Windows\system32\boot\winload.exe Status: 0xC0000001"
are you VERY SURE that file exists???!! It should be \windows\system32\winload.exe

I'm sure indeed both in the message and in "ls", but in fact in Linux there are some capitals (e.g.: Boot)

 

[Kaktussoft]

Some capitals don't matter. win7 is case insensitive for filenames.
But in normal WIN7 winload.exe is in \windows\system32 . Is it there as well? Maybe grub did copy the file to that location. What else is in \windows\system32\boot?

What do you want:
A-grub as bootloader with win7 as option in it
B-grub as bootloader with a "forward bootloader" to bootmgr (win7 bootloader)
C-win7 bootmgr with linuxloader in it
===================
How many harddisks are in system? which partitions on each disk (primary and extended). which one is active partition?

 

[Kaktussoft]

post /boot/grub/menu.lst as well

 

[silverangel]

Okay...
I downloaded the windows repair disc from that link, burnt it, and booted from it, but I got the same error message, i.e. the repair program could not even be launched; I first see a black screen with written "Loading Windows Files" on it (plus a bar), and then I get the error screen described previously.
Oh and if I press enter, I get to another screen in which basically I can't do anything (except running a memory test but it fails with the same error message).

Otherwise:

Some capitals don't matter. Windows 7 is case insensitive for filenames.
But in normal Windows 7 winload.exe is in \windows\system32 . Is it there as well? Maybe grub did copy the file to that location. What else is in \windows\system32\boot?

In fact, both are present and the files are identical

What do you want:
A-grub as bootloader with Windows 7 as option in it
B-grub as bootloader with a "forward bootloader" to bootmgr (Windows 7 bootloader)
C-Windows 7 bootmgr with linuxloader in it

I don't really mind, I just want to be able to boot in both systems
Until now, it was option A I think.

===================
How many harddisks are in system? which partitions on each disk (primary and extended). which one is active partition?

Yikes, I don't remember in details, but basically there are:
- 1 partition for windows, containing the boot
- 1 extended divided in:
- 1 for linux (ext4)
- 1 for linux swap
- 1 for Data (NTFS), common to linux and windows

 

[Kaktussoft]

Assume you have the windows bootlader working. Then you have to boot linux from in windows boot menu.
Now you can boot in linux so please do:


sda3 is your linux partition in this example. /mnt/share is some directory (doesn't matter).so do this command in linux
dd if=/dev/sda3 of=/mnt/share/linux.bin bs=512 count=1
now put linux.bin on your windows C-drive root directory so C:\linux.bin

later in windows you can do (elevated command prompt):

bcdedit /create /d “Linux” /application BOOTSECTOR


BCDEdit will return an alphanumeric identifier for this entry that I will refer to as {ID} in the remaining steps. You’ll need to replace {ID} by the actual returned identifier. An example of {ID} is {d7294d4e-9837-11de-99ac-f3f3a79e3e93}. Next, let’s specify which partition hosts a copy of the linux.bin file:
bcdedit /set {ID} device partition=c:


The path to our linux.bin file:
bcdedit /set {ID} path \linux.bin


An entry to the displayed menu at boot time:
bcdedit /displayorder {ID} /addlast


and finally, let’s specify how long the menu choices will be displayed:
bcdedit /timeout 30

 

[Kaktussoft]

Are you very very sure you boot from DVD? If you get File: \Windows\system32\boot\winload.exe Status: 0xC0000001"
from DVD .... this is impossible

 

[Kaktussoft]

btw is it File: C:\Windows\system32\boot\winload.exe Status: 0xC0000001" or
File: X:\Windows\system32\boot\winload.exe Status: 0xC0000001"

or>???

 

[silverangel]

About the linux.bin file, I tried to do the trick, but in fact the "C disk" already contained a linux.bin file, which was identical...

Besides that, yes I am booting from the CD (it's a CD, not a DVD, in case it could change anything): at the very start, I get a message "Press any key to boot from the CD/DVD", and if I do not, I have the standard grub menu. If I do, I have the message "Windows is loading files" for a minute or two, and then my error message.

Also, it is
File: \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe Status: 0xC0000001"

There is no letter at the beginning.

 

[Kaktussoft]

so linux.bin is already on C-disk fine! bcdedit commands are understandable for you?
I don't understand why recovery cd doesn't work!
Error message comes from grub I think, though you booted from cd. very strange
Is there a way in linux to delete mbr? Try something link this

How to fix your Windows MBR with an Ubuntu liveCD*|*ArsGeek

do it from within linux. after that repair disk should work
of course have a ubuntu recovery cd or something like that available to rescue in case of problems

 

[silverangel]

Thank you for your help.

I will try that and keep you informed (I will probably do it tomorrow).

In fact, if that's the reason, I think Windows should start normally after, even without repair CD (though I don't see how it could happen).

And no, I don't know what BCDEdit is, but I can look that later.

 

[Kaktussoft]

load from repair dvd. maybe 3 times. doing a "system repair"
You CAN't get error winload.exe blabla if booting from cd

 

[gregrocker]

You must mark Win7 partition Active to tell Startup Repair where to repair or rewrite the System boot files. Partition - Mark as Active (Method Two)
Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

Be aware that often GRUB corrupts Win7 beyond Repair. It's best to install Linux on separate HD's booted via BIOS to keep each independent.

If not follow this after repairing Win7: Dual boot Ubuntu-Win7

If repairs fail you can run Asus Factory Recovery from its partition, or use a Win7 installer to clean reinstall following these steps to get a perfect reinstall of factory OEM: Reinstalling Windows 7

 

[Kaktussoft]

File: \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe Status: 0xC0000001"
=>looks like a windows bootmgr error btw. Are you sure you boot from grub? Check which menu you get to select "Win7" or "linux". Do you see something like this? http://www.instablogsimages.com/ima...from-dual-boot-with-windows-7_DFb4g_25552.png
So windows bootmenu?

Are there any grub files on C-drive (most likely a grub file or grub folder in root folder)?
Does C:\bootmgr exist?
Does C:\boot\bcd exist (hidden system file)? Post that file on forum, it's windows bootmenu

 

[silverangel]

Okay, I found the reason why I couldn't start the Startup Repair. I downloaded the iso file a second time and made a diff, and saw that the files were different. I had already noticed that some large files were corrupted when downloaded with the wifi under ubuntu, but no such thing with the cable yet... (I suddenly realized the corrupted files in the error message had to be on the CD).

So I downloaded and burnt the repair CD from an old XP computer and it worked.
After the first run, Startup Repair found no problem, but Windows still couldn't start. I did a memory check and right now the repair is trying to restore a previous configuration. I will keep you inform.

You must mark Win7 partition Active to tell Startup Repair where to repair or rewrite the System boot files. Partition - Mark as Active (Method Two)
Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

Yes this was the active partition.

Be aware that often GRUB corrupts Win7 beyond Repair. It's best to install Linux on separate HD's booted via BIOS to keep each independent.

If not follow this after repairing Win7: Dual boot Ubuntu-Win7

Thanks, I'll look at that after.

If repairs fail you can run Asus Factory Recovery from its partition, or use a Win7 installer to clean reinstall following these steps to get a perfect reinstall of factory OEM: Reinstalling Windows 7

Yes, I think there is something like that (restore factory state or something), but I hope I won't be forced to do that.

File: \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe Status: 0xC0000001"
=>looks like a windows bootmgr error btw. Are you sure you boot from grub? Check which menu you get to select "Win7" or "linux". Do you see something like this? http://www.instablogsimages.com/imag...Fb4g_25552.png
So windows bootmenu?

No, this is grub bootmenu.

Are there any grub files on C-drive (most likely a grub file or grub folder in root folder)?
Does C:\bootmgr exist?
Does C:\boot\bcd exist (hidden system file)? Post that file on forum, it's windows bootmenu

I can't post this now and I'm not sure it would help by now... thanks anyway.

Last thing, I'm wondering how I can trust Linux updates if the files downloaded can be corrupted; all the more as there are grub updates regularly. Anyway, this is not a Linux forum

Thanks again and once more I'll post here if I can finally boot or if I have other troubles.


Edit: apparently now I can start windows normally (after restauration of last good known configuration). I don't know what caused the trouble, I hope the next updates won't screw everything again. Also, I had to reinstall Firefox to be able to launch it (it was on auto-crash mode), but I guess several program will have troubles after this...

At least I learnt a few things, thanks again.