Windows Failed to Start, winload.exe 0xc000000f

[benjaminswill]

Hi Folks,

I have a pretty serious problem that I've already gone through a number of steps to try and remedy, to no avail. I'll go through the history and let you know where I am now.

My computer crashed about a week ago - I cant remember exactly what it said, but I believe it went through the usual "fatal error" blue screen of death stuff and something about a crash memory dump. I turned the computer off during the memory dump because it seemed to have frozen. This happens with relative frequency with this computer, usually brought on by overheating. Usually the regular automatic recovery fixes the issue (at least temporarily).

This time however I got the "Windows Boot Manager" error when I started up the computer next. With "Windows failed to start...Insert your windows installation disc..."

I can't remember the file, code, or info. But automatic repair was failing with these details:

Automatic repair failed with these details:
Problem Signature 01: 6.1.7600.16385
Problem Signature 02: 6.1.7600.16385
Problem Signature 03: unknown
Problem Signature 04: -1
Problem Signature 05: External Media
Problem Signature 06: 1
Problem Signature 07: Missing Boot Manager
OS Version: 6.1.7600.2.0.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033

it may have been something with the bootloader since I ended up following all the instructions here: https://neosmart.net/wiki/recovering-windows-bootloader/

I rebuild the bootloader with all the "nuclear holocaust" instructions, but now when I go to boot from the HDD I get the same "Windows failed to start..." screen with:

Files: \Windows\system32\winload.exe

Status 0xc000000f

Info: Selected entry could not be loaded because the application is missing or corrupt


Running auto repair from the recovery disk gives me:



"Startup repair is unable to repair the computer automatically" with the details:


Problem Event Name: StartupRepairOffline
Problem Signature 01: 0.0.0.0
Problem Signature 02: 0.0.0.0
Problem Signature 03: unknown
Problem Signature 04: 0
Problem Signature 05: unknown
Problem Signature 06: 1
Problem Signature 07: unknown
OS Version: 6.1.7600.2.0.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033


The Startup Repair diagnosis and repair log gives:


Number of repair attempts:1


System Disk = \device\harddisk0
Windows directory = C:\windows
AutoChk Run = 0
Number of root causes = 1


Every test is completed successfully until
"Boot configuration is corrupt
Repair Action: Partition table repair
Result: Failed Error code = 0x490"



I tried following these instructions: https://neosmart.net/wiki/winload-exe-missing-corrupt/


bootrec /rebuildbcd gives me:


"Successfully scanned Windows installations
Total identified Windows installations: 0"


sfc /scannow gives me:

"There is a system repair pending which requires reboot to complete. Restart Windows and run sfc again"


but I get that every time, regardless of attempting any other repair.


I also tried using the Easy Recovery Essential Tool recommended on that page and others. When it comes up with volumes to repair none of them have valid windows installations either.


I also followed the instructions here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219533-troubleshooting-windows-7-failure-boot.html


and get to here: Use Bootrec.exe in the Windows RE to troubleshoot startup issues


When I run /fixmbr and /fixboot I get "operation completed successfully"


when I run /scanos and /rebuildbcd I get "successfully scanned.... total identified...0"


I followed these commands as well:

• bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup
• c:
• cd boot
• attrib bcd -s -h -r
• ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old
• bootrec /RebuildBcd

but there is already a bcd.old file (I must have done this before) and /rebuildbcd give me the same "total identified windows installations: 0"


bootsect /nt60 sys gives me a successful message but booting from the HDD gives me the same error and system repair gives me the same errors as well.


I can't follow step 7 because I can't boot into safe mode, and I haven't tried steps 8 or 9, because I figured I would check here first.


Thank you all very much for your help - happy to try and post anything.

 

[gregrocker]

Everything that possibly can be done is here for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start.

You should complete the export and RebuildBCD regardless of what messages it gives you. That is your last hope. If you purchased the Easy Essentials disk then also try all the fixes detailed in Startup Repair Infinite Loop: Fix for Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1

If it won't start then rescue your files to do a perfect Clean Reinstall Windows 7.

 

[benjaminswill]

Thanks - I'm a little unclear on this direction or if it might be related to my problem.

"If both the System Active and Win7 partitions are on the same hard drive then unplug all other drives to do these repairs."

How do I know if the system active and win7 partitions are on the same hard drive, and how do I unplug other drivers to do the repairs? Or does this only apply to machines with more than one hard drive? I just have the one but it has a number of disks and partitions of course.

I'm also unable to access any drive except the 100mb system reserved one. There's a 450 gig drive which I assume has all my other files etc, but it's labeled as d: and in the raw format. When I run bootsect /nt60 all I t updates the bootcode on drive C:, but not d:

Thanks again.

 

[gregrocker]

The hard drive may be failing if it is labeled RAW (or ruined).

In that case I'd test the drive using the maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan, followed by Disk Check.

If you have files to rescue I would try that first.

 

[benjaminswill]

So it won't matter if my recover partitions are working if my main partition is RAW correct?

Any thoughts on the best (free) way to recover files from a RAW drive? Looks like TestDisk is an option. If I could do that, sounds like a clean install might be my best bet.

Thanks again

 

[paul1149]

I would try to recover the partition with a TestDisk or Partition Wizard boot disk.

 

[gregrocker]

Yeah I'd see if See if Partition Wizard finds the partition. How to activate Partition Recovery Wizard of partition magic? Partition Wizard Partition Recovery Wizard Video Help.

 

[benjaminswill]

Great, I'll try that tomorrow and post the results. Thanks.

 

[gregrocker]

Also post back a camera snap of PW drive map showing all listings. This or Diskpart is how you confirm Active partition. But a RAW partition is essentially ruined and rarely recoverable. I'd confirm the HD condition to replace it with an SSD which is the best upgrade one can have - better than a new PC without one as long as you do a perfect http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164.

 

[benjaminswill]

Here's what comes up on Partition Wizard Initially

https://www.dropbox.com/s/muz35sn2wmjfdxm/2015-04-04 09.31.51.jpg?dl=0

When I do a scan it comes up with this

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rvutft2fljr938k/2015-04-03 19.33.34.jpg?dl=0

it freezes there when it gets to the Ext2 partition, the scan freezes

I'm now trying to jump past that Ext2 partition and scan the rest of the disk.

Any thoughts on how to browse/transfer those files? Is there a repair option that doesn't risk losing data? Should I also try TestDisk?

Thanks again!

 

[gregrocker]

You can try Test Disk.

I'd also do the Partition Wizard surface test.

Test the HD with the maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan to know its condition with absolute certainty.

 

[benjaminswill]

Yeah - the surface test does pull up errors - it's still working, but has found 5 errors in about 1300 blocks. Not sure what to do with that information though.

It doesn't look like I can pull anything off with partition wizard, so I guess I will try one of the other options to do that, EaseUS or TestDisk. Unless the risk for data loss when repairing the partition is extremely low with Partition Wizard. Somebody had mentioned data loss was a possibility, so I wanted to see if I could pull the files first.

 

[paul1149]

Since you can see the partition, why not take an image back up before you work on it. EaseUS Todo or AOMEI Backupper should be able to handle it.

PW also has other options in its menus that might do something, including MBR repair. But all it takes is one bad sector in the partition ID area to render the partition wacked, and if that error is in the partition itself rather than MBR, the MBR fix won't help.

Another possibility is to image the drive, then paste it back on another drive, then try repairs on it. You just need it well enough to rescue the data.

 

[benjaminswill]

That's a good thought- unfortunately I don't know if I have the space on an external drive for a 450gb image. Any idea approximately how compressed an image is? MiniTool claims it's partition repair, at least the file system checker runs in a "special protection mode." that keeps data safe, so I might give it a shot.

 

[paul1149]

Depends on how valuable the data is. A 1TB HD is about $55 or so, plus the time to get it. Or if you have another machine at hand, you can back up to it over LAN. The readout says all 456GB is used. That's doubtful, and probably due to ignorance of the file system, but I don't know if Backupper will pick up on that. If it does, the actual requirements will be much less. Backupper will tell you before it runs.

 

[gregrocker]

Interesting ideas Paul. I wonder if an imaging app will want a ruined partition. There's still Test Disk. If Ben is willing a RAW partition is sometimes retrievable.

It would be nice to find some more options too. What is best to repair partition table besides Disk Check?

I'll ask for more ideas.

 

[paul1149]

The partition table should be easy to repair. But here the partition is found, so the PT seems good. The problem probably is the partition ID is wacked, so no software knows what file system it runs. Thus it's marked at both full usage and inaccessible.

Another possibility would be to image just the partition, then delete the partition, then paste the image back to the same drive in a slightly different location (if the drive isn't too bad, and if you don't have another drive hanging around). This should get the partition ID onto a different sector, hopefully one that's repairable with the standard tools. I think you can change partition type with PW, and then you would need a boot repair with WinRE. Even if the drive is on the way out this might work long enough to rescue the data.

In fact, I would try to change the partition ID to NTFS right now, before any of the rest (except image the partition first if at all possible - very important if the data is valuable). If that works, go ahead with the boot repair.