Windows Starting Error 0xc000000f

[Neil B]

Hello, I am brand new to your forums and would like to say Hi to everyone. I need some help if possible. I update my computer with windows updates when I get notifications... I had a notification to update my Windows 7 Pro to 'Service Pack 1' and did so. The problem I have now is that every time I start my system I get this error message:
"Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause.
To fix the problem
1. insert your windows installation disc and restart your computer
2. Choose language setting and click next
3. Click reapair your computer
File:\EFI\microsoft\boot\BCD
Status: 0xc000000f
An error occured while attempting to read the Boot Configuration data"

I insert my windows 7 Pro disc and reboot but it says the files it is looking for are not on the disc (is it because i updated to Service Pack 1 ? and my disc is not 'service pack 1') and goes back to the error message.

I press the enter button on my keyboard and it seems to bypass the error message and boots up to my desktop ok.

The biggest problem is that I clone my C: drive to have a full backup of that drive for safety but I don't want to clone the drive with the error in it.

Now I'm a bit stuck as to what to do next. I love Window 7 and have some important programs which only run on win7....and don't like Window 10 so I don't really want to upgrade
Any help would be greatly appreciated as now I am reluctant to shut down my computer.
Cheers
Neil B

 

[Ranger4]

Hi Neil B, welcome to the Forum.

This MS website might help you. Where is says press F8 you might need to use another key, as some use a different key & some need the Del key repeatedly pressed instead.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2674065/error-windows-failed-to-start--a-recent-hardware-or-software-change-mi?wa=wsignin1.0Method

 

[Neil B]

Thank you Ranger4, will this option work even though my windows 7 pro disc does not have SP1 on it?
Cheers
Neil B

 

[Ranger4]

It should as a installation disc is not needed. You will be accessing the BIOS & finding the Last Known Good Configuration to Start Windows. Hopefully there will be one there & it will work.

 

[Lance1]

Hello Neil B. If the options presented by Ranger4 don't fix your issue. You can do a Repair Install You will not lose any data or installed programs with this operation. You will lose Service Pack 1 and will need to reinstall it. Windows 7 SP1 Download Select the 1.9 GB download.

 

[Neil B]

Thanks again Ranger but I have tried restoring using Last Known Good Configuration but that did not work..
Thank You Lance1, I may have to try the 'repair install' ...it is so scary as a couple of custom written programs install files are no longer available for some work programs.... Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr :/

 

[Megahertz07]

Is the computer the one on your system specs?
Did you change parameters on BIOS?
What kind of license you have for win 7 (OEM or retail)?

Repair install need to be run under Windows. As you can't boot, you can't use it.

This link is valid for 24 hours. Is official from M$. Download it now. https://software-download.microsoft.com/pr/Win7_Pro_SP1_English_x64.iso?t=0d8716be-3fa4-4b82-bd73-4b93b293efd1&e=1505222692&h=5c46251c95eb9bfae23c9a9543562bc5

Boot from your Win 7 installation disk, go to repair and launch a CMD window
Type:
chkdsk c: /f

IF it doesn't find any disk bad blocks or bad clusters
Type
sfc /scannow

 

[Neil B]

Thanks Megahertz07 I really appreciate all the advice from your members. Am DL the service pack1 and will try your suggestion. One thing the C: drive is a 980GB SSD with a GPT format not MBR ... do the same instructions apply?

The computer is the one with the specs.. I have changed no parameters in bios and my license is OEM

I can boot by ignoring the error message and just pressing 'Enter'
Cheers
Neil B

 

[Megahertz07]

Is the computer the one on your system specs? (Asus Z97-K) or it is a laptop?
The type of disk won't affect the check.

 

[Neil B]

Hi again Megahertz07.. yes the computer in question is the same as the specs one, not a laptop. (its the one I am using now to post.
As I said before I can boot the windows system but each time I boot or reboot the error message shows. I just hit 'enter' on the keyboard and it boots fine. The real issue is getting it fixed so there is no error message so I can confidently clone the entire SSD in case of a hardware breakdown etc... so I can have a fully cloned drive with my system for backup security e.g. have a disc drive stored with my full systems programs and files.
Cheers
Neil B