Question BCD corrupted, cannot repair in Advanced Recovery Mode ?

Page 5 - Seeking answers? Join the Tom's Hardware community: where nearly two million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Kyroix 74

Commendable
Jul 24, 2020
189
2
1,585
Hi, i recently did a Windows quality update and i got several pop ups after a reboot saying ‘We couldn’t complete the updates, undoing changes’. This kept coming up. But one time i booted up my pc and it did not start up, instead giving me the screen to the advanced repair mode. I did all the options in the troubleshoot section, nothing worked. I did the command prompt, and ran a couple commands including BCD. It appears my BCD is corrupted. So i did the BCD repair commands, but they didn’t work. So i was stuck.

I clicked "Continue to Windows", but didn’t go back to the same screen, instead the horrible ‘Your device/pc needs to be repaired’. And the 4 options to boot on the advanced recovery, BIOS, and 2 others i forgot. I tried pressing F1 which was the allocated button for booting into the Advanced recovery again, but it didn’t work instead yakking me back to the same screen.

So currently i am stuck on the repair screen, not able to do anything on it except use the button to go into BIOS, but i don’t think i can do anything in that to get into Windows. So i think, 99% my BCD being corrupted is what caused my Windows to not boot up. I need some help because Resetting the PC is my last resort. I hope this massive oarsgraph makes sense to you.
 

Kyroix 74

Commendable
Jul 24, 2020
189
2
1,585
Ok. Getting closer.
Now this, and should be done.

Code:
mkdir c:\windows\boot\fonts
copy e:\boot\fonts\*.* c:\windows\boot\fonts\

bcdboot c:\windows /s h: /f uefi /v

Show screenshot.
Ok. I did the two top lines separate (i think that’s what you wanted me to do, not in the same line)

It doesn’t say failed to copy boot files, but it’s a different outcome with some lines saying failed and error but you may know what it means.

https://ibb.co/DpNJpXD (bcdboot command)

https://ibb.co/Mpsr3qG (mkdir and copy command)
 

Kyroix 74

Commendable
Jul 24, 2020
189
2
1,585
Ok. Getting closer.
Now this, and should be done.

Code:
mkdir c:\windows\boot\fonts
copy e:\boot\fonts\*.* c:\windows\boot\fonts\

bcdboot c:\windows /s h: /f uefi /v

Show screenshot.
Also i’m going off now. So is there anything i need to do again when i reboot my computer tomorrow?. Do i need to redo any commands
 
Some essential files are missing. Bcdboot can't do it without those files.
Currently I see bootres.dll.mui missing. Probably there are more.

Here's, what you're going to do:
1. shrink 930GB partition by 100GB and install windows in there
diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list partition
select partition 3
(select 930GB partition)​
shrink desired=102400

2. Boot from windows installation media. Install windows 10 into newly created 100GB partition (choose advanced install mode and specify location for new windows).

3. When this is done and you have successfully installed windows 10 there, boot into new windows and copy folder (and all contents)
\windows\boot
from newly installed windows (100GB partition) to old windows (830GB partition).

4. Open elevated command prompt and execute:
a) 1st assign letter to bootloader partition
diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list partition
select partition 1
(select 529MB partition)​
assign letter=h
exit

b) Find out drive letter for old windows partition. Check it in Disk Management.
Could be F: or G: . I'll assume it's G:
Execute bcdboot command from elevated command prompt (change command accordingly, if drive letter is not G: )
bcdboot g:\windows /s h: /f uefi /v
If there are no other problems in your old windows, then this should fix it.
Next time you boot your pc, you'll be able to choose to boot into old windows or new windows.
If you can successfully load into old windows, then you can delete new windows and reclaim used space.
 

Kyroix 74

Commendable
Jul 24, 2020
189
2
1,585
Some essential files are missing. Bcdboot can't do it without those files.
Currently I see bootres.dll.mui missing. Probably there are more.

Here's, what you're going to do:
1. shrink 930GB partition by 100GB and install windows in there
diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list partition
select partition 3
(select 930GB partition)​
shrink desired=102400

2. Boot from windows installation media. Install windows 10 into newly created 100GB partition (choose advanced install mode and specify location for new windows).

3. When this is done and you have successfully installed windows 10 there, boot into new windows and copy folder (and all contents)
\windows\boot
from newly installed windows (100GB partition) to old windows (830GB partition).

4. Open elevated command prompt and execute:
a) 1st assign letter to bootloader partition
diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list partition
select partition 1
(select 529MB partition)​
assign letter=h
exit

b) Find out drive letter for old windows partition. Check it in Disk Management.
Could be F: or G: . I'll assume it's G:
Execute bcdboot command from elevated command prompt (change command accordingly, if drive letter is not G: )
bcdboot g:\windows /s h: /f uefi /v
If there are no other problems in your old windows, then this should fix it.
Next time you boot your pc, you'll be able to choose to boot into old windows or new windows.
If you can successfully load into old windows, then you can delete new windows and reclaim used space.
Before i do this.
1. How do i install windows 10 to this new partition i will make? What do i boot to, where do i go?

2. Once i create this new partition, do i need to assign a letter to it? If so what?

3. If i’m assuming it’s creating windows to this new partition using the Windows 10 installation media i’ve already put on a usb stick, would i choose install now instead of repair your computer? And then would it come up with an option saying Install into the 100gb partition?

4. And when it’s installed, how do i boot to it (e.g. what would it be called in the boot options)

5. and would it be like a fresh clean windows install like a brand new one? With no apps or personal files? basically taking 100gb off my C Drive and making a new ‘drive’ to install a new windows on?

6. Will i then have 2 options to boot into 2 different windows installations? So my main old one and this new one?

7. When in this new windows how do i copy all contents of the \windows\boot folder? Just go into command prompt? And do the copy command? And then once copied how do i paste it or replace it with the ones in my Main C drive? (Main old windows installation)

8. And this should work 100%? Because i don’t want to do all this and it somehow doesn’t work
 
Last edited:
1. How do i install windows 10 to this new partition i will make? What do i boot to, where do i go?
Boot from windows installation media and install windows. Like you normally do, just choose advanced mode and specify new windows location (100GB partition).
2. Once i create this new partition, do i need to assign a letter to it? If so what?
No.
3. If i’m assuming it’s creating windows to this new partition using the Windows 10 installation media i’ve already put on a usb stick, would i choose install now instead of repair your computer?
Yes. Choose install.
And then would it come up with an option saying Install into the 100gb partition?
Choose advanced mode and specify install location.
4. And when it’s installed, how do i boot to it (e.g. what would it be called in the boot options)
After install is done, you'll be asked to remove installation media and reboot. You'll boot into newly installed windows.
5. and would it be like a fresh clean windows install like a brand new one? With no apps or personal files? basically taking 100gb off my C Drive and making a new ‘drive’ to install a new windows on?
Yes. Clean new install.
6. Will i then have 2 options to boot into 2 different windows installations? So my main old one and this new one?
Yes.
7. When in this new windows how do i copy all contents of the \windows\boot folder? Just go into command prompt? And do the copy command? And then once copied how do i paste it or replace it with the ones in my Main C drive? (Main old windows installation)
Use File explorer and copy/paste like you normally do.
8. And this should work 100%? Because i don’t want to do all this and it somehow doesn’t work
Should work. If not, then clean install is your only other option. And you'd already have done it then.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kyroix 74

Kyroix 74

Commendable
Jul 24, 2020
189
2
1,585
Boot from windows installation media and install windows. Like you normally do, just choose advanced mode and specify new windows location (100GB partition).

No.

Yes. Choose install.

Choose advanced mode and specify install location.

After install is done, you'll be asked to remove installation media and reboot. You'll boot into newly installed windows.

Yes. Clean new install.

Yes.

Use File explorer and copy/paste like you normally do.

Should work. If not, then clean install is your only other option. And you'd already have done it then.
Just to ask, where is the \windows\boot files located?

Also. When taking off 100gb of storage from my main drive, does it take 100GB of ‘free’ storage?
 
D

Deleted member 14196

Guest
It doesn’t matter where the windows boot files are located if you follow the procedure it will work. 100 GB of space is way too small for windows. Could use at least a 500 GB partition so that updates don’t constantly feel the partition to a point where nothing works

Yes for the question of whether it comes from your free space well you couldn’t create the partition if you didn’t have the free space to begin with

It seems like you’re trolling with this thread
 

Kyroix 74

Commendable
Jul 24, 2020
189
2
1,585
It doesn’t matter where the windows boot files are located if you follow the procedure it will work. 100 GB of space is way too small for windows. Could use at least a 500 GB partition so that updates don’t constantly feel the partition to a point where nothing works

Yes for the question of whether it comes from your free space well you couldn’t create the partition if you didn’t have the free space to begin with

It seems like you’re trolling with this thread
Thanks . Also not trolling.
 

Kyroix 74

Commendable
Jul 24, 2020
189
2
1,585
Some essential files are missing. Bcdboot can't do it without those files.
Currently I see bootres.dll.mui missing. Probably there are more.

Here's, what you're going to do:
1. shrink 930GB partition by 100GB and install windows in there
diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list partition
select partition 3
(select 930GB partition)​
shrink desired=102400

2. Boot from windows installation media. Install windows 10 into newly created 100GB partition (choose advanced install mode and specify location for new windows).

3. When this is done and you have successfully installed windows 10 there, boot into new windows and copy folder (and all contents)
\windows\boot
from newly installed windows (100GB partition) to old windows (830GB partition).

4. Open elevated command prompt and execute:
a) 1st assign letter to bootloader partition
diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list partition
select partition 1
(select 529MB partition)​
assign letter=h
exit

b) Find out drive letter for old windows partition. Check it in Disk Management.
Could be F: or G: . I'll assume it's G:
Execute bcdboot command from elevated command prompt (change command accordingly, if drive letter is not G: )
bcdboot g:\windows /s h: /f uefi /v
If there are no other problems in your old windows, then this should fix it.
Next time you boot your pc, you'll be able to choose to boot into old windows or new windows.
If you can successfully load into old windows, then you can delete new windows and reclaim used space.
When shrunk the Partition 3 by 100Gb, is this ‘new’ partition automatically created? Or do i need to make a new one and make it 100Gb?

Also when i’m about to install it onto the partition can you tell me the exact steps after i click install now cuz i looked online and it looks confusing af
 
Last edited:
When shrunk the Partition 3 by 100Gb, is this ‘new’ partition automatically created? Or do i need to make a new one and make it 100Gb?

Also when i’m about to install it onto the partition can you tell me the exact steps after i click install now cuz i looked online and it looks confusing af
Oh, right. New partition doesn't get created automatically.
When you do step #1 from post #103 , then add partition creation too. Step #1 would look like this:

1. shrink 930GB partition by 100GB and install windows in there
diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list partition
select partition 3
(select 930GB partition)​
shrink desired=102400
create partition primary size=102400
format fs=ntfs quick
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kyroix 74
Also when i’m about to install it onto the partition can you tell me the exact steps after i click install now cuz i looked online and it looks confusing af
Here's the tutorial.
Just make sure, you choose correct location for new windows. If it warns you about overwriting existing windows files, then you have chosen wrong location.
Do not overwrite old windows.
Do not format old windows.
Do not delete any partitions.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows/38adfa8c-32f8-4354-8c53-13b5f2cf7e44
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kyroix 74

Kyroix 74

Commendable
Jul 24, 2020
189
2
1,585
Here's the tutorial.
Just make sure, you choose correct location for new windows. If it warns you about overwriting existing windows files, then you have chosen wrong location.
Do not overwrite old windows.
Do not format old windows.
Do not delete any partitions.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows/38adfa8c-32f8-4354-8c53-13b5f2cf7e44
Ok. So i’ve created the partition now should i reboot and then when at the installation part click install now and do the rest
 
It doesn’t matter where the windows boot files are located if you follow the procedure it will work. 100 GB of space is way too small for windows. Could use at least a 500 GB partition so that updates don’t constantly feel the partition to a point where nothing works
We're installing windows temporarily, so old windows can be fixed. 100GB for this purpose is plenty.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dorsai
Just to ask, where is the \windows\boot files located?
\windows\boot files are located on OS partition in folder \windows\boot.
So if windows OS partition is C: , then location of the files is C:\windows\boot
If old windows OS partition is G: , then location of the files is G:\windows\boot.

Also. When taking off 100gb of storage from my main drive, does it take 100GB of ‘free’ storage?
Free space on 930GB partition is reduced by 100GB.
New partition 100GB is created.
 

Kyroix 74

Commendable
Jul 24, 2020
189
2
1,585
Ok.
You have to boot installation media in UEFI mode.
You have booted in legacy mode currently.

In BIOS boot options you have to boot from entry
[UEFI] USB flash drive
How do i get to bios without it booting to the usb first?
Should i take the usb out so it doesn’t boot to that instead it boots to my drive that is corrupted bad then on that screen i can get to the bios?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.