Pdc.sys corrupted or missing

[MysteryLynx]

Hello everyone.

Earlier today while starting up my computer it went to windows 10 recovery screen and told me, "your pc/device needs to be repaired with the file location of windows/system32/drivers/pdc.sys.

I would love help on fixing this issue as I haven't backed up in about two weeks and a lot of critical files are stored on this desktop.

 

[Colif]

The process known as Power Dependency Coordinator Driver belongs to Windows << can't say i seen it before, not a normal cause of errors anyway

do you have a win 10 installer you can boot off? If not, download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB

try running start up repair:
change boot order so USB is first, hdd second
boot from installer
on screen after languages, choose repair this pc, not install.
choose troubleshoot
choose advanced
choose start up repair - this will scan PC and maybe fix this - will ask for logon info

 

[MysteryLynx]

Installer as in like the windows 10 installer disc? If yes than I've already used it and tried to use the repair function in which it failed.

 

[Colif]

try using installer to get into command prompt
boot from installer, on 2nd screen after languages, choose repair this pc, not install
choose troubleshoot
choose advanced
choose command prompt
type SFC /scannow and press enter

once its finished, try this but it may not work from outside windows - type into same window and the spacing needs to be exact
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

 

[MysteryLynx]

Says verification is complete but says windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation.

 

[Colif]

try doing a system restore, its in the advanced menu of advanced startup (the blue menus), if there is a recent date it might be enough to fix this problem - it keeps a snapshot of the system so you can roll back the system files to that time.

next option might be a reset, but I would use this next link to copy anything off drive you want to save: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/use-ubuntu-live-cd-to-backup-files-from-your-dead-windows-computer/ as the reset will delete anything on C drive

boot from installer, on 2nd screen after languages, choose repair this pc, not install
choose troubleshoot
choose reset this PC
two choices, keep files and settings - i would suggest this, it keeps the library folders and login info - or wipe everything
either choice, PC will restart and reinstall win 10

 

[MysteryLynx]

None of those worked. It just said that the refresh or reset ran into a problem and that nothing was changed. I just bought a brand new hard drive. The one ib question is five years old. Would it be better to slot the new one in and boot from that and reinstall windows and transfer the files from the dead drive?

 

[Colif]

None of those worked. It just said that the refresh or reset ran into a problem and that nothing was changed. I just bought a brand new hard drive. The one ib question is five years old. Would it be better to slot the new one in and boot from that and reinstall windows and transfer the files from the dead drive?

My next suggestion was to do a full install anyway so your idea works. I would disconnect all other hdd while you do it as otherwise win 10 may decide to put the boot files on the old drive, and then new one won't boot if you took old one out.

guide to clean install: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html