Question Windows 7 \Boot\BCD 0xc00000f Error Help

[gpspam]

TLDR:

So I have an older Windows 7 laptop that I was upgrading (replacing a secondary HDD with an SSD), and after formatting the new HDD and restarting the computer, it became bricked with the error in the title. I've tried using the install disk to repair, but that yields the "unrepairable" error. I was wondering if I could somehow fix this boot BCD error without reinstalling Windows 7.
Long version:

I have an old HP dv7-6163cl laptop purchased in 2011. It was semi-retired in 2016 when I got a new one and after the dedicated graphics card gave out in late 2019, it was basically fully retired. I still occasionally use this computer to play older games that are incompatible with Windows 10 etc, but for the most part, its not used much. As a final upgrade to extend its life, I decided to replace the secondary HDD (original part) with an SSD. Since the secondary HDD had been basically converted to cold storage when I retired the computer in 2019, I don't have anything installed to it. So I thought this would be a simple upgrade: back up files, swap HDD with SSD, and have the new secondary SSD. Everything worked as planned. I was able to make the swap, and booted up the computer just fine. The new SSD was recognized and everything, so I formatted the new SSD to NTFS via computer management and thus had access to the new SSD as a secondary for cold storage. However, once I restarted the computer, I encountered the Boot\BCD error. It can no longer boot, and cannot be repaired via my install disc. I've even removed the new SSD in a bid to try to isolate the issue but the computer still remains unbootable and unrepairable. Is there a way to fix this without a new Windows 7 install? While reinstalling is not impossible, I did have Win 7 fully updated and all the games etc stuff(installs and settings) tweaked so they would run. It would be a huge pain to redo all of this so I hope to salvage this (Since Win 7 is no longer supported, I also had not planned on ever connecting this computer to the internet again). Most of the data (saves and such) have been back up so there isn't much loss, only massive inconvenience (pain in the ass).

Bonus Questions:

• Maybe I'm now paranoid, but if I swap out RAM sticks in a laptop, the laptop should be able to boot up just fine right? I had planned on upgrading my daily driver laptop, but I really can't afford to have that bricked. Would it run fine if I swapped back to the old ones if it failed to boot or something?
• What is the best way to mirror a second HDD for replacement? I plan to do the same upgrade to another laptop (my daily driver), but this one has stuff installed to the second HDD since the main M.2 SSD is rather small.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I was wondering if I could somehow fix this boot BCD error without reinstalling Windows 7.

BCD (Boot Configuration Data Store) has been corrupted.
You'll need windows 7 installation media to fix this.
Once you have obtained windows 7 installation media,
boot from it into command prompt mode (press Shift+F10),
execute following commands and show screenshot with command output
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

diskpart​

list disk​

select disk 0​

list partition​

select disk 1​

list partition​

list volume​

​

You'll need to find correct drive letters associated with windows os partition and bootloader partition.
In recovery environment drive letters can be different than in windows os environment.
If bootloader partition has no drive letter assigned, then it may be necessary to assign drive letter manually.

Command to fix BCD store:

bcdboot C:\windows /s H:​

C: - windows OS partition, H: - bootloader partition

• Maybe I'm now paranoid, but if I swap out RAM sticks in a laptop, the laptop should be able to boot up just fine right?
• Would it run fine if I swapped back to the old ones if it failed to boot or something?

This error has nothing to do with ram modules.
BTW - did you change any BIOS settings? or perform BIOS reset?

• What is the best way to mirror a second HDD for replacement?

Cloning is usually the way to go.

 

[gpspam]

BCD (Boot Configuration Data Store) has been corrupted.
You'll need windows 7 installation media to fix this.
Once you have obtained windows 7 installation media,
boot from it into command prompt mode (press Shift+F10),
execute following commands and show screenshot with command output
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

diskpart​

list disk​

select disk 0​

list partition​

select disk 1​

list partition​

list volume​

​

You'll need to find correct drive letters associated with windows os partition and bootloader partition.
In recovery environment drive letters can be different than in windows os environment.
If bootloader partition has no drive letter assigned, then it may be necessary to assign drive letter manually.

Command to fix BCD store:

bcdboot C:\windows /s H:​

C: - windows OS partition, H: - bootloader partition


This error has nothing to do with ram modules.
BTW - did you change any BIOS settings? or perform BIOS reset?

Cloning is usually the way to go.

Hi SkyNet Rising, I took a picture since a screenshot wouldn't work for some reason after running the commands that you listed in the first part :

https://imgur.com/a/9O4Jos2

View: https://imgur.com/a/9O4Jos2


How would i go about fixing the BCD issue now? Thanks.

I've also tried your commands but they don't work. It says it was sucessfully built but still comes with BCD issue.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Bootloader partition is most likely 100MB.
Windows OS partition - probably 230GB.
Command to fix bootloader would be:

bcdboot e:\windows /s c:​

​

Resulting message should be "Boot files created successfully".

If still doesn't work, then please show screenshot with BSOD error.

 

[gpspam]

Thank you very much. I managed to fix it. I think the installation disk's self repair might have something to do with corrupting the bcd, because it says there is a problem and when after it tried to fix it but failed, the error came up again, giving me a major scare.