windows installations 10

[Kinnear5]

After a recent software crash, I've been unable to boot, and all the fixes described here turn up empty: https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-rebuild-the-bcd-in-windows-2624508. (Trying to repair off a recovery USB also fails.)

The error message when I boot reads:
File: \efi\microsoft\boot\bcd
Status: 0xc0000225

Following the steps on the link above, where I get stuck is on step 4. Running "bootrec /rebuildbcd" = "total windows installations: 0"

When I get to step #6 (attrib c:\boot\bcd -h -r -s), I get an error that c:/boot not found.

Other sites suggest setting the system volume to "active." When I try that, I get an error that the volume is not a fixed mbr drive. (My HDD is a SDD formatted as GPT, as far as I know.)

My system:
Windows 10
Two EVO 850 SSDs (formatted as GPT)
UEFI

Anyone have any ideas? I'm wondering if there is something specific about trying to rebuild the boot rec on a GPT SSD that I don't understand?

 

[SkyNetRising]

Additional diagnostics is necessary.
Boot from windows installation media into command prompt,
execute following commands and post screenshot:

• diskpart
  list disk
  select disk 0
  list partition
  list volume
  exit

 

[Kinnear5]

List disk:

Disk ### . Status . Size . Free . Dyn . GPT
Disk 0 . online . 465GB 0 B . *
Disk 1 . online . 465GB . 0 B .
Disk 2 . online . 7636MB . 0 B . *

List part:

Partition ### . Type . Size . Offset
Partition 1 . Recovery . 450MB . 1024 KB
Partition 2 . System . 99MB . 451 MB
Partition 3 . Reserved . 16MB 550MB
Partition 4 . Primary . 465MB . 566 MB

List vol:

Volume ### . Ltr . Label ...... ... .. ..FS . ....Type ...... Size ......Status .....Info
Volume 0 ......C . ....Main Drive .... NTFS .... Partition.....465GB..... Healthy
Volume 1 . ............. Recovery......NTFS . ...Partition.....450MB.....Healthy..... Hidden
Volume 2 ...................................FAT32.....Partition.....99MB.......Healthy.....Hidden
Volume 3 ...... D . ..... Second Drive NTFS...Partition......465GB.......Healthy
Volume 4 ...... E . ..... CCSA_X64 . FAT32...Removable.....7634MB.....Healthy

(Vol 4 is the recovery USB)

Thanks!

 

[SkyNetRising]

I would have preferred a screenshot. There are typing errors (Partition 4 . Primary . 465MB . 566 MB)
Anyway..
The problem is with bootloader partition - you have somehow made it hidden. Result is obvious - system can't boot.
Boot from windows installation media and execute these commands to unhide bootloader partition:

• diskpart
  select volume 1
  attributes volume clear hidden
  select volume 2
  attributes volume clear hidden
  assign letter=x
  exit
  bcdboot c:\windows /s x:
  

bcdboot command might not be necessary, but I put it there just in case. If will fix any bcd corruption errors.
Reboot and done.

 

[Kinnear5]

Thanks for this. (I would have posted a screen shot, but I have no idea how to do that on a machine that won't boot.)

Unfortunately, after typing "attributes volume clear hidden" on both volumes, I get the following error:

Virtual Disk Service error:
The object is not found

 

[SkyNetRising]

You can try selecting partitions instead of volumes:

• diskpart
  select disk 0
  select partition 1
  attributes volume clear hidden
  select partition 2
  attributes volume clear hidden

If you still get errors, then you can delete and recreate EFI system partition.
(If you get any errors executing this, then stop immediately or you may loose data.
Be careful with commands delete partition and format.)

• diskpart
  select disk 0
  select partition 2
  delete partition override
  create partition efi
  format fs=fat32 quick
  assign letter=x
  exit
  bcdboot c:\windows /s x:

BTW - you can make screenshots with phone/camera and upload them to imgur.com or tinypic.com.

 

[Kinnear5]

I really appreciate your help here. Perhaps foolishly, I had googled the error I was receiving and tried this: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsserver/en-US/cc44af84-f8f2-4fc2-8445-ad34d62ae8f2/problem-clear-hidden-volume-in-diskpart?forum=winservercore

Hey All,
Let me share what worked for me... For GPT Disks...
DISKPART
List Disk
Sel Disk "x"
List Vol
Sel Vol "x"
Set Id=ebd0a0a2-b9e5-4433-87c0-68b6b72699c7
assign letter="x"
attrib vol clear hidden
list vol
Exit
I was able to remove the "Hidden" attributes for EFI, Restore & Recovery partitions without any issues... Although if you want to manipulate any folders with "HIDDEN" + "SYSTEM" attributes, I recommend using CMD (Admin) to remove/add those attributes i.e.
C:\Windows\system32>attrib -h M:\RecoveryImage/install.wim
Where "M" is the letter of said partition you unhid...

Thank you very much! THIS, is a solution!
I bet this is how you solve the Locked disk problem.

This seemed to work great for the UEFI volume. It is no longer hidden. But when I tried it on the recovery volume, it seemed to duplicate the volume or something. Now there is "volume 2 recovery" that is still marked hidden, and a new, seemingly identical "volume 5 recovery" that is not hidden.

Here's a screen shot:
https://imgur.com/a/2mpq1

Your suggestion of selecting partitions instead of volumes resulted in the same error, and I wanted to stop & check with you before proceeding, for fear of making things worse. Thanks again.

 

[SkyNetRising]

With this command you have changed type of bootloader partition from EFI system to primary data partition. Your system can't boot after this.

• Set Id=ebd0a0a2-b9e5-4433-87c0-68b6b72699c7

You have to change type back to EFI system.

• diskpart
  select disk 0
  select partition 2
  set id=c12a7328-f81f-11d2-ba4b-00a0c93ec93b

 

[Kinnear5]

Wow, ok.

So first I did this. It said that was successful. When I listed the volumes, it showed at EFI partition as hidden again.

set id=c12a7328-f81f-11d2-ba4b-00a0c93ec93b[/b][/list]

Next, I followed your other instructions:

diskpart
select disk 0
select partition 2
delete partition override
create partition efi
format fs=fat32 quick
assign letter=x
exit
bcdboot c:\windows /s x:

It was happy with those steps, no errors. Until the end. After "bcdboot c:\windows /s x:" it said "failure when attempting to copy boot files."

Doing a list volume, it shows the EFI volume as hidden, and the duplicate volumes I accidentally created.
https://imgur.com/rEFVVtD

 

[SkyNetRising]

99MB partition (EFI system partition) has drive letter V: in that screenshot and OS partition has drive letter D: .
So bcdboot command should be altered to this:

• bcdboot D:\windows /s V:

 

[Kinnear5]

Yes, that's the command I used. I've been using V instead of X consistently. (From the start, it said that X was unavailable, which makes no sense to me. So I just used V instead.)

 

[ibrahim52]

guys, this discussion has saved me twice. Thank you very much for posting everything so much in details. Helping people like me until date.

 

[TaiPham]

Hi guys I followed through the steps and it seems that because I remove the bcd in my partition c and use the bcd in new partition v and now I can't get into winRE even anymore. And before my w10 already have problems with repair boot loop. I don't even have an installation media on my usb and I can't have access to another working pc for the next 2 weeks what can I do? Am I totally screwed?

 

[SkyNetRising]

I don't even have an installation media on my usb and I can't have access to another working pc for the next 2 weeks what can I do? Am I totally screwed?

So -

you screwed up your pc,​

don't have windows installation media and can't get one.​

​

Yes - you're screwed.

Mod Edit for Language

 

[TaiPham]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yxbqiwodt9qi2ac/Photo 8-2-20, 07 14 52.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i3xrn0copwlbv2s/Photo 8-2-20, 07 15 15.jpg?dl=0
I just want to make sure but if I get these then it means there won't be any chance I can fix it soon without another working pc right? And thanks for your reply.
Also am I allowed to ask in the forum if by some weird chance live near my area for help during this pandemic just a windows 10 isos on an usb to get my pc working again? I really need it to work again in the next 4 days.

 

[USAFRet]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yxbqiwodt9qi2ac/Photo 8-2-20, 07 14 52.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i3xrn0copwlbv2s/Photo 8-2-20, 07 15 15.jpg?dl=0
I just want to make sure but if I get these then it means there won't be any chance I can fix it soon without another working pc right? And thanks for your reply.
Also am I allowed to ask in the forum if by some weird chance live near my area for help during this pandemic just a windows 10 isos on an usb to get my pc working again? I really need it to work again in the next 4 days.

Its not just the Win 10 ISO on a USB. It needs to be created with the correct format and boot options.
Here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

For the actual install, this:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

If you have any FURTHER questions, please start a new thread for this.

 

[TaiPham]

Its not just the Win 10 ISO on a USB. It needs to be created with the correct format and boot options.
Here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

For the actual install, this:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

If you have any FURTHER questions, please start a new thread for this.

Thanks for your reply but I don't think I can perform clean installation without help from other because I'm alone oversea so I wouldn't bother others with my problems anymore.

 

[COLGeek]

Closing this 2+ year old thread from the new conversation. Please start a new thread to resolve the current matter.