How to fix broken or corrupted BCD causing Windows 10 to be unable to boot after Windows updates?

Last updated: 20210316

This is application for complex boot ups, using UEFI/EFI instead of MBR (for people who install multiple OSes on a computer)

 

PS: You may have to repeat these after every major Windows update!

 

Hardware requirements:

1 x 16GB and above USB FLASH THUMB disk.

1 other working PC.

 

Software requirements:

Windows 10 installation available online from Microsoft.

        • https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209
        • https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows10

EasyBCD (optional)

EasyUEFI (optional)

 

Step 1: Create the bootable Windows Installation disk by running the Windows 10 installer from Microsoft website above.

Boot into the USB head to Troubleshoot > Command Prompt

 

In the command prompt that opens, run the disk management tool by typing the command:
diskpart

 

Display the list of drives on the computer:
list disk

 

 

Look for the disks that says “GPT” , EFI partitions are only running on disks using GPT.

 

Select the disk where the EFI is on:
sel disk 0

 

Display the list of partitions and volumes on the disk:
list partition
list volume

 

Assign the EFI partitions to a drive letter we are going to use later:

select volume 1 (example)
assign letter R:

 

If there’s more than 1 EFI, we can load them as well to check

select volume 2 (example)
assign letter S:

 

Close the diskpart:
exit

 

Go to the bootloader directory on the hidden EFI volume:
cd /d R:\efi\microsoft\boot\

 

 

Use the attrib command to remove the hidden, read-only, and system attributes from the BCD file:

attrib BCD -s -h -r

 

Delete the current BCD configuration file by renaming it (this will keep the old boot configuration as a backup):
ren BCD BCD.bak

 

Using the bcdboot.exe utility, you need to recreate the BCD store by copying the UEFI boot environment files to the boot partition from the Windows directory:
bcdboot C:\Windows /l en-us /s k: /f ALL

  • C:\Windows – is the path to the directory with the latest Windows 10 installed;
  • /f ALL – means that you want to copy the Windows Boot Environment files, including those for UEFI and BIOS computers (potential ability to boot in UEFI and BIOS systems). To copy only the EFI bootloader, use the /f UEFI command;
  • /l en-us — is a type of the system locale. By default, en-us – English (USA) is used;
  • /c – this is a new BCDBoot option in Windows 10 that allows you to overwrite existing boot records (including debugsettings). Use this option to ignore old boot settings and create a clean BCD configuration;
  • /v – used to enable BCDBoot verbose output.
Hint. If you use a localized version of Windows 10, the command will be different. For example, in the Windows version for the UK, use the following command
bcdboot c:\Windows /l en-uk /s K: /f ALL
Windows 10 Dutch:
bcdboot c:\Windows /l nl-NL /s K: /f ALL
Windows 10 Deutch (German):
bcdboot c:\Windows /l de-DE /s K: /f ALL 

Now, if you run the bcdedit command, you will see the following :

An entry should appear in the Windows Boot Manager section containing the full path to the UEFI boot file (\EFI\MICROSOFT\BOOT\BOOTMGFW.EFI). In this example, it is located on volume 2 (partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume2).

 

That’s it!

By now you would have gotten your main Windows running by rebuilding a working BCD to your EFI partition.

 


 

What if you have multiple Windows running and you need the other Windows options to appear too?

Boot into the working Windows, run the software EasyBCD and add new installation to your BCD menu.

 

What if Windows boot menu is not loading, or working, and your system is loading Clover or other boot menus?

Run EasyUEFI and switch the orders of boot menu, you can delete the Windows Boot Manager from the list, and re-add it again if its status is locked as “Hidden”

 

How to fix preparing automatic repair loop during Windows start after the latest Windows feature update?

Last updated: 20200730

Sidenote:

Our clients have scheduled backups that runs Macrium Reflect, so we can always restore their computer to a certain date should the computer ever crash or become unbootable – see: https://apps.badjoerichards.com/apps/developerhack/how-to-restore-a-macrium-reflect-backup-when-your-computer-is-unbootable-or-fail-to-boot-to-windows/

 

PROBLEM:

HOWEVER, the latest Windows feature update has caused multiple computers across the globe to fail to boot, and get caught in the preparing automatic repair loop – which fails to repair booting, and users can no longer boot and use their computer.

SOLUTION:

Head to your BIOS, and change the booting device to Windows Boot Manager that is hosted on the correct disk drive!

DIAGNOSED PROBLEM:

It seems the latest Windows Feature Update installs a new Windows Boot partition info into the WRONG drive, especially if you have multiple drives on your computer.

We’re unsure what algorithm the Windows update use to pick the drive, but clearly, it’s not working correctly, therefore installing Boot Manager into the wrong drive, and causing a failed boot and repair loop.

How to fix Macbook Pro Retina trackpad/mousepad not working and unresponsive after waking from sleep mode?

It seems resetting the SMC that handles the current during sleep/wake function of your macbook pro retina might work.

*OR ELSE*

Try force touch click on it – then it becomes alive again without need to restart.

“The Force Touch trackpad lets you Force click by pressing on the trackpad and then applying more pressure.”

======

Hi dominic,

Thanks for your advise. It worked. Had a chat with apple support and solved it.

“…there’s a component on the computer known as the SMC which controls both the sleep/wake function,And the distribution of the battery’s power,Which would include the current shared with the trackpad and its click button,…..try resetting the SMC….To do this, we’ll need to power down the Mac….While the computer is OFF, we’ll hold down shift, control, option and the computer’s power button, all together for ten seconds……..IF you do this right, the computer SHOULD NOT turn on………And it should reset the SMC, which could fix the situation that you’ve been experiencing about the distribution of your computer’s current as it relates to the sleep/wake function and your trackpad click…..”

regards

dimitris

 

Reference:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8198267

How to run 2 copies of Windows 10 on your computer? (2018 September update)

This article needs more work!

It seems the latest version of Windows 10 and its update does not like multiple copies of Windows 10 running on the same computer.

When restoring a Windows 10 NEW image to C:\ and fixing boot to have only 1 Boot entry in Macrium Reflect only, saving to our Plextor M.2 disk. Computer works fine.

Attempt 3:20pm, to create Windows 10 2nd installation on D:

  1. On Windows 10, C:\ , I clone the same image to D:\ using drag and drop in Macrium Reflect 7.1. (12 mins)
  2. Using EasyBCD 2.3, I add D:\ into the boot menu.
  3. Restart my computer and heading into C:\ works fine.
  4. Restart my computer and heading into D:\ also works fine!

Conclusion: Seems like cloning the 2nd Windows needs to happen from the first copy of Windows, and the EasyBCD work should also be done right after, on that Windows, to work.

Therefore, the first DISK C:\ can be done from Macrium Reflect Rescue Disk, then fix the windows boot from Rescue Disk as well. After that, boot into the first C:\ Windows, and create the 2nd Windows installation using Steps 1-4 above.

Tip: Create a folder on C:\ with a unique name like, “I_AM_C”. So that when booting into the cloned 2nd Windows, you can differentiate the folders from File Explorer.

 

Other historical info…

Attempt 3:44pm, to restore OLD Music Windows on D:

  1. Deleting the partition from Windows > Computer Management > Disk Management > Delete Volume.
  2. Restoring cloned D:\ old image to D:\.
  3. Restarting the computer and booting into C:\ works
  4. Now running EasyBCD, we see 2nd entry is missing, so we added 2nd entry and restarted the computer.
  5. Booting into C:\ works!
  6. Now restarting and booting into D:\. The old image fails to start, so we try to boot into Windows Bootable USB.
  7. Now from Troubleshoot > Command Prompt , we check the correct drive and folders, and run, “robocopy e:\windows f:\windows /MIR” where e: is the working Windows and f: is the old unbootable Windows. (started at 3:55pm ended 4:04pm)
  8. Once done, we use F12 > Windows Boot Manager to boot into C:\ windows which works!
  9. Now running EasyBCD, we remove the 2nd Windows entry and add it again. Then double check by running msconfig > boot.
  10. Restarting the computer and loading C:\ again works!
  11. Now restarting and loading D:\ fails and gets stuck in loop during windows loading.. black screen and working lights.
  12. Force shutdown and attempt to start C:\ Windows again – works!
  13. Boot C:\ windows and repeat steps 9-10. C:\ works!
  14. Now restart computer and trying windows D:\ – and still in infinite loop, this time showing the cursor. Hitting the shutdown button on desktop hardware, starts the shutdown.
  15. Boot C:\ windows and repeat steps 9-10. C:\ works!
  16. Now restart computer and trying windows D:\ – and still in infinite loop, this time showing the cursor. Hitting the shutdown button on desktop hardware, starts the shutdown.
  17. Giving up.. Gonna use new Windows Image and re-install from there 4:20pm

 

So attempt, to clone C:\ Windows image to D:\ at 4:21pm:

  1. Head to Computer Management > Disk Management > D:\ > Delete Volume
  2. Using Macrium Reflect, I load the backup image of C:\ (create one if you haven’t), and select Restore this partition.
  3. Drag and dropped the partition into Target D:\ area on the UI.