A Comprehensive Guide to Repair Boot in Windows 11 via CMD

Is it possible to use Command Prompt to repair Windows 11?

With the popularization of Windows 11, an increasing number of users face various boot issues, such as missing boot configuration data, update failures, disk errors or performance degradation. How to fix these issues effectively?

To resolve boot problems, Windows offers multiple repair tools, such as Command Prompt, Startup Repair, System Restore, and System Image Recovery. Of these tools, Command Prompt gives users direct access to system files and functions that are not always available through the graphical user interface, making it an excellent choice to troubleshoot system problems.

If you are confused with a boot issue in Windows 11, keep reading the post to learn how to repair boot in Windows 11 via CMD.

How to access CMD when encountering boot issues?

By executing the correct command lines, you can effectively repair different system problems. If your computer can boot normally, directly open Command Prompt by typing cmd in the search bar and selecting Run as administrator.

However, encountering system boot issues in Windows 11 often prevents normal access to the operating system. In such scenarios, reaching the Command Prompt can become increasingly challenging. Here are two effective ways you can use.

Method 1. Open Command Prompt through WinRE

When your computer gets stuck on boot problems, it is recommended to access Command Prompt via Windows Recovery Environment.

Step 1. Press and hold the power button for several seconds to force shutting down your computer. Repeat the process three times to enter the Windows Recovery Environment.

Step 2. Once you enter the WinRE screen, click the Troubleshoot option.

Step 3. Select Command Prompt below Advanced options.

Method 2. Open Command Prompt in Safe Mode

Alternatively, you can also enter Command Prompt by initiating Windows in Safe Mode. Here are the detailed steps:

Step 1. Hold the Shift key and select Restart from the Start menu or login screen.

Step 2. Once your computer restarts, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart in turn.

Step 3. Press F6/6 to choose Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

How to repair boot in Windows 11 via CMD?

By employing the methods mentioned above, you can successfully access Command Prompt and execute appropriate command lines to repair Windows 11. This section outlines four practical tools to perform Windows 11 boot repair via CMD.

Method 1. Run Check Disk

Check Disk, as known as CHKDSK, is designed to detect and repair disk-related issues. It can diagnose errors by directly accessing the file system and automatically fix them up. Here’s how to use Command Prompt to repair Windows 11 with CHKDSK:

Step 1. Open the Command Prompt window as administrator.

Step 2. Type chkdsk C: /f /x /r and press Enter to check errors on disk.

• C: The letter of the drive that you want to check.
• /f: Fixes any errors found on the disk.
• /r: Locates bad sectors and recovers readable data.
• /x: Forces the volume to dismount before the scan.

Method 2. Run System File Command

System File Command is another built-in tool to scan and repair issues related to files. It is particularly useful when your computer fails to boot normally due to the loss of essential system files. Follow these steps to use this tool in Command Prompt.

Step 1. Open the Command Prompt window as administrator.

Step 2. Type sfc /scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows in the window and press Enter to check errors on system files. The process may take some time, please wait patiently until it completes.

Method 3. Use Deployment Image Servicing and Management

Additionally, DISM is a command-line tool used to service and prepare Windows images. It can detect and repair damaged Windows images, ensure the stability and integrity of the operating system. If you fail to fix issues using SFC, consider running DISM in Command Prompt with the following steps:

Step 1. Open the Command Prompt window as administrator.

Step 2. Type the following commands on after another.

• DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth: Checks the Windows image for corruption.
• DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth: Performs a deeper check of the Windows image.
• DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth: Repairs and restores the health of the Windows operating system image.

Method 4. Use Bootrec.exe

If you are having boot issues with Windows 11, using the bootrec.exe tool is also a good option to fix them in most cases, which is especially useful when your system fails to start due to issues with the Master Boot Record, Boot Configuration Data, or other essential boot files. Here’s how to use Command Prompt to repair Windows 11 through bootrec.exe:

Step 1. Open the Command Prompt window as administrator.

Step 2. Type the following commands in turn.

• BOOTREC /FIXMBR: Creates a new Master Boot Record to the system partition.
• BOOTREC /FIXBOOT: Writes a new boot sector to the system partition.
• BOOTREC /RebuildBcd: Scans for the Boot Configuration Data and attempts to rebuild it.
• BOOTREC /ScanOs: Scans all disks for installations compatible with Windows and displays them.

Bonus Tip: Repair Windows 11 Boot Issues Using Software

While using Command Prompt to repair Windows 11 is a great option, it can be challenging for users who are not familiar with command lines. Sometimes, inputting the wrong command can lead to unexpected results. Is there an easier and safer way to repair Windows 11 boot issues?

Sure! It is highly recommended to use a third-party tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant to simplify the repair process, providing you with a smooth use experience without involving manual intervention. This professional partition assistant can quickly detect and repair the issues affecting your computer’s functionality, whether it boots normally or not.

Additionally, AOMEI Partition Assistant also includes rich features to effectively manage your disks and partitions, such as resizing partitions, cloning disks and recovering partitions.

Let’s use this tool to perform a Windows 11 boot repair:

Step 1. Install AOMEI Partition Assistant on a working PC and connect a disk to this PC.

Step 2. Open the software and choose the Boot Repair option below the Recover section.

Step 3. Click the create a bootable disk option to create a WinPE Boot Repair disk.

Step 4. Connect the created disk to the faulty PC, then enter the BIOS settings to change the boot order so that the computer boots from it. It will automatically load the Boot Repair tool and scan the boot entries.

Step 5. You can see all boot entries on the interface once the scan completes. Select the repairable boot entries you want to repair and click the Repair button.

Step 6. Once the process completes, remove the bootable disk and boot the PC from the original system drive.

Final Thoughts

This post covers how to repair boot in Windows 11 via CMD effectively. By typing different command lines in CMD, you can repair common system boot errors. While using Command Prompt to repair Windows 11 can be useful in certain situations, it is advised to manage your PC more efficiently using a professional tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant.