Booting Up Troubles? Repair Windows 10 Boot Files Right Now!

What are Windows Boot Files?

Windows boot files are essential components configured to load the operating system when the computer starts up. They play an important role in initializing hardware, loading the necessary drivers, and starting the Windows kernel. Here are common types of boot files, including:

► Boot Configuration Data (BCD): This file contains information about the operating system options and settings, controlling how the operating system is started.

► Master Boot Record (MBR): The file contains information about the disk partitions and the location of the operating system, which identifies the active partition and loads the boot loader when the first time the computer starts up.

► Windows Boot Manager: This loader allows to load the operating system into memory and read the BCD file to determine which OS to boot and initiates the loading process.

► Windows Resume Loader: This file is mainly used to load the hibernation file into memory to resume the system. 

► Windows NT Kernel (Ntoskrnl.exe): This is a core component of the Windows operating system to handle system resources, perform processes, or offer necessary service.

► System Root Files: These files are located in the Windows installation directory (typically C:\Windows), ensuring the operating system functions normally.

These boot files work together to ensure your computer boots and functions normally. Any loss or corruption of them can lead to unexpected boot failures.

What can we do when encountering boot failures due to boot file corruption? Don’t worry! This page demonstrates how to repair Windows 10 boot files effectively. Feel free to select a suitable way to fix your issue.

Repair Windows 10 Boot Files Using Professional Software

A straightforward way of repairing Windows boot files is to use professional software that supports system repair. We’d like to introduce you to AOMEI Partition Assistant. As a powerful and comprehensive disk management tool, it includes rich features to troubleshoot common issues during regular tasks.

The Boot Repair tool featured in this software can automatically detect various system boot issues and offer repair service as needed, even if your computer fails to start normally. Please download and try the product from the following link.

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Follow these steps to repair Windows 10 boot files using AOMEI Partition Assistant:

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant on a working PC and connect a USB drive with 16GB of storage to this PC.

Step 2. Open AOMEI Partition Assistant and select the Boot Repair tool below the Recover section.

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

Step 4. Plug the created drive into the non-booting computer and attempt to boot it by entering the BIOS/UEFI setup. It will automatically load the Boot Repair tool and perform a scan of boot entries.

If your computer can boot normally, directly click Next to start the system’s boot entry scan on the Boot Repair window.

Step 5. Once the process completes, you will see all scan results, including system paths, system versions, and boot status. Select the repairable boot entries you want to repair and click the Repair button.

Step 6. Wait for the repair process to finish, then remove the bootable USB drive and boot the PC from the original system drive.

Alternative Ways to Repair Windows Boot Files

In addition to using the third-party software, Windows also provides many built-in tools to repair Windows boot files. This section lists several practical ways you can refer to.

Fix 1. Use Startup Repair

Startup Repair is a built-in utility designed to identify and fix frequent boot problems, such as corrupted system files, disk errors, or hardware issues. Here’s how to repair boot files in Windows 10 using Start Repair:

Step 1. While holding the Shift key, click on the Start menu and select Restart.

If your computer fails to boot, press and hold the power button for about several seconds to force shutting down your computer. Repeat the process three times to enter the Windows Repair Environment screen. Alternatively, consider repairing the non-booting computer with a bootable USB drive first.

Step 2: Click Troubleshoot > Advanced options.

Step 3: Select the Startup Repair tool to automatically detect and repair boot issues.

Fix 2. Rebuild BCD files

Sometimes, boot problems can be caused by corruption or loss of boot configuration data (BCD) files. Fortunately, you can repair these files by using the correct commands in Common Prompt. Follow these steps to repair Windows 10 boot files by rebuilding BCD files:

Step 1. Access Advanced options with the method in Fix.1 and select Common Prompt.

Step 2. Type the following commands and press Enter one by one:

Bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup

ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old

Bootrec /rebuildbcd

Step 3. Quit CMD and restart your computer to check whether it has been repaired.

Fix 3. Perform System Restore

If the methods discussed above cannot help you repair Windows boot files, consider using the System Restore tool. It is a built-in Windows feature, allowing you to revert the current system to a prior state, provided you have created a restore point. Here’s how to repair Windows 10 boot files using System Restore:

Step 1. Access Advanced options with the method in Fix.1 and select the System Restore option.

Step 2. Choose a restore point created recently, and then click Next. 

Step 3. Confirm the restore point in the next window and click Finish to restore your computer to that state.

Conclusion

Windows boot files are essential components to ensure the functionality of your operating system. However, inevitable corruption or loss of these files can result in unexpected boot failures. How to repair Windows boot files efficiently?

This page explores three practical repair solutions and provides an excellent tool to repair Windows 10 boot files. By following the steps provided in this guide, you can restore your computer's boot functionality and safeguard against future issues.