Top 3 Ways to Run Windows 10 Boot Loader Repair

The boot loader is a critical piece of software that helps your computer's operating system start. Essentially, when you power on your machine, the boot loader's job is to load the necessary components for your operating system—Windows 10, in this case—into memory and initiate its startup sequence.

When your PC starts, it looks for the boot loader, which is part of the Boot Configuration Data (BCD). The boot loader ensures that the operating system loads successfully and runs correctly. Without it, Windows can’t start, which is why repairing a broken boot loader is so crucial.

Symptoms and common causes of a broken boot loader

When the Windows 10 boot loader malfunctions, your computer will display clear signs that something is wrong.

✍ Error Messages

You might encounter error messages such as:

"Bootmgr is missing"

"An operating system wasn’t found"

"Reboot and select proper boot device"

Another sign of boot loader failure is when your computer keeps restarting without successfully booting Windows, also known as a boot loop.

There are various reasons your Windows 10 boot loader could be malfunctioning. Understanding these causes will help you prevent future problems.

► Corrupt Boot Configuration Data (BCD)

One of the most common reasons for boot loader failure is corrupt or missing Boot Configuration Data (BCD). This could happen due to improper shutdowns, power outages, or even file corruption caused by malware.

► Hard drive issues

A failing or faulty hard drive can also prevent your computer from loading the boot loader properly. If the drive is damaged or corrupted, important boot files might become inaccessible.

► Malware or viruses

Some malware and viruses are designed to corrupt system files, including the boot loader. If your system has been compromised, a virus might be responsible for your boot issues.

How to repair boot loader Windows 10

Let’s explore three different ways to repair the boot loader in Windows 10.

Way 1. Using Windows 10 boot manager repair tool

If you have Windows 10 Installation Media and need to use CMD to correct BCD Windows 10, many people may find the commands challenging. Here, we give a simpler solution to your Windows 10 boot loader damage. AOMEI Partition Assistant is a complete disk and partition manager that allows you to manage your partitions by resizing, merging, disk copying, rebuilding MBR, and more.

The "Boot Repair" feature of this Windows disk and partition manager aims to repair missing or corrupted BCD files. It gives users a quick and easy solution to restore their computer's usual boot functionality.

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Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant on a working PC, click "Recover"-"Boot Repair" and then click the "create a bootable disk" option to create a WinPE "Boot Repair" disk.

Step 2. Boot the PC that cannot boot into WinPE. It will automatically load the Boot Repair tool and start the boot entries scan process. All boot entries will be displayed.

✍ Advanced Settings(Select a location to store the repaired boot entry):
1. Repair to the current disk: The system will boot from the current disk and ensure the boot files are complete and functioning properly. (By default)
2. Repair to another disk: This operation will repair the boot entry or create a new system boot entry to ensure the system can boot from the disk you select.

You can either repair to the current disk or repair to another disk. Repair to the current disk is recommended for common users.

Step 3. Select one/multiple repairable boot entries you want to repair and click the "Repair" button to start the boot repair.

Step 4. Wait for the repair process to finish. Once it is finished, you can check the repair result. If it succeeds, you will get a "Repair Successfully" result.

Way 2. Using Startup Repair to fix boot loader issues

Startup Repair is another built-in feature in Windows that specifically targets problems preventing the operating system from booting properly. It can fix common boot loader errors such as missing boot files or corrupt partitions.

Step 1. Restart your computer and press F8 or Shift + F8 (depending on your system) to access the Advanced Startup Options menu. If the menu doesn’t appear, use the Windows installation media.

Step 2. In the Advanced Startup Options menu, choose Troubleshoot.

Step 3. From there, click on Advanced options, and then select Startup Repair.

Step 4. Windows may ask you to select the operating system you want to repair. In most cases, it will automatically detect your Windows 10 installation. If you have multiple operating systems, select the one you want to repair.

Way 3. Using Command Prompt to repair the boot loader

For more advanced users or persistent issues, manually repairing the boot loader via Command Prompt can be a powerful method. This option allows you to directly execute commands that fix the Master Boot Record (MBR) and Boot Configuration Data (BCD).

Step 1. Restart your computer and press F8 or Shift + F8 to access the Advanced Startup Options menu. Alternatively, boot from a Windows 10 installation media.

Step 2. If using installation media, choose your language preferences and select Repair your computer from the lower-left corner instead of installing Windows.

Step 3. In the Advanced Startup Options menu, select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options> Command Prompt.

Step 4. You will now see a Command Prompt window where you can enter commands to repair the boot loader. Type the following commands, pressing Enter after each one:

bootrec /FixMbr

bootrec /FixBoot

bootrec /ScanOs

bootrec /RebuildBcd

Step 5. If the above commands don't resolve the issue, try the following additional commands to repair disk integrity and rebuild the partition information:

chkdsk C: /f /r

Step 6. This command checks your disk for errors and attempts to fix them. It can be helpful if the boot loader is damaged due to disk corruption.

bcdboot C:\Windows /s C:

This command copies all necessary boot files from the Windows directory to the system partition.

Step 7. Once all commands have been executed, type exit and press Enter to close the Command Prompt.

Step 8. Restart your computer and check if the boot loader issue is resolved.

Conclusion

Windows 10 boot loader repair may seem daunting, but with the right steps and tools, it’s entirely manageable. Whether you use Command Prompt, Startup Repair, or even restore your system to a previous state, you can resolve boot loader issues and get your PC back up and running in no time.

If none of these methods work, there could be a deeper hardware issue or a severely corrupted operating system, in which case you might need to reinstall Windows or consult a professional technician.