AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery
How to Fix PHASE1 INITIALIZATION FAILED BSOD Error in Windows 10/11
The PHASE1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED BSOD error generally occurs when you boot up a Windows computer. Follow this tutorial to fix it and recover lost data caused by the error.
By Irene / Updated on March 21, 2025
What Causes the PHASE1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED Error?
Some users may encounter the PHASE1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED error after resetting their PC. This Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error has a bug check code of 0x00000032. It typically occurs due to system conflicts or corrupted files. Below are some common causes of this issue:
| Possible Causes | Description |
|---|---|
| Corrupted or Incompatible Drivers | Outdated or faulty drivers can disrupt system functions. |
| BIOS Compatibility Issues | An outdated or incompatible BIOS version may cause the error. |
| Damaged Windows Registry | Missing or corrupted registry entries can affect system stability. |
| Corrupted System Files | Essential Windows files may be damaged or missing. |
Since this error prevents normal system booting, fixing it requires troubleshooting steps like updating drivers, checking BIOS compatibility, and repairing system files. In most cases, users may need to enter Safe Mode to diagnose and resolve the problem.
However, when facing this error, there is also a high risk of losing important data. In such cases, recovering lost files becomes essential. The next section will guide you on how to use AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery to restore your lost data efficiently.
Recover lost data due to the PHASE1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED BSOD error
Unexpected system crashes can lead to data loss, causing frustration and concern. One such error that users may encounter is the PHASE1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED error, which appears as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) with the bug check code.
Data loss caused by system crashes can be distressing. Whether due to an operating system crash, hardware failure, or hard drive malfunction, the risk of losing valuable files is significant. To address this, AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery offers an effective way to recover lost data. (By the way, the AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery is an independent recovery solution from the makers of AOMEI Partition Assistant.)
With this tool, users can create a bootable USB drive to access their crashed PC and restore lost files. It supports recovering data from various storage devices, including HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, and SD cards affected by system crashes, formatting errors, or virus attacks.
To begin the recovery process, follow these steps, you need to make some preparations.
2. Insert a USB flash drive or CD/DVD into the working PC. If no USB or CD/DVD is available, the tool allows exporting a WinPE bootable ISO file for virtual machine recovery or burning onto another device.
Step 1. Run AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery and click "PC Crashed Recovery".
Step 2. Select a way to create bootable disk as per your needs and click "Create". (Here, we take the first USB Boot Device as an example)
There are 3 ways available to create bootable disk based on Windows PE.
Export ISO File: Use this method to make a bootable ISO file. After the ISO is exported, you need to burn it with a third-party burning program. Or, you can use the ISO to boot some virtual machines or burn it to other devices.
Burn to CD/DVD: To create a bootable CD/DVD.
Tips: "Add Drivers" allows you to manually add additional and necessary drivers into the bootable disk so that more devices will be available after you boot into WinPE.
Step 3. Then, you will get a pop-up note that this operation will format the USB hard disk. If there is important data on it, please first make a backup. If you confirm, please click "Yes" to continue.
Step 4. The creation operation will start and you can check the creation process. The progress of creating a WinPE bootable USB drive will take a few minutes.
Step 5. After the process is finished, you can will get a successful window. And, you will also get a notice of instructions to boot from the bootable disk and then recover from a crashed system.
Step 6. Please insert the bootable USB to boot up the crashed PC and then start the recovery process.
How to fix PHASE1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED BSOD
Way 1. Run System Restore
Step 1. Follow the operations to reboot Windows 10 into Safe Mode:
Press the power button for 10 seconds to turn off Windows 10.
Re-press the power button to start the PC and hold the power button for 10 seconds to turn off it.
Press the power button again to turn on the computer, once Windows starts, hold the Power button again for 10 seconds to turn it off.
Retry to power on your computer until Windows fully restarts and enters WinRE (Windows Recovery Environment).
Click "Troubleshoot">"Advanced options">"Startup Settings">"Restart”
Now your PC is in Safe Mode.
Step 2. Press "Windows + R" keys at the same time, and type rstrui.exe in the box, press “Enter” to open System Restore.
Step 3. Click "Choose a different restore point">"Next".
Step 4. Choose the latest Windows backup before you install the new Windows 10 update, and click "scan for affected programs".
Step 5. Click "Finish". In the warning window, click "Yes" and wait for the process.
Fix 2. Perform the boot repair
The Bootrec command can manually fix the boot sector if you encounter the PROCESS1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED BSOD error in Windows 10 and 11. This tool can repair the Master Boot Record (MBR) and rebuild the Boot Configuration Data (BCD).
Step 1. Follow steps 1-3 from the previous method to access the Windows recovery environment, then click on Command Prompt under Advanced options.
Step 2. Run Bootrec Commands:
Type bootrec /fixmbr and press Enter. This command will fix the MBR without overwriting your partition table.
Type bootrec /fixboot and press Enter. This fixes issues with the boot sector.
Type bootrec /scanos to find any missing Windows installations and add them to the boot list.
Type bootrec /rebuildbcd to rebuild the Boot Configuration Data.
Step 3. After the commands run, reboot your PC and check if the boot issue is resolved.
🌟As we mentioned earlier, both AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery (PAR) and AOMEI Partition Assistant (PA) are developed by AOMEI. PAR is a separate product dedicated to data recovery, while PA focuses on disk management, including crashed system recovery.
To fix the PHASE1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED BSOD error, the PA offers a more effective method to help you perform a Windows boot repair. You can click to get more details if you are interested in such an easy solution for any boot issues.
Conclusion
The PHASE1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED BSOD error can be frustrating because it stops your computer from starting properly and may cause data loss. You can try fixing it by updating drivers, repairing the boot system, or restoring Windows. However, it is also important to recover any lost files.
For effective data recovery, AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery (PAR) provides a reliable solution, allowing users to create a bootable disk and restore lost files from a crashed PC. Meanwhile, AOMEI Partition Assistant (PA) offers advanced disk management features, including tools for repairing boot issues. By using the right solution, you can restore both your system and your important data efficiently.
