If BCD corrupted, missing, or misconfigured, your PC may fail to boot properly. How do I fix BCD errors in Windows? This tutorial will share 3 methods to help you easily fix it.
When you turn on your Windows computer, the system needs to know where and how to start. This important information is stored in a file called Boot Configuration Data (BCD). If something goes wrong with the BCD file—like if it’s missing, damaged, or set up incorrectly—your computer may not be able to boot into Windows. These are known as BCD errors.
You may see error messages like:
“Boot Configuration Data file is missing”
“BCD is missing or corrupt”
“An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data”
Error codes like 0xc0000034 or 0xc000014C
These errors often show up with a message saying “Your PC needs to be repaired.”
There are several reasons why BCD errors happen. Most of them are related to file corruption, hardware issues, or incorrect settings. For example, if your computer suddenly loses power or crashes during a Windows update, it can damage the BCD file. Hard drive problems—such as bad sectors or file system errors—can also block access to the BCD. Sometimes, the file gets deleted by mistake while managing disk partitions. Even changing BIOS or UEFI settings can lead to the system looking in the wrong place for boot information.
Here’s a simple table showing the common causes and what they mean:
| Cause | Description |
|---|---|
| Corrupted BCD file | Can happen after sudden power loss, system crash, or failed update. |
| Hard disk issues | Physical damage or bad sectors may stop the BCD from loading. |
| Incorrect BIOS/UEFI settings | Wrong boot settings can make Windows look in the wrong place. |
| Accidental deletion | The BCD or system partition might be deleted or formatted by mistake. |
| File system errors | Corruption in NTFS or FAT file systems can break the boot process. |
Now that you know the main causes of BCD errors, let’s move on to how you can fix them step by step in Windows 10.
Sometimes, BCD errors like the 0xC000000F code happen because the Boot Configuration Data file is missing or damaged. When this happens, your computer may fail to start properly. If built-in repair options don’t work, using a third-party tool can be an easy and effective solution—especially for users who aren’t comfortable with command-line methods.
One reliable option is AOMEI Partition Assistant. It comes with a simple "Boot Repair" feature that can automatically fix BCD-related problems with just a few clicks. Whether your system won’t start after an update, shows a boot error, or gets stuck with error code 0xC000000F, 0xc0000034 or 0xc000014C, AOMEI can help restore normal startup. It works well for both beginners and advanced users, and it supports Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7.
The Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant. In the Main Tab, please click the "Recover" tab and select "Boot Repair".
Step 2. The Boot Repair tool will pop up. Please click "Next" to start the system’s boot entries scan process.
Step 3. After the process is completed, it will display the scan result: system paths, system versions, and boot status. And, all repairable boot entries will be available to select.
Advanced Settings: Select a location to store the repaired boot entry.
◆ 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)
◆ 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.
Step 4. Select one/multiple repairable boot entries you want to repair and click the "Repair" button to start the boot repair.
Step 5. 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.
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. Plug the bootable disk you created into the target computer you wish to repair the boot issue.
Step 3. Enter BIOS in your computer, choose the bootable disk as the boot drive to access AOMEI Partition Assistant.
Step 4. The PC that cannot boot into WinPE will automatically load the Boot Repair tool and start the boot entries scan process. All boot entries will be displayed. Then you can follow the same operations as the above shows.
If the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) file is missing, you may see an error message saying “Your PC needs to be repaired.” If using Startup Repair doesn’t fix the problem, you can try rebuilding the BCD file manually with Command Prompt. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1. Boot your computer using the Windows bootable USB drive you created earlier.
Step 2. Navigate to Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
Step 3. In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each:
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Step 4. After entering these commands, restart your computer.
If you see the message “Total Identified Windows Installations: 0” after typing the bootrec /rebuildbcd command, refer to additional resources for solutions to this issue.
Windows provides the Automatic Repair feature to diagnose and fix common startup issues without requiring manual intervention. If your laptop cannot boot properly, you can simply restart it to trigger the feature. Here are the detailed steps to enable Automatic Repair:
Step 1. Hold the power button to shut down and restart your laptop.
Step 2. Repeat the process 2-3 times until you see the “Preparing Automatic Repair” message on the screen.
Step 3. Then your laptop will enable the Automatic Repair to diagnose and fix boot issues. If it succeeds, Windows will boot normally. If not, click the Advanced options to see more recovery tools.
BCD errors can stop your computer from starting properly, often showing messages like “Your PC needs to be repaired.” How do I fix BCD errors in Windows? There are several ways to fix them. You can try using a professional repair tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant, rebuild the BCD file through Command Prompt, or trigger Windows Automatic Repair. By following these steps, you can restore your system and get your PC running again.