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Boot loader phase

If the screen is black except for a blinking cursor, or if you receive one of the following error
codes, this status indicates that the boot process is stuck in the Boot Loader phase:

Boot Configuration Data (BCD) missing or corrupted

Boot file or MBR corrupted
Operating system Missing
Boot sector missing or corrupted
Bootmgr missing or corrupted
Unable to boot due to system hive missing or corrupted

To troubleshoot this problem, use Windows installation media to start the computer, press
Shift + F10 for a command prompt, and then use any of the following methods.

Method 1: Startup Repair tool

The Startup Repair tool automatically fixes many common problems. The tool also lets you
quickly diagnose and repair more complex startup problems. When the computer detects a
startup problem, the computer starts the Startup Repair tool. When the tool starts, it performs

diagnostics. These diagnostics include analyzing startup log files to determine the cause of the
problem. When the Startup Repair tool determines the cause, the tool tries to fix the problem
automatically.

To do this task of invoking the Startup Repair tool, follow these steps.

７ Note

For additional methods to start WinRE, see Windows Recovery Environment (Windows
RE).

1. Start the system to the installation media for the installed version of Windows. For more
information, see Create installation media for Windows .

2. On the Install Windows screen, select Next > Repair your computer.

3. On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot.

4. On the Advanced options screen, select Startup Repair.

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5. After Startup Repair, select Shutdown, then turn on your PC to see if Windows can boot
properly.

The Startup Repair tool generates a log file to help you understand the startup problems and
the repairs that were made. You can find the log file in the following location:

%windir%\System32\LogFiles\Srt\Srttrail.txt

For more information, see Troubleshoot blue screen errors .

Method 2: Repair Boot Codes

To repair boot codes, run the following command:

command ＝ Copy

BOOTREC /FIXMBR

To repair the boot sector, run the following command:

command ＝ Copy

BOOTREC /FIXBOOT

７ Note

Running BOOTREC together with Fixmbr overwrites only the master boot code. If the
corruption in the MBR affects the partition table, running Fixmbr may not fix the
problem.

Method 3: Fix BCD errors

If you receive BCD-related errors, follow these steps:

1. Scan for all the systems that are installed. To do this step, run the following command:

command ＝ Copy

Bootrec /ScanOS

2. Restart the computer to check whether the problem is fixed.

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3. If the problem isn't fixed, run the following commands:

command ＝ Copy

bcdedit /export c:\bcdbackup

attrib c:\boot\bcd -r -s -h

ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old

bootrec /rebuildbcd

4. Restart the system.

Method 4: Replace Bootmgr

If methods 1, 2 and 3 don't fix the problem, replace the Bootmgr file from drive C to the
System Reserved partition. To do this replacement, follow these steps:

1. At a command prompt, change the directory to the System Reserved partition.

2. Run the attrib command to unhide the file:

command ＝ Copy

attrib -r -s -h

3. Navigate to the system drive and run the same command:

command ＝ Copy

attrib -r -s -h

4. Rename the bootmgr file as bootmgr.old :

command ＝ Copy

ren c:\bootmgr bootmgr.old

5. Navigate to the system drive.

6. Copy the bootmgr file, and then paste it to the System Reserved partition.

7 Restart the comp ter

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7. Restart the computer.

Method 5: Restore system hive

If Windows can't load the system registry hive into memory, you must restore the system hive.
To do this step, use the Windows Recovery Environment or use the Emergency Repair Disk
(ERD) to copy the files from the C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack directory to
C:\Windows\System32\config .

If the problem persists, you may want to restore the system state backup to an alternative
location, and then retrieve the registry hives to be replaced.

７ Note

Starting in Windows 10, version 1803, Windows no longer automatically backs up the
system registry to the RegBack folder.This change is by design, and is intended to help
reduce the overall disk footprint size of Windows. To recover a system with a corrupt
registry hive, Microsoft recommends that you use a system restore point. For more
information, see The system registry is no longer backed up to the RegBack folder
starting in Windows 10 version 1803.

Kernel Phase
If the system gets stuck during the kernel phase, you experience multiple symptoms or receive
multiple error messages. These error messages include, but aren't limited to, the following
examples:

A Stop error appears after the splash screen (Windows Logo screen).

Specific error code is displayed. For example, 0x00000C2 , 0x0000007B , or inaccessible

boot device .

Advanced troubleshooting for Stop error 7B or Inaccessible_Boot_Device

Advanced troubleshooting for Event ID 41 "The system has rebooted without cleanly
shutting down first"

The screen is stuck at the "spinning wheel" (rolling dots) "system busy" icon.

A black screen appears after the splash screen.

To troubleshoot these problems, try the following recovery boot options one at a time.

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Scenario 1: Try to start the computer in Safe mode or Last

Known Good Configuration
On the Advanced Boot Options screen, try to start the computer in Safe Mode or Safe Mode
with Networking. If either of these options works, use Event Viewer to help identify and
diagnose the cause of the boot problem. To view events that are recorded in the event logs,
follow these steps:

1. Use one of the following methods to open Event Viewer:

Go to the Start menu, select Administrative Tools, and then select Event Viewer.

Start the Event Viewer snap-in in Microsoft Management Console (MMC).

2. In the console tree, expand Event Viewer, and then select the log that you want to view.
For example, choose System log or Application log.

3. In the details pane, open the event that you want to view.

4. On the Edit menu, select Copy. Open a new document in the program in which you want
to paste the event. For example, Microsoft Word. Then select Paste.

5. Use the up arrow or down arrow key to view the description of the previous or next
event.

Clean boot
To troubleshoot problems that affect services, do a clean boot by using System Configuration
( msconfig ). Select Selective startup to test the services one at a time to determine which one
is causing the problem. If you can't find the cause, try including system services. However, in
most cases, the problematic service is third-party.

Disable any service that you find to be faulty, and try to start the computer again by selecting
Normal startup.

For detailed instructions, see How to perform a clean boot in Windows .

If the computer starts in Disable Driver Signature mode, start the computer in Disable Driver
Signature Enforcement mode, and then follow the steps that are documented in the following
article to determine which drivers or files require driver signature enforcement:
Troubleshooting boot problem caused by missing driver signature (x64)

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７ Note

If the computer is a domain controller, try Directory Services Restore mode (DSRM).

This method is an important step if you encounter Stop error "0xC00002E1" or

"0xC00002E2"

Examples

２ Warning

Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry
Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the
operating system. Microsoft can't guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify
the registry at your own risk.

Error code INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE (STOP 0x7B)

To troubleshoot this Stop error, follow these steps to filter the drivers:

1. Go to Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) by putting an ISO disk of the system in

the disk drive. The ISO should be of the same version of Windows or a later version.

2. Open the registry.

3. Load the system hive, and name it test.

4. Under the following registry subkey, check for lower filter and upper filter items for non-
Microsoft drivers:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class

5. For each third-party driver that you locate, select the upper or lower filter, and then
delete the value data.

6. Search through the whole registry for similar items. Process as appropriate, and then
unload the registry hive.

7. Restart the server in Normal mode.

For more troubleshooting steps, see Advanced troubleshooting for Stop error 7B or
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Inaccessible_Boot_Device.

To fix problems that occur after you install Windows updates, check for pending updates by
using these steps:

1. Open a Command Prompt window in WinRE.

2. Run the command:

command ＝ Copy

DISM /image:C:\ /get-packages

3. If there are any pending updates, uninstall them by running the following commands:

command ＝ Copy

DISM /image:C:\ /remove-package /packagename: name of the package

DISM /Image:C:\ /Cleanup-Image /RevertPendingActions

Try to start the computer.

If the computer doesn't start, follow these steps:

1. Open a command prompt window in WinRE, and start a text editor, such as Notepad.

2. Navigate to the system drive, and search for windows\winsxs\pending.xml .

3. If the pending.xml file is found, rename the file as pending.xml.old .

4. Open the registry, and then load the component hive in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE as test.

5. Highlight the loaded test hive, and then search for the pendingxmlidentifier value.

6. If the pendingxmlidentifier value exists, delete it.

7. Unload the test hive.

8. Load the system hive, name it test.

9. Navigate to the following subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\TrustedInstaller

10. Change the Start value from 1 to 4 .

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11. Unload the hive.

12. Try to start the computer.

If the Stop error occurs late in the startup process, or if the Stop error is still being generated,
you can capture a memory dump. A good memory dump can help determine the root cause
of the Stop error. For more information, see Generate a kernel or complete crash dump.

For more information about page file problems in Windows 10 or Windows Server 2016, see
Introduction to page files.

For more information about Stop errors, see Advanced troubleshooting for Stop error or blue
screen error issue.

Sometimes the dump file shows an error that's related to a driver. For example,
windows\system32\drivers\stcvsm.sys is missing or corrupted. In this instance, follow these

guidelines:

Check the functionality that's provided by the driver. If the driver is a third-party boot
driver, make sure that you understand what it does.

If the driver isn't important and has no dependencies, load the system hive, and then
disable the driver.

If the stop error indicates system file corruption, run the system file checker in offline
mode.

To do this action, open WinRE, open a command prompt, and then run the following
command:

command ＝ Copy

SFC /Scannow /OffBootDir=C:\ /OffWinDir=C:\Windows

For more information, see Using system file checker (SFC) to fix issues.

If there's disk corruption, run the check disk command:

command ＝ Copy

chkdsk /f /r

If the Stop error indicates general registry corruption, or if you believe that new drivers
or services were installed, follow these steps:

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1. Start WinRE, and open a command prompt window.

2. Start a text editor, such as Notepad.
3. Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\Config\ .
4. Rename the all five hives by appending .old to the name.
5. Copy all the hives from the Regback folder, paste them in the Config folder, and
then try to start the computer in Normal mode.

７ Note

Starting in Windows 10, version 1803, Windows no longer automatically backs up the
system registry to the RegBack folder.This change is by design, and is intended to help
reduce the overall disk footprint size of Windows. To recover a system with a corrupt
registry hive, Microsoft recommends that you use a system restore point. For more
information, see The system registry is no longer backed up to the RegBack folder
starting in Windows 10 version 1803.

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