In Windows 10, BCD stands for Boot Configuration Data, which is crucial information that tells the Windows boot loader where to find boot information, making it essential for loading and running the operating system successfully.
The BCD file in Windows 10 is stored in the "\Boot" folder, with the full path being "[active partition]\Boot\BCD". For UEFI boot, it's located at /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/BCD on the EFI System Partition, and for traditional BIOS boot, it's at /boot/BCD on the active partition.
Here are some situations that might damage the BCD file:
When the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) becomes corrupted or damaged, it can lead to unbootable situations in Windows 10/8/7, resulting in various BCD errors. These errors can manifest in different ways, but they all point to the same underlying issue - a compromised BCD that prevents the operating system from booting properly.
If Windows 10 is unbootable, repairing the BCD files can be easily done using the top 4 methods. To start, you can use the built-in Command Prompt to run the Bootrec command, which can help restore the BCD. Alternatively, you can use the Windows 10 Installation Media to run the Command Prompt and execute the Bootrec command.
Many users are seeking a solution to manually rebuild the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) in Windows 10. To address this, we'll outline the top 4 ways to repair Windows 10 BCD, providing step-by-step instructions for each method. This will enable users to troubleshoot and resolve BCD-related issues, ensuring a smooth booting experience for their Windows 10 system.
If you don't have a Windows installation disc, you can skip to method 4 to rebuild BCD using a professional Windows 10 BCD repair tool. Otherwise, you can try the first three methods to manually repair BCD using the command prompt, which involves using a Windows installation disc. Alternatively, you can use a professional Windows 10 BCD repair tool to rebuild BCD.
If you're experiencing issues with your Windows system, the Startup Repair option in the Windows Recovery Environment can help repair the BCD store. To fix the problem, follow these steps:
1. Insert the Windows 10 installation disc into the computer, then turn it on to boot from the disc.
2. To access the BIOS/UEFI, press a specific function key on your computer, which varies depending on the manufacturer, such as F1, F2, F12, or DEL.
3. To change the boot order, you'll need to enter the BIOS settings. The steps to do this vary depending on the computer model, but generally, you'll need to press a specific key (such as F2, F12, or Del) as soon as the computer is powered on.
4. Select a language, a time, a currency, and a keyboard or another input method, and then click "Next".
5. Click "Repair your computer".
6. When the "Choose an option" menu opens, select "Troubleshoot".
7. Select "Advanced options" in the "Troubleshoot" window.
8. Select "Startup Repair" then.
9. To access your account, select your account and type in the password, then click the "Continue" button.
Once you complete the steps, the Startup Repair will automatically scan, detect, and fix any problems that might be preventing your Windows 10 from loading correctly.
To resolve the issue, you could try booting your computer in safe mode. If the problem persists, you could try uninstalling the latest Windows updates. If that doesn't work, you could try running a System File Checker (SFC) scan to check for corrupted system files.
If the startup repair method doesn't work, you can try rebuilding the BCD store using the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment. This involves locating the BCD store on the active partition with the "System" info using DiskPart, then removing and recreating it in Command Prompt.
1. Access the Command Prompt from the Windows installation disc by selecting "Command Prompt" in the "Advanced options" screen.
2. In the command prompt window, type the following commands:
Partition C: might not be the correct volume letter in your case, you have to locate the volume letter using DiskPart for the system partition where the BCD store is located. Replace the right volume letter in these commands.
If the above ways don't work, you can try other commands to repair BCD in Windows 10. For example, you can use the command "bootrec /fixmbr" to repair the master boot record, or "bootrec /fixboot" to repair the boot sector, or "bcdboot C:\Windows /s C:" to rebuild the BCD.
Run the following commands in turn:
If you don't have a Windows 10 installation disc, you can create a bootable media first then repair BCD using a tool like Qiling Disk Master Standard, which is a comprehensive and reliable partition tool for managing hard disk and partitions in Windows 11/10/8/7 and Windows XP/Vista.
The software allows you to create bootable media and repair Windows 10 BCD file (Rebuild MBR) automatically, making it a useful tool for various tasks.
Before proceeding, ensure you have an empty USB flash drive (at least 16GB) and a working Windows 10 computer with the same operating system (32 bit or 64 bit) as yours. Additionally, download Qiling Disk Master for free on this computer.
1. Insert the USB drive into a working Windows 10 PC, then run Qiling Disk Master. Select "Make Bootable Media" under "Tools" and click "Next".
2. Select the USB drive, click on the "Next" button, and then click on the "Proceed" button to create a Windows 10 bootable USB drive.
3. To fix a corrupted Windows 10 PC, create a bootable media with the Qiling Disk Master, which can be downloaded from the official website. Then, boot your PC from this media, and the Qiling Disk Master will run, allowing you to access and repair your system.
4. Select the system hard disk and choose Fix Boot from the drop down menu.
5. Choose partition for Windows 10.
6. Click Proceed button to repair Windows10 BCD file.
After running the Windows 10 BCD repair, the problem should be resolved, and you won't encounter it again. If data loss occurs during the process, you can use the "Recover Data" function to retrieve the lost data.
You can choose the best method to repair Windows 10 BCD based on your situation, but if you want the easiest way, consider using Qiling Disk Master Standard, which can also fix issues like NTLDR is missing, BOOTMGR is missing, and other unbootable problems.
You can extend, split, move, format, resize, copy, and delete partitions if needed, or upgrade to the Professional edition for advanced features like upgrading to Windows 11. Server users can look into the Server or Unlimited edition.