Recovering Windows 10 mbr bootloader

For many users, it comes as a surprise to find instead of the standard Windows boot 10 with a welcome screen message that the operating system could not boot. If a message about a specific error is not displayed, then most likely the problem is a faulty bootloader in Windows 10. In this article, we will look at all the causes of problems with it, as well as ways to fix them.

Causes of malfunction and solutions

Before deciding on a solution, it is recommended that you first familiarize yourself with the causes of the problem. Most of the methods for solving the problem given below are not strongly related to the causes of the error, but it will be useful to know about them:

Bad sectors of the hard drive. This problem is quite extensive, that is, the sectors may simply have “broken” information, or the sector itself may be damaged. Moreover, the damage may be physical in nature;
Malicious action software. Some “strong” viruses can break the system, leading to critical errors;
Installing several different Windows versions on one hard drive;
Device conflict inside the computer. HDD may conflict with other devices connected to motherboard computer;
Problems in BIOS. If the BIOS settings are set incorrectly, the computer may try to boot from the wrong media, which will lead to problems critical error startup in Windows 10.

To fix the error, in most cases you will need to use a flash drive with an image recorded on it. It is recommended to prepare it in advance. The flash drive must contain an operating system image that matches your OS version and bit depth. To capture this image, you will need to use a different computer.

Option 1: Automatic fix

Opportunity automatic recovery and corrections system errors exists in many Windows operating systems, however, is implemented a little differently everywhere. This solution to the problem can hardly be called effective, since there are many pitfalls: either the system recovery environment refuses to start, or the recovery simply works “idlely”. However, this method is the safest and relatively uncomplicated, so it is recommended to try it first.

The bottom line is this:

First, you need to boot your computer from the installation Windows disk, so the first steps will be devoted to this procedure. Paste installation flash drive to the computer. Reboot it or turn it on if it was previously turned off.
You need to enter the BIOS. To do this, without waiting for the operating system to load, press the keys from F2 before F12 or Delete. The specific key depends on your computer model and BIOS version. The specific key or combination can be found in the documentation for the device.
In the BIOS interface, you need to set a new computer boot priority so that it starts your flash drive. Find items there with the name "Advanced" or "Boot". The name will depend on BIOS version. Control is carried out using the arrow keys, keys Enter And F-keys.

Here you need to find the parameter "1st Boot Device"(or with a similar name). Select it and click Enter to enter edit mode.
In a special window, select a device whose name begins with "USB". This is your bootable USB flash drive.

Now all that remains is to save the changes. Use the key F10 or item "Save Changes & Exit", if there is one on the menu.
The computer will reboot and then the operating system installation interface will launch. Here you need to select a convenient language and keyboard layout. Then click on "Further".

Since you do not need to install the system, but only need to restore it, use the link with the appropriate name in the lower left part of the window.

An interface will open with a choice of actions. The mouse works here, so control can be done using it. Select an option .

Now you need to select a tile "Startup Repair".

The next window prompts you to specify the operating system that you want to restore. In this case, you need to choose the one with which there are problems, if you have several operating systems on your computer.
The recovery process will take some time. As a rule, this is no more than one hour. Once it's completed, you'll be notified of the recovery status, but your computer will reboot before doing so.

Option 2: Create download files

This option already implies calling the DiskPart utility using "Command line". Since the operating system cannot be loaded in normal mode due to damage to the bootloader, then "Console" will have to be called using the system recovery interface.

The instructions for this option are as follows:

Boot from the flash drive and run "System Restore". How to do this was described in the first half of the previous instructions.
"Command line" can be called by keyboard shortcut Shift+F10. However, if it does not work, you will have to do it manually. Go to item "Diagnostics".

From there open "Extra options" and there go to the point "Command line".

Will open "Console", where you need to enter the command: diskpart
To apply it, press the key Enter.
Now you will need to view the list of available volumes, which is opened using the command: list volume
Among the list above, find the volume on which Windows 10 is installed. It is worth understanding that the letter given in the list may differ from the one that Windows displays in its "Explorer", so you will have to navigate by the size of the volume. Write down the volume letter with somewhere operating system.
To exit volume browsing mode, enter the command: exit.

Create new file boot using this command: bcdboot C:\windows
Here, instead of the letter “C”, you need to enter the letter that you wrote down in the previous step. It should be understood that this manipulation may not work with Windows XP, 7, as well as all systems of the Linux family.
Wait for the recovery procedure to complete. It will take some time, but usually no more than 40 minutes. Remove the USB flash drive with the system image and reboot the device.

You may not be able to boot the first time, so it is recommended to try several times. It is also worth considering that in this case, the computer may take much longer than usual to start up for the first time, so wait patiently for it full load. If after several attempts you see an error message with encoding 0xc0000001, it means that you need to try another method of restoring the Windows 10 bootloader.

Option 3: Overwriting the bootloader

This method is used in cases where the previous ones did not help. In such cases, you can rewrite the operating system bootloader. The instructions will look like this:

If you have several operating systems installed on your computer and each of them or several also have problems with the bootloader, then you will also have to do this procedure for them. However, it is worth mentioning that it will be slightly different:

Do everything the same as in the previous instructions up to step 4-5.
Select the number of the hidden volume to which you previously assigned a letter. This is done using the command: select volume N
Instead of "N" write a number.
Remove the display of a letter in the system using the command: remove letter=Z
"Z" is the letter to be deleted. It may be completely different for you.
Exit the utility using the exit command.
Restart your computer and check if it boots correctly.

Option 4: System Restore

This solution to the problem is quite universal and is suitable not only for restoring the bootloader, but also for solving many problems. During system recovery, user files will not be affected, therefore, you do not have to worry about the safety of personal information on the computer.

Restoration occurs according to the following instructions:

Start your computer with bootable flash drive. How to do this was described in previous instructions. You will need to manipulate the BIOS.
Select your language and keyboard layout.

Click on the link "System Restore" at the bottom left of the window.

The system recovery interface will launch. Click on the block there "Troubleshooting".

Go to "Extra options".

There you need to click on the tile "System Image Restore".

Several more windows will appear where you need to confirm your actions by clicking on the buttons "Further" And "Ready".
Wait until the procedure is completed. Do not touch anything while the system recovery process is in progress. Interrupting it is fraught with unpleasant consequences for the operation of the operating system.

It is quite possible to restore the bootloader in Windows 10 using the methods described above. You can also use them to troubleshoot problems loading other operating systems of the Windows family.

Restoring the Windows 10 boot loader must be performed if the operating system on your computer cannot boot. After starting the PC, an error message appears on the screen indicating that the system cannot boot for one reason or another.

Causes of problems with the system bootloader can arise from hardware and software. In this article, we will look at ways to restore the operating system boot loader that are not related to computer hardware problems, for example, a malfunction hard drive or RAM.

Some possible reasons Windows bootloader problems:

unknown system failure;
exposure to malicious software;
incorrect user actions;
turning off the computer while installing updates;
installing another operating system on your computer;
the result of the work of cleaning programs and system tweakers.

If the user deleted the bootloader due to his wrong actions, or it does not work due to another problem, how to restore it? It suddenly became impossible to boot the operating system on your computer, how can I restore the Windows bootloader?

To restore the Windows bootloader if automatic recovery does not work, the command line launched from the disk will help Windows recovery 10, from the installation disk or from . Therefore, I recommend that all users have bootable disks, which will be useful in case of problems on the computer.

Simple failures are corrected directly in the running system, but in case of serious problems the OS may not boot. Booting to a PC from bootable media (flash drive or disk) will allow you to call up system recovery tools to solve the problem.

Directly using the system tools you can create it on a flash drive or CD/ DVD disc e. To restore the system, you can use the bootable Windows flash drive or an installation DVD with the operating system.

The user can free from the official website and then immediately create a . Available a large number of programs from third-party manufacturers for creating bootable flash drives.

Most reliable way restoring the system in case of serious problems: for example, using system tools, and then from backup copy. To create a backup image of the system, you can use third-party software: , ( free program) etc.

In this article we will look at several ways to restore the Windows 10 bootloader without using third-party software. The instructions are suitable for operating systems Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7.

To start booting from a boot disk (flash drive or DVD), you must enter boot menu BIOS or UEFI, and then select the boot device. Another startup option: select boot priority from bootable media in the BIOS settings. Different keyboard keys are responsible for entering the BIOS on computers, so first find out what you should press based on the model of your device.

Repairing Windows 10 Boot Loader with Automatic Troubleshooting

Using my example, we will try to restore UEFI bootloader Windows 10. The article is suitable for users with computers that have an MBR bootloader in Windows 10.

After loading on the computer, in the first window of the program Windows installations click on the “Next” button.

In the next window, click on “System Restore”.

In the “Select Action” window, click on “Troubleshooting”.

First, I recommend choosing the method: “Startup Repair”. operating room Windows system will independently eliminate problems that prevent the system from loading. This is the simplest solution to the problem; I myself have used it more than once.

The operating system will automatically diagnose the cause of the failure and restore system files required to boot Windows.

If the outcome is positive, Windows 10 will start on the computer in normal mode.

If Startup Repair fails to restore your computer, you will have to use the Command Prompt.

Restoring the Windows bootloader via the command line - method 1

After automatic recovery fails, in the “Startup Repair” window, click on the “Advanced options” button.

Alternatively, you can boot again from bootable media (flash drive or DVD), and then go to the “Advanced options” window.

In the "Advanced Options" window, click on the "Command Prompt" button.

We will perform Windows bootloader recovery via the command line. The bootloader recovery process will take place in two stages:

using the Diskpart utility we find out the name system disk on which Windows is installed;
then we will create the operating system boot files.

In the command line interpreter window, enter the command to launch the Diskpart utility (press the Enter key after entering each command):

Diskpart list volume

In the list of disks (volumes) of your computer, you need to find the system partition on which the Windows operating system is installed. We need to find out the “Name” (drive letter), when searching for a volume, focus on the size of the disk with the installed system. The operating system can be installed on drive "C", "D", "E", etc.

In my case, the system is installed on drive “C”.

To exit the Diskpart utility, enter the command:

Now you need to enter a command to create operating system boot files using the bcdboot utility.

In the command prompt window, enter the command:

Bcdboot X:\windows

In this command, "X" is the letter of the volume (drive) on which the system is installed, on my computer the drive is "C", so I entered this drive letter.

After executing the command, you will see a message indicating that the download files have been successfully created.

Close the Command Prompt window.

In the “Select Action” window, click on the “Continue” button to exit system recovery and continue using Windows 10.

How to restore Windows 10 bootloader using the command line - method 2

This method will use a command line called from a recovery disk, bootable USB flash drive, or from a Windows installation DVD. The computer needs to boot from the boot disk and then run the command line.

The process of creating Windows 10 boot files will take place in three stages:

using the DiskPart utility we find out the number of the hidden volume (disk, partition) and file system, format the disk, and then give the letter to the volume (disk);
creating files on a hidden volume (disk) to boot the system;
removing a letter from the disk (volume) of a hidden partition.

In the command line interpreter window, enter the commands one by one (remember to press “Enter” after entering the appropriate command):

Diskpart list volume

On a computer with GPT UEFI there is hidden section with the FAT32 file system, it is not marked with a letter, ranging in size from 99 to 300 MB. On computers with MBR BIOS, there is a hidden volume with file NTFS system, up to 500 MB in size.

We need the volume number ("Volume 0", "Volume 1", "Volume 2", etc.) and its file system. Pay attention to the volume (drive) letter on which Windows is installed.

Select the hidden volume, it does not have a “Name” (drive letter). In this case it is "Volume 4", your computer may have a different volume number.

Select volume X

Enter the command to format the volume to the "FAT32" or "NTFS" file system, depending on the hard drive partition style UEFI drive or MBR respectively. On my computer, the hidden partition has a “FAT32” file system, so I chose the option to format it to this file system.

Format fs=fat32 or format fs=ntfs

Assign letter=Z

Exit Diskpart utility:

Now you need to run the command to create Windows boot files:

Bcdboot C:\Windows /s Z: /f ALL

In this command, "C" is the letter of the partition on which Windows is installed, and "Z" is the letter of the hidden drive.

Once the download files have been successfully created, run the Diskpart utility again:

Diskpart

Display a list of computer volumes on the command line:

List volume

Select the hidden volume that you previously assigned the letter "Z" to:

Select volume X

In this command, "X" is the number of the hidden volume on your computer. You already selected it on the command line when you assigned a name for this volume (partition).

Enter the command to remove the volume name (drive letter), and then exit the Diskpart utility:

Remove letter=Z exit

Close the command prompt.

Remove the DVD or bootable USB flash drive from the computer; the bootable media is no longer needed.

In the “Select Action” window, click on the “Disable” button.

Turn on your PC, which will boot into Windows 10 again.

Restoring the Windows 10 bootloader in Bootrec

You can use the Bootrec.exe utility to troubleshoot startup problems on computers with an MBR (master boot record).

Basic commands of the Bootrec.exe utility:

FixMbr - Writes a Windows compatible master boot partition (MBR) that does not overwrite the existing partition table.
FixBoot - writes a new boot sector compatible with Windows to the system partition.
ScanOS - search all drives installed systems compatible with Windows, displaying entries that are not in the system configuration store.
RebuildBcd - searches all disks for installed Windows-compatible systems, selecting systems to add to the configuration storage.

In most cases, it is enough to write down the main boot partition or a new boot sector compatible with the current operating system.

After booting into the Windows Recovery Environment. In the command prompt window, enter one of the commands:

Bootrec.exe /FixMbr Bootrec.exe /FixBoot

If the problem cannot be solved by the proposed methods, you can fix the problem using a “clean” system instead of the system installed on the computer.

Conclusions of the article

If problems arise when loading the operating system, the user needs to restore the Windows 10 bootloader. To complete the work, you will need to boot the computer from a bootable USB flash drive or from an installation DVD. Restoration is performed from the recovery environment automatically using system tools, or manually by the user after entering the appropriate commands on the command line.

The new Windows 10 OS from Microsoft has already gained popularity among millions of PC users around the world. But like all new products, Windows 10 is not without its flaws. Many users of this OS experience bootloader problems. Most often, this problem occurs due to a new operating system update policy.

Now in Windows 10 you cannot disable updates, as it was in Windows 7 and XP.

The problem with the bootloader itself appears when the user does not wait for the system update to finish and turns it off POWER button.

After the user turns on the computer again, he encounters such a message on his monitor screen.

This message indicates that your bootloader is damaged and needs to be repaired. It is also worth noting that turning off the computer during the update is not the only reason for the breakdown. The bootloader can still be damaged viruses and various malware. Another fairly common reason for its failure is faulty HDDs, in of which there are bad sectors, that is, the boot record will be located precisely on these sectors. Also, the cause of bootloader failure may be installing a younger OS on top of Windows 10. To help our readers restore the bootloader, we have prepared examples below in which we describe in detail how to restore it.

The easiest way to recover

Having seen a message about a bootloader failure, the first question a PC user has is how to restore the Windows 10 bootloader. In this example, we will describe the easiest way to restore it. For this example we will need .

If you do not have this disk and Internet access, you can make it on another computer with the same OS.

You can also use the original one for this task. installation disk with Windows 10. Well, let's get started. Insert the recovery disc into the drive and boot from it when the computer starts.

In the first window of the Recovery Disk Wizard, you must specify keyboard layout, after which the wizard menu will open.

In this window we will select the second tab “ Troubleshooting" and immediately move on to the next "".

IN additional parameters We are interested in the "" tab. After clicking on this link, the wizard will ask you to select an OS to restore it to start.

The computer being tested has one Windows 10 operating system installed, so there is only one choice in the wizard. After selecting the OS, the system will begin the procedure for finding computer faults and should repair the damaged bootloader.

If using this method you are unable to restore Windows 10 functionality, then in the following examples we will describe the detailed process of restoring the boot sector using system utilities DiskPart And BCDboot.

Recovering the Windows 10 bootloader using the command line

For this method we also need Windows 10 recovery disk. Let's boot from the disk, as in the previous example, up to the "". In this menu we are interested in the “” tab, which we will go to.

First of all, we will launch the console utility on the command line DiskPart. To do this, enter the command diskpart in the console

We need this utility to display information about all local disks in system. Now we need to find the bootloader partition number. Typically this is a hidden partition that occupies 500 MB. This partition is created automatically by the Windows 10 installer. Next, to search for it in DiskPart, we will enter the command list volume

From the image you can see that the partition with the boot record is located in the first volume on drive C. The image also shows that Windows 10 itself is installed on drive D. Now we must exit the disk program. You can do this with the exit command

After exiting DiskPart, enter the command bcdboot.exe D:\Windows Also note that the command uses drive D, since ten is installed on it.

This command completely recovered dozens of boot files. The principle of operation of this command is to use the utility BCDboot. The developers specifically created this utility to work With boot files Windows. It is also worth noting that thanks to the same utility, the Windows installer creates a hidden partition and copies boot files to it.

Restoring the Windows 10 bootloader using the command line (Method two)

In the second method we will also use the utilities DiskPart And BCDboot and try to rewrite the bootloader. To do this, let's launch DiskPart and find out on which disk our hidden partition and the partition on which Windows 10 is installed are located. Launching this utility is described above.

Now we need to format the hidden partition, which is located in the first volume. To do this, type the command select volume 1 which will select our hidden encrypted partition of 500 MB in size.

The next step is to format the selected partition. This is done in order to erase all files from it. For this operation, enter the command in the console format fs=FAT32

After formatting our partition, let's exit disk utility and enter new team bcdboot.exe D:\Windows which was entered in the previous example.

This command will not fix the bootloader files as in the previous example, but will create new ones. As you already understand, this method is used if the first one does not work.

Another way to restore Windows 10 boot using the command line

This method requires a utility Bootrec. Unlike the previous utility, this utility does not restore bootloader files, but restores boot record. That is, she restores MBR- the first sector on the HDD. It is very important for the operating system that the MBR is intact and intact. When a computer starts, its BIOS first of all looks for the MBR in order to launch the operating system from it. For this example, let's launch the command line, as in previous examples. The utility in question has two main commands /FixMbr and /FixBoot The first command is required to fix MBR, and the second creates a new one. First of all, let's consider the situation when our MBR is damaged. To do this, enter the first command in the console.

The image above shows that the operation was successful, which means that the MBR has been restored.

Now let's consider a situation where the first method does not work, that is, we will create a new MBR sector. To do this, we will use the second command.

From the image above you can see that the new MBR sector has been created successfully.

The examples show how easy it is to restore the MBR sector using the Bootrec console utility. If you have problem with start m Windows 10, we recommend using this example first.

We clean the system from malicious software before restoring the bootloader

If the cause of the bootloader failure is malware, then this one malicious code must be removed before recovery. In this situation it will help you. This is a rescue disk that has many tools for restoring your computer, as well as treating it for viruses. You can download Dr.Web LiveDisk on its official website www.drweb.ru. This Live CD is based on Linux and is free. This disc is distributed as ISO image, which can be recorded either on an optical disk or on a USB flash drive. After burning the image to disk, launch Dr.Web LiveDisk.

In the start menu, select the first item and continue downloading Dr.Web LiveDisk. After a few seconds, the Linux-based OS should start, which is actually Dr.Web LiveDisk.

With this operating system, you can completely clean your computer of viruses and even backup all information.

Also useful is the fact that this OS has full support Internet and built-in browser Firefox.

Let's sum it up

In conclusion, I would like to say that if you know all the intricacies of bootloader recovery, you can quickly fix your computer. It is also worth paying attention to the situation when it is impossible to restore the boot sector and the bootloader itself. In this case, you need to play it safe and use the funds full recovery systems. Such means are full system image, created using the Windows 10 OS itself, as well as a program such as Acronis True Image. We hope that our material will help you restore the bootloader from the MBR, and your computer will function as before.

Video on the topic

Quite unexpectedly, the user may find that the operating system cannot be loaded. Instead of the welcome screen, a warning is shown that the download did not occur. Most likely, the problem is with the Windows 10 bootloader. There are several reasons that cause this problem. The article will describe all available options for resolving the problem.

To restore the bootloader you will need care and a little experience working with « Command line» . The main reasons why a boot error occurs are bad sectors of the hard drive, malicious software, installation of an older Windows versions on top of the younger one. The problem may also occur due to a sudden interruption of work, especially if this happened during the installation of updates.

A conflict between flash drives, disks and other peripherals can also provoke this error. Remove all unnecessary devices from the computer and check the functionality of the bootloader.
In addition to all of the above, it is worth checking the display of the hard drive in the BIOS. If the HDD is not in the list, then you need to solve the problem with it.

To fix the problem you will need boot disk or a flash drive with Windows 10 of the exact edition and bit size that you currently have installed. If you don't have this, burn the OS image using another computer.

Method 1: Automatic fix

In Windows 10, developers have improved the automatic correction of system errors. This method is not always effective, but it is worth trying at least because of its simplicity.

Method 2: Create download files

If the first option doesn't work, you can use DiskPart. For this method you will also need a boot disk with an OS image, a flash drive or a recovery disk.

Method 3: Overwriting the bootloader

If the previous options did not work at all, then you can try to rewrite the bootloader.

If you have more than one version of Windows installed, you need to repeat this procedure with other partitions. Log back into Diskpart and open the list of volumes.

Select the number of the hidden volume that was recently assigned a letter
Now we remove the display of the letter in the system
Exit using the command

After all the manipulations, restart your computer.

Method 4: LiveCD

WITH using LiveCD You can also restore the Windows 10 bootloader if its assembly contains programs such as EasyBCD, MultiBoot or FixBootFull. This method requires some experience, because often such assemblies are English language and have many professional programs.

You can find the image on thematic websites and forums on the Internet. Typically, authors write what programs are built into the assembly.
With LiveCD you need to do the same thing as with Windows way. Once you boot into the shell, you will need to find and launch the recovery program, and then follow its instructions.

This article listed working methods for restoring the Windows 10 bootloader. If nothing worked for you or you are not sure that you can do everything yourself, then you should seek help from specialists.

If the computer begins to work slowly and unstable, then users usually resort to standard procedures: check the system for viruses, reboot and run a disk check for errors. But what should you do if your PC continues to experience performance problems, and you just can’t determine the cause?

In the most extreme cases, a number of users choose full reinstalling Windows, assuming that all problems are related to the operating system. Other users try to uninstall and reinstall applications, believing that the problems are caused by third-party software.

However, there is an easier way to diagnose software errors, which may cause performance problems. This method is associated with the use of a “clean” boot of Windows - this is a boot mode when exclusively critical drivers and operating system services are loaded.

The official Microsoft website says:

A clean boot of the system is used to Windows startup with a minimum set of drivers and programs from startup. This helps resolve software conflicts that occur when installing a program or update, or when running a program in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista. A clean boot can also help you troubleshoot problems or figure out what conflict is causing the problem.

Download options

First of all, make sure you are logged in with account administrator because you need to make changes to the system that are not available for restricted accounts.

There are several boot options you can configure before performing a clean boot into Windows. Click Windows key+R and enter msconfig. In the System Configuration dialog box, on the General tab, select one of the available startup options - Normal launch, Diagnostic run or Selective launch.

Normal launch used for everyday computer use. In this mode, all configured drivers and services from Microsoft and third-party applications are loaded.
Diagnostic run allows you to load only essential devices and services, which help you isolate the error and, if possible, determine the source of the problem.
Selective launch offers many additional options - the user can configure which components will be loaded (services, startup programs) and can use the original boot configuration. If these boot options help restore system performance, then manually configuring a clean boot will no longer be necessary.

How to perform a clean boot

If you want to use the time-tested clean boot method, then in the section system configuration on the tab Services and check the box Don't show Microsoft services. This means that only services not created by Microsoft will appear on your computer. Disable all of them, but remember the current service configurations (write it down, take a screenshot) so that after a “clean” boot you can restore the services in the same order.

After disconnecting unnecessary services, open the tab and click on the “Open Task Manager” link. Disable all items, but save the original configuration information again for later restoration.

You can now close all windows and restart your computer. If the system boots correctly and the original system performance is restored, then the problems are related to third-party software. Otherwise, you will have to configure Windows.

Advice. If the system works correctly in clean boot mode, this indicates that the cause of the failure was one or more programs that you disabled. In such a situation, by elimination, i.e. By turning on programs and services one at a time, rebooting and checking the operation, you can determine the program that is affecting the operation. Having identified a program that affects operation, either leave it disabled, uninstall it, or contact its developer to further resolve the issue.

After this, do not forget to restore the configuration and return to normal boot mode. Additionally, after a clean boot, you can remove any application that you think may be causing the problem and negatively impacting system performance.

To disable clean boot mode, on the tab Are common program windows system configuration select item Normal launch. Then click .