Windows failed to start File \Boot\BCD Status 0x000000f read boot configuration data

W

wfeg

Member
I have a problem with:

Problem: Windows failed to start
File: \Boot\BCD
Status: 0x000000f
Info: An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data

The Windows Vista Install DVD Windows Recovery Environment can repair this problem by any of the three methods (automatic or manual using bootrec and bcdedit) listed in the Microsoft documentation. However, on the next re-boot, the same problem is likely to come back. This happens most days I re-boot my computer.

It seems to me that, either something other than the BCD file is corrupt, or the Windows shutdown procedure is causing the BCD file to become corrupt. Other people have suggested that the hard drive is about to fail, but this is partitioned [C: (Programs) and D: (Data) partitions] and there is nothing wrong with any programs or data once I get Windows to boot up.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Wfeg

 
There might be a bad block in the HDD boot sector.
Right click your Vista partition in Explorer > Properties > Tools > Error Checking > Recover Bad Sectors
It will probably say "can't do that now, do you want to schedule it for next boot ?"
Say yes, reboot and leave it to slowly grind through its checks.
After that, do the "startup repair" again if it needs it.
 
Terry60 said:
There might be a bad block in the HDD boot sector.
Right click your Vista partition in Explorer > Properties > Tools > Error Checking > Recover Bad Sectors
It will probably say "can't do that now, do you want to schedule it for next boot ?"
Say yes, reboot and leave it to slowly grind through its checks.
After that, do the "startup repair" again if it needs it.
Click to expand...

Terry60

Thank you for your speedy reply. I have already tried what you have suggested on several occasions, and on the next re-boot, it checks everything and there are no problems.

Is it possible that, although the error says it is in the file C:\Boot\BCD, it is actually in the MBR because the MBR can't point to the C:\Boot\BCD file? Are there any other possibilities?

Wfeg
 
It's quite specific in saying the problem is with reading \boot\BCD
Problems with the IPL in the MBR wouldn't get that far.
If you've definitely eliminated the possibility of bad blocks (you did tick the options to fix the file system and bad sectors ?), then I'd start to look at the possibility of malware infection trying to gain control of your boot sector.
 
Terry60 said:
It's quite specific in saying the problem is with reading \boot\BCD
Problems with the IPL in the MBR wouldn't get that far.
If you've definitely eliminated the possibility of bad blocks (you did tick the options to fix the file system and bad sectors ?), then I'd start to look at the possibility of malware infection trying to gain control of your boot sector.
Click to expand...

Terry60

Thank you for the information about the error message being specific about \boot\BCD, and it is good to know that you don't think the problem is in the MBR.

Yes- I did tick fix file system and bad sectors- it didn't find any errors. And yes- I have several times in several programs (Norton Anti-Virus and Advanced System Care 5 PRO) checked for Malware, but there is no recognized Malware.

I notice that the repaired BCD file is 16kB, and the old BCD file is only 12KB. Below is a copy of BCD and BCD.old:

C:\Windows\System32>bcdedit /store C:\Boot\bcd.old


Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=C:
default {default}
displayorder {default}
timeout 30


Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {default}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows Vista (TM) Home Premium
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows


C:\Windows\System32>bcdedit /store C:\Boot\bcd


Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=C:
default {default}
displayorder {default}
timeout 30
resume No


Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {default}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows Vista (TM) Home Premium
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {4bf9d0fe-5042-11e1-96ab-806e6f6e6963}


C:\Windows\System32>

You can see that the repaired BCD has 1 more line in both the Windows Boot Manager section and in the Windows Boot Loader section than BCD.old.

Does that indicate anything? Perhaps the resumeobject {4bf9d0fe-5042-11e1-96ab-806e6f6e6963}in the Boot Loader section is important?
 
Those entries are to do with resumption after hibernation.
Does this happen from a cold boot, or when you come out of hibernation ?
 
Resume applies to sleep/hybrid sleep/hibernate, so I would suspect that as being involved.
Try a few experimental sequential cold starts and see if the BCD breaks or stays intact, then try resuming from sleep again, to see if it's connected to one or the other, or just random.
 
Terry60 said:
Resume applies to sleep/hybrid sleep/hibernate, so I would suspect that as being involved.
Try a few experimental sequential cold starts and see if the BCD breaks or stays intact, then try resuming from sleep again, to see if it's connected to one or the other, or just random.
Click to expand...

This morning, when I booted up my computer, I got the same error message:

Problem: Windows failed to start
File: \Boot\BCD
Status: 0x000000f
Info: An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data

I was able to repair this error again using the Windows Vista Install DVD Windows Recovery Environment by choosing automatic repair.

Then, I shutdown my computer and turned the power off, then re-booted (from a cold boot). I did this 4 times over a period of several hours without any problems.

I have used sleep mode both during the day (during periods when I don't want to use the computer), and overnight (instead of shutting down), but I have never had any problems resuming from sleep mode (except that sometimes it reboots from sleep without me pressing any keys- an incoming phone call to my Uniden answering phone system seems to be able to trigger this). On the other hand, I have given up on hibernation mode, as the computer just hangs and does not come out of hibernation.

Somehow, I doubt whether sleep mode is causing the problem on shutting down and re-booting, because I only started to use sleep mode AFTER the 'Windows failed to start' problem began.

So, where are we with solving this problem now?

Is that a Spitfire in your Terry60 icon? I have been to several aircraft shows, both in the UK and Australia.

Thanks for your assistance- much appreciated.

Wfeg

 
I'm afraid I can't give you much advice on sleep related matters.
I've distrusted the whole area of sleep/hybrid/hibernate since WME.
Any time I've ever tried to use it, it's caused me more grief and cost me more time in repairing the damage it left behind, than any tiny gain in shutdown and reboot time.
I always shut down completely at night (as I'm about to do after typing this), and cold start in the morning. With W7 the shutdown time is only 30 secs or less, and in the morning after I hit the button, W7 (my default boot) is up and ready long before the kettle's boiled and I'm ready to sit at the keyboard with a cup of tea, and the cold start means that everything starts off nice and clean and fresh.
During the day I have aggressive power saving policies (screen and HDDs power down after 2 mins idle, CPU ticks over at minimum voltage until demanded, but everywhere sleep=never is set.
I'm willing to bet, that if you repeat the previous experiment, it will only ever fail on resume.
Even if that wasn't the cause of your original need to repair, it might be responsible for the repetitive nature of your current situation, like it's somehow rusuming to the broken BCD, or the state that broke it, but I'll leave that to others with experience of debugging resume problems to pick up.
btw. Yes it's a Mk IX C, my favourite version of my favourite plane. I almost got to fly this one (turn up the volume on your sound card before clicking the link) 24 years ago till the owner/operator died in a car crash shortly before arrangements were completed.
 
Terry60 said:
I'm afraid I can't give you much advice on sleep related matters.
I've distrusted the whole area of sleep/hybrid/hibernate since WME.
Any time I've ever tried to use it, it's caused me more grief and cost me more time in repairing the damage it left behind, than any tiny gain in shutdown and reboot time.
I always shut down completely at night (as I'm about to do after typing this), and cold start in the morning. With W7 the shutdown time is only 30 secs or less, and in the morning after I hit the button, W7 (my default boot) is up and ready long before the kettle's boiled and I'm ready to sit at the keyboard with a cup of tea, and the cold start means that everything starts off nice and clean and fresh.
During the day I have aggressive power saving policies (screen and HDDs power down after 2 mins idle, CPU ticks over at minimum voltage until demanded, but everywhere sleep=never is set.
I'm willing to bet, that if you repeat the previous experiment, it will only ever fail on resume.
Even if that wasn't the cause of your original need to repair, it might be responsible for the repetitive nature of your current situation, like it's somehow rusuming to the broken BCD, or the state that broke it, but I'll leave that to others with experience of debugging resume problems to pick up.
btw. Yes it's a Mk IX C, my favourite version of my favourite plane. I almost got to fly this one (turn up the volume on your sound card before clicking the link) 24 years ago till the owner/operator died in a car crash shortly before arrangements were completed.
Click to expand...


Terry60
Well- I will hope for the best tomorrow when I boot up the computer again, and I will take your advice not to use sleep mode again. Don't know what to do to solve the problem if the BCD error keeps re-occurring though. It doesn't seem to matter whether I repair the errors automatically, or manually using 'bootrec /RebuildBcd'.

BTW, 24 years ago makes 1988, which was when Nick Grace was tragically killed in a car accident, according to the http://www.ml407.co.uk/pages/ web site. I ran the Grace Spitfire video with sound card volume up high and with my subwoofer attached. Sounds incredible. I was not aware of this web site before. We saw the Spitfires at Farnborough air show some years back, and also at the Avalon airshow near Geelong in Victoria last year.

Thanks for all your help!

​
 
wfeg said:
Terry60
Well- I will hope for the best tomorrow when I boot up the computer again, and I will take your advice not to use sleep mode again. Don't know what to do to solve the problem if the BCD error keeps re-occurring though. It doesn't seem to matter whether I repair the errors automatically, or manually using 'bootrec /RebuildBcd'.

BTW, 24 years ago makes 1988, which was when Nick Grace was tragically killed in a car accident, according to the http://www.ml407.co.uk/pages/ web site. I ran the Grace Spitfire video with sound card volume up high and with my subwoofer attached. Sounds incredible. I was not aware of this web site before. We saw the Spitfires at Farnborough air show some years back, and also at the Avalon airshow near Geelong in Victoria last year.

Thanks for all your help!

​
Click to expand...


Terry60
This morning when I booted up my computer from a cold boot, I got the same error message:
Problem: Windows failed to start
File: \Boot\BCD
Status: 0x000000f
Info: An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data
Before I did a repair, I did 'bcdedit /emun all' and produced the file 'c:\boot2\bcd_today' which is 8KB.
Then, I did a 'bootrec /rebuildbcd', and then 'bcdedit /emun all' again to produce the file 'c:\boot2\bcd_after_rebuild' which is 12KB.
Then, I re-started Windows normally.
However, I don't know how to list the contents of both of these files to show you what was them.

How do you find out the contents of BCD files that you have exported? I tried edit, but this just produces jibberish.

The only thing I could do was to get into the DOS prompt and do 'bcdedit /enum all' again, and here is what it said:
C:\Users\Geoff>bcdedit /enum all


Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=C:
default {current}
displayorder {current}
timeout 30
resume No


Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows Vista (TM) Home Premium
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {ae8891f9-54ef-11e1-97d9-806e6f6e6963}


Resume from Hibernate
---------------------
identifier {ae8891f9-54ef-11e1-97d9-806e6f6e6963}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winresume.exe
description Windows Vista (TM) Home Premium
inherit {resumeloadersettings}
filedevice partition=C:
filepath \hiberfil.sys
pae Yes
debugoptionenabled No


Windows Memory Tester
---------------------
identifier {memdiag}
device partition=C:
path \boot\memtest.exe
description Windows Memory Diagnostic


C:\Users\Geoff>
This, of course, is the repaired BCD file in c:\Boot\BCD, and its contents are 16KB.

Can you suggest any further action to prevent these cold start boot up 'Windows failed to start' errors?

Again- many thanks for your assistance.

Wfeg
 
Sorry, you've just about exhausted my stock of ideas.
If sleep, bad blocks and malware are all eliminated, I can't think of anything else which would cause such a recurring problem.
 
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