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Get the fix to the <strong>0xc000000e: The selected entry could not be loaded because the application is missing or corrupt</strong> boot error message affecting <strong>Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1</strong> and <strong>Windows 10</strong>.
<h2>About the "<strong>0xc000000e</strong>" error</h2>
[kbintro]
<h3>Description and Symptoms</h3>
The error messages, alerts, warnings, and symptoms below are tied to this error.
<h4>Symptom 1: 0xc000000e error screen on startup</h4>
As a part of <a href="http://neosmart.net/wiki/mbr-boot-process/">the system startup procedure</a>, the BOOTMGR bootloader introduced in Windows Vista and subsequently used in Windows 7, Windows 8(.1), and Windows 10 uses a database of entries and configuration options known as the BCD ((BCD is an abbreviation of Boot Configuration Database.)), which acts as a global store for all boot-related options and settings on newer Windows PCs. If an error is encountered trying to load an entry in this BCD file, the following error message will appear:

<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/04/0xc000000e_Vista_Win7_Error_Screen.png"><img class="alignnone wp-image-3687 size-large" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/04/0xc000000e_Vista_Win7_Error_Screen-1024x768.png" alt="0xc000000e Windows Vista/Windows 7 error screen" width="980" height="735" /></a>
<pre>Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:

1. Insert your Windows installation disc and restart your computer.
2. Choose your language settings, and then click "Next."
3. Click "Repair your computer."

If you do not have this disc, contact your system administrator or computer manufacturer for assistance.

File: \Windows\System32\Winload.exe

Status: 0xc000000e

Info: The selected entry could not be loaded because the application is missing or corrupt.
</pre>
And here is the screen for that error that appears on Windows 8, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10.

<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/04/0xc000000e_Win8_Win8.1_Error_Screen.png"><img class="alignnone wp-image-3688 size-large" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/04/0xc000000e_Win8_Win8.1_Error_Screen-1024x768.png" alt="0xc000000e Windows 8/WIndows 8.1 error screen" width="980" height="735" /></a>
<pre>Recovery

Your PC needs to be repaired

A required device isn't connected or can't be accessed

Error code: 0xc000000e

You'll need to use the recovery tools on your installation media. If you don't have any installation media(like a disc or USB device), contact your system administrator or PC manufacturer.

Press Enter to try again
Press F8 for Startup Settings
</pre>
Note that this error message doesn't usually apply to Windows XP as it does not use the <span class="message_body">bootmgr bootloader with the BCD configuration</span> file. Windows XP uses the <span class="message_body">NTLDR bootloader with the plain-text boot.ini configuration file instead</span>. Please refer to our <a href="/wiki/easybcd/dual-boot/windows-xp/">Windows XP boot process</a> guide if you want to know more about this topic.

There is also a similar error that shares an error code with this one but is usually caused by an offline partition or missing drivers, and has a different error message. Feel free to check out linked article: <a href="http://neosmart.net/wiki/0xc000000e-the-boot-selection-failed/">0xc000000e: The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible</a> for more info.
<h3>Causes of this Error</h3>
This error has been known to occur as a result of one or more of the following:
<h4>Cause 1: BCD is invalid</h4>
One of the most common causes of this error is the BCD that became either missing, corrupt, or misconfigured. That could happen because of disk write errors, power outages, boot sector viruses, or errors made while configuring the BCD manually.
<h4>Cause 2: File system integrity compromised</h4>
For the same reasons, the file system might become corrupt or damaged. That happens even more often if one turns off a PC while it is in the middle of writing crucial data to the boot sector.
<h4>Fixing "0xc000000e" on Windows</h4>
[setupcd]
<h3>Fix #1: Rebuild BCD via Easy Recovery Essentials</h3>
Easy Recovery Essentials' one-click automated system repair feature incorporates full repair and reconstruction of the BCD to resolve the "0xc000000e" error, even in cases where Windows won't boot as a result of the error.

The automated boot repair component of EasyRE will address all BCD-related issues, fixing the BCD or recreating it from scratch using the correct encoding and path for the partition that is refusing to load properly. It will also mark the disk as online to ensure that it works correctly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEHOlQt7jbg

[easyre error="0xc000000e" bootscreen="vista-7-8" guaranteed="true"]
<h3>Fix #2: Use Windows’ built-in Automatic Repair</h3>
The Windows Automatic Repair may recover certain boot process related errors in some cases. Here are the steps to access the Automatic Repair from an install disc:
<ol>
 	<li>Boot from Windows install disc</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Next</strong> in the setup page after selecting proper language, time and keyboard input</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Repair your computer</strong> and select <strong>Troubleshoot</strong></li>
 	<li>Click on <strong>Advanced options</strong></li>
 	<li>Select <strong>Automatic Repair</strong> and select your operating system.</li>
</ol>
Here is an example screenshot of System Recovery Options Menu.

[caption id="attachment_3694" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/04/Sysres.png"><img class="wp-image-3694 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/04/Sysres.png" alt="System Recovery Options Menu" width="800" height="600" /></a> System Recovery Options Menu[/caption]
<h3>Fix #3: Rebuild the BCD manually</h3>
Since the boot error is often caused by a corrupted BCD, rebuilding it is often a good solution.

Here are the steps to rebuild the BCD:
<ol>
 	<li>Boot from the Windows install disc</li>
 	<li>Click on <strong>Repair your computer</strong> after selecting proper language, time and keyboard input.</li>
 	<li>Select the Windows installation drive, which is usually <code>C:\</code>, and click <strong>Next</strong></li>
 	<li>Choose Command Prompt when the System Recovery Options box appears</li>
 	<li>Write the following command and press <kbd>Enter</kbd> afterwards:
<pre>bootrec /rebuildbcd</pre>
</li>
 	<li>If the program finds a Windows installation and asks whether it should add it to the boot list, press <kbd>Y</kbd></li>
</ol>
Here is an example screenshot of what the PC's console output should look like once Bootrec is done rebuilding the BCD.

[caption id="attachment_3693" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/04/VirtualBox_Win7_clean_21_04_2016_03_58_48.png"><img class="wp-image-3693 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/04/bootrec.png" alt="Bootrec utility results screen" width="800" height="600" /></a> Bootrec utility results screen[/caption]
<h3>Fix #4: Check your disk with CHKDSK utility</h3>
If the hard drive has its file integrity compromised, it is possible to use built-in Windows CHKDSK utility to scan the disk and fix the file system errors.

Here are the steps to run CHKDSK:
<ol>
 	<li>Boot from your Windows install disc</li>
 	<li>Click on <strong>Repair your co</strong><strong>mputer</strong> after selecting proper language, time and keyboard input.</li>
 	<li>Select the Windows installation drive, which is usually <code>C:\</code>, and click <strong>Next</strong></li>
 	<li>Choose Command Prompt when the System Recovery Options box appears</li>
 	<li>Write the following command and press <kbd>Enter</kbd> afterwards:
<pre>chkdsk C: /f</pre>
Replace C: with the letter of the driver where Windows is installed.</li>
</ol>
Here is an example of what the PC's console output should look like once the chkdsk.exe is complete:

[caption id="attachment_3697" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/04/VirtualBox_Win7_clean_21_04_2016_03_58_48.png"><img class="wp-image-3697 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/04/VirtualBox_Win7_clean_21_04_2016_03_58_48.png" alt="Chkdsk utility results screen" width="800" height="600" /></a> Chkdsk utility results screen[/caption]
<h2>More Information</h2>
<h3>Linked Entries</h3>
<ul>
 	<li><a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/bootrec/">bootrec</a></li>
 	<li><a href="http://neosmart.net/wiki/0xc000000e-the-boot-selection-failed/">0xc000000e: The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible</a></li>
</ul>
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