0xc000014C: Fix for Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10

Get the fix to “0xc000014C: error attempting to read the boot configuration data” boot error for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 or 10 operating systems.

About the “0xc000014C” error

The following information on this error has been compiled by NeoSmart Technologies, based on the information gathered and reported by our global network of engineers, developers, and technicians or partner organizations.

Description and Symptoms

The error messages, alerts, warnings, and symptoms below are tied to this error.

Symptom 1: 0xc000014C error screen on startup

Alternative Info error messages. Your PC will probably display “Info: An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data.” with File: as “\Boot\BCD”, but users reported others, such as:

• File: \Windows\system32\config\system
  Info: Windows failed to load because the system registry file is missing or is corrupt
• Info: The Boot Configuration Data for your PC is missing or contains errors

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: \Boot\BCD

Status: 0xc000014C

Info: An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data.

The Windows 8/10 info message looks like this:

Windows Recovery Environment

Your PC needs to be repaired

The Boot configuration data for your PC is missing or contains errors.

File: \Boot\BCD

Error code: 0x000014c

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.

Causes of this Error

This error has been known to occur as a result of one or more of the following:

Cause 1: BCD is missing or corrupt

One of the most common causes of this error is the BCD that became missing or corrupt. That could happen because of disk write errors, power outages, boot sector viruses, or errors made while configuring the BCD manually.

Cause 2: File system integrity compromised

For the same reasons, the file system itself may 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.

Cause 3: System files are damaged

The system files may also become corrupt or damaged for the same reasons.

Fixing “0xc000014C” on Windows

Windows Setup CD/DVD Required!
Some of the solutions below require the use of the Microsoft Windows setup CD or DVD. If your PC did not come with a Windows installation disc or if you no longer have your Windows setup media, you can use Easy Recovery Essentials for Windows instead. EasyRE will automatically find and fix many problems, and can also be used to solve this problem with the directions below.

Fix #1: Rebuild BCD via Easy Recovery Essentials

Easy Recovery Essentials’ one-click automated system repair feature incorporates full repair and reconstruction of the BCD to resolve the “0xc000000f” 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.

Easy Recovery Essentials can fix many errors such as this automatically using its built-in Automated Repair option. EasyRE is currently available for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11 and can be downloaded and created on any PC.

1. Download Easy Recovery Essentials. Make sure to note your Windows version (XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, or Windows 11) before you download EasyRE. This guide can help you identify what version of Windows you have installed.
2. Burn the image. Follow these instructions on how to burn the bootable ISO image very carefully, as making a bootable CD can be tricky! Alternatively, these instructions explain how to create a bootable EasyRE recovery USB stick/drive.
3. Boot up your PC from the Easy Recovery Essentials CD or USB you created.
4. Once EasyRE is running, choose the “Automated Repair” option and click Continue.
   

   Choose “Automated Repair” in Easy Recovery Essentials

5. After EasyRE scans your computer’s drives, identify and select the drive letter for your Windows installation from the list, and then click on the Automated Repair button to begin.
   

   Choose the drive associated with the Windows installation you’re trying to repair.

6. Easy Recovery Essentials will start analyzing the selected drive for problems. EasyRE will test for and attempt to automatically correct errors with the disk, partition, bootsector, filesystem, bootloader, and registry. No intervention is required, as EasyRE’s repair is fully automated:
   

   Easy Recovery Essentials searches for errors and makes corrections to the selected Windows installation.

7. Once the process is complete, EasyRE will report its findings. Click on the Restart button to reboot your PC and test the changes.
8. The “0xc000014C” error should now be fixed as your PC begins to load:

You can download Easy Recovery Essentials from here.

Fix 0xc000014C in Windows Vista

You can fix this error without an installation disc.

If you’re not able to access Command Prompt, you can download our Windows recovery and repair disk – Easy Recovery Essentials for Windows Vista – and access its built-in Command Prompt.

Fix #1: Boot to Last known good configuration

The Last Known Good configuration options will tell your system to use the last good version of system files and the registry.

Here are the steps:

1. Restart your computer
2. Press F8 repeatedly
3. The Startup Options screen will appear
4. Select Last known good configuration

Fix #2: Run sfc /scannow

You can run the sfc (System File Checker) command without your installation CD by booting into Safe Mode (with Command Prompt)

1. Restart your computer
2. Press F8 repeatedly
3. The Startup Options screen will appear
4. Select Safe Mode with Command Prompt
5. When Command Prompt appears, type the following command:

   sfc /scannow

6. Press Enter

Fix 0xc000014C in Windows 7

Windows Setup CD/DVD Required!
Some of the solutions below require the use of the Microsoft Windows setup CD or DVD. If your PC did not come with a Windows installation disc or if you no longer have your Windows setup media, you can use Easy Recovery Essentials for Windows instead. EasyRE will automatically find and fix many problems, and can also be used to solve this problem with the directions below.

Fix #1: Run the sfc command

1. On Windows Vista and Windows 7, it is possible to use the built-in Windows SFC(system file checker) tool to automatically scan a computer’s system files and repair them if necessary.Here are the steps to run SFC:
   1. Boot from your Windows install disc
   2. Click on Repair your computer after selecting proper language, time and keyboard input.
   3. Select the Windows installation drive, which is usually C:\, and click Next
   4. Choose Command Prompt when the System Recovery Options box appears
   5. Write the following command and press Enter afterwards:

      sfc /scannow /offbootdir=D:\ /offwindir=D:\Windows\

      Replace D: with the letter of the driver where Windows is installed, and D:\Windows with the Windows folder location.

   Here is an example of what the PC’s console output should look like once the sfc.exe scan is complete and missing files are successfully restored:

   

   System files restored by the SFC utility

Fix 0xc000014C in Windows 8, 8.1, 10

Windows Setup CD/DVD Required!
Some of the solutions below require the use of the Microsoft Windows setup CD or DVD. If your PC did not come with a Windows installation disc or if you no longer have your Windows setup media, you can use Easy Recovery Essentials for Windows instead. EasyRE will automatically find and fix many problems, and can also be used to solve this problem with the directions below.

Fix #1: Run the chkdsk command

1. Insert the installation disc
2. Restart your computer
3. Press any key to boot from the disc, at the “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD…” message
4. Choose your keyboard layout
5. Select your language, time and a keyboard method
6. Click Next
7. Click Repair your computer

• At the Choose an option screen, click Troubleshoot
  
• At the Troubleshoot screen, click Advanced options
• At the Advanced options screen, click Command Prompt
• When Command Prompt launches, type the command:

  chkdsk C: /f /x /r

• Press Enter

If Command Prompt will show errors after running the above command, run it until it shows no errors. You can then type exit in Command Prompt to exit after the process is complete.

More Information

Linked Entries

• sfc
• chkdsk
• The Advanced Options menu

Support Links

• Easy Recovery Essentials for Windows – our repair and recovery disk.
  
  It’s an easy-to-use and automated diagnostics disk. It’s available for Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista. It’s also available for Windows XP and Windows Server.

  Read more at Windows Recovery Disks.

• The NeoSmart Support Forums, member-to-member technical support and troubleshooting.
• Get a discounted price on replacement setup and installation discs: Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10.

Applicable Systems

This Windows-related knowledgebase article applies to the following operating systems:

• Windows Vista (all editions)
• Windows 7 (all editions)
• Windows 8 (all editions)
• Windows 8.1 (all editions)
• Windows 10 (all editions)

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