Windows 11 BCD (Boot Configuration Data) gives your PC instructions on how to boot up the Windows 11 operating system quickly and securely. Similar to Windows Boot Manager, if the Windows BCD is corrupted, missing, or there’s bug causing update errors, your PC may fail to boot correctly, if it boots at all.
Whatever the reason, you have reached the end of your rope and you need a solution fast. This guide will walk you through the steps to follow to rebuild Windows 11 BCD from scratch to fix most Windows BSOD boot error codes using Command Prompt in Windows Recovery.
Automatic Repair & Windows Recovery error codes
Microsoft has an easier and more convenient recovery method available for Surface owners. But for the rest of us, there’s only Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant to use for recovery. But If you can’t boot into the operating system, neither tool can actually help you recover Windows 11.
The Windows 11 BSOD error code 0xc000000f that I recently encountered is displayed below.
You might see this error code or a similar one on your PC if you install a new device driver or ironically, a Windows Update.
Random, unprompted PC restarts, followed by boot loops in Windows Recovery. Sometimes, my PC would actually boot into the Windows 11 operating system, but somehow I did not have the necessary administrator privileges.
If and when my PC would go to Automatic Repair, I would get this message. If I chose Restart, my PC would boot right back into Automatic Repair.
When I chose Advanced options, I discovered not all of the recovery options functioned correctly. After arduous trial and error, I discovered an easy method available to rebuild your Windows 11 BCD by using Command Prompt (CMD) in Windows Recovery.
Rebuild Windows 11 BCD via CMD
In order to rebuild the Windows 11 BCD, you need to open a CMD window in Windows Recovery. Here’s what you need to do.
1. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt
2. Copy and paste the following command:bootrec /rebuildbcd
3. Press Enter to run the command
4. Restart your PC
Keep in mind, you may need to choose your account name and enter your password to open CMD. However, once you enter and run the provided command, it should take about 15 minutes to completely rebuild Windows 11 BCD. If the rebuild process is a success, you should see the following message.
If you see the following message, Windows 11 installation data in the BCD store exists, but bootrec couldn’t find any additional Windows 11 installations on your PC that need to be added to the BCD.
Microsoft provides help for other Windows-based computer freeze issues that may prevent your PC from booting normally. Depending on how you started Advanced Startup Options or System Recovery options, you may need to remove any USB and any other peripherals connected to your Windows 11 PC.
Rebuilding the Windows 11 BCD doesn’t affect your personal data or Windows 11 settings, so you can continue to use your PC as is, boot into Safe mode, or factory reset your PC to start anew.
Do you have a better way to restore Windows 11 if you are having boot issues? Let us know in the comments!