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Error: The boot configuration data store could not be opened. Access is denied

Anonymous
2010-07-11T04:24:23+00:00

Original title: Can't open BCDedit!

Hello All!

For some reason BCDedit won't open for me now. I've used it before in Windows Vista to edit OS description names on my dual-boot (XP-Vista) system, but now when I go into the command prompt and type in BCDedit it returns "The boot configuration data store could not be opened. Access is denied" I'm logged in as administrator (as I was the previous times that I had used it) but all of a sudden it won't open now. Does  anyone have any insights on this one. I was hoping to use BCDedit in my new version of Windows 7 as well.

Thanks Much,

Mark D'Aloia

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-07-12T00:08:36+00:00

    HiMark D'Aloia,

    The boot configuration data store could not be opened. Access is denied. This issue can be fixed by running the BCDedit command as an administrator.

    Follow this step to do the same:

    a.    Click **Start,**and then type cmd in the Start Search box.

    b.    Right-click cmd in the Programs list, and then click Run as administrator. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password or click Continue.

    c.    At the command prompt, the following line, and then press ENTER:

    **bcdedit /set {current} Description "name you want"**and press Enter.

    d.    In the elevated command prompt, typebcdedit and press Enter.

    **NOTE:**This will let you see and verify the new name of the {current} operating system.

    e.    Close the elevated command prompt.

    When you restart the computer next, you will see the new name listed for the operating system.

    Refer these links for more information:

    Boot Configuration Data

    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc721886%28WS.10%29.aspx

    BCDEdit Command-Line Options

    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc709667%28WS.10%29.aspx

    If the above method does not help, enable the Default Administrator account and check.

    To enable the default administrator account, you would have to login to an account having administrative privileges and follow the steps mentioned below:

    a.    Click **Start,**and select Control Panel.

    b.    Click the  View by drop down menu, and select Large items.

    c.    Select Administrative Tools.

    d.    Open Computer Management.

    e.    In the left-pane of Computer Management, double-click  Local Users and Groups.

    f.     Click the  Users folder.

    g.    Right-click Administrator account and select Properties.

    The Administrator Properties window appears. 

    h.    On the  General tab, clear the Account is Disabled check box.

    i.     Exit the Computer Management console.

    Refer the link below for more information:

    Enable and Disable the Built-in Administrator Account

    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744293%28WS.10%29.aspx

    Regards,

    Divya R – Microsoft Support.

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    40+ people found this answer helpful.
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  1. Anonymous
    2016-05-10T01:06:04+00:00

    Hi,

    I'm having the same problem, even with administrator account, I got the same error with bcdedit, it says "The boot configuration data store could not be opened.". I can not edit or see the boot manager option when I run "msconfig" and click the boot tab. Can anyone help me? Thanks, Mauro.

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2012-11-19T20:16:42+00:00

    When I attempt to create I get the message requested system device cannot be found! How can I fix this?

    1. I've booted up using a install disk
    2. When I click repair your computer - msg states the repair is not compatible (pc & install disk are same version - win 7 pro 64)
    3. I get a "Bootmgr is missing" at boot time
    4. using the command prompt as you describe bcdedit /create {bootmgr} -d "desc" - results in "boot config data store could not be opened, requested system device cannot be found"
    5. I am unable to access windows to change the admin properties as you describe

    What are my options? How can I fix the boot up issue's, I do not have a repair disk and have to work with a install disk of the same verion Win 7 Pro 64

    Can I recover windows w/o having to reinstall?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2013-01-31T15:55:37+00:00

    Hi Divya,

    I'm experiencing same error "A boot configuration data store could not be opened. A required privilage is not held by the client." I'm calling bcdedit.exe /store c:\boot\bcd /bootsequence {GUID} command from CGI script which is hosted as an web app under apache/tomcat.

    OS - Windows XP

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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  4. Anonymous
    2011-02-02T13:17:59+00:00

    Im currently having a problem with visual studio 2008 randomly giving me this error

    Not enough storage is available to process this command

    after a bit of research it seems to be a memory issue with visual studio, so I follwed the example here

    http://stevenharman.net/blog/archive/2008/04/29/hacking-visual-studio-to-use-more-than-2gigabytes-of-memory.aspx

    but i cant use bcdedit, so i tried to follow your example above but im having trouble with this line

    c.    At the command prompt, the following line, and then press ENTER:

    **bcdedit /set {current} Description "name you want"**and press Enter.

    what exactly do you mean by this ?  bcdedit /set {current} Description "name you want"

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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