Repair boot error on SSD connected via USB, (how do I ?)

Question

Hi All,

I have a boot error 0Xc0000225 after dismantling my laptop to fix a charging issue. It has an SSD drive with dual boot Win 10 and Ubuntu 24. When I cloned my old SSD over to this one it took many attempts to get it to work and I think I had this same error at the time but once it did work it has been fine ever since (4 months).

I have the old drive in the laptop which boots fine and I have the new driver in USB "caddy" and I can see all the Windows files but nothing there about Ubuntu (not so important) a quick disk test in the recovery area shows the disk is ok.

But my question is can I repair whatever got corrupted from here ? I don't want to reinstall and lose everything.

Thanks,

*** Moved from Windows / Windows 10 / Performance and system failures ***

Answer 1

Hello

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community forum.

The error code 0Xc0000225 usually indicates that Windows cannot find the correct system files for booting, often due to corrupted Boot Configuration Data (BCD).

Run Windows Automatic Repair: Boot from your Windows 10 installation media (USB or DVD). Select "Repair your computer" > "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" > "Startup Repair". This tool will attempt to fix any issues with your boot files.

Run System File Checker (SFC) and Check Disk (CHKDSK): Boot from the installation media again, go to "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" > "Command Prompt". Run the following commands:

• sfc /scannow to scan and repair system files.
• chkdsk c: /r to check the disk for errors and repair them.

Rebuild the BCD: In the Command Prompt, run the following commands:

• bootrec /fixmbr
• bootrec /fixboot
• bootrec /scanos
• bootrec /rebuildbcd

Set the Active Partition: Ensure that the correct partition is set as active. In the Command Prompt, use the diskpart tool:

• diskpart
• list disk
• select disk X (replace X with your disk number)
• list partition
• select partition Y (replace Y with your Windows partition number)
• active
• exit.

These steps should help you repair the boot error without needing to reinstall Windows.

Best Regards,

Wesley Li

Answer 2

Thanks for your reply. Re_reading my question I think I was very unclear about what I was trying to say so I will try to clarify my position.

I have the non-booting disk in a USB caddy thing which I can plug into a computer and access the windows partition. Can I repair it or diagnose it from there ?

Answer 3

Since the Windows partition has been installed in the USB disk, but the Windows system cannot be started, it means that there is a problem with the boot partition of this disk, which makes the system unable to boot. If you still need to repair the boot partition of the disk as mentioned above:

1. Check disk errors: You can use the chkdsk command to check and repair file system errors. Open the command prompt as an administrator and type chkdsk /f /r X: (replace X: with the drive letter of the non-boot disk).
2. Use Windows Recovery Environment: Start the computer using Windows installation media (USB or DVD). Select "Repair your computer" and then "Troubleshoot". From there, you can use tools such as Startup Repair, System Restore, or Command Prompt to run commands such as bootrec /fixmbr, bootrec /fixboot, and bootrec /rebuildbcd.
3. Use third-party tools: There are various third-party tools that can help diagnose and repair disk problems. Tools such as EaseUS Partition Master, MiniTool Partition Wizard, or Hiren's BootCD may be useful.

Answer 4

Thanks Wei Li for your replies. It's actually an SSD which has been put into a USB caddy if that makes any difference. The problem is I can't seem to get to the troubleshooting or repair options; the options on the blue error screen don't all work i.e. I click them, the screen "flashes" and nothing has changed.

With the non-boot disk in its USB caddy connected to my computer (which is now working with my old SSD), can I use Windows Explorer to navigate to the correct files in "Windows" (on the non-boot, USB-connected disk) and replace/repair the boot files from there?

Answer 5

You can try the "Big File Copy" method to test:

*:\windows\system32\drivers