Windows Boot Error 0xc000000f and other issues

Question

I recently went away for a few days and upon returning my pc wont boot to windows, giving the above error stating File: \Boot\BCD, Status: 0xc000000f and Info: An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data.

Ive tried just about everything I can at this stage and almost every solution has failed and simply resulted in further errors and issues.

I tried changing the boot order from bios and restore my bios settings to default, which did nothing.

Windows startup recovery states it cant repair anything and running chkdsk comes back saying my c drive (ssd win 10 was installed to) is healthy and has no corrupt files.

Running Bcdedit comes back with "The boot configuration date store could not be opened

The system cannot find the file specified"

Running bootrec /fixmbr Results in "a device which does not exist was specified"

I tried running another cmd line (cant remember exactly what) that stated I had 0 windows installs on my ssd.

Giving up I eventually decided to try and reinstall windows 10 using the Microsoft usb I got when I purchased windows 10 home a few years back, but all that does is cause my pc to hang on the windows logo loading screen for a few minutes before a bsod that states "unmountable boot volume" and never actually launches the install wizard.

Thinking this usb was corrupted (which i find unlikely as I've not touched it since my initial install of win 10 years ago) I went and made my own bootable usb on my partners mac (the only computer I have access to atm) but that just boots to a black screen with a flashing text cursor in the top right corner and does nothing.

At this stage Im at a complete loss given that I cant even reinstall windows anymore so any help would be greatly appreciated, the one thing I havent tried is unplugging and replugging all my hardware in, which Ill try when I get the chance.

If I remember any other solutions I neglected to mention I'll update the thread but I appreciate any help because I have no idea where to go from here bar buying a whole new pc which I cant afford.

Answer 1

That indicates there is most likely a problem with that drive, please perform these steps and provide a photo of the Command Prompt window.

At the very start of the Installation Process, press Shift + F10, or Shift + Fn + F10 to open Command Prompt

Run this command and hit Enter:

diskpart

Run this command and hit Enter:

list disk

(Make note of the disk number you want to convert and enter it into the next command - replace X)

Run this command and hit Enter:

select disk X

Run this command and hit Enter:

clean

Run this command and hit Enter:

convert gpt

Answer 2

So I have successfully managed to create a Win 10 install from my friends pc but Im now encountering yet another issue.

The usb boots fine and Ive finally managed to get to the Win 10 install however now when I try to delete partitions from my ssd I get the error "We couldn't delete the selected partition. Error 0x800701b1.". I get a very similar issue when I try to format the ssd too (0x80070057).

If I try to go ahead with the install anyway I get "windows could not format the partition on disk 0. The error occurred while preparing the partition selected for installation 0x80070057.

Ive tried to delete the partitions and format the drive through a diskpart cmd prompt override but that just comes back telling me "a device which does not exist was specified".

Now Im beginning to wonder if my ssd isnt faulty, is it possible for chkdsk to say the drive is healthy when it isnt? If theres any help I could get further that would be much appreciated, Im quite tired of running into error after error for every solution I try.

Answer 3

Okay, I will be here if you have any problem with that new USB.

Answer 4

Thank you for the reply.

Im a bit confused about why the install usb I was given wouldn't work. Even if its holds and old install would it not just update to a newer version once installed with access to the internet? When I got it windows 10 was already about 3 years old and windows itself is telling me to use my install cd/dvd/usb to attempt to repair it.

In any case I don't readily have access to a windows pc at the moment, but when I can I can ask a friend to try and create a bootable usb from their pc and see if that works.

Answer 5

Hi Jackie,

I am Dave, I will help you with this.

Using the old USB you had will not be successful and would contain a very old version of Windows that you would be unable to upgrade and rarely will a Bootable UBS created on a Mac work, tat process usually does not create a bootable USB.

Do you have access to another Windows device where you can create a new Bootable USB with the official Media Creation Tool, that is the only reliable method to create a working USB to install Windows 10 from.

Then in BIOS, ensure it is in UEFI Mode, and that CSM support is permanently disabled, and secure boot is temporarily disabled during the installation.