Error 0xc000000f, "The Boot Configuration Data for your PC is missing"

This code is the blue startup screen that says Windows cannot start because its boot data is missing or contains errors. Microsoft's name for it is STATUS_NO_SUCH_FILE, because the loader looked for a file it needs to start and could not find it. It usually follows an interrupted update, a disk change, a clone to a new drive, or a failing drive.

The fix, in order

  1. Remove extra drives and USB devices, then restart. A plugged-in USB drive or a second disk can change the boot order, so unplug everything except the keyboard, mouse, and monitor and try again.
  2. Check the boot order in the BIOS or UEFI setup. Restart, enter setup, and confirm the system drive is first in the boot order. If the drive is not listed at all, check its cable or seating, or try another port.
  3. Boot from Windows installation or recovery media. Start the PC from a USB installer, choose Repair your computer, then Troubleshoot, then Command Prompt. You need a second PC to make this USB if you do not already have one.
  4. Rebuild the boot data. In the recovery Command Prompt run bootrec /fixmbr, then bootrec /fixboot, then bootrec /scanos, then bootrec /rebuildbcd, answering Yes when it offers to add a Windows install it finds.
  5. Check the drive for errors. In the recovery Command Prompt run chkdsk C: /f /r and let it finish. Note that the drive letter in recovery may differ, so use the letter the repair environment shows for the Windows drive.
  6. Try Startup Repair. From the recovery menu choose Troubleshoot, Advanced options, Startup Repair, and let it run. It automates the same boot fixes and can catch problems the manual commands miss.
Back up your files before reinstalling if the repairs fail. The boot repair commands do not delete personal files, but a full reinstall does wipe the drive, so copy important files to another drive from the recovery environment or a second PC first.

If it still happens

If the repair commands cannot find a Windows install, the system partition may be damaged or the drive may be failing, so check the drive health from another PC before reinstalling. If the error returns after every update, check the drive for bad sectors and replace it if the health check shows warnings, since reinstalling Windows on a failing drive only delays the same error.

Common questions

Can I fix 0xc000000f without reinstalling Windows? Yes, in most cases. The boot repair commands rebuild the startup data and the boot sector without touching your personal files, and they fix the majority of 0xc000000f cases. A reinstall is only needed when the drive is failing or the repair commands cannot find the Windows install.

Will I lose my files fixing 0xc000000f? The boot repair commands do not delete personal files, they only rewrite the startup data. But if the drive itself is failing, every further write risks more damage, so back up what you can from another PC or the recovery environment before running repairs.

Why did 0xc000000f appear after a Windows update? An update that is interrupted by a power loss or a forced shutdown can leave the boot configuration half written, so Windows cannot find the file it needs to start. A disk change, a clone to a new drive, or a failing drive can cause the same result.

Related errors

Error 0xc0000034 · Error 0xc0000006 · Error 0xc000021a

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