May 13, 2026 • Filed to: Windows Computer Solutions • Proven solutions
TL;DR:
Windows 10 Error Code 0xc00000e is a boot failure typically caused by corrupted configuration files or drive conflicts, which can be resolved by correcting BIOS boot priorities or rebuilding system boot sectors using a Windows installation medium.
● Most troubleshooting methods require inserting a bootable Windows 10 USB or DVD to access the Advanced Options recovery menu, though simply disconnecting external storage devices or loading default BIOS/UEFI configurations can instantly bypass basic boot order conflicts.
● The core technical solution involves launching the Command Prompt from the recovery environment and sequentially executing the bootrec /fixmbr, bootrec /fixboot, and bootrec /rebuildbcd commands to manually rebuild the Boot Configuration Data.
● If command-line repairs and automatic utilities fail, a full Windows reinstallation is the final fallback; this procedure will completely wipe the installation drive, requiring the use of third-party tools to extract unsaved data before proceeding.
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If you are faced with the error code 0xc00000e, then it could be because of such factors as a drive configuration that is incorrect or due to hardware failure. It could also be because your operating system cannot locate its boot location or the winload.exe file is corrupt and therefore, inaccessible.
To be able to deal with all these factors and fix the error code 0xc00000e, you need to follow carefully, the methods outlined in this article.
With the following methods, you can fix the recovery error code 0xc00000e. Now, the method you opt to use will be determined by the cause of the error in your PC's case.
Start by checking if there are any external devices connected to your PC. This method is important because if the BIOS or UEFI are configured in such a way that the external device is higher on the scale of boot order of preference than your computer's hard disk, then it will affect the booting process. Your computer will be trying to boot into the external disk, instead of into your system's hard disk. This could lead your computer to boot into this error code 0xc00000e.
Examples of external devices that could cause such issues including CDs, Pen Drivers, DVDs, other USB Storage Devices, and so on.
The Boot Configuration Data (BCD) file contains the parameters for the boot configuration, such parameters indicate how to boot your Windows operating system. Thus, a corrupt BCD will pose a problem to your PC, leading to this error.
To rebuild your BCD file, you need to create a bootable medium from ISO, insert it into your Windows 10 computer, and follow the steps below:
This method will repair your boot sector files and establish them once again. Create a bootable media using a tool for media creation, then do the following:
Windows has a built-in Automatic Repair tool that can be used to fix Windows errors. You can access the utility from an install disc and fix the error with the steps below:
The error code 0xc00000e can be resolved through a reset of the BIOS/UEFI configuration.
You need to mark your computer's boot disk as online so that it won't fail to boot. Insert a bootable USB medium into your Windows 10 computer, then do the following:
The WHQL support setting in Windows 8.1/10 BIOS has two main purposes: to allow you in enabling UEFI support and to check for drivers that have been signed during the process of booting. If this WHQL support setting is not enabled in your system, you need to enable it. This will ensure your computer boots smoothly since a disabled WHQL support setting could be a reason why your computer boots into the error code 0xc00000e. Go to BIOS settings as shown in method 5 above and check it.
If all else fails, you may have to reinstall Windows OS. Note that reinstalling your Windows will wipe off everything. This calls for the need to rescue your important data before doing the Windows reinstallation. Rescuing data is best done with third-party software and one that is highly recommended for you is Recoverit Data Recovery. The steps on how to use this software will be explained in the next section. Reinstall Windows using a created bootable USB drive and the following steps:
Recoverit Data Recovery is third-party software that can be used to recover data that have been lost or unsaved from a wide range of data loss scenarios. If you have lost some data or you have unsaved data that you cannot access due to the error code 0xc00000e, Recoverit is the ideal tool for you to use. It can also retrieve data from the system's "Recycle Bin", "Trash", formatted drives, external storage device, corrupted SD cards, internal hard drives, crashed systems, among others. Recoverit works perfectly fine with Windows OS, and Mac OS as well. It can also be used to recover different types of data such as images, audios, videos, zipped files, etc.
With the three-step process below, you can use Recoverit to recover unsaved or lost data due to error code 0xc00000e:
Step 1: Select a Location
Choose the location where you wish to recover the files from and select "Start".
Step 2: Scan the Location
The location will be scanned by the tool once you have pressed "Start". All the lost and unsaved data will be recovered.
Step 3: Preview and Save
Click on the "Recover" button to save all the retrieved data once you have reviewed them.
Several factors may be responsible for the error code 0xc00000e but it takes commitment to the process to fix this error. If your Windows 10 has been plagued with this error, you have come to the right article to help with fixing it. For lost or unsaved data, you can access their location and recover them with Recoverit Data Recovery.
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