Jan 24, 2024 • Filed to: Windows Computer Solutions • Proven solutions
Let's see; you were using your Windows PC like any other day, and all of a sudden the screen froze. You tried to restart the system, but instead of going into the regular boot, you were prompted with an error message "Windows Boot Manager Failed to Start" along with a weird-looking error code (0xc00000f, 0xc00000e, 0xc00000d). So, what would be your next step?
Windows Boot Manager failure is a critical issue as you won't be able to access your system until you fix the system. Even though the situation may seem a bit overwhelming, it is crucial to stay calm and follow the right approach to quickly fix the issue.
So, if you're also stuck in a similar situation, continue reading, the following guide will help you fix "Windows boot manager failed to start" error.
For people who don't know, Windows Boot Manager is a special piece of software that's responsible for booting your system properly. Being a crucial system tool, the Boot Manager is located in the root directory of an "Active Partition" and marked as read-only. As a result, any user is not able to modify the Windows Boot Manager at all.
When you power-on your system, Windows Boot Manager executes the winload.exe file and loads your system successfully. It means that even one problem in the Windows boot manager will interrupt the regular loading process and restrict you from accessing your system naturally.
So, as soon as you've encountered a failure in Windows Boot Manager, make sure to troubleshoot the error that you can continue using your PC.
More Related: How to Mark a Partition as Active in Windows 10/11?
The truth is several factors can trigger the Windows boot manager failed issue. Some of these factors include:
Now that you know what may cause the Windows Boot Manager failed error, let's quickly discuss the working solutions that'll help you fix the issue. Irrespective of the cause, the following methods will help you troubleshoot the error and restore the normal booting process on your system.
Since the error can be caused due to different factors, you'll have to try different solutions to fix the issue.
If you have recently upgraded your processor, keep in mind that you'll also have to update the BIOS or UEFI files accordingly. Why? Because when processor and BIOS/UEFI files aren't compatible with each other, Windows Boot Manager will eventually fail to initiate the normal booting mechanism.
So, make sure to update the BIOS or UEFI files as per your processor. To do so, you'll have to reinstall the old processor and go to the manufacturer's website to install new updates. You'll find the step-by-step instructions on the website itself. Follow these instructions carefully otherwise you may encounter a serious error on your system.
Most importantly, updating BIOS or UEFI files is no joke. One small mistake and you'll end up losing everything from your system. So, before updating these files, make sure to back up all your valuable data so that you don't have to deal with potential data loss.
You can also fix Windows Boot Manager failed to start error using Windows Automatic Repair. To do this, however, you'll need a Windows installation media such as a USB flash drive or Windows CD/DVD.
So, if you already don't have a Windows installation media, use tools like RUFUS to turn your regular pen-drive into a bootable USB drive. Once you've successfully created the installation media, follow these instructions to launch Automatic Repair to fix the issue.
Step 1 - Use Windows Installation Media to boot your system.
Step 2 - Once you're at the initial screen, select language, time zone, etc. and click "Next".
Step 3 - Tap "Repair Your Computer" in the bottom-left corner.
Step 4 - Click Troubleshoot>Advanced Options and select "Startup Repair".
Now, follow the on-screen instructions carefully to successfully repair your system.
Since a damaged Boot Manager is one of the major reasons that can trigger this failure, it makes complete sense to repair the Boot Manager itself. To know if the Boot Manager is indeed damaged, check your system for other error messages. A corrupt Boot Manager is most likely to trigger different Windows errors such as "BOOTMGR is missing".
So, if you see such Windows error messages, here's the step-by-step process to repair the damaged boot manager.
Step 1 - Connect the installation media again and change the boot order to make your PC boot from the flash drive.
Step 2 - Choose language and click "Next". Now, again tap on "Repair Your Computer".
Step 3 - Click Troubleshoot>Advanced Options and select "Command Prompt".
Step 4 - Execute the following commands to rebuild the BCD.
Now, remove the USB drive and restart your PC normally. Check if you're still encountering the "Windows Boot Manager Failed to Start" error or not.
If nothing delivers the desired results, you'll be left with no other option but to edit Windows Boot Manager and restore the default settings. While there are several methods to do this job, we've listed the easiest way so that you don't face any issues while restoring the Windows boot manager to default settings.
Step 1 - Run Command Prompt as an Administrator on your PC.
Step 2 - Once you're in the Command Prompt window, execute the following command.
BCDEdit /? Default
After the command successfully executes, you won't face the same WIndows Boot Manager failed error anymore on your system.
"Windows Failed to Start" is a common error that'll be displayed on your screen soon after the Windows Boot Manager has encountered a failure. Usually, the error is caused due to corrupt system files, but in many cases, a damaged Windows Boot Manager may also trigger this error. This will interrupt the regular booting process, restricting you from accessing the system.
If you're also seeing this error on your system, you can utilize all the above solutions to fix the issue. Since these solutions will fix the damaged Windows Boot Manager, they'll also troubleshoot the "Window failed to start" error.
When nothing works, you're most likely to be dealing with a critical hardware error. In this case, it is better to consult a professional and get your PC repaired. However, before that, make sure to back up your data so that you don't have to lose any valuable data at all.
Wondershare RecoverIt is a dedicated tool that's specifically designed to help users back up their files, even if the system fails to boot. The tool lets you create a bootable USB flash drive and use it to restore all the data on a safe location.
Follow these instructions to recover files from an unbootable PC using Wondershare RecoverIt.
Step 1 - Install and launch RecoverIt on a different system.
Step 2 - Now, choose "Recover from Crash Computer" from the main screen and connect your USB drive to the PC.
Step 3 - In the next window, select "Create USB Bootable Drive" and click "Create" in the bottom-right corner.
Step 4 - Tap "Format Now" to quickly format the flash drive.
Step 5 - Once the USB drive is successfully formatted, the tool will immediately start creating a bootable drive. Do not interrupt the process otherwise you'll have to start from scratch.
Step 6 - Now, restart your PC and boot using the USB flash drive. Simply follow the on-screen instructions to recover all your data on an external storage device.
First, adjust the BIOS menu to boot from the bootable USB drive. Check out how to set the computer to boot from a USB drive.
Then you can recover all data with Recoverit software
Encountering an error like "Windows boot manager failed" may seem quite terrifying, especially if you don't know how to deal with root-level issues. Fortunately, the above-mentioned tips will help you quickly fix the issue and make your system boot normally. And, in case the error is caused by a serious hardware problem, make sure to use Wondershare RecoverIt to restore all your files before sending the PC to the repair center. This will help you keep all your data safe, even if the problem is not fixed.
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Theo Lucia
chief Editor