Best Solution to Fix Boot Configuration Database in Windows 11

Using a USB Recovery Drive

After performing the backup, the next step is to create and use a USB Recovery Drive. USB Recovery Drive is a very useful tool for recovering your system when you encounter boot problems.

How to Make a USB Recovery Drive

  1. Make sure you have a USB flash drive with a capacity of at least 32GB. All data inside the USB will be erased, so be sure to back up important data first.
  2. Click on the Search icon (Search) on the taskbar or press the Windows key on your keyboard, then type “create a recovery drive” and select the appropriate search result.
  3. If the User Account Control window appears, click Yes to continue.
  4. In the Recovery Drive window, make sure to check the option Back up system files to the recovery drive if you want to include system files. Then click Next.
  5. Windows will search for the connected USB flash drive. Select the USB drive you want to use as a recovery drive and click Next.
  6. You will be notified that all data on the USB drive will be erased. Click Create to start the Recovery Drive creation process.
  7. This process may take a few minutes to an hour depending on the speed of the USB and the size of the data being backed up. When you’re done, you’ll see a message that the Recovery Drive has been successfully created.
  8. Store the USB Recovery Drive in a safe place, so that it can be used to restore the system in case of future problems.
create a recovery drive

How to Use a USB Recovery Drive for Recovery

  1. Plug the USB Recovery Drive into the problematic computer.
  2. When the computer is turned on, press the appropriate key (usually F2, F12, or ESC) to enter the boot menu.
  3. Select the USB Recovery Drive from the list of boot devices.
  4. After booting from the USB, select the appropriate recovery option to fix the boot issue, such as using the Command Prompt to run the restore command.

Steps to Fix Boot Problems

To fix boot issues in Windows 11, you need to access Recovery Console. Here are the steps:

  1. Plug the USB Recovery Drive into the problematic computer.
  2. When the computer is turned on, press the appropriate key (usually F2, F12, or ESC) to enter the boot menu.
  3. Select the USB Recovery Drive from the list of boot devices.
  4. After booting from USB, you will enter the Windows recovery environment. Select the appropriate recovery option to fix the boot issue, such as using the Command Prompt to run the restore command.

Once you’re in the Recovery Console, you can use some basic commands to repair the Boot Configuration Database (BCD):

  1. Bootrec /RebuildBCD: This command rebuilds the BCD database by scanning the drive for valid Windows installations. You will be prompted to add the found Windows installation, press “Y” to continue.
  2. Bootrec /FixMBR: This command creates a new Master Boot Record for the disk and should be used if the MBR file is corrupted.
  3. Bootrec /FixBoot: This command writes a new boot sector to the disk and should be used if the disk boot sector is corrupted.
  4. Bootrec /ScanOS: This command can be used if your Windows 11 installation is not found. This command searches for the installation of the operating system and reports what it finds.

Here is an example command to rebuild a BCD:

Bootrec /RebuildBCD

This command will scan the drive for valid Windows 11 installations and rebuild the BCD database based on those findings.

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Troubleshooting EFI and BCD Partition Issues

Fix EFI System Partition

If you are facing issues with EFI System Partition, such as corrupted or missing boot files, you can follow these steps to fix them:

  1. Use a USB Recovery Drive or Windows installation media to boot into the Recovery Console.
  2. From the Troubleshoot menu, select Advanced options, then select Command Prompt.
  3. Type diskpart and press Enter to open the disk management tool.
  4. Type list disk to see all connected disks. Make a note of the disk number that contains the Windows installation (usually Disk 0).
  5. Type select disk 0 (replace 0 with the corresponding disk number if different).
  6. Type list volume to see a list of all partitions on the selected disk. Look for a partition formatted with FAT32, usually, this is an EFI partition.
  7. Type select volume=X (replace X with the volume number of the EFI partition).
  8. Type assign letter=F to assign a temporary drive letter to the EFI partition.
  9. Type exit to exit the diskpart.
  10. Type F: to move to the drive you just assigned.
  11. Then type cd \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\ to access the boot folder.
  12. Type ren BCD BCD.old to rename an existing BCD file, so you have a backup in case you need it.
  13. Type bootrec /RebuildBCD to rebuild the boot configuration database. If any Windows installations are found, press Y to add them.
  14. Repeat steps 4-6, but this time type remove letter=F to remove the drive letter from the EFI partition.

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