Corrupt boot file during Win 10 ISO build

rzn6jw · 25 Oct 2023

I was performing an upgrade to the Win 10 Pro PC from USB. Successfully performed the ISO build. However, when I came back to the PC it was off. I restarted the PC and I get the following:

Boot Configuration data file doesn't contain valid information for an OS.
File: \BCD
Error Code: 0xc0000098

I restarted the PC pointing to the USB. After loading I get the message:

It looks like you started an upgrade and booted from the installation media. If you want to continue with the upgrade remove the media from your PC and click YES. If you want to perform a clean installation click NO.

I can get to my C: drive through the Repair option on the install screen. However, I tried:

BOOTREC /FIXMBR
BOOTREC /FIXBOOT
BOOTREC /scanos
BOOTREC /rebuildbcd

and all said they completed successfully. However, when I reboot I still get the original data file doesn't contain valid data.

Is there any way to restore the boot file?

Here's another question: can I run the Win 11 Upgrade ISO from a USB on this corrupted BOOT file PC (since the C: drive is still valid)?

Berton · 25 Oct 2023

The .iso can be Mounted but within File Explorer in a running Windows and run the setup.exe file. I've had full success getting the .iso downloaded using the Microsoft Media Creation Tool then burn the Bootable DVD-R or DVD+R disc. I also use the same to create the Bootable USB Thumb drive.

rzn6jw · 25 Oct 2023

But see, I can't get to the C: drive. The boot file is corrupted. The BIOS shows no OS available.

I've used Macrium to back up the drive but somehow there's a corrupted file in the backup and Macrium won't restore the drive because of that corrupted file.

Berton · 25 Oct 2023

At the point described I'd boot to either the DVD created from the .iso file [on a different computer] or the bootable USB Thumb drive and reinstall Windows followed by doing the updates.

rzn6jw · 25 Oct 2023

So then I'd have to do a 'clean' install, losing all the settings, documents, etc? If I boot into the windows ISO and try to do the install 'saving user files, settings, etc', it tells me that I have to boot to windows to continue the upgrade, which I can't do because the boot record is corrupt.

If the ISO thinks that an upgrade is in the process, isn't there some 'switch' that could be set (or something else) that can over-ride it so the upgrade can continue?

FreeBooter · 25 Oct 2023

In this video, i will guide you on how to fix boot error 0xc0000098 on Windows 10 or Windows 11.

Megahertz · 26 Oct 2023

We can rebuilt the BCD data but I need to know if you have a Legacy-MBR or UEFI-GPT drive

Boot from a Win 10 installation drive and at the Windows Setup screen, press Shift+F10 simultaneously to open a command line prompt and type:
Diskpart
list disk (pay attention to the GPT column. Does it has a * for both drives? Take note of Windows drive number)
select disk n (replace n with the Windows drive number found above)
list part (it will list all partitions on the Windows drive )
exit (to exit diskpart

You can take a picture and post it here as an attachment.

rzn6jw · 26 Oct 2023

Here's the picture

Corrupt boot file during Win 10 ISO build-20231026_080932.jpg

Megahertz · 26 Oct 2023

rzn6jw said:

I was performing an upgrade to the Win 10 Pro PC from USB. Successfully performed the ISO build.

You were upgrading to Win 10 Pro from what Win version? Can you please explain what did you do?
Did you created a USB Win 10 installation drive or did you saved the Win 10 installation iso file to a USB drive?

If the computer is the Aorus GA-AX370-Gaming K7 with Ryzen 9 3900X why did you install as Legacy-MBR and not as UEFI-GPT?

Are you sure that drive 0 is your windows drive? Why it doesn't have a System partition?
What do you have on drive 2 (149G)?

rzn6jw · 26 Oct 2023

OK, the original drive was MBR and I converted it to GPT. I am using a Win 10 USB created by the media creation tool. During installation I selected keep files, etc. and it was working to somewhere at 99% when I left the room. Sometime after that there was a power failure and now I can't resume the installation.

I think drive 0 is the result of the incomplete installation and drive 2 is like the 'recovery' partition.