BCD / boot.ini Deleted HELP

SmartGuyDumbPC · 25 May 2015

When I bumped up to build 10074 I had some issues (clean install) that ended up with me aborting and starting over. The second attempt worked fine except for one strange anomaly in which I ended up in a dual boot situation (both OS choices were Win10.10074 but the second 'choice' wouldn't ever boot). Doing some drive housekeeping last night, I discovered what I thought was the problem and "fixed" it by deleting the boot files (all of them) from the external drive I use for music (no clue how they ended up there, but thought, oh, we'll there's the bad install!) so...I dropped to CMD adjusted attribs and deleted the pesky little suckers--thinking they were what the system was interpreting as the second install. This wasn't the case. Rebooting now ends in the dreaded "No OS found" loop.

The files were all deleted via $Recycle.bin and are still in place (I've not done any file creation on that drive since). Trouble is they've all been renamed (i.e., boot.ini is now something like $x23746.ini). I've used a Linux dist (Mint) from DVD to explore the files, but cannot do a 'simple' Restore from the Recycle Bin via Linux).

Before I do a clean install of Win10.100xx, is there anything else I can do to 'restore' those files? I've tried various options (Win10 DVD 'Repair' options, Paragon15 BootCorrect Options and a few others found on the latest Hires "Emergency" DVD--all to no avail.)

Via Linux-Mint, I've backed up all critical data from my main (C:) drive so to NOT re-install is really more a convenience thing at this point (would rather not spend the day reinstalling software--everything from Nero, Photoshop, Office etc)).

Mark Phelps · 25 May 2015

Sorry I don't have a solution ... but wanted to let you know, you're not alone in this problem!

I had the current build install failed, so I (too) ran it a second time, and it succeeded.

But when I rebooted to use it, my shared "data drive" had been reformatted and NOW contained boot files! Fortunately, I have a variety of data recovery apps available (and another PC to run them on) and was, after a couple of days of very tedious scanning and recovering, able to get the files back.

But, there is definitely a problem in this recent build that trashes other "drives".

topgundcp · 25 May 2015

Boot.ini is used in Windows XP and earlier Version of Windows. However, when you install Windows 10 you had the external HD connected and was marked as active so Windows 10 installation modified this file and re-direct to the Boot Manager.
More info on this: Where is the boot ini file? Heres how to find the boot ini in Windows 8

You can try the steps below to see if you can repair the Boot Manager:

Download Macrium Rescue disk: MacriumRescue7170X86.iso - Google Drive
Put it in a USB stick using: Rufus - Create bootable USB
Disconnect your external HD where you had the Boot.ini deleted.
Change the BIOS setting to boot from the USB
Click where I have the arrow pointed at.

If the steps above does not work and since you cannot boot into Windows to restore from RECYCLE.BIN and I am not sure that you can restore them by connecting the external drive to another PC since these deleted files are under some SID for each user. So yes, you can use Linux to explore it and copy all the files that you've deleted to another drive/USB and rename them accordingly and put them back where they were.

The worst case is you have to re-install Windows but:

Make sure the drive that you intend to use for Windows OS is connected to the first port on your MB
Make sure that the first boot device is first on the list of boot priority
Disconnect all other drives (Internal/USB)

Hope this helps and good luck.

badrobot · 25 May 2015

topgundcp said:

Boot.ini is used in Windows XP and earlier Version of Windows. However, when you install Windows 10 you had the external HD connected and was marked as active so Windows 10 installation modified this file and re-direct to the Boot Manager.

More info on this: Where is the boot ini file? Heres how to find the boot ini in Windows 8

You can try the steps below to see if you can repair the Boot Manager:

Download Macrium Rescue disk: MacriumRescue7170X86.iso - Google Drive
Put it in a USB stick using: Rufus - Create bootable USB
Disconnect your external HD where you had the Boot.ini deleted.
Change the BIOS setting to boot from the USB
Click where I have the arrow pointed at.

If the steps above does not work and since you cannot boot into Windows to restore from RECYCLE.BIN and I am not sure that you can restore them by connecting the external drive to another PC since these deleted files are under some SID for each user. So yes, you can use Linux to explore it and copy all the files that you've deleted to another drive/USB and rename them accordingly and put them back where they were.

The worst case is you have to re-install Windows but:

Make sure the drive that you intend to use for Windows OS is connected to the first port on your MB
Make sure that the first boot device is first on the list of boot priority
Disconnect all other drives (Internal/USB)

Hope this helps and good luck.

That should work. That's the exact same procedure I do whenever I have boot issues on any windows OS. :)

Edit: I was told to spread rep around.. :)

topgundcp · 25 May 2015

@badrobot
That should work. That's the exact same procedure I do whenever I have boot issues on any windows OS. :)

I know that you are using Macrium to backup your OS. So for you it's easy, just restore the Boot partitions (uncheck the Windows OS) and you should be back in business

I was told to spread rep around.. :)

That is quite alright. The thought that counts

BCD / boot.ini Deleted HELP-2015-05-25_20-38-15.png

cyberrufus · 26 May 2015

Code:

bcdboot C:\Windows

That from an elevated command prompt should recreate your boot files for the C: drive.

badrobot · 26 May 2015

topgundcp said:

I know that you are using Macrium to backup your OS. So for you it's easy, just restore the Boot partitions (uncheck the Windows OS) and you should be back in business

That is quite alright. The thought that counts

Noted. Thank you.

SmartGuyDumbPC · 26 May 2015

Thanks guys--I had already tried the Macrium solution as well as the BCDBOOT command. What I ended up doing that finally worked was to use the files created by the BDCDOOT command as a 'template' on renaming the files I had copied via Linux, the moved them back to where they were in the first place. Crossed my fingers and rebooted using the "restoration" version of the files. It didn't work from a 'standard boot,' BUT at that point I was able to use the Win10 Advanced Startup/Fix Boot problems successfully.

Once I was back up and running, I made another set of backups and did a clean install using the pointers above (disconnected all other drives--both internal and external), did a complete format of the remaining HDD and voila--everything is up and running with no oddball files anywhere they're not wanted or expected!

Thanks again!

topgundcp · 26 May 2015

Very good. Glad we could help.