The winload.efi error 0xc00000e appears when Windows cannot load winload.efi — the EFI boot loader required to start Windows on modern UEFI systems. The screen typically shows "Your PC couldn't start properly" with error code 0xc00000e or 0xc000000e.
Part 1. What Causes This Error
| Cause | When It Occurs |
|---|---|
| Failed Windows update | Boot loop after update installation |
| Corrupted BCD (Boot Configuration Data) | After power loss during boot |
| Secure Boot misconfiguration | After BIOS reset or hardware change |
| New drive added to system | Boot order changed in BIOS |
| Corrupted system files | After malware or unexpected shutdown |
| Drive letter reassigned | Windows boot partition assigned wrong letter |
⚠️ Important: If this error appeared after adding a new drive or changing BIOS settings, check BIOS/UEFI first. Navigate to Boot settings and confirm the correct drive (the one with Windows) is first in the boot order. This resolves many 0xc00000e errors instantly.
Part 2. Use Windows Startup Repair (Automatic Fix)
The fastest fix is Windows Startup Repair, available from Windows Recovery Environment:
- Boot from a Windows installation USB or DVD
- Select Repair your computer → Troubleshoot → Advanced options
- Click Startup Repair
- Windows attempts to detect and fix the boot issue automatically
If Startup Repair runs and reports it cannot fix the problem, proceed to manual BCD repair.
💡 Tip: Create a Windows installation USB using the Windows Media Creation Tool on a working PC before you need it. Boot problems are almost guaranteed to occur at some point — having recovery media ready saves significant time.
Part 3. Rebuild the BCD Manually
If Startup Repair fails, rebuild the Boot Configuration Data manually using bootrec commands:
- Boot from Windows USB → Repair your computer → Command Prompt
- Run these commands in order:
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildbcd
- When prompted to add Windows installation to BCD, type Y
- Restart the computer
💡 Tip: If
bootrec /fixbootreturns "Access is denied" on a UEFI system, run these additional commands first:diskpart list vol select vol X (select the EFI partition, usually 100-500 MB, formatted as FAT32) assign letter=Z exit bcdboot C:\Windows /s Z: /f UEFI
Part 4. Check Secure Boot and BIOS Settings
If the error appeared after a BIOS update or hardware change:
- Restart and enter BIOS/UEFI (F2, F10, Delete — varies by manufacturer)
- Check Secure Boot is enabled (required for UEFI Windows installations)
- Verify the boot drive is listed first in Boot Priority
- Confirm the boot mode is UEFI (not Legacy/CSM) if the drive is GPT-formatted
| BIOS/UEFI Setting | Correct Value for UEFI Windows | What Happens If Wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Boot Mode | UEFI (not Legacy/CSM) | Cannot boot GPT disk |
| Secure Boot | Enabled | Boot blocked on some hardware configs |
| Boot Order | Windows drive first | Boots wrong drive or USB |
| Fast Boot | Optional (try disabling if issues persist) | May skip proper POST checks |
💡 Tip: After fixing the error and confirming Windows boots, create a Windows installation USB and store it somewhere accessible. Boot errors are likely to recur, especially on aging systems — having recovery media ready turns a potential 2-hour repair into a 20-minute one.
🗣️ r/techsupport user: "Got 0xc00000e after installing a new SSD. The old drive was still set as the boot drive in BIOS. Changed boot order to the new drive and it booted straight into Windows. 2-minute fix."
🗣️ r/Windows10 tip: "After running bootrec /rebuildbcd and getting prompted to add a Windows installation to the BCD, always type Y. If you type N or skip it, the BCD is rebuilt empty and the error persists on the next reboot."
Part 5. Recover Files From the Unbootable Drive
If repair attempts fail and Windows still will not boot, recover your files before attempting reinstallation. Ritridata includes a crashed system recovery mode — create a bootable USB on a working PC, boot the broken computer from it, and scan the internal drive.
Step 1 — On a working PC, create a Ritridata bootable USB using the crashed system recovery option
Step 2 — Boot the problem PC from the USB and scan the internal drive
Step 3 — Recover files to an external drive before reinstalling Windows
FAQ
What is winload.efi and why does it fail? Winload.efi is the EFI boot loader for Windows — it initializes the Windows kernel on UEFI-based computers. It fails when the BCD (which points to winload.efi location) is corrupted, when the drive's EFI partition is damaged, or when boot settings no longer match the drive configuration.
Can I fix error 0xc00000e without a Windows USB? If the Windows recovery partition is still accessible, you may be able to access it by pressing F11 or the recovery key during boot (varies by manufacturer). Otherwise, a Windows installation USB is required.
Is error 0xc00000e the same as 0xc000000e? Yes — these are the same error, just displayed differently. The leading zero is sometimes omitted in Windows error messages.
Will fixing the boot error delete my files? Startup Repair and BCD rebuild do not delete personal files — they only modify boot configuration. Reinstalling Windows (if needed) would require choosing "Keep personal files" during setup.
How do I create a Windows boot USB on a Mac? Use Rufus on Windows or UNetbootin on Mac to write a Windows ISO to a USB drive. Alternatively, Boot Camp Assistant on Mac can create Windows installation media.