Total identified Windows installations: 0

Anonymous
2014-01-12T21:17:22+00:00

Please help me.

After updating my Microsoft Surface RT to Windows 8.1, it failed to start up again. 

It will prepair and attempt auto repair, which also keeps failing and will give me:

Log file: C:\windows\System32\Logfiles\Srt\SrtTrail.txt

I tried to recover with the USB, but this doesn't work.

After trying to bootrec/rebuildbcd I find that there are "Total identified Windows installations: 0"

Also I will get either a Bad system config info blue screen.

I really don't know what went wrong, I am just pretty upset that my tablet remains unresponsive.

What else is there to do?

I live in The Netherlands but bought my tablet in the US. Could this be the problem?

***Post moved by the moderator to the appropriate forum category.***

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

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Anonymous
2014-01-13T13:53:47+00:00

Hi,

  1. First Start System Recovery Options. To start system recovery options.

a) Boot from the disk, Once you get the welcome screen of installation with the option “Install now”

b) Click on Repair your computer

c) On the next page click on Advanced Options

d) Now click on Troubleshoot

e) Lastly click on Command prompt and follow the on screen instructions

  1. At the prompt, type the bootrec command as shown below and then press Enter:

bootrec /rebuildbcd

The bootrec command will search for Windows installations not included in the Boot Configuration Data and then ask you if you'd like to add one or more to it.
3. You should see the following message.
Scanning all disks for Windows installations.

Please wait, since this may take a while...

Successfully scanned Windows installations.

Total identified Windows installations: 0

The operation completed successfully.

  1. Since the BCD store exists and lists a Windows installation, you'll first have to "remove" it manually and then try to rebuild it again.

At the prompt, execute the bcdedit command as shown and then press Enter:

bcdedit /export c:\bcdbackup

The bcdedit command is used here to export the BCD store as a file: bcdbackup. There's no need to specify a file extension.

The command should return the following on screen:

The operation completed successfully.

Meaning the BCD export worked as expected.

  1. At this point, you need to adjust several file attributes for the BCD store so you can manipulate it.

At the prompt, execute the attrib command exactly like this:

attrib c:\boot\bcd -h -r -s

What you just did with the attrib command was remove the hidden, read-only, and system attributes from the file bcd. Those attributes restricted the actions you could take on the file. Now that they're gone, you can manipulate the file more freely - specifically, rename it.

  1. To rename the BCD store, execute the ren command as shown: ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old

Now that the BCD store is renamed, you should now be able to successfully rebuild it, as you tried to do in Step 2.

Note: You could delete the BCD file entirely since you're about to create a new one. However, renaming the existing BCD accomplishes the same thing since it's now unavailable to Windows, plus provides you yet another layer of backup, in addition to the export you did in Step 5, if you decide to undo your actions.

  1. Try rebuilding the BCD again by executing the following, followed by Enter: bootrec /rebuildbcd

which should produce this in the Command Prompt window:

Scanning all disks for Windows installations.

Please wait, since this may take a while...

Successfully scanned Windows installations.

Total identified Windows installations: 1

[1]  D:\Windows

Add installation to boot list? Yes<Y>/No<N>/All<A>:

meaning that the BCD store rebuild is progressing as expected.

  1. At the Add installation to boot list? question, type Enter Y or Yes, followed by the Enter key.

You should see this on screen:

The operation completed successfully.

meaning that the BCD rebuild is complete.

  1. Restart your computer.

Assuming that an issue with the BCD store was the only problem, Windows should start as expected.

If not, continue to troubleshoot whatever specific issue you're seeing that's preventing Windows from booting normally.

Important: Depending on how you started System Recovery Options, you may need to remove a disc or flash drive before restarting.

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Anonymous
2016-09-06T15:57:15+00:00

Hi Sandor,

To undo the step 5 provided by Vijay B, replace the -h -r -s  to  +h +r +sin the Command Prompt.

Please let us know how it goes for us to assist you further.

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220 additional answers

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-03-04T23:16:08+00:00

    At step 5. I just get the command: Path not found - c:\boot

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  2. Greg Carmack 24,780 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2018-01-21T01:14:13+00:00

    Hi Kathryn.   I'm Greg, a volunteer installation specialist and 8 year Windows MVP, here to help you. 

    See the more specific instructions here:  How To Rebuild the BCD in Windows \[10 to 20 Minutes\]

    Note that the System boot partition may not be C as in the example in tutorial.  You can determine the System partition by running these commands:

    DISKPART

    LIST VOLUME

    Choose the 100-500 mb System Reserved or EFI System partition.

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-01-21T00:32:32+00:00

    Hi.

    I’ve completed all of the steps correctly up to Step 7 but when I execute the /RebuildBdc command again, it still says ‘Total identified Windows installations: 0.’ Where do I go from here?

    I have a Lenovo G50-80 with a legitimate copy of Windows. Please help!

    Sincerely,

    A very upset and frustrated university student.

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