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?

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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
    2015-09-04T07:53:15+00:00

    Judging from the way the Windows 7 works, when you delete (or rename) BCD, then run:

    bootrec /rebuildbcd

    the command identifies your Windows installations, tells you how many it found, and asks if you want to add them to the boot list.  When you answer "Y" and add them to the new BCD, they will not be treated the same way if your run the bootrec /rebuildbcd command a second time.  

    When you run it again, and it says "Total identified Windows installations: 0", it means IT DID NOT FIND ANY NEW INSTALLATIONS THAT WERE NOT ALREADY IN THE BCD STORE.   In other words, there are zero NEW installations to be added to BCD.

    The message is not very clear, but judging from experience, that is what it means.  I'm surprised that the question was asked several times, but no one pointed this out.  (If anyone has a more detailed explanation of the meaning of "Total identified Windows installations: 0", please feel free to enlighten us!  I am only relaying what I have deduced from reading instructions and explanations, and trying the commands under Windows 7.)

    aboutblank6

    September 4, 2015

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-03-15T19:45:31+00:00

    Hey there,

    I am experiencing the same problem.

    At step 5 the system said C:\boot not found and all the solutions so far haven't worked.

    Are there any other options i could try?

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-10-15T08:03:23+00:00

    I have the same issue.

    Black screen even in safe mode. No mouse, nothing. After the Windos load screen it goes black and that's it.

    I tried the above method, however after:

    bcdedit /export c:\bcdbackupit says:bcdbackup is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.WTF to do?!I mean wiping and installing new wouldn't be too bad, but i just don't want to.Refrshing is not an option because my HD is apparently Locked. whatever the f**c that means
    

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