bootrec not recognized by command prompt

Anonymous
2019-11-16T02:48:02+00:00

Guys please help when I go to windows automatic repair an error pops out saying "Windows automatic repair could not fix your pc" so I tried going to command prompt running with admin of course and using the code bootrec /RebuildBcd and bootrec /FixBoot to fix it but a message pops out saying bootrec is not recognized so I don't know what to do. I tried searching bootrec.exe in drive c, windows, system 32 folder but I couldn't find it. How do i fix this and do I need a windows installation cd to activate bootrec and automatic repair or something? Please don't suggest using system restore points and system reset because I will not try those solutions for I already tried system restore and automatic repair still did not work and system reset for me will remove all my programs so I will not do it. I'm using windows 10 and with latest updates also tried sfc scan now with no issues and tried dism restorepoint already which completed successfully.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows update

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  1. Greg Carmack 24,780 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-11-20T03:42:47+00:00
    1. Create bootable Easeus to shrink your C partition by 50-100gb to do a Rescue install:   https://www.easeus.com/partition-manager/epm-free.html
    2. Boot WIndows 10 media to install to the shrink space.  It will create a Dual Boot Menu.
    3. Try booting the old OS from that menu. If it will boot then it's likely fixed, you can delete the rescue install in Disk Mgmt, Extend C back over it.

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-11-20T03:31:37+00:00

    Is this what you meant...

    Better yet do the vastly superior Clean Install Windows 10  which will reactivate with your Product Key, automatically from embedded Product Key if a factory install, or after connecting to the internet if free Upgrade was already activated. 

    **One last resort to save the old install while doing the new one is to shrink the C partition using a bootable Partition manager like free Easeus, install to the shrink space which should configure a Dual Boot menu from which the old install may well start up.  If so you can post back a screenshot of Disk Management here and I will show you how to remove the rescue install and recover it's space (using Delete and Extend in Disk Management as long as the new partition is not marked System Active), or if the old install will not start up you can set up the new one and copy over the files, I'll show you how to remove the old one and recover its space.

    At any time you can Rescue Files when Windows Won’t Start, or use a Linux disk, or boot  Paragon Rescue Kit Free Edition File Recovery Wizard to copy files to USB flash stick or an external or another hard drive. 

    If these fail and/or you decide to go back to your previous install you can try to run Factory Recovery from it’s hotkey at boot;  find yours by googling the “PC make/model + Run Factory Recovery.”   Factory Recovery methods 

    Just a note I did not ignore them but I skip some of them things I know I wont ba able to do myself because they're just to complicated because I'm not a tech savey or techie if that wasn't obvious not to mention I dont want to make things worse in case I do it wrong. I may understand it differently. The reinstall windows sounds a good idea but I might need someone personally to assist me with that. The 2nd part I did not understand how to do any of that.

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  3. Greg Carmack 24,780 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-11-20T02:43:57+00:00

    No I will not write it all out again for the third time, after I asked you repeatedly to go back and check off all of the steps I've given because it was obvious you'd ignored half of them or more.

    No one else on the web gives more complete and thorough troubleshooting steps and then will stick with anyone until it's fixed, as long as you are cooperative.  

    I promise you that if your install will even start - which is doubtful - that you already have the fix in the dozens of steps I've given that you ignored.

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-11-20T02:19:32+00:00

    How do I do that again can you please tell me the step by step process and will this delete my programs?

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  5. Anonymous
    2019-11-20T01:32:42+00:00

    Your can keep repeating the BCD commands but I doubt it's going to change. Your install is not responding, probably too corrupted to repair.

    What about the rescue install I suggested. I would have already done one 15 minutes after I first suggested it days ago, which would tell us for sure whether the old install can start (from the Dual Boot Menu) and if not, give you a new install to build out side-by-side with your old one until ready to delete the old one and recover the space.

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