Windows 10 can't boot - Critical system driver is missing or contains errors

Anonymous
2022-12-21T17:22:28+00:00

Hi,

The file in question is: \Windows\system32\drivers\VmsProxyHNic.sys, error 0xc000007b

The file is there. I'm using an SSD. From a bootable USB I've tried:

  1. chkdsk C: No errors reported.
  2. Startup Repair - Says it couldn't repair my PC.
  3. Uninstall latest feature - Says it can't
  4. Restore from a prior point - There are none
  5. Copying the file in question to a .bak, then deleting the original and copying it back - No effect
  6. Can't boot into Safe Mode

Any other things I can try? I'd like to get this to boot again so I can at least see what programs I have installed.

Thanks.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Performance and system failures

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Answer accepted by question author
Ramesh 181.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2023-01-04T03:32:15+00:00

After running that command, have you checked the CBS log to see which components are missing?

And regarding the failed repair installation, you can check setupact.log and setuperr.log in the Panther folder. Or download SetupDiag from this link and run it. The tool collects the setup logs and saves them into a zip file named Logs.zip on your desktop.

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Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2023-01-04T02:39:21+00:00

(1) I still say to try the repair-install again. It must be run from a Normal Boot (not Safe Mode), if you can get back there. Do the clean boot first, which unfortunately will require a 2nd boot to Normal Mode before you can do the repair-install. (But possibly the clean boot can be set up in Safe Mode, then boot to Normal Mode.). Definitely, wear a neckless of garlic this time. But a repair-install is the thing.

(2) Had you made a system image after that successful boot to Normal Mode, you'd have locked the goodness in. Hopefully, you can get back there easily, though. Restore Points aren't as powerful. For one thing, a repair-install wipes them out.

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75 additional answers

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-12-29T01:59:34+00:00

    (1) It looks like you've got a Windows (C:) & Recovery (E:) partition, but where is EFI (if a UEFI install) or System Reserved (if Legacy)? But I suppose your Windows partition is doubling as one of those, meaning it holds the boot files. Have you a UEFI or a Legacy installation? We need to know in order to boot to the Win 10 Installation USB properly through the one-time BIOS Boot menu.

    (2) I'm not a user of NTLite. It does look like a useful compilation of tools. Is that your D: drive (going by its label)? Then, why are you using its Install.wim? That one may have been altered for use by NTLite. Maybe that is why DISM said the source files couldn't be found.

    (3) Also, I've never used Rufus which could do good work. But I've read it is best to use the Media Creation Tool (MCT) to make your Win 10 Installation USB drive. For one thing, it will format that drive as FAT32. If UEFI_NTFS (F:) is your constructed Win 10 Installation USB drive, it has the wrong file system (FAT). Also, the one MCT makes is bootable both in UEFI & Legacy mode. But still, you need to know which one to choose.

    (4) So, I think it best to make a Win 10 installation USB drive at the site I posted earlier. Then boot to it & use its DISM & SFC on its Install.esd. I hope that will do it. Good luck.

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-12-28T21:15:38+00:00

    Thanks again for your help I really appreciate it.

    I built my bootable USB by:

    1. Downloading the latest Windows 10 (consumer editions), version 22H2 (updated Dec 2022) from my Visual Studio subscription.
    2. Used NTLite to apply the latest updates and create a new ISO.
    3. Used Rufus to burn the new ISO to a USB.

    My \Sources folder has install.wim and not install.esd.

    Below are my results.

    C is my unbootable Windows drive and D is my USB.

    I don't get why dism is saying it can't find the source files when it obviously can.

    Note I'm using Win 10 Pro.

    When I do a regedit from the C:\Windows prompt it's telling me I have version 10.0.19041.2300 installed on my unbootable disk; is the problem I'm trying to use a newer ISO? I know I tried using Rufus to create a bootable USB with an older version of windows, but that didn't seem to work either unless I messed something up.

    If you want me to copy over a bunch of files I can; my work laptop has 10.0.19045.2364. I tried copying over a bunch earlier from the SFC log which had no effect.

    I eagerly await your reply.

    X:\Sources>diskpart
    
    Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.19041.964
    
    Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.
    On computer: MININT-SSC8B32
    
    DISKPART> list vol
    
      Volume ###  Ltr  Label        Fs     Type        Size     Status     Info
      ----------  ---  -----------  -----  ----------  -------  ---------  --------
      Volume 0     C                NTFS   Partition    476 GB  Healthy
      Volume 1     E                NTFS   Partition    853 MB  Healthy    Hidden
      Volume 2     D   NTLite       NTFS   Removable     14 GB  Healthy
      Volume 3     F   UEFI_NTFS    FAT    Removable   1024 KB  Healthy
    
    DISKPART> exit
    
    Leaving DiskPart...
    
    X:\Sources>dism /get-wiminfo /wimfile:d:\sources\install.wim
    
    Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
    Version: 10.0.19041.2300
    
    Details for image : d:\sources\install.wim
    
    Index : 1
    Name : Windows 10 Home
    Description : Windows 10 Home
    Size : 15,123,050,071 bytes
    
    Index : 2
    Name : Windows 10 Home N
    Description : Windows 10 Home N
    Size : 14,345,869,889 bytes
    
    Index : 3
    Name : Windows 10 Home Single Language
    Description : Windows 10 Home Single Language
    Size : 15,108,252,408 bytes
    
    Index : 4
    Name : Windows 10 Education
    Description : Windows 10 Education
    Size : 15,462,967,510 bytes
    
    Index : 5
    Name : Windows 10 Education N
    Description : Windows 10 Education N
    Size : 14,685,589,359 bytes
    
    Index : 6
    Name : Windows 10 Pro
    Description : Windows 10 Pro
    Size : 15,404,371,969 bytes
    
    Index : 7
    Name : Windows 10 Pro N
    Description : Windows 10 Pro N
    Size : 14,698,942,243 bytes
    
    Index : 8
    Name : Windows 10 Pro Education
    Description : Windows 10 Pro Education
    Size : 15,462,905,928 bytes
    
    Index : 9
    Name : Windows 10 Pro Education N
    Description : Windows 10 Pro Education N
    Size : 14,685,526,877 bytes
    
    Index : 10
    Name : Windows 10 Pro for Workstations
    Description : Windows 10 Pro for Workstations
    Size : 15,462,936,719 bytes
    
    Index : 11
    Name : Windows 10 Pro N for Workstations
    Description : Windows 10 Pro N for Workstations
    Size : 14,685,558,118 bytes
    
    The operation completed successfully.
    
    X:\sources>dism /get-wiminfo /wimfile:d:\sources\install.wim /index:6
    
    Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
    Version: 10.0.19041.2300
    
    Details for image : d:\sources\install.wim
    
    Index : 6
    Name : Windows 10 Pro
    Description : Windows 10 Pro
    Size : 15,404,371,969 bytes
    WIM Bootable : No
    Architecture : x64
    Hal : 
    Version : 10.0.19045
    ServicePack Build : 2364
    ServicePack Level : 0
    Edition : Professional
    Installation : Client
    ProductType : WinNT
    ProductSuite : Terminal Server
    System Root : WINDOWS
    Directories : 27954
    Files : 101852
    Created : 12/5/2022 - 2:52:18 PM
    Modified : 12/28/2022 - 11:56:32 AM
    Languages :
            en-US (Default)
    
    The operation completed successfully.
    
    X:\Sources>dism /image:c:\ /cleanup-image /restorehealth /source:WIM:D:\Sources\install.wim:6 /scratchdir=c:\temp
    
    Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
    Version: 10.0.19041.2300
    
    Image Version: 10.0.19045.2364
    
    [==========================100.0%==========================]
    Error: 0x800f081f
    
    The source files could not be found.
    Use the "Source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=243077.
    
    The DISM log file can be found at X:\windows\Logs\DISM\dism.log
    
    X:\Sources>
    

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-12-28T04:43:44+00:00

    (1) I think your option C is worth a try, if DISM/SFC won't work. I've never done that & would like to see it.

    (2)That's nicer that the offline DISM goes into its own log. I've never used Rufus to create installation media. Maybe something went wrong with that. I think it best to download the Media Creation Tool & use that to make it instead. Version 22H2 is the latest & hopefully its tools & Install.esd are backward compatible to the earlier versions. I believe they should be. Here's what mine looks like...

    C:\WINDOWS\system32>DISM /Get-Wiminfo /Wimfile:E:\Sources\Install.esd /index:1

    Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool

    Version: 10.0.19041.844

    Details for image : E:\Sources\Install.esd

    Index : 1

    Name : Windows 10 Home

    Description : Windows 10 Home

    Size : 15,098,360,792 bytes

    WIM Bootable : No

    Architecture : x64 <<<Architecture is important

    Hal : <undefined>

    Version : 10.0.19041 <<<That's 22H2 (though it doesn't look like it)

    ServicePack Build : 2006

    ServicePack Level : 0

    Edition : Core

    Installation : Client

    ProductType : WinNT

    ProductSuite : Terminal Server

    System Root : WINDOWS

    Directories : 27486

    Files : 100334

    Created : 9/7/2022 - 10:23:22 PM

    Modified : 10/25/2022 - 9:25:01 PM

    Languages : en-US (Default)

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