Windows 7 Boot Configuration Error ! Please help

Chris Green

New Member
Hi, I was running Windows 7 on a Dell Vostro 3700 Laptop..After doing a spyware scan and finding and deleting all the entries I found, the next time I turned it on I get the error: oxc000000f "An error occured while attmepting to read the boot configuration data File: \Boot\BCD"

I have looked online for solutions and tried using the Windows 7 disc (a copy) and also tried using 3 recovery disks, these all fail because it just stays completely black with a cursor (left for hours even) or I get a error message something around the lines of "insert correct boot media into the correct boot device" and I have no idea what this means. I cannot do a repair because I can only get the Windows disc to load if I remove the hard drive?? this is the only way I have got it past the green loading bar, so I am stuck and have no idea what to do..it only seems to respond to cds if the hard drive is removed?.. this all happened very suddenly and now I have a very expensive £800 paperweight.. Any help massively appreciated!

To add to this - I also tried the command prompt typing the bootrec.exe code that I found on the internet..selecting command prompt from the option when the Windows 7 disc was loaded, but basically it came up with an error of some sort and it had a drive letter of X:/ on the command prompt ?? ..Also to get to this the hard drive was removed because like I said I cannot get the discs working with it in.. I'm guessing this means the hard drive is screwed but there is clearly a problem with the boot sector and I have no idea on repairing it now.
 
Is this an UEFI system?

The Bootrec.exe command is what you should use to hopefully fix the problem. The Bootrec /rebuildbcd would seem to be the one to use based on your comments. The X: is just the Ram Drive where the temporary Windows files are stored. The other two, /fixmbr and /fixboot might be necessary.

The startup repair should fix these types of things, but there may be a situation where it cannot. This will usually occur if for some reason the active partition has been moved from the boot location.

An explanation of exactly what was removed by the spyware scan might help us.

If you find you are missing all the boot files/folders, the BCDboot.exe command will replace those files.

Something like bcdboot c:\windows

If you have changed the partitions your system is supposed to boot to, using the /s will allow you to tell it where to place the boot files.
 
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dont forget its

bootrec.exe /fixmbr
bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd
bootrec.exe /fixboot

just wanted to make sure that was clear :p
 
Yeah I cannot repair it because I cannot access the command prompt option with the harddisk in, therefore I just get errors, cant see a way around this..
 
if u boot and hold F8 u should be able to boot " safe mode with command promt"

if not u will have to try ULTIMATE BOOT CD, try the origonal install disk :)
 
I tried hitting all the F keys and get nothing.. I lent a external hard drive reader thingy from a friend, and it takes absolutely ages to recognize its even plugged in..When it finally appears I can see a Recovery partition and also the Main drive..Why cant I boot the recovery drive from the laptop isn't that what its for? The main drive loads but I get a message that it isn't formatted..which tells me its goosed?..I don't want to format because I will obviously lose stuff I very much need back..I would simply go and buy a new hard drive but not sure this will even fix it? im giving up on this thing ready to chuck it out to be honest its a ****ing joke.
 
I also found the OEM Windows disc, to my surprise, as I didn't even think it came with one..anyway, I tried that.. and same issue..it just hangs with black screen, left it for an hour with no change.. My question now is can I simply buy another hard drive, like a replica model and re-install windows since I have the OEM disc, without issues? If this may be more complicated than I see it to be (although I've never replaced a laptop hard drive before) then I will resort to sending in to DELL.
 
If it is like mine, it should install on a new hard drive, but it seems you do not have much choice. Will Dell send you a new drive?

Normally hard drives are easy to get to and if you have any problems, there are diagrams on the Dell site as to how to get to it. Just be gentle when reseating the drive, don't force it or you may damage the connector. You may need a drive at least as large as the one you have.
 
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