windows 11 think's it's in preinstallation after rebuilding the bcd store

ChatGPT said:

It seems like you are encountering several issues with your Windows installation after rebuilding the BCD store. Let's try to address each problem step-by-step:

1. Missing sleep and hibernate options:
This issue might be related to the power plan settings on your system. Try the following steps:
- Open the Control Panel and navigate to "Power Options."
- Click on "Change plan settings" for your currently selected power plan.
- Next, click on "Change advanced power settings."
- Expand the "Sleep" and "Hibernate" options, and make sure they are enabled and set according to your preferences.
- Click "Apply" and then "OK" to save the changes.
Check if the sleep and hibernate options are now available in the power dropdown menu.

2. Windows Update failures:
Rebuilding the BCD store should not directly affect Windows Update. However, let's ensure all required services are running properly:
- Press "Win + R" to open the Run dialog box.
- Type "services.msc" and press Enter to open the Services window.
- Locate and verify the following services are running:
- Windows Update Service
- BITS (Background Intelligent Transfer Service)
- Cryptographic Services
- If any of these services are not running, right-click on the service, select "Properties," set the startup type to "Automatic," and click "Start" to enable it.
- Reboot your computer and then try running Windows Update again.

3. Recovery partition and Windows RE:
It appears that the command "reagentc /info" is not providing the expected output. To check the status of your recovery environment, you can use the following command instead:
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
- Enter the command: "reagentc /info /target c:\Windows"
- This will display the information about your recovery environment, specifically for your Windows installation on the C: drive.
- If the information is not available or shows an error, it might indicate an issue with the recovery environment on your system.

4. Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) showing as the current boot loader:
This is likely causing the confusion about why your Windows installation is in the Preinstallation Environment.
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
- Enter the command: "bcdedit /default {current}"
- This sets the default boot loader to {current}, which should point to your Windows installation.
- Restart your computer and check if Windows boots properly.

5. "Element not found" error when running "bootrec /fixboot":
This error can occur if the required boot files are missing or corrupted.
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
- Run the following commands one by one:
- "bootrec /fixmbr" (this repairs the Master Boot Record)
- "bootrec /fixboot" (this repairs the boot sector)
- "bootrec /rebuildbcd" (this scans for Windows installations and allows you to add them to the boot configuration)
- Restart your computer and check if the issue persists.

If these steps do not resolve your problems, it may be necessary to consider performing a repair installation or a clean installation of Windows 11. Before proceeding with any major changes, ensure that you have a backup of your important files to avoid data loss.

Click to expand...

1. Check Boot Configuration Data (BCD):
   • Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
   • Type the following command and press Enter:
     Copy code.
     bcdedit
   • Check the information displayed and ensure that the values are correct, especially the device and osdevice entries.
2. Repair BCD:
   • Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
   • Type the following commands and press Enter after each:
     bashCopy code
     bootrec /scanos
     bootrec /rebuildbcd
3. Check for Windows Updates:
   • Make sure your Windows 11 installation is up-to-date by checking for and installing any available updates.
4. Perform a System File Check (SFC) and Deployment Image Service and Management Tool (DISM) scan:
   • Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
   • Run the following commands:
     bashCopy code
     sfc /scannow.
     dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth.
5. Check Disk for Errors:
   • Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
   • Run the following command:
     bashCopy code
     chkdsk /f
   • Restart your computer and let the check disk process complete.
6. Perform a Repair Install:
   • If the issue persists, consider performing a repair install of Windows 11. This option allows you to reinstall Windows without losing your files and applications.

1. Diagnose the Current BCD Configuration​

Steps:​

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Run:
   
   Code:

   cmd
   bcdedit /enum all

3. Carefully review the output:
   • Look for the correct Windows Boot Loader entry. It should:
     • Reference the valid Windows installation directory (e.g., C:\Windows).
     • Have an identifier, like {current}, {default}, or a GUID in the form {xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx}.
   • If you don't see a valid entry, it means the BCD isn't properly pointing to a Windows installation, requiring manual configuration.

2. Fix the BCD Configuration​

Scenario 1: If {Current} is Missing​

1. Identify the volume where Windows is installed:
   • Run:
     
     Code:

     cmd
     diskpart

   • In DiskPart, run:
     
     Code:

     cmd
     list vol

   • Note the drive letter of the partition where Windows is installed (usually it's C:).
2. Create a new boot loader entry:
   • Run:
     
     Code:

     cmd
     bcdedit /set {default} osdevice partition=C:
     bcdedit /set {default} device partition=C:
     bcdedit /set {default} path \Windows\system32\winload.efi
     bcdedit /set {default} description "Windows 11"
     bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displayorder {default}
     bcdedit /default {default}

   • Replace partition=C: with the correct drive letter for your Windows installation, if different (C: is assumed here).
3. Reboot and test! This should create and set {default} (equivalent to {current}).

3. Address the “Preinstallation Environment” Issue​

Steps:​

1. Check Windows RE status:
   
   Code:

   cmd
   reagentc /info

   • If it says Disabled, move to the next step to re-enable it.
2. Re-enable the Recovery Environment:
   
   Code:

   cmd
   reagentc /enable

3. Restart and check status again. The PC should boot into the Windows OS, not WinPE, assuming the BCD is corrected.

4. Fix the "bootrec /fixboot" Error​

Steps:​

1. Manually mount the EFI Partition:
   • Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
     
     Code:

     cmd
     diskpart

   • In DiskPart:
     
     Code:

     cmd
     list disk
     select disk [number] # Choose the disk with the EFI partition
     list partition
     select partition [number] # Choose the EFI partition (usually a 100MB FAT32 partition)
     assign letter=W

     (This assigns the drive letter W to the EFI partition for easier access.)
2. Recreate Boot Files:
   • Exit DiskPart by typing exit.
   • Then run the following commands to repair boot files:
     
     Code:

     cmd
     cd /d W:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\
     bootrec /fixboot
     bcdboot C:\Windows /s W: /f UEFI

     • Replace C:\Windows with the appropriate drive letter if Windows is installed on a different partition.
3. Reboot and verify the fix.

5. Regenerate the Boot Manager​

Steps:​

1. Erase the Existing BCD (Be Careful!):
   
   Code:

   cmd
   bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup
   attrib -r -s -h C:\boot\bcd
   del C:\boot\bcd

2. Rebuild the BCD Store:
   
   Code:

   cmd
   bootrec /rebuildbcd

   • When prompted, type Y to add the detected Windows installation to the boot loader.
3. Verify and Restart.

Backup Plan: Perform an In-Place Upgrade Repair​

• Use the Windows 11 installation media.
• Choose Upgrade > Keep my files and apps to refresh the installation without losing data.

Final Check​

• Did the /enum all command show valid entries?
• Were you able to set the {default} or fix the EFI partition?