Did you encounter error code 0xc0000225 in Windows 10 when you tried to start your computer? This common error is a blow because it prevents your computer from booting into Windows at all.
Fortunately, you can usually get rid of this error with a little troubleshooting. We will show you how to fix error code 0xc0000225 in Windows. While we'll focus on Windows 10 here, these same steps can be used with Windows 11 as well.
How to fix error code 0xc0000225 in Windows
Topic Contents
What is error code 0xc0000225?
What causes error code 0xc0000225?
Step 0: Create a Windows 10 installation disc
Step 1: Run Windows automatic repair
Step 2: Run the SFC tool and check the disk
Step 3: Re-create the BCD
Step 4: Set the active partition
Step 5: Check for faulty hardware
Step 6: Restore the system or reinstall Windows
Error code 0xc0000225 has been eliminated!
What is error code 0xc0000225?
You will see the error code when you try to start your computer. Where Windows displays it with a message that the computer needs to be repaired Where a mysterious and unexpected error occurred.
Sometimes it also indicates that the requested device is offline or inaccessible.
Windows displays this error when it cannot find the correct system files to boot. This vital information is known as Boot Configuration Data, or BCD. When you turn on your computer, Windows tells the BCD system how to boot properly.
This error is more common on hard drives using the newer UEFI specification with a GPT (Global Unique Identifier Partition Table) partition scheme, than on older settings with BIOS and MBR (Master Boot Record). Windows message about this is a bit vague, so we'll need to set some troubleshooting boundaries to solve it.
What causes error code 0xc0000225?
Since this error deals with corrupt system files, it often pops up after upgrading the operating system, such as upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11. It may also appear after installing a major Windows 10 update.
Error 0xc0000225 can also occur if your computer shuts down during an important update, due to corrupt system files attacked by malware, or even from faulty hardware.
Follow the steps below in hopes of fixing the problem, regardless of the cause.
Step 0: Create a Windows 10 installation disc
Like other boot errors, you cannot troubleshoot this issue from within Windows. Thus, you will need to have a Windows 10 installation disc handy
so that you can run the repair tools from there. Follow our guide to creating Windows 10 installation media to get the necessary information.
Since your computer is not working properly, you will need to create that media using another device.
You will need a flash drive with a capacity of at least 8 GB or a DVD. Note that creating a Windows 10 disc will erase everything on the drive, so we recommend using a blank flash drive or DVD.
Once you create the required installation media, insert it into your computer. Press the appropriate key to open the boot menu, and load the Windows 10 recovery environment from your external device.
Step 1: Run Windows automatic repair
First, you will want to try the built-in Windows 10 troubleshooter to fix error code 0xc0000225. This causes the system to automatically check for problems
and try to fix them on its own. Hopefully it will fix your damaged BCD so you can get back to work.
After booting from the Windows 10 installation disc, wait until you see the Windows setup screen.
Confirm your language options, then click Next. When you see the Install Now screen, click the Repair your computer link at the bottom left instead.
You will see a list of options. Select the Troubleshoot option, followed by Advanced options. From the list of advanced options here, select Startup Repair.
Let the process run, then restart your computer when done. Try to boot normally again. If the error code 0xc0000225 does not appear, you have fixed the problem!
Step 2: Run the SFC tool and check the disk
If the automatic repair offered by Windows does not work, you can try some important system scans on your own. To do this, repeat the above process to open the advanced options menu, but do not select Automatic repair. Alternatively, choose Command Prompt to open the command line interface.
First, run the built-in System File Checker (SFC) tool, which checks for damaged or missing Windows system files and attempts to repair them. Use it with this command:
sfc /scannow
After the verification is complete, run a disk check utility to check for any errors on the hard drive. Use the following command, replacing c: with the main partition letter if you changed it:
chkdsk c: /r
Once you run these checks, reboot and try to boot your computer normally again. Hopefully the error does not appear anymore. Check What is the difference between CHKDSK, SFC, and DISM in Windows 10?
Step 3: Re-create the BCD
If you're still having issues, the next step you can try is a command to rebuild the BCD. Since this often causes the error, re-creating it might be the trick to fix the problem.
Again, boot from the Windows 10 installation media and open the advanced options menu. Select Command Prompt this time as well. Run the following commands, one by one:
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildbcd
The first command scans the disk(s) for compatible installations, which can help it find "missing" Windows installation files. While the second and third commands write the MBR and a new boot sector to the disk. The last command again searches for Windows installations after repairs.
Restart your computer again and hopefully this will help you get rid of the 0xc0000225 error message.
Step 4: Set the active partition
Windows allows you to change the active partition so you can tell the system where to boot. If this information provided becomes incorrect in some way, you can change it to direct Windows to the correct partition.
Go to the above to open Command Prompt from the Windows repair disc again. Type the following commands one by one to open the Disk Partition Tool and list the disks you have:
diskpart
list disk
Depending on the number of drives connected to your system, you will see a series of entries named Disk 0, Disk 1, etc. The internal hard drive will most likely be disk 0 — by using the size, you should be able to tell them apart.
Type the following each time, replacing X with 0 or whatever number your primary storage drive is:
select disk X
list partition
This second command will display all the partitions on your internal drive. Your main partition will be marked as “primary” — It's Section 4 in the example below.
Then enter these commands, and replace X with your main partition number:
select partition X
active
Exit Command Prompt, restart, and check if your problem is fixed.
This command points to the partition you installed Windows on as the partition Windows uses to boot. If that somehow changes and results in the 0xc0000225 error, doing so can revert everything back to how it was. Check how to fix Windows Update 0x80070057 error.
Step 5: Check for faulty hardware
At this point, you have done a good amount of system troubleshooting needed in trying to fix this error. If you are still unable to boot into Windows due to error 0xc0000225, you should consider checking your hard disk for actual problems.
Check to make sure the drive cable is not damaged, and reinstall it if possible. Depending on the manufacturer of your computer, you may also have some built-in diagnostic tests that can check for drive problems.
Follow our guide to diagnosing a damaged hard drive for some tips. If you make sure that your hard drive is healthy, you will have to move on to the steps of last resort.
Step 6: Restore the system or reinstall Windows
If this problem started recently, you can try system restore from recovery disk to go back to the time before the error occurred. Boot from the installation media again, go to the advanced options menu, and select System Restore. Choose a recent restore point and Windows will revert to that point without affecting your personal files.
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