# Solved: Windows 7 FAILED to start....0x000000f



## compnovice (Sep 10, 2003)

Friends I was very excited to install WINDOWS 7 Home Premium on my XP machine.
I backed up all my data and did a CLEAN INSTALL on a new ( large ) hard-drive.
All seemed to go well during the install. However , I am unable to boot _without_ the install disk in the drive. When I take it out and try to re-boot I get this:

"*Windows failed to start
file: \$windows.~BT\Windows\System32\winload
status: 0x00000f* "

I then boot to that DVD and choose to ' REPAIR the INSTALLATION'.
It tells me all is well and that my installation is fine. Yet the error persists with out the DVD in the drive.

I have not re-installed many programs, so doing another clean install would just be a minor hassle, but I would like to avoid it if I could.

Any clues ?

Thanks !


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## Mumbodog (Oct 3, 2007)

Boot from a Vista or W7 DVD and get to the command prompt



Type in the following 2 commands, hit enter after each command

C:

copy c:\windows\system32\boot\winload.exe c:\windows\system32\


exit recovery environment, see if it will boot properly.


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## compnovice (Sep 10, 2003)

I tried typing that into the Win7 command prompt in the Recovery Environment.
And it gave me an *'invalid path* ' response.
It typed just as you suggested.

Any thing else to try ?


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## Mumbodog (Oct 3, 2007)

Did you get all the spaces in the right places?

between y and c: also e and c:


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## compnovice (Sep 10, 2003)

..I did type exactly that. Including those spaces.
What I got in return was *"The system can not FIND the path specified* " actually.

And the 'C' drive in the boot drive for Win7.

Curious....


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## Mumbodog (Oct 3, 2007)

I would try another clean install.


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## compnovice (Sep 10, 2003)

This time during the clean install, I choose the advanced options.
I highlighted my primary drive and opted for '*format*'. It went so fast I didn't
think anything happened, so I did it again.
I then continued with the install of Windows 7. However when I reboot without the install disk in this time, I get:
" *BOOTMGR IS MISING* "
PRESS CTRL-ALT-DELETE TO RESTART

I can still start with the DVD in the drive.

This is very frustrating !


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

I don't have an answer for you (not really being a system builder or "hardware" person) but I think you need to look in the direction of how you installed that new drive.

Perhaps remove all but the primary drive and experiment with the boot order in the BIOS.

Sounds like it is not being seen correctly when you try to boot with it.


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## compnovice (Sep 10, 2003)

*I FIXED IT* !

I went back to the very basics and thought about what was happening. That is when I realized I had *multiple Hard-drives on this desktop*. And my old HD had an installation of Windows XP on it. This was labeled as my 'D' drive. I also had another extra internal HD.

*SO I disconnected all hard-drives EXCEPT my primary ( C ) drive*. I formatted it, then did a clean install. After a few reboots that went just fine, I connected the other HD's one at a time and rebooted. NOW ALL IS WELL. I can boot with OUT the Windows 7 install disk in.
It was getting confused with my other windows boot files on the other harddrive during the install process.

I new this from other installs I have done, but I had forgotten it in my excitement to get Win7 installed. 
I hope this can help others.

Thanks for your time !


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