6 Ways to Resolve Missing Winload.efi on Windows 11/10

Updated by

Sherly 

Written by

Cici 

Updated on April 22, 2024

Winload.efi is an EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) file that plays a crucial role in booting, restarting, or resetting a computer and in the installation of Windows. It is a fundamental element in the core boot process. If this file is absent or corrupted, your Windows operating system will be unable to start normally. The system may become stuck on a blue or black screen, displaying various error codes such as "Winload.efi Missing" or "winload.efi error code 0xc00000e," and so on.

"Winload.efi missing or contains error" typically occurs after cloning or installing Windows 11/10. Fortunately, there are tools available to fix this issue, and we'll explore six solutions to resolve this problem.

How to Fix Boot Manager Failed to Find OS Loader [100% Working]

Solve the "Boot Manager Failed to Find OS Loader" issue effortlessly with our expert-recommended solutions. Follow a step-by-step guide to troubleshoot and fix this problem.

How to Fix Missing Winload.efi

The "Winload.efi Missing" error occurs when the operating system is unable to locate or access the Winload.efi file. To fix the "winload.efi missing" issue, we offer six solutions. You can skip to the method you require or proceed sequentially through the following methods.

Here are the translations of the given text into English:
1. Option 1: Disable Secure Boot
2. Option 2: Use the Boot Repair Tool
3. Option 3: Run CHKDSK to Check for Drive Errors
4. Option 4: Run SFC to Check System File Integrity
5. Option 5: Rebuild BCD and MBR
6. Option 6: Repair EFI Boot Loader

These are methods that have been proven effective by many users. You can click the social buttons below to share these methods with others in need! Then, let's explore the best options to repair the winload.efi missing or containing errors issue.

Option 1: Disable Secure Boot

The Safe/Secure Boot might be the cause of the winload.efi error. This issue arises when the UEFI-based system is unable to access the winload.efi file. To resolve this, you need to disable the Secure Boot in the UEFI configuration. Here are the detailed steps to disable the UEFI Secure Boot: 1. **Restart your computer and enter UEFI firmware settings:** - Restart your PC and press the specific key (usually F2, F10, F12, or Del) during the initial startup screen to enter the BIOS or UEFI setup utility. 2. **Find the "Boot" menu:** - Once inside the UEFI firmware settings, navigate to the "Boot" or "Startup" menu. The options may vary depending on your system manufacturer. 3. **Locate the "Secure Boot" option:** - Search for an entry called "Secure Boot" or "Secure Boot Control." It might be under "Security" or "Advanced" settings as well. 4. **Disable Secure Boot:** - Select the "Secure Boot" option and change its status from "Enabled" to "Disabled." You may need to enter a password if one has been set. 5. **Save and Exit:** - After disabling Secure Boot, save the changes (often by selecting "Save and Exit" or pressing F10 followed by Enter) and allow your computer to restart normally. 6. **Reinstall or repair Windows:** - Now that Secure Boot is disabled, try reinstalling or repairing Windows to address the winload.efi error. Boot from your Windows installation media, choose the appropriate language and settings, then select "Repair your computer" and follow the on-screen instructions. 7. **Re-enable Secure Boot (optional):** - After fixing the issue, it's recommended to re-enable Secure Boot for better system security. Follow the same steps above but enable the Secure Boot option instead. By completing these steps, you should be able to resolve the winload.efi error related to Safe/Secure Boot. If the problem persists, there might be other underlying issues that require further investigation.

Important: The interface may vary per computer model. Please pay attention.

Step 1: Press "F2" or "Delete" when you see the logo after restarting your computer.

Step 2: Navigate to the "Secure Boot" option. Depending on your computer model, you might find this option under the "Boot," "Security," or "Authentication" tab.

Step 3: You'll see the enabled "Secure Boot" interface. Change it to "Disabled."

Disable secure boot in Windows UEFI

Step 4: Save your changes and exit the UEFI settings.

Step 5: Restart your device and check if it boots normally. If the problem persists, proceed with the next method.

Option 2. Use the Boot Repair Tool

tools Partition Master is a powerful and user-friendly boot repair tool. It enables you to create bootable devices, repair boot systems, and handle disk-related tasks with ease. Its "Boot Repair" feature is specifically designed to fix all system boot errors with just one click. Users can resolve issues like missing files and corrupted boot orders without any prior technical knowledge.

Furthermore, it aids in resolving various issues, such as system failure, system blue screen, system black screen, hard disk corruption, hard disk conversion, and many more. This tool is a trustworthy option for dealing with the winload.efi missing error.

Download the tool Partition Master and follow the steps to utilize its "boot repair" feature.

Step 1. Connect the USB drive/external drive to a working computer, open AOMEI Partition Assistant (RE), and click "Create Bootable Media."

Step 2. Choose the Boot Toolkits and other components you need, then click "Next."

Step 3. Choose your removable device and click "Go" to create an image on your USB drive/external hard drive. You can also burn the Windows ISO file to the storage media.

Step 4. Confirm the warning message, then wait for the creation process to finish.

Step 5. Connect the created bootable drive to the problematic computer and restart it while pressing and holding "F2" or "Del" to enter BIOS. Next, set the WinPE bootable drive as the boot disk and press "F10" to exit.

Step 6. Next, the computer will enter the WinPE desktop. Open BootRepair, select the system you wish to repair, and click "Repair."

Select the OS to be repaired

Step 7. Wait a moment, and you will receive an alert that the system has been successfully repaired. Click "OK" to complete the boot repair process.

As one of the best Windows boot repair tools, Partition Master can also fix the following errors:

Option 3. Run CHKDSK to Check for Drive Errors This option involves using the CHKDSK utility to scan your hard drive for any potential errors or issues that might be causing the problem. Here's how to do it: 1. **Open Command Prompt as Administrator:** - Press `Win + X` on your keyboard and select "Command Prompt (Admin)" from the menu. 2. **Run CHKDSK:** - In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter: ``` chkdsk /f /r C: ``` - This command will check the C: drive for errors and attempt to fix them. If you want to check a different drive, replace 'C:' with the appropriate drive letter. 3. **Wait for the Process to Complete:** - The CHKDSK process may take some time, especially if your hard drive is large. Do not interrupt the process or shut down your computer during this time. 4. **Review the Results:** - Once the scan is finished, CHKDSK will display a report of any errors found and whether they were fixed. - If no errors are found, it's likely that the issue lies elsewhere. 5. **Reboot Your Computer:** - After the CHKDSK process, restart your computer to see if the problem has been resolved. If Option 3 doesn't solve the issue, there might be other underlying problems, and you may need to explore additional troubleshooting steps or seek professional assistance.

CHKDSK is an built-in utility used to repair potential disk errors. Here are the steps to run CHKDSK: 1. Press the "Windows key" + "X" on your keyboard to open the Quick Access menu. 2. Select "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "PowerShell (Admin)" to open an elevated command prompt or PowerShell window. 3. Type the following command, and then press "Enter": ``` chkdsk /f /r C: ``` Note: The "/f" switch tells CHKDSK to fix any errors it finds, while the "/r" switch locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. 4. If prompted, confirm that you want to check the disk the next time you restart your computer by typing "Y" and pressing "Enter". 5. Your computer will now schedule a disk check for the next boot. Restart your PC to initiate the process. 6. During the startup process, Windows will perform the CHKDSK scan on your C: drive. This may take some time, so be patient. 7. Once the scan is complete, your computer will continue to boot normally. Any issues found and repaired during the scan should be logged in the Event Viewer. If you want to run CHKDSK immediately without scheduling, you can use the command `chkdsk /f /r` without restarting your PC. However, this requires that no other programs are accessing the disk, which might not always be possible.

Step 1: Connect a USB drive with Windows Installation Media to the computer.

Step 2: Boot the system from the USB and select "Repair your Computer."

Step 3: Select the "Troubleshoot" and "Command Prompt" options.

Step 4: Type or paste the following command, then press "Enter."

chkdsk C: /f

It will scan and fix any system drive errors. Once done, unplug the USB and restart your computer. Check if your system boots normally.

Option 4: Run SFC to Check System File Integrity

System File Checker is another built-in Windows feature designed to scan for and repair system file errors. Follow these steps to run SFC and check the integrity of your system files.

Step 1: Connect the Windows installation media drive to the computer and open Command Prompt. (Refer to the steps in Option 4).

Step 2: Type the upcoming command and press "Enter."

sfc /scannow This is the command for the System File Checker utility in Windows, which scans and repairs corrupted system files. In English, it would be written as:

System File Checker /scannow

Run this command to check and fix system integrity issues

Step 3: Restart your system and check if the winload.efi error code 0xc00000e message still appears.

If the "sfc /scannow" command fails to fix the missing Winload.efi file, try the next step.

Step 4: Open the Command Prompt and enter the following command.

Caution: Be careful; the wrong command can cause system errors.

sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C: /offwindir=C:windows

Replace "C" with the system hard drive partition letter.

Option 5. Rebuild BCD and MBR

As mentioned earlier, the Partition Manager tool is a universal solution. It will also help ensure that the current drive uses the MBR system format. If the system partition is running under BCD or another file system, the operating system won't be able to read the winload.efi file. The Rebuild MBR feature of Partition Manager tool converts the BCD file system to MBR with just one click. It can also fix other issues like MBR error 1.

Here are the steps in English: 1. Identify the languages to be translated. 2. Utilize a translation tool or service, such as Google Translate or a professional translator. 3. Input the text in the original language. 4. Select the target language for translation (English). 5. Review the translated text for accuracy and context. 6. Make any necessary corrections or adjustments. 7. Proofread the final translation to ensure fluency and coherence. 8. If needed, consult a native speaker or language expert for verification. 9. Finalize the translated text and use it for the intended purpose.

Step 1. Create a WinPE bootable disk

1. Launch tools Partition Master, and click "Bootable Media" on the toolbar. Select "Create bootable media". 2. Click "Next" to complete the process.

Step 2. Boot the Partition Master Bootable USB

Connect the bootable USB or CD/DVD to your PC. When you restart the computer, press F2 or Del to enter the BIOS screen. Set your computer to boot from "Removable Devices" or "CD-ROM Drive". The Partition Master tool will run automatically.

Step 3. Rebuild MBR

Click "Toolkit" and select "Rebuild MBR".

Rebuild MBR

Select the disk and the type of MBR, then click "Rebuild".

After that, you can see "MBR has been successfully rebuilt on Disk X".

Option 6. Repair EFI Boot Loader

An EFI boot loader is an integral component of a computer's boot process, often referred to as a UEFI boot loader (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface). Repairing the EFI loader aids in resolving issues related to corrupted or missing winload.efi errors.

Steps to fix the EFI boot loader:

Step 1: Use the Windows installation media to start your PC.

Step 2: Choose "Repair Your Computer" > "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced Options" > "Command Prompt."

Step 3: Enter each of the following commands individually, and press "Enter" after each one.

Here are the translations of the provided text into English:
• diskpart
• list disk
• select disk 0
• list vol
These are commands for the DiskPart utility in Windows, which is used to manage disks and volumes: - `diskpart`: This is the command to launch the DiskPart tool. - `list disk`: This command lists all the disks available on the system. - `select disk 0`: This selects disk 0 for further operations. The number '0' refers to the specific disk you want to work with. - `list vol`: This command lists all the volumes (partitions or drives) on the currently selected disk.

Confirm that the EFI partition is formatted with the FAT32 file system.

Step 4: Assign the partition a drive letter. Type each of the following commands one at a time:

Here are the translations of the provided phrases into English: 1.
• sel vol
- Select volume 2.
• assign letter=:
- Assign letter equals colon (usually used to assign a drive letter in command prompt) 3.
• exit
- Exit (command to quit the current program or prompt) 4.
• cd /d:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\
- Change directory to D:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\ (used to navigate to the specified folder) 5.
• bootrec /fixboot
- Bootrec with the /fixboot option (a command used to repair the Windows boot sector)

Restart your computer after a successful EFI loader repair.

What Causes the Winload.efi Missing Error

Now that you have learned the solutions to fix winload.efi missing or contains error after clone errors, let's cover the potential causes.

Here are the translations for the given languages into English: 1. The "winload.efi missing" error can be caused by errors made during system upgrades that affect the bootloader or system files. 2. Corrupted or damaged system files can lead to boot-related issues like the winload.efi error code 0xc00000e. 3. Incorrectly modifying disk partitions or updating antivirus software using third-party tools can corrupt the system's boot process, resulting in a missing or erroneous winload.efi. 4. Cloning a Windows installation without necessary modifications can lead to boot issues, such as the winload.efi missing or containing an error after the cloning process. 5. Replacing or modifying a computer's motherboard might cause issues with devices and drivers. If these aren't resolved, the "winload.efi" problem may occur.

We recommend that all users attempt the appropriate methods provided in this article to resolve the "winload.efi missing" error. We also suggest utilizing the tool Partition Master to detect and rectify common hard disk issues.

Conclusion

This tutorial will guide you through resolving the "winload.efi missing" error seamlessly. Solving this issue can be time-consuming and frustrating; however, with the help of Partition Master, the process is simplified, offering users automated assistance to tackle this problem efficiently.

The following topics are also related to boot errors. If you're interested, click the buttons to view more information.

FAQs About Missing Winload.efi

Please refer to this FAQ section if you have any further queries regarding the topic discussed on this page.

**1. What is error code 0xc000000f in Winload EFI?**

The Winload EFI error code 0xc000000f is a common Windows boot error that signifies a problem with the Winload.efi file or the boot loader configuration. This issue typically occurs when the boot loader fails to find the necessary files to start the operating system.

2. How do I fix Winload files? To fix Winload files, follow these steps: 1. **Boot into Safe Mode:** - Restart your computer and press F8 repeatedly during startup to access the Advanced Boot Options menu. Choose "Safe Mode with Networking" to start Windows in a minimal environment. 2. **Scan for Malware:** - Download and run a reputable antivirus or anti-malware tool, such as Malwarebytes or Windows Defender (if it's not already installed). Update the software to the latest virus definitions and perform a full system scan. Remove any detected threats. 3. **System File Checker (SFC):** - Open an elevated Command Prompt by pressing Windows Key + X and selecting "Command Prompt (Admin)". Type `sfc /scannow` and press Enter. This command will scan for corrupted system files and attempt to repair them. 4. **Windows System Restore:** - If SFC doesn't fix the issue, try using System Restore. Type "Create a restore point" in the search bar, click on the result, and then choose "System Restore." Follow the prompts to select a previous restore point before the problem occurred. 5. **DISM Tool:** - In the Command Prompt (Admin), type `DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth` and hit Enter. This command repairs the system image and might fix issues with Winload files. 6. **Reinstall Windows:** - As a last resort, you may need to reinstall Windows. Backup your important data and use the installation media to perform a clean install or repair the existing installation. Remember that troubleshooting Winload issues can be complex, and professional assistance might be required if these steps don't resolve the problem.

To fix the Winload files error, you can try: 1. Running System File Checker (SFC) scan: Open Command Prompt as an admin and type "sfc /scannow". This'll scan for corrupt system files and fix 'em if found. 2. Restoring from a System Restore point: Go to Start, search for "System Restore," and follow the on-screen cues to pick a restore point before the error hit. 3. Booting in Safe Mode: Restart your rig and tap F8 repeatedly during startup to get to the Advanced Boot Options. Pick "Safe Mode with Networking" and try fixing the issue from there. 4. Using Windows Install Media: Pop in the install disc or USB, restart your PC, and boot from it. Choose "Repair your computer" then "Troubleshoot" to access Advanced Options. From there, use the "Command Prompt" or "Startup Repair" tool. 5. Disabling Secure Boot: Hit the relevant key (usually F2, F10, or Del) during startup to get into BIOS settings. Disable Secure Boot, enable Legacy Boot, save changes, and give your PC another shot. 6. Rebuilding the Boot Configuration Data (BCD): In Command Prompt, type "bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup" to back up. Then, type "ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old" to rename the current BCD store. Lastly, type "bcdboot C:\Windows /l en-us /s C:" to recreate the BCD store. 7. If all else fails, you might need a fresh Windows install. Make sure you've got all important data backed up first. Remember, be careful with system file or boot setting changes, and consider getting pro help if you're unsure.

- Running Windows Startup Repair.

-Rebuilding the BCD (Boot Configuration Data).

Fix the Master Boot Record (MBR).

3. What is the function of Winload EFI? The function of Winload EFI (Windows Loader for Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is to initialize and load the Windows operating system onto the computer's memory during the boot process. It acts as a bridge between the firmware (UEFI) and the operating system, facilitating the communication and ensuring a smooth startup. Winload EFI is responsible for loading essential drivers, performing hardware initialization, and setting up the environment required for the Windows kernel to start executing. It plays a crucial role in the boot sequence of modern Windows systems that use UEFI instead of the traditional BIOS.

Winload.efi is a critical component for executing the Windows boot process. Its main function is to load the operating system, essential drivers, and data.