Fix boot error 0x c0000098

28/12/2013

Fix Boot Error 0xC0000098 (Windows Boot Configuration Data file does not contain a valid OS entry)

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PrimeExpert Software
Emergency Boot CD

FlashBoot

Fix Boot Error 0xC0000098 (Windows Boot
Configuration Data file does not contain
a valid OS entry)
Contents
1. Symptoms of the
problem
2. Normal boot sequence
3. Defect in the boot
sequence which leads to
'status 0xC0000098' boot
error
4. How to fix status
0xC0000098

Knowledge Base
Windows XP
installation and
tuning
Windows 7/8
installation and
tuning
Solve Windows
logon problems
Save files from
unbootable
computer
Fix boot errors
Fix Operating
System Not
Found Error

1. Sym ptom s of the probl em

Fix Missing
Operating
System Error

When computer is powered up, an error message "Status:
0xc0000098
Info: The Windows Boot Configuration Data file does not contain a
valid OS entry" appears:

Fix Error
Loading
Operating
System
Fix NTLDR is
Missing Error
Fix BOOTMGR
is Missing Error
Fix Boot Error
0xC000000E
Fix Boot Error
0xC000000F

www.prime-expert.com/articles/b18/fix-0xC0000098-windows-bcd-does-not-contain-valid-os-entry.php

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2. Normal boot sequence
The rest of this article refers to Windows 7, but all information
below applies to Windows Vista and Windows 8 as well.
Normally Windows 7 boots as shown below:

Fix Boot Error
0xC0000098
Windows
Hangs at
Preparing Your
Desktop
Restore
Windows 7
Loader After XP
Install

1. BI OS loads 1st sector from HDD (Master Boot Record), verifies
55 AA signature and transfers control to Master Boot Record.
2. Master Boot Record scans partition table for active partition,
then it loads 1st sector from active partition, verifies 55 AA
signature, and transfers control to Boot Sector.
3. Boot Sector loads 15 additional sectors from the beginning of
disk (Volume Boot Record) and transfers control to first
additional sector of VBR.
4. Volume Boot Record loads BOOTMGR file from root directory of
boot partition into the memory and transfers control to it.
5. BOOTMGR loads BootBCD registry hive and displays boot
menu. BOOTMGR is able to run memory test and set safe mode
boot flag per explicit user request. But normally, it loads
winload.exe when computer boots normally (cold startup) or
winresume.exe (when computer resumes from hibernation).
6. Winload.exe opens SYSTEM registry hive, gets list of drivers,
loads NTOSKRNL.exe, loads drivers (*.SYS files) and transfers
control to NTOSKRNL.exe.
7. Winresume.exe loads memory dump from hiberfil.sys and
transfers control to it.

Fix Registry
problems
Miscellaneous

3. Defect in the boot sequence w hich leads to
'status 0xC0000098' boot error
Defect in the boot sequence which is a reason for 'status
0xC0000098' error is shown below:


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1. BI OS loads 1st sector from HDD (Master Boot Record), verifies
55 AA signature and transfers control to Master Boot Record.
2. Master Boot Record scans partition table for active partition.
There is one active partition, so Master Boot Record loads 1st
sector from active partition (Boot Sector), and transfers control
to it.
3. Boot Sector loads 15 additional sectors from the beginning of
disk (Volume Boot Record) and transfers control to first
additional sector of VBR.
4. Volume Boot Record loads BOOTMGR file from root directory of
boot partition into the memory and transfers control to it.
5. BOOTMGR tries to load BootBCD registry hive, but BCD is
corrupt or misconfigured.
6. The rest of usual boot events does not happen.

4. How to fix status 0xC0000098
1) Download EBCD and burn it to CD/DVD according to the
instructions, then set up your BIOS to boot from CD. You need full
EBCD version to actually write changes to the disk, but it's
recommended to try demo version first to make sure there are no
hardware incompatibilities.
2) Boot EBCD:

3) Run File Manager from the main menu:

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4) Press Alt+F1 and choose your boot partition from the menu. In
Windows 7 and Windows 8 boot partition has size about 100MB in
size and "System Reserved" volume label. In Windows Vista
separate boot partition does not exist, computer boots from system
disk where Windows OS files are installed (use UP and DOWN arrow
keys and ENTER to navigate the menu):

5) Press TAB to switch input focus to the left panel, and go to Boot
folder (using arrow keys UP and DOWN and ENTER to enter the
folder):

6) List of files should appear on the left panel. BCD file should be in
the list, BCD.LOG, BCD.LOG1 and BCD.LOG2 may also appear in the
list. Navigate to that files using arrow keys, then select them I NSERT
key:


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7) After selection:

8) Press F6. File rename dialog will pop up:

9) Type BCD_OLD.* on keyboard and press ENTER:

10) Make sure BCD files were renamed successfully to BCD_OLD
files, then press F10 and ENTER to exit EBCD File Manager:

11) Choose Mount & Boot Center in the main menu:


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12) Wait:

13) Enable checkbox (checkboxes) on the intersection of the
bootloader and operating system (operating systems) it should load:

14) Mount & Boot Center should look like below. Press OK to commit
changes (BCD registry hive and corresponding log will be created
from scratch at this point):

15) "Status 0xC0000098" boot problem should be fixed now.
Choose 'Reboot' in the EBCD main menu:


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Please note: Because BCD (Boot Configuration Data) was recreated
from scratch, you may need to adjust boot timeout, menu order etc
from within Windows when it boots successfully.

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Fix boot error 0x c0000098

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