BCD removed by accident - No bootable device

[Charlie275]

Hi BCD experts!

I made a terrible mistake. I removed a small but essential partition. Now I cannot startup my laptop.

A message says:

PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable

PXE-M0F: Exiting PXE ROM

No bootable device - Insert boot disk and press any key.

Can you please help me? I read a lot of information on the internet, I tried to see if I could find a solution via the BIOS settings but could not find a solution.

Thanks in advance! Sorry for my English but I am not a native speaker as you can read.

[resistencia]

Hi @Charlie275 

Unfortunately if you delete a partition you will have to reinstall windows again.

[tk_srq]

@Charlie275,

Windows stores a copy of BCD data file in the \Windows\system32 folder. You can recreate the EFI partition using bcdboot command in Windows Recovery Environment launched from a Windows installation usb drive. I may be able to help you on this. 

You need to create a Windows installation usb drive with Microsoft Media Creation Tool from Windows download center.

Download Windows 10 (microsoft.com)

Download Windows 11 (microsoft.com)

I need the following info: 

1) The exact product or model number of your notebook.

Find product and serial numbers for HP PCs, printers, and accessories | undefined

2) Installed OS Win 10 or Win 11?

3) Did you just delete BCD file or the entire EFI partition?

[Charlie275]

Hi Restistencia!

Thank you for your advice. After your advice there is another person who says he know how to maybe fix the issue. I will look into that too. I keep in mind what you advice me to do ok?

Thanks again!

Greetings, Charlie

[Charlie275]

@Tk_srq

Hi Tk_srq,

Thank you so much for your quick response and advice!

It would be fantastic if I can get to the copy of BCD data file in the \Windows\system32 folder with your help.

I downloaded the Microsoft Media Creation Tool for Windows 10 to an USB device.

And here are the answers to your 3 questions:

1) The exact product or model number of your notebook.

The product-ID is: 2FN08EA#ABH.

2) Installed OS Win 10 or Win 11?

Win10

3) Did you just delete BCD file or the entire EFI partition?

I think the whole EFI (boot) partition

Thanks again tk_srq!

Greetings, Charlie

[tk_srq]

We can create a new efi partition by using the space of the deleted efi partition, and to do so we need to know its size.

If you are still using a factory-installed storage drive, the efi partition was 260 MB. If you replaced the original drive with a new one and installed Windows with an installation media from Microsoft download site, the efi was 100 MB. So, let me know the history of your drive.

Also, you need to run diskpart in command prompt and send me a screenshot of 'list volume' and 'list partition.' If you are not familiar with them, you can take the following steps:

1. Connect a Windows installation usb drive to the notebook, turn it on and immediately tap the F9 key rapidly for boot options menu.

2. Select usb drive to boot from the installation usb drive.

3. Click on 'Repair your computer' on the lower left corner instead of 'Install now.'

4. Go to Troubleshoot -> Advanced options -> Command prompt.

5. At the prompt type diskpart and click Enter.

6. Type list volume and click Enter.

7. Type list disk and click Enter.

8. Type select disk # and Click Enter.    [# is the number of the storage disk, 0 or 1]

9. Type list partition and click Enter.    [Take a photo of this entire command prompt operation]

10. exit to get out of diskpart.

11. exit to get out of command prompt.

When I receive the above info, I'll come up with command lines that you need to execute and let you know.

[Charlie275]

@tk_srq

 Hi tk_srq,

Thank you so much for your help!

Here are the answers/results of your question.

I give you some extra information on the table beneath and I will answer your questions too.

Volume ###	Ltr	Label	Fs	Type	Size	Status	Info
Volume 0	C	DATA	NTFS	Partition	917 GB	Healthy
Volume 1	D	RECOVERY	NTFS	Partition	13 GB	Healthy
Volume 2	E	NieuwVolume	NTFS	Partition	549 MB	Healthy
Volume 3			NTFS	Partition	237 GB	Healthy	Hidden
Volume 4	F		FAT32	Removable	29 GB	Healthy
Volume 5	D	RECOVERY	NTFS	Partition	13 GB	Healthy	Hidden

A - Disk 0 - Volume 0 Ltr C Data (917 GB) is not the Windows partition! To check for myself what is there I typed C: dir /p and all the data from my former D-partition appeared! I used to have a C (windows partition) and a D (data) partition among other partions.

On Disk 0 there was also a RECOVERY partition I remember.

B - History: With a free partition tool from EaseUS I managed to add an empty partition to the C (Windows partition) to increase space.

I tried to do that also with 2 other (I thought) empty partitions. But 1 of them was the boot-partition (that is what you call a efi partition right?) My laptop restarted immediately without success. I think Volume 2 - E NieuwVolume (549 MB) is the result of my action. Therefore I do not know the size of only the efi partition (part). I hope we can use this E Volume (549 MB) anyway to create a new efi partition?

C - I think Volume 3 is my former C (Windows) disk(!) because of the size (237 GB) of the partition and because the Type says System in the partition list below.

D - I do not know if I use a factory-installed storage drive. I guess the harddisk is still the same (not 100% sure) but maybe I upgraded or renewed the Windows installation (do not remember this anymore, too many PC's and laptop ago I am afraid).

E - I ran Diskpart and here I put the information of the volumes and partitions. I cannot attache a file (screenshot) because I am new on this forum and did not reach the right level yet to attache files.

Volume ###	Ltr	Label	Fs	Type	Size	Status	Info
Volume 0	C	DATA	NTFS	Partition	917 GB	Healthy
Volume 1	D	RECOVERY	NTFS	Partition	13 GB	Healthy
Volume 2	E	NieuwVolume	NTFS	Partition	549 MB	Healthy
Volume 3			NTFS	Partition	237 GB	Healthy	Hidden
Volume 4	F		FAT32	Removable	29 GB	Healthy
Volume 5	D	RECOVERY	NTFS	Partition	13 GB	Healthy	Hidden

List disk

Disk ###	Status	Size	Free	Dyn	Gpt
Disk 0	Online	931 GB	0B		*
Disk 1	Online	238 GB	17 MB		*
Disk 2	Online	29 GB	0B

List partition disk 0

Partition ###	Type	Size	Offset
Partition 1	Primary	917 GB	1024 KB
Partition 2	Primary	13 GB	917 GB

List partition disk 1

Partition ###	Type	Size	Offset
Partition 1	Primary	549 MB (549)	1024 KB
Partition 2	System	237 GB	567 MB (567)

List partition disk 2

Partition ###	Type	Size	Offset
Partition 1	Primary	29 GB	1024 KB

I like to hear from you again. Most grateful.

Kind regards, Charlie

[tk_srq]

Hey thanks for the info. What happened to volume letter assigned to Windows partition (partition 2 on disk 1). It's listed as hidden. Recovery partition should have originally been on disk 1, but it now is on disk 0 (data drive). It seems to me that something unexpected happened to the drives when you were working on disk partitions. Don't know if this compromised the integrity of Windows partition.

Bcdboot command requires that volume letters be assigned to both Windows and efi partitions. I guess we can try to assign letter to the hidden Windows partition and convert Nieuw Volume (549 MB) to efi partition. Hopefully, bcdboot will be able to retrieve BCD data from Windows partition to recreate a new efi partition.

You can run the following command lines in command prompt in Win RE. Click the Enter key after each command line:

diskpart

select disk 1

select partition 2

assign letter=g

list volume      [Check to make sure volume 3 now has letter G]

list partition 1

delete partition

create partition efi size=549

format quick fs=fat32

assign letter=s

exit 

bcdboot g:\windows /s S:

exit

See the screenshot below of a 260 MB efi partition recreation work I did a while ago. The bcdboot command line is followed by the message "Boot files successfully created." If you see this, you successfully created efi partition and the system will boot into Windows.

[Charlie275]

@Tk_srq

Hi Tk_srq,

Thank you!

I answer your question between your sentences in blue.

Hey thanks for the info. What happened to volume letter assigned to Windows partition (partition 2 on disk 1).

I have no clue!

It's listed as hidden.

 Recovery partition should have originally been on disk 1, but it now is on disk 0 (data drive).

I remember, when I worked with the partition tool, the D-drive and a RECOVERY partition were already on disk 0! So that stayed the same. Maybe it is wrong but it was already there before I combined the two partitions that I should not have.

It seems to me that something unexpected happened to the drives when you were working on disk partitions. Don't know if this compromised the integrity of Windows partition.

Bcdboot command requires that volume letters be assigned to both Windows and efi partitions. I guess we can try to assign letter to the hidden Windows partition and convert Nieuw Volume (549 MB) to efi partition. Hopefully, bcdboot will be able to retrieve BCD data from Windows partition to recreate a new efi partition.

Now we know the RECOVERY partition was already on disk 0 does that change your advice that is beneath this text? I wait for your advice before I continue with running your following command lines ok?

Thank you so much!

Greetings, Charlie

You can run the following command lines in command prompt in Win RE. Click the Enter key after each command line:

diskpart

select disk 1

select partition 2

assign letter=g

list volume      [Check to make sure volume 3 now has letter G]

list partition 1

delete partition

create partition efi size=549

format quick fs=fat32

assign letter=s

exit 

bcdboot g:\windows /s S:

exit

See the screenshot below of a 260 MB efi partition recreation work I did a while ago. The bcdboot command line is followed by the message "Boot files successfully created." If you see this, you successfully created efi partition and the system will boot into Windows.

[tk_srq]

The location of recovery partition does not affect the compilation of command lines.