How to Fix: Bootmgr is Missing

The error “bootmgr is missing” indicates that the boot manager has not been found on your computer. This usually means either the boot files have been deleted or corrupted or the hard drive containing them has failed.

The boot manager is responsible for loading and managing the operating system at startup; if it can’t be found, the computer won’t boot up properly. This error can also occur if your computer is set to boot from an external device like a USB drive or CD-ROM, but there are no media in the drive.

Restart your Desktop or Laptop

If you’re having trouble getting your computer to boot up and seeing the error message “boot mgr is missing,” don’t panic! You may be able to fix the issue by restarting your PC. Restarting your computer is a simple and effective way to troubleshoot many problems, including boot errors. Restarting your computer can give it a fresh start and potentially fix the problem.

Remove All Removable Media

Removing all removable media is a simple and effective way to fix the problem of a missing bootmgr. The bootmgr is an important system file used to start the operating system, and when the windows boot manager is missing, the system can’t boot.

Removing all external storage devices, such as USB flash drives, CDs, floppy disks, and DVDs, can help resolve this issue because they can interfere with the boot process and cause the bootmgr to become corrupted or deleted. Once all removable media are removed, the system can be restarted, and the bootmgr should be restored.

Change Boot Order in BIOS

Changing the boot order in the BIOS or Basic Input/Output System can solve the “bootmgr is missing” problem. This error message typically appears when the computer cannot find the boot manager, a small program that helps load the operating system.

By changing the boot order, you can specify which device the computer should look for the boot manager on, such as a CD or USB drive. This can help resolve the issue if the boot manager has been misplaced or the computer is trying to boot from the wrong device.

Step 1: Restart your computer.

Step 2: While rebooting, press a specific key to go into the BIOS.

(Note: The key depends on your Operating system. It can be the following keys: F2,F8, F10,F12, Esc or Del, etc.)

Step 3: Go to the Boot tab, check the boot sequence, modify the boot order, and set the boot device to Hard Drive.

Recreate BCD from Windows Recovery Environment

Recreating the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) from a Windows installation disc can solve the “bootmgr is missing” problem. This error message typically appears when the computer cannot find the boot manager, a small program that helps load the operating system. You can rebuild the boot manager’s configuration and restore the missing boot manager by recreating the BCD.

This can be done by booting the computer from a Windows installation disc and using the command prompt to run the bootrec utility, which can rebuild the BCD. This process can help resolve the issue if the BCD has become corrupted or the boot manager has been misplaced.

Step 1: Insert Windows Installation Disk, restart it from the disk, and click Repair your computer.

Step 2: Click Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt, type C:, and hit Enter.

Rebuild MBR with Command Prompt

Step 3: In the command prompt, type the following commands and press enter:

bootrec /fixmbr

bootrec /fixboot

bootrec /rebuildbcd

Chkdsk /f

Step 4: After completing each command, type exit and restart your PC.

Run Startup Repair

When a bootmgr error message appears, it can be a difficult and confusing problem to solve. But don’t worry; one of the options that can help is performing a startup repair. Startup repair is a Windows tool that can help diagnose and fix certain system startup problems.

It can fix problems like corrupted system files, missing or damaged boot files, and other issues preventing your computer from booting up properly. With startup repair, you may be able to get your computer back up and running in no time and fix the bootmgr is missing error.

Step 1: Insert Windows Installation Disk into your computer.

Step 2: Boot your computer from the installation drive.

Step 3: Click Repair your computer.

Step 4: Select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options, then click Startup Repair.

Step 5: Select your Windows Installation.

Use System Restore

Step 1: Insert Windows Installation Disk into your computer.

Step 2: Boot your computer from the Windows installation drive.

Step 3: Click Repair your computer.

Step 4: Select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > System Restore

Step 5: Follow the System Restore Wizard instructions and select the appropriate restore point.

Step 6: Choose the most recent restore point and click the Next button.

Step 7: Select Finish to start restoring your computer.

Perform a Clean Windows Installation

If your computer displays “Bootmgr is missing” when you try to boot up, it’s time to consider a clean Windows install. This can be daunting, but it can be a great way to fix the problem and get your computer up and running again. A clean Windows install involves completely erasing your hard drive and reinstalling Windows from scratch.

This will remove any corrupted or damaged files that may be causing the problem. It also allows you to start fresh and eliminate any bloatware or malicious software that may slow down your system. After the clean Windows install is complete, you should be good to go with a clean, speedy system.

Step 1: Boot your computer from the Windows installation disc.

Step 2: Select your Language, Time, currency format, and Keyboard, then click the Next button.

Step 3: Enter your product key, or you can skip it.

Step 4: Select the Windows version you want to install.

Step 5: Select the drive where you want to install the Windows and click the Next button.

Replace the Hard Drive

If you are experiencing the BOOTMGR missing error when trying to boot your computer, one potential solution to fix the problem is to replace your hard drive. This error message typically indicates that the boot manager, a crucial component of the boot process, cannot be located on the hard drive.

Replacing the hard drive with a new one will ensure that the boot manager is present and can properly load the operating system, allowing your computer to boot up normally.

Regularly Update Your PC

Regularly updating your PC can also help to prevent the bootmgr missing error. This error can occur when the boot manager, a critical system file that manages how your computer starts up, is not found or corrupted.

By keeping your system and its files up-to-date with the latest security patches, you can protect against malicious code and other threats that may cause this type of error. Also, regularly downloading driver updates can ensure that your hardware components function properly and communicate effectively with your operating system.

Keeping these updates current is essential to maintaining a healthy computer environment and avoiding errors such as the bootmgr missing message. Furthermore, ensuring that you have an adequate amount of free disk space by deleting old files and programs can also help prevent this issue.

Frequently Asked Questions