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0xC0000225ApplicationCritical

Error 0xC0000225 — STATUS_NOT_FOUND | Application Error Fix

Windows 10Windows 11Windows Server 2016Windows Server 2019Windows Server 2022

What Does 0xC0000225 Mean?

A required boot device or file could not be accessed because the specified object was not found. This frequently prevents Windows from booting.

Real-World Causes

  1. 1Corrupted Boot Configuration Data (BCD)
  2. 2Missing or corrupted Windows boot files (winload.exe, winload.efi)
  3. 3Failed Windows Update corrupting boot-critical files
  4. 4Hard drive failure affecting the boot partition
  5. 5Incorrect BIOS boot order after adding or removing drives

Symptoms

  • ⚠Blue recovery screen stating 'Your PC needs to be repaired'
  • ⚠Error code 0xC0000225 displayed during boot
  • ⚠Windows fails to start after an update or power failure
  • ⚠Boot loop where Windows repeatedly fails to start

DIY Fix

Beginner-friendly steps you can try at home

  1. 1Boot from Windows installation USB/DVD and select Repair your computer
  2. 2Use Automatic Repair from the recovery environment
  3. 3Check BIOS/UEFI boot order and ensure the correct drive is first
  4. 4If dual-booting, ensure the correct boot entry is selected

Advanced Fix

For experienced users and IT professionals

  1. 1From Recovery Command Prompt: bootrec /fixmbr, bootrec /fixboot, bootrec /scanos, bootrec /rebuildbcd
  2. 2Rebuild BCD manually: bcdedit /export C:\bcd_backup, then delete BCD and run bootrec /rebuildbcd
  3. 3Repair boot files: bcdboot C:\Windows /s <EFI-partition>: /f UEFI
  4. 4Run chkdsk /f /r on the boot partition from recovery environment
  5. 5If the drive is failing, clone it to a new drive using recovery tools

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I fix this without a Windows installation USB?
Windows 10/11 has a built-in recovery environment that may trigger automatically after consecutive boot failures. However, if it does not appear, you will need installation media. You can create one on another PC using the Windows Media Creation Tool.
Will I lose my files fixing this error?
The boot repair commands (bootrec, bcdboot) only fix boot configuration and do not touch your personal files. However, if the underlying cause is a failing hard drive, you should back up data as soon as possible.

Related Error Codes

0xC0000034STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND0xC0000185STATUS_IO_DEVICE_ERROR0xC000021ASTATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED

About the Author

Windows Troubleshooting Team

Verified against official Microsoft documentation and real-world diagnostic data. Error behavior confirmed across Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server.