How to Fix Windows 10’s missing BOOTMGR

“The boot manager is missing.” One of the most common boot errors is “Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart,” which appears when the Windows boot sector is broken or missing. Another possible cause of the BOOTMGR issue is if your computer is trying to boot from a drive that is not set up correctly. Additionally, I will cover everything about “BOOTMGR” and how to resolve the error “Bootmgr is missing” in this article. So, let’s not waste any more time and get started.

What is the Windows Boot Manager (BOOTMGR)?

Windows Boot Manager (BOOTMGR) downloads the volume boot code, which is required to boot Windows. Additionally, boot mgr helps run ntoskrnl.exe, a crucial Windows part, and winload.exe, which loads device drivers.

BOOTMGR helps start the Windows 10, 8, 7, and Vista operating systems. You may have noticed that Windows XP does not appear on the list. This is because Windows XP uses NTLDR, which is short for “NT loader,” in place of a boot manager.

Where is Windows Boot Manager Located?

BOOTMGR is a secret, read-only file kept in an active partition’s root directory. This type of partition is often a System Reserved Partition, meaning it doesn’t have a drive letter. Additionally, BOOTMGR is a Primary Partition on your C: Drive if you do not have a System Reserved Partition.

Causes of BOOTMGR Errors:

1. There is a missing, corrupted, or damaged Windows boot sector.
2. Issues with Hard Drives
3. Issues with BIOS
4. Problems with the Windows operating system
5. The boot setup data, or BCD, is broken.

So, without further ado, let’s explore how to use the troubleshooting techniques stated below to fix BOOTMGR, which is missing in Windows 10.

Fix BOOTMGR is missing in Windows 10

Method 1: Reboot your Computer

Most of us know of this extremely simple trick. One way to resolve software problems that may be creating the Bootmgr missing issue is to reboot your computer. Thus, give it a try to restart; maybe this will fix the BOOTMGR problem and allow you to boot into Windows. But if that doesn’t work, try the next approach.

Method 2: Change the Boot Sequence (or Boot Order) in BIOS

1. Restart Windows 10 and go into the BIOS.
2. To access BIOS Setup, hit the DEL or F2 keys as soon as the machine turns on.
3. Find and open the BIOS’s Boot Order Options.
4. Verify that the Hard Drive and CD/DVD are the first two boot orders.
5. If not, alter the boot order so that the CD/DVD boots are first and the hard drive boots last.
6. Lastly, leave and save the setup

Method 3: Run Automatic Repair

1. Once the Windows 10 bootable installation DVD has been installed, restart your computer.
2. After being asked to boot from a CD or DVD, press any key; to proceed, press any key.
3. After making your language choice, click Next. To fix your computer, click the bottom-left button.
4. On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot.
5. Select the Advanced option on the Troubleshoot screen.
6. Select between Automatic Repair or Startup Repair from the Advanced Options box.
7. Hold off till the Windows Startup/Automatic Repairs are finished.
8. If BOOTMGR doesn’t exist in Windows 10 and you have successfully fixed it, restart; if not, continue.

Method 4: Fix boot and rebuild BCD

1. Insert the Recovery Drive/System Repair Disc or Windows installation media, choose the language you want, and then click Next.
2. Select the bottom option, “Repair your computer.”
3. Select Troubleshoot, followed by Advanced Options.
4. From the list of options, choose Command Prompt (With networking).
5. Press Enter after typing C: in the Command Prompt window.

Note: Type in the drive letter for Windows and press Enter.

6. Type each of the following commands in Command Prompt one at a time, then press Enter:

• bootrec /fixmbr
• bootrec /fixboot
• bootrec /rebuildbcd
• Chkdsk /f

7. Type exit once each command has been successfully completed.
8. Give your computer a restart to check whether Windows can boot up.
9. Try this command if any of the methods listed above fail to work for you:

bootsect /ntfs60 C: (replace your boot drive letter for the drive letter).

10. Try the commands that didn’t work the first time.

Method 5: Use Diskpart to fix the corrupted file system

1. Open Command Prompt once more, then enter the disk part.
2. Enter all of these commands one at a time after typing them:
3. Enter the following lines one after the other, pressing Enter each time:

• bootrec /fixmbr
• bootrec /fixboot
• bootrec /rebuildbcd
• Chkdsk /f

4. Restart Windows 10 in order for the changes to take effect, and try to solve the BOOTMGR missing issue.

Method 7: Check your Hardware

Another reason for the BOOTMGR missing error could be loose hardware connections. Verify that all of the hardware is connected correctly. Disconnect and reconnect the pieces to see if it fixes the issue. Check whether a specific hardware component is the reason if the problem persists. Make it easier for your machine to boot up. If this is the first time the error fails to display, there may be a hardware component that has been removed that is having issues. Think about running hardware diagnostic tests and replace any broken hardware right away.

Method 8: Repair Install Windows 10

If none of the above solutions work for you, you can be sure your HDD is fine. However, the problem “BOOTMGR is missing in Windows 10 Error” might appear because the operating system or the BCD data on the HDD was mistakenly deleted. In this situation, your only option is to install a fresh copy of Windows (Clean Installation) if trying to repair the installation of Windows doesn’t work properly.