Error 0xc000014C en Windows 7, 8 Y 10

Error 0xc000014c indicates that a part of the registry is corrupted. When one or more file structures containing registry data become corrupted and Windows encounters an error in the first boot sector, error 0xc000014c will be displayed. Error code 0xC000014c essentially indicates that important boot information is missing or corrupted in the hard drive area.

Error 0xc000014c is caught after a reboot / unexpected system shutdown. Depending on the version of Windows, users will see this error message on a blue screen or within Windows Boot Manager. Error 0xC000014C will occur in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 Y 10.

There are two main causes that will trigger the 0xc000014c error:

• El BCD (boot configuration data) is damaged – The BCD file is prone to breaking when the system shuts down in the middle of modifying the data files in the boot sector. This is usually due to power outages, but the possibility that boot sector viruses cause the same behavior should not be excluded.
• System files are compromised – Most critical system errors appear if the machine experiences an unexpected stop while writing system files to disk. This is also due to the removal of critical system files or other dependent software.

Here is a collection of methods that have helped Windows users overcome error 0xc000014c. Follow each method in order until you find a solution that suits your situation..

Method 1: use a system restore point

Let's start by doing a system restore to an earlier point in time. Most likely, your system previously saved a restore point when the system was running smoothly. If you have a restore point, this method will allow you to restore your machine to a working state.

Depending on your version of Windows, the steps to access the System Restore menu will be different. But regardless of whether it is on Windows 7 o Windows 10, you probably need the installation media to access the System Recovery Options.

Note: Some older laptops will have a dedicated shortcut to System Recovery Options. As usual, the menu can be accessed by repeatedly pressing F10 or F11 when starting the system. This shortcut will allow you to access the repair menu without using the Windows installation media. If you can make use of this shortcut, go straight to step 3 (in windows guide 7) or step 2 (in windows guide 10).

If you don't have the Windows installation media, follow this guide for Windows bootable USB 7 Windows 7 or this guide for Windows bootable USB 10 Windows 10 to create a bootable DVD or USB from Windows installation media. Then, make sure your system is configured to boot from installation media first.

If the system does not ask you to press a key to boot from the installation media, you will need to follow the on-screen instructions to enter the startup settings. What's more, you can enter your BIOS settings and change the boot order so that the installation media is the first. The exact settings for changing the boot priority in the BIOS will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer..

After successfully booting from the installation media, follow the steps below depending on your version of Windows:

For Windows users 7

1. When you see the Install Windows screen, Click Next, then click on Repair your computer.

   

2. Make sure your operating system is selected and click Next.

   

3. Wait until Startup Repair performs a scan on your operating system. Click the Restore button if you are prompted to do so.

   Note: You can force your system to take you to the Startup Repair screen by forcing your machine to close at startup 3 times (when the Windows logo screen is displayed). After 3 consecutive startup interrupts, your system should automatically take you to the Startup Repair screen.

4. The repair tool could try additional repair strategies at this time. Even if it takes a while, do not restart or shut down your machine during this phase.

   

5. After a while, The System Restore wizard should appear. However, if you are presented with the System Recovery Options window, click System Restore.

   

6. On the System Restore screen, check the box next to Show more restore points and select a restore point from the time your system was working properly. Click Next and then Finish.

   

7. By last, click Yes and wait for the repair tool to restore your system to a previous version.

   

For Windows users 10

1. When you see the screen Windows Settings , click Next and then Repair your computer.

   

2. Then go to Troubleshooting and click on System Restore, and select your operating system.

   Note: You can also force your system to take you to this screen by closing the machine at startup 3 times (when the Windows logo screen is displayed). After 3 consecutive startup interrupts, your system should automatically take you to the repair menu.

3. When the System Restore window appears, Click Next. Then, select a restore point from the time your system was working properly and hit Next one more time.

   

4. Finally, click Finish, confirm that you want to use the restore point and wait for your device to go back in time and return to a working state.

Method 2: rebuild the BCD files

There are many reasons why the boot configuration data can go wrong. However, in every stage, the most effective way to fix error 0xc000014c is to repair the BCD file with a series of command prompt commands.

Before starting to follow the guides below, make sure you have the correct Windows installation media for your operating system. It can be a DVD or a USB flash drive. If you don't have the installation media, follow this guide to start Windows 7 from Windows 7 usb or this guide to start windows 10 from Windows 10 usb.

Once you successfully boot from the installation media, follow the guidelines below depending on your version of Windows:

For Windows users 7

1. When you see the Install Windows screen, Click Next, then click on Repair your computer.

   

2. Make sure your operating system is selected and hit Next.

   

3. The repair wizard will perform additional scans at this point. If asked if you want to use System Restore, click No. Later, click Command Prompt.

   

4. Then insert the following commands in the command prompt and hit Enter after each one.

   Bootrec / FixMbr

   Bootrec / FixBoot

   Bootrec / ScanOS

   Bootrec / RebuildBcd

   

5. Once the commands have been processed and executed correctly, type chkdsk / f / r and hit Enter. This will scan the bad sectors on your hard drive and repair them automatically.

   Note: Note that if bad sectors are found during this stage, you may end up losing some data present on your hard drive.

   Your computer should restart once the process is complete. In the next start, make sure Windows is booting from your hard drive and check if the error 0xc000014c is gone.

For Windows users 10

1. When you see the screen Windows Settings , click Next and then Repair your computer.

   

2. Click Troubleshoot and then Command Prompt.

   

3. Then insert the following commands in the command prompt and press Enter after each one.

   Bootrec / FixMbr

   Bootrec / FixBoot

   Bootrec / ScanOS

   Bootrec / RebuildBcd

   

4. Once the commands have been processed and executed correctly, type chkdsk / f / r and hit Enter. This will scan the bad sectors on your hard drive and repair them automatically.

   Note: Note that if bad sectors are found during this stage, you may end up losing some data present on your hard drive, so your computer should restart after the process is finished. In the next start, make sure Windows is booting from your hard drive and see if the 0xc000014c error is gone.

Method 3: restore log files from RegBack folder

If you have followed all the above methods without success, can try one last trick. But note that you will need to physically remove your hard drive and connect it to a different PC.

All versions of Windows will store a copy of your most important registry files in a folder called RegBack. If the problem is related to an underlying registry problem, copying the backup folder to the normal directory will remove the error 0xc000014c. The steps are the same in all versions of Windows. This is what you have to do:

1. Remove the hard drive containing the Windows files from the PC showing error 0xc000014c and connect it to a PC acting as a secondary drive.

   Note: make sure the working PC boots from the healthy Windows and not from the one showing error 0xc000014c.

2. From the other PC, access the hard drive you just connected and navigate to / Windows / system32 / config / RegBack

   

3. Copy the contents of the Regback folder and return a layer to the settings folder.

4. Paste the contents of the RegBack folder over the files in config. When asked if you want to override files in settings, press yes to all.

   

5. Turn off the pc, unplug hard drive and go back to PC showing error 0xc000014c. Let it boot from the hard drive and see if it can now boot normally.

If you have followed the above methods to no avail, you have no choice but to use a Windows installation media and reinstall your operating system. You will lose all the data stored on the Windows partition, but corrupted files or corrupted system files will be overwritten. This is also the preferred approach when it comes to boot sector viruses that will trigger the 0xc000014c error.