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When I start my laptop I have a blue screen with the error code 0xc0000225 with the message:

A required device isn't working or can't be accessed

Then if I press F8 to get to Startup Settings the error message changes to:

The application or operating system couldn't be loaded because a required file is missing or contains errors:
File: Windows\system32\winload.efi.

I would like to repair this but the help I found on the Internet implied the use of Windows 8 recovery disk, something I don't have.

Is there a way to repair this?

What could cause this problem knowing that the hard drive is still working (or at least working well enough for me to boot on Linux and recover some data)?

Here is the exact problem I got : https://itsolutionsblog.net/solution-to-your-pc-needs-to-be-repaired/ except I don't have a recovery disk (shame on me for not having done that but what's to be done?)

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  • You can get a Windows 8.1 iso from here ==> windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/…
    – whs
    Apr 9, 2015 at 3:09
  • @whs thanks couldn't find that, I'll try it hen it's done.
    – Oswaldo
    Apr 9, 2015 at 3:16
  • Did you also see this ==> neosmart.net/wiki/0xc0000225
    – whs
    Apr 9, 2015 at 3:31
  • If you don't have a installation disk, or a recovery disk, or a recovery partition then you don't perform a repair. It sounds like 2 of those are true. So the simplest solution is to download a Windows 8.1 installation disk.
    – Ramhound
    Apr 9, 2015 at 11:10
  • @Ramhound - You'll already know this but if the OS is pre-installed by the manufacturer then the user would need to buy the recovery media as the keys will be pre-activated and the COA sticker key won't activate through MS because it's an OEM key.
    – Kinnectus
    Jul 27, 2016 at 10:08

1 Answer 1

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Microsoft offers free recovery/installation ISOs.

Here's a brief tutorial in getting and creating a bootable recovery disc: http://www.howtogeek.com/186775/how-to-download-windows-7-8-and-8.1-installation-media-legally/

If you have access to another Windows 8 Machine, you can do this:

Create a Recovery Disc:

  • Press and hold Windows Key + R
  • Type recdisc
  • Follow prompts to burn a recovery disc to CD

Alternatively to recdisc you can type recoverydrive to duplicate or transfer an existing recovery partition to external storage. Which all Windows 8 systems have by default (except various tablets) This method can require anywhere from 8GB-64GB+ depending on your system.

If/When you get your system bootable again, the recoverydrive will help you in avoiding something like this in the future.

Once you finally boot to the recovery disc I recommend trying the following startup repairs.

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  • I highly recommend you place the relevant information from the Windows 8.1 portion of the first link in your answer.
    – Ramhound
    Apr 9, 2015 at 11:12
  • This may work for basic tools to help repair an existing installation but if the OS an OEM pre-install and needs to be re-installed a Microsoft ISO won't work because they often contain pre-activated keys which a downloaded ISO won't contain.
    – Kinnectus
    Jul 27, 2016 at 10:06
  • You are mistaken. There is no such thing as a OEM ISO with Windows 8 and above. Compete and total non-sense...
    – Ramhound
    Jul 27, 2016 at 17:47

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