Windows 10: No listing under MSConfig Boot tab / not sure what to do

I recently upgraded my SSD from a 500 GB drive to a 1 TB drive. I cloned the drive with Arocnis True Image 2016. It seemed to work, but then it wouldn't boot up. I followed some instructions I found on another forum about how to repair the bcd (booting up using the Windows 10 USB stick and going into the command prompt and running several commands), and that worked. The computer now boots up. However, I have now noticed that there is no listing under the MSConfig boot tab. Also, I don't know if System Restore is working - under C:, it says (Missing). See attached screenshots. I am not sure what to do now. I need to boot into Safe Mode, but I can't select Safe Mode in MSConfig because there is nothing listed under the Boot tab. It seems likely that whatever I did at the command prompt has messed things up. Anyone have any idea how I would fix this?







:)

 

Windows 10 pro 32bit boot

Since you mentioned that you tweaked something in the msconfig, I would suggest going into the msconfig again and under the Boot tab, make sure that the Normal Boot is checked then apply any changes. Reboot your PC.

 

Computer only starts in safe mode

Hi,

To boot in Windows normally, please make sure that your computer is configured to
Normal Startup in msconfig.

You can check it by following the steps below:

• Click Start, and then click Search.
• Type msconfig, and then hit Enter.
• Under the General tab, select Normal startup.
• Under Boot tab, make sure safe boot is unchecked.
• Click Apply, and then click OK.
• Restart your computer.

Let us know how it goes.

 

Here's one more screenshot that might be helpful.


I notice that none of the drives are marked as active, and when I right click on them, the option to set a partition as active is greyed out.

 

Also, I don't know if this is relevant, but in case it is:
- My BIOS is UEFI
- My new SSD is formatted using GPT
- I don't know if my old SSD was formatted using GPT or MBR

 

One problem is that the system reserved partition on Disk 0 is NTFS formatted. It needs to be converted to FAT32. That might fix your boot listing issue.

GPT disks booting in UEFI mode will not have an active partition.

After you convert the System Reserved partition to FAT32, the easiest way to make sure you have a good BCD and other boot files in there is to boot from a Macrium Reflect Free rescue drive or DVD. Under the restore menu is a utility to fix Windows boot problems. Run that utility and it will fix you right up. If you don't have Macrium Reflect Free installed to make a rescue disc with, it is included in Kyhi's recovery drive - which is an excellent recovery/repair tool to have anyway:
Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums

Read my quote in the middle of the OP in that thread to see how to make a combination Kyhi Recovery / Windows 10 installation USB.

 

I was unable to convert the system reserved partition into FAT32. I could not figure out how. I found instructions on how to convert FAT32 to NTFS, but not the other way around. Am I dead in the water without being able to do this? Would I need to format the drive and do a fresh install of Windows 10 in order to make that partition be FAT32?

I actually had a USB stick with Macrium on it already, so I went ahead and booted up with it, just to see what would happen. Here is a screenshot.




Note: the D drive is a secondary internal drive, but I never boot from it.

I clicked on Recovery, and was able to select the C drive in regards to where Windows was installed. However, when it asked me what partition the computer should boot from, it only listed my D drive.





Also, when I was in BIOS, I noticed that there is now another Windows Boot Manager listing. It looks slightly different than the other five that were already there, because it actually lists the name of the drive in parentheses.





I'm at a loss as to what to do now. Can you recommend a way to convert my NTFS partition into FAT32?

 

MiniTool Partition Wizard will go from NTFS to FAT32:

Best Free Partition Manager for Windows | MiniTool Partition Free

 

Before I saw your last post, I decided to try a "trick" -- I created a backup of my C drive using Acronis, but only of the partition with Windows on it, not the System Reserved area. I then formatted the drive and did a fresh install of Windows 10. I was able to boot into Windows, so I ran Macrium. Some problems seem to be fixed, but not all. MSConfig now shows one item under the Boot tab, I think the C drive now has the correct partitions (though not sure since I'm not an expert on this) but I still have 6 Windows Boot Manager entries in my UEFI BIOS. See below screenshots.








Notice how under the two other partitions for Disk 0, it is blank for File System and Name. Is this the way it's supposed to be?





If the other two problems are now solved, how much should I worry about these extra entries of Windows Boot Manager? Preferably I'd like their to be only one (assuming there is only supposed to be one), but I don't know enough about the BIOS to know if it's anything worth worrying about.

If you think I should try, any ideas on how to fix it? Someone mentioned trying an app called EasyBCD, but I haven't yet because I know nothing about it.

 

I ran EasyBCD just to look at it, but didn't attempt to make any changes with it. In case you are familiar with the software, here is one screenshot which might be helpful. I really don't know, since all of this is a bit above my head.

 

Oh, I forgot to include this in my last post: this is what EasyBCD said when I first launched it.

 

Also, I took a screen shot after I ran BCDEDIT at the Command Prompt. I am confused as to why it lists partition = G: in the first listing. I don't have a G drive.

 

Wow – I have just had one of the strangest computer troubleshooting experiences I have ever had.

I attempted to repair the BCD with EasyBCD. Afterward, I rebooted. The computer would not boot up – in fact, it wouldn’t even get past the initial motherboard screen. If I pressed DEL, it would not even boot into the UEFI BIOS. I was sure I had screwed it up beyond all repair.

I looked on a forum, and someone recommended unplugging all drives, both internal and external, and trying to boot up. I did that, and this time I was able to get into the BIOS. I then plugged in one drive at a time, shutting down the computer between each one. Every time it booted up fine.

What’s even more strange: all of the additional Windows Boot Manager listings were no longer showing up in my BIOS. I have no idea if it was what I did in EasyBCD, or just the act of turning off the power to the computer somehow cleared out the BIOS somehow.

In any event, it appears ALL of the issues I was having when I started this thread are now resolved. NavyLCDR, thank you for all the help!