Unable to boot Windows 10 even after running boot-repair in Ubuntu

[oldfred]

Do not really know Windows issues.
I would run any suggested fixes, but systems sometimes make things worse. So you always have to have a good backup.
You do have a good backup?

You will only be able to boot Windows from grub once is is fully fixed, fast start up is off, and it does not need chkdsk or other repairs. When grub does not boot it, then you have to boot directly from UEFI. You may be able to repair from there.

If you cannot fix with internal repair console f8 or auto fixes, you need a repair flash drive. Do you know anyone with Windows that will let you make a Windows repair flash drive.
You may also be able to download a full new copy of Windows and create a Windows installer with repair console. But making a Windows installer from Linux is a bit tricky. I have seen several sets of instructions, but not same as making Linux installer.

Windows 10 repair disk
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1156...925839_1156795
https://www.tenforums.com/software-a...scue-disk.html
http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4...dows-10-a.html
http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/3...dows-10-a.html
Repair/backup/restore
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...recovery-drive
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...covery-options

[aryannc]

I am able to access the Windows C: drive from Ubuntu and am making a backup.
The auto-fixes are not leading anywhere, but I will let you know whether f8 works or otherwise.
I do have another PC with Windows 10 on it and will make a repair flash drive, but I donot have the product key for the one that isn't booting up.

[CelticWarrior]

No need for the product key since Windows 8 (already saved in EEPROM). And it was never needed for repairs anyway.

[dragonfly41]

If you are game to gamble.. My suggestion is to use LiveUSB to install rEFInd.
This is an added layer to scan for boot loaders in Windows and Ubuntu.
Certainly has helped me dig myself out of a multi boot hole.

http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/getting.html.

In LiveUSB the installation commands are ..

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:rodsmith/refind
sudo apt update
sudo apt install refind

[aryannc]

Thank you for your suggestion, I'll try it out after the backup and keep you posted.

[pbear42]

As it happens, I spent a lot of time on this issue over the past week, as was helping someone on another forum with a similar problem. Theirs came up because of a long-standing bug in the Ubiquity installer which bollixes the Windows boot loader when installing to USB drive in UEFI.

The simple Windows solution, which I've tested in VirtualBox (using EFI mode) is this. Get to Power Shell or Command Prompt. If you're still able to boot Windows from UEFI, right-click Start and open Power Shell (as Admin). If not, you should be able to get the prompt from a Recovery USB, Emergency Repair Disk or Installation Disk. Now, run this single command: bcdboot C:\Windows. What this does is install a backup copy of the boot loader from the system folder. See Tech Ref page.

The command will reinstall the boot loader and modify NVRAM to move it to the head of the list. So, you will need to boot a live session of Ubuntu and edit the boot order with efibootmgr. In the end, though, everything should work fine.

Caveat: I've tested this as I said, but I hadn't meddled with things with bcdedit.exe. Don't think there will be a difference, but can't promise.

[aryannc]

Dear pbear42,
Thank you for your reply.
I do get the below recovery screen when trying to boot Windows which allows me to use the command prompt as a recovery option:
windows10recoveryadvoptions.jpg
As you had suggested I executed the the following command in it:

bcdboot C:\Windows

Now whenever I load Windows I get the following screen:
RecoveryError.jpg
And on clicking enter key on the above screen I get the following INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE error:
InaccessibleBootDevice.jpg
efibootmgr -v returns:

aryannc@aryannc-Alienware-15-R2:~$ efibootmgr -v
BootCurrent: 0003
Timeout: 1 seconds
BootOrder: 0004,0003,0002,0001,0007,0008,0006
Boot0001* Onboard NIC (IPV4)    PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1c,0x4)/Pci(0x0,0x0)/MAC(28f10e04ba5e,0)/IPv4(0.0.0.00.0.0.0,0,0)..BO
Boot0002* Onboard NIC (IPV6)    PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1c,0x4)/Pci(0x0,0x0)/MAC(28f10e04ba5e,0)/IPv6([::]:<->[::]:,0,0)..BO
Boot0003* ubuntu    HD(4,GPT,b31b06b7-939e-464b-a9aa-15a1cdf5bcc7,0x581dc000,0x7a000)/File(\EFI\ubuntu\shimx64.efi)
Boot0004* Windows Boot Manager    HD(1,GPT,89597315-219c-4bfb-9f4c-58367fdc412c,0x800,0xfa000)/File(\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi)WINDOWS.........x...B.C.D.O.B.J.E.C.T.=.{.9.d.e.a.8.6.2.c.-.5.c.d.d.-.4.e.7.0.-.a.c.c.1.-.f.3.2.b.3.4.4.d.4.7.9.5.}....................
Boot0006* NetWork    BBS(PCMCIA,,0x0)..GO..NO........o.N.e.t.W.o.r.k.........................rN.D+..,.\;..........@..Gd-.;.A..MQ..L.Q.u.a.l.c.o.m.m. .A.t.h.e.r.o.s. .B.o.o.t........BO
Boot0007* Hard Drive    BBS(Floppy,,0x0)..GO..NO..........H.a.r.d. .D.r.i.v.e....................A..................1.N........>.;......J..Gd-.;.A..MQ..L.P.1.:. .S.T.1.0.0.0.L.M.0.4.4. .H.N.-.M.1.0.1.S.A.D........BO
Boot0008* Second HDD    BBS(USB,,0x0)..GO..NO..........S.e.c.o.n.d. .H.D.D....................A...........................%8Ca..Z.....F..Gd-.;.A..MQ..L.P.M.9.5.1. .N.V.M.e. .S.A.M.S.U.N.G. .2.5.6.G.B........BO

Please let me know the next steps, should I edit the boot order with efibootmgr again, if so how?
Should I run boot-repair again ?
Thanking you in advance.

[aryannc]

Dear CelticWarrior,
My apologies for the inconvenience caused.
I created this thread not only for a different issue, but also for a different system (asus vivobook 15 x505za).

Windows does not boot directly successfully, as it goes over to either recovery options or the Automatic Repair loop.

The above statement does not refer to it, as the clear difference in the screenshot suggests.
I understand what you mean by the following:

This is exclusively a Windows problem for which you need to boot Windows media.

If I may point out, this issue occurred post Ubuntu installation.
I am a linux admirer, therefore I shall follow the kind directions put forward by you.
Thank you for your help and understanding.

[aryannc]

Dear oldfred,
I got windows to work. I disabled Load legacy option ROM in the system setup and selected only save.
This helped me boot into Windows successfully. Then I reinstalled Ubuntu and ran boot-repair to fix the grub.
Pastebin link by boot-repair: http://paste.ubuntu.com/p/MKj8HNKfQR/
efibootmgr -v returns:

aryannc@aryannc-Alienware-15-R2:~$ efibootmgr -v
BootCurrent: 0000
Timeout: 1 seconds
BootOrder: 0000,0004,0002,0001
Boot0000* ubuntu    HD(4,GPT,b31b06b7-939e-464b-a9aa-15a1cdf5bcc7,0x581dc000,0x7a000)/File(\EFI\ubuntu\shimx64.efi)
Boot0001* Onboard NIC (IPV4)    PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1c,0x4)/Pci(0x0,0x0)/MAC(28f10e04ba5e,0)/IPv4(0.0.0.00.0.0.0,0,0)..BO
Boot0002* Onboard NIC (IPV6)    PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1c,0x4)/Pci(0x0,0x0)/MAC(28f10e04ba5e,0)/IPv6([::]:<->[::]:,0,0)..BO
Boot0004* Windows Boot Manager    HD(1,GPT,89597315-219c-4bfb-9f4c-58367fdc412c,0x800,0xfa000)/File(\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi)WINDOWS.........x...B.C.D.O.B.J.E.C.T.=.{.9.d.e.a.8.6.2.c.-.5.c.d.d.-.4.e.7.0.-.a.c.c.1.-.f.3.2.b.3.4.4.d.4.7.9.5.}....................

Now the only question I have is how to get GRUB to work to dual-boot successfully?
Thank you for all your help.

[oldfred]

No place in Boot-Repair does Ubuntu see your SSD.

If Windows is working have you made a good backup and a Windows repair/recovery flash drive?

Have you updated UEFI and SSD firmware?
Is/are drives set in AHCI mode?
Is Windows fast start up off?

If all that is done and both systems are booting in UEFI mode this will find your Windows & add it to grub menu.
Grub will only boot working Windows. And Windows fast start up is turned back on with Windows updates.
So you will occasionally need to directly boot Windows from UEFI, when grub does not boot it, turn fast start up back off or make other repairs like chkdsk.

sudo update-grub