This comprehensive guide will walk you through some crucial information about winload.efi missing after clone in Windows 11/10. Learn the reasons and how to effectively get rid of this annoying issue. As well, you will find professional cloning software from MiniTool here.
Winload.efi Missing After Clone
If you clone an HDD to an SSD or a smaller SSD to a larger one for disk upgrade and boot the system from that SSD, the issue of winload.efi missing after clone may occur. On the computer screen, Windows 11/10 shows the error message:
“Your PC needs to be repaired.
The application or operating system couldn’t be loaded because a required file is missing or contains errors.
File: \windows\system32\winload.efi
Error code: 0xc000025”
Winload.exe is the system loader for booting Windows 11/10/8/7. In UEFI systems, it is winload.efi. Once it gets missing or corrupted, you will get some error codes associated with the winload.efi file, such as 0xc000025, 0xc000000f, 0xc0000428, etc.
Also read: Top 6 Solutions to “Winload.efi Missing” Boot Error
Winload.efi missing after clone may stem from the incorrect registry key, incorrect UEFI settings, or the damaged BCD file. So, how to get rid of trouble? We will list several effective solutions here to help you out.
Way 1: Disable Secure Boot
When the UEFI-based computer fails to access the winload.efi file, the error appears. So disabling Secure Boot may assist in solving winload.efi missing after clone with ease.
To do this:
Step 1: Restart the machine and boot to the BIOS menu when seeing the Windows logo by pressing F2, F12, Esc, Del, etc. (varies per the computer model).
Step 2: Find the Secure Boot option under Boot, Security, or another tab. Then, set its status to Disable.
Way 2: Repair System Files
A reason for 0xc0000225 after clone is corrupted system files and repairing those files will free you from the issue.
Hence, take these steps:
Step 1: Windows 10/11 allows you to force restart the system to access Windows Recover Environment or WinRE. Or you can use a Windows repair/installation media to boot the PC to WinRE.
Step 2: Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
Step 3: Execute the command – sfc /scannow. In case this command cannot help to solve winload.efi missing after clone, try another command – sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\windows.
Way 3: Check Your Drive with CHKDSK
Winload.efi missing Windows 11/10 perhaps makes you frustrated when the hard drive has some errors. To troubleshoot the problem, run the chkdsk c: /f command in Command Prompt.
Way 4: Rebuild BCD
The corrupted BCD (Boot Configuration Data) file could also result in winload.efi missing after clone. In that case, rebuild BCD with Command Prompt to troubleshoot your issue.
So do this:
Step 1: Open WinRE and access Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
Step 2: Input the following commands one by one and press Enter after each command:
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Once finished, restart your PC and see if Windows 10/11 can boot properly from your cloned SSD without the winload.efi missing error.
Re-Clone HDD/SSD to SSD with MiniTool ShadowMaker
You should fix the issue of 0xc0000225 after clone by applying the given solutions. If luck is not on your side, we strongly recommend you use another disk cloning software to clone your hard drive to an SSD again. MiniTool ShadowMaker is such a program. Its Clone Disk feature facilitates cloning HDD to SSD and cloning SSD to larger SSD.
After the clone, you can directly boot the PC from the cloned drive without any error or problem. Thus, give it a try.
MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
Step 1: Connect your SSD to the PC, launch MiniTool ShadowMaker, and hit Keep Trial.
Step 2: Navigate to Tools > Clone Disk.
Step 3: Select the source drive and target drive (SSD), then begin the cloning process. You are required to register this software when cloning a system disk.
Final Words
That’s all the information on winload.efi missing after clone on Windows 11/10. Just try these solutions when confronted with it. To ensure a successful cloning operation, use MiniTool ShadowMaker which is reliable and powerful.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Vera is an editor of the MiniTool Team since 2016 who has more than 7 years’ writing experiences in the field of technical articles. Her articles mainly focus on disk & partition management, PC data recovery, video conversion, as well as PC backup & restore, helping users to solve some errors and issues when using their computers. In her spare times, she likes shopping, playing games and reading some articles.