Resolved: The Error Code 0xc0000225 on Windows 10/11

Occasionally, Windows may unexpectedly restart and present a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) without apparent reasons. This results in a blue screen displaying the error code 0xc0000225 and an inability to boot the computer.

Some users are making a fuse on Microsoft discussion forums about the error code 0xc0000225 on Windows 10/11. The problem with this error is that it locks the screen completely, making it impossible to boot your computer.

Fortunately, you can fix this error with a bit of effort. We will show you how to do that in a moment. But before we do that, it’s important to understand what causes 0xc0000225 on Windows 10/11.

What Causes 0xc0000225 on Windows 10/11?

The BSOD error code 0xc0000225 can show up on your screen for several reasons, which could include malware infections, missing or corrupt registry files, and a physical memory error.

The BSOD error code 0xc0000225 usually occurs when the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) file is missing or corrupt. BCD files could get corrupted because of power outages, disk write errors, boot sector malware, or just errors made, while manually configuring the BCD. Users may also encounter it while updating their Windows. Other reasons that could trigger the error code 0xc0000225 are faulty hardware and a PC that cannot verify the digital signature of a recently installed device driver or application.

Sometimes the error code 0xc0000225 on Windows 10/11 could be a temporary one, meaning you can easily resolve it by just restarting your PC. But in most cases, this error is fatal. Technically speaking, it will prevent your PC from booting, which means you can’t access your device. But that shouldn’t worry you because we will show you how to fix the error code 0xc0000225 in a short while.

How to Fix the Error Code 0xc0000225 on Windows 10/11?

If you encounter a blue screen with the error code 0xc0000225, try any of these recommended solutions to fix it.

The First Step

It is worth pointing out that you won’t be able to troubleshoot this issue from inside Windows. So, before anything else, create a Windows 10/11 install disk to enable you to run repair tools from there. Sadly, booting your PC from a Windows installation media means you will lose the existing content on your drive. To avoid this risk, we recommend that you use a blank DVD or flash drive. If you are using a flash drive, make sure it has at least 8GB of space.

To create a Windows installation media, download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft’s official site, and then follow the steps below:

1. Open the Media Creation Tool and wait for the ‘Getting a few things ready’ screen to appear, then accept the license terms.
2. It may take a while for the tool to get a few things ready. When it completes, select the option to create installation media (DVD, USB flash drive, or ISO file) and click Next.
3. The Media Creation Tool will automatically recognize your version of Windows 10/11. If you want to install or repair your Windows 10/11 on another computer, choose the Language Edition and Architecture and tap on the Next button; otherwise, leave everything as it is.
4. Now, select USB flash drive, then hit Next.
5. Follow the remaining on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

One more thing. Once you have created the Windows 10/11 installation media, you will need to boot from it because the error may prevent you from logging into your PC.

Solution 1: Run Automatic Repair

Your first trial should be to use Windows 10/11 built-in troubleshooter. This tool will scan your computer for issues and fix them accordingly.
Here is the process:

1. Insert the Windows 10/11 installation disk and restart your PC.
2. If prompted, hit on any key to proceed.
3. Now, choose your language preferences and move on to the next step.
4. Choose the Repair your computer option.
5. Under ‘Choose an option’, click on the Troubleshoot option.
6. Next, click Advanced options > Automatic Repair, then wait for the process to complete.
7. After that, restart your PC and check if this solution fixed the error.

Solution 2: Run CHKDSK and SFC

As mentioned above, one of the common causes of the error code 0xc0000225 on Windows 10/11 is missing or corrupted system files. Running System File Checker and Check Disk Scans may resolve the issue.

Here is how it goes:

1. Go through the steps mentioned in Solution 1 (steps 1 – 6) to boot into the Advanced options window. Instead of selecting Automatic Repair, this time click on the Command Prompt option.
2. When the Command Prompt window opens, execute this command: sfc/scannow.
3. After that, enter ‘chkdsk c: /f /r’ in the Command Prompt window and press Enter.
4. The SFC tool will automatically scan all your system files for issues. If it finds corrupted ones, it will try to fix them or recommend a solution. Likewise, running the Disk Check scan will identify errors on your hard drive.
5. After this, restart your computer. Hopefully, the error will be gone.

Solution 3: Reconstruct BCD

BCD being the common cause of the error, it is crucial that we rebuild it. Please follow these instructions to reconstruct Boot Configuration Data:

1. Follow the same procedure given in Solution 1 to launch the Command Prompt line interface.
2. After that, execute the following commands:
   • Bootrec/ scanos
   • Bootrec/ fixmbr
   • Bootrec/ fixboot
   • Bootrec /rebuildbcd
3. Make sure to hit the Enter key after each command. Once you have executed all the commands, restart your computer and check if the error still exists.

Solution 4: Set Your Active Partition

Setting your active partition basically means instructing your system on where to boot from. But, for some reasons, the active partition may switch to the wrong one, thus prompting the error code 0xc0000225 on Windows 10/11. Luckily, you can fix this issue in a few simple steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt window from the Advanced options menu.
2. Now, run the following commands one at a time to open the Disk Partition tool:
   • disk part
   • list disk
3. Once you have executed these commands, identify the disk you want to reformat and select it.
4. Execute the following commands to reformat your disk:
   • select disk (your disk number)
   • list partition
5. You also need to execute the following commands to activate the partition on your disk:
   • select partition (your disk number)
   • activate
6. Restart your computer and check if the trick resolved the problem.

Solution 5: Check for Hardware Issues

If the above software troubleshooting steps bore no fruit, then faulty hardware is probably to blame.

Check your hard drive for physical damages. Depending on your device manufacturer, you may have built-in diagnostic tools that can check for hard drive issues. If you have no experience fixing computer hardware, it is better to engage a professional technician or your computer manufacturer about the issue.

Solution 6: Reinstall Windows

If the error still exists, consider reinstalling Windows 10/11 as the last resort. To restore or reinstall your Windows, follow these steps:

1. Repeat steps 1 – 6 in Solution 1. It will open the Advanced options window.
2. Now, choose System Restore.
3. If this trick doesn’t work, you may need to reinstall Windows 10/11 afresh.

Repair PC Errors Automatically

If you don’t want to struggle with manual troubleshooting techniques, consider using a PC repair tool to automate the process. The tool will scan your system for errors and repair them accordingly. A tool like Outbyte PC Repair will not only repair missing and corrupt files, but will also remove junk and speed up your PC.

Bottom Line

If you are lucky, you can resolve the error code 0xc0000225 on Windows 10/11 with simple workarounds. However, if there is an underlying problem on your system, for instance, missing or corrupted system files, you will most likely be stuck in a BSOD loop. Use the above tips to resolve this problem. You can avoid most BSOD errors by regularly scanning for and repairing problematic sectors of your computer.

Did these tricks work for you? Leave your feedback in the comments section.