Vista Error - Can Someone Explain?

[rv56]

Hi Guys,

Normally when I'm going to be away for a period of time I shut down my system completely. Other than that I just log off from my account and let it run. Well after being away for a few days I came home and pressed the power button only to be greeted with a black screen with white text that read:

Windows Boot Manager

Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause.

File: \Boot\BCD

Status 0xc000000f

An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data.

I haven't changed anything...???

To make it short I was prompted to insert my Vista disk at which then I was to do a Repair System. Files were loaded (didn't show what files) then I had to Boot up by going to BIOS to boot from CDRom. And then I was up and running. I have no idea what went wrong or why. Some Google searches found some people have experienced the same problems (Googled 0xc000000f) but really didn't find an explanation as to why or what was the cause really. Unless I missed something.

I built this system almost a year ago and it has been running perfectly until yesterday. So far since then it is running good now and has been all day. Although a little afraid to Shut Down....lol.

Does anyone have an explanation as to what or why this occurred just out of nowhere...?

Thanks,

rv56

[Pete_C]

Given the reference to a prolonged shut down I would wonder if you have a weak motherboard battery (cmos retention) and when off too long some of the entries get forgotten and when you boot the setup is not what it was when windows was installed (kind of like when you change the bios from plug and play os to non plug and play os so IRQs are different) .

Replace cmos battery.

[rv56]

Excellent Pete....thanks for the explanation.

"Replace cmos battery"......I will pick one up later on to day and do that.

Thank you so much!!

[johnpol78]

remove the bios battery from the motherboard.

try going into safe mode with command line utility enabled. (F8 on boot up).

in command console type chkdsk /f /r and enter y for yes at the prompt.

wait for it to finish, it may take a while. If that doesn't solve it try typing fixmbr.

If that doesn't work, manually load the operating system to boot from CD-ROM. tap F1 while rebooting. in the BIOS go to boot options.

in boot options change first boot device to CD. put the CD in the tray, save and exit your settings.

The comp will boot from the windows disk. follow the prompts.