How to fix
Boot Error 0xc0000098 Blue Screen
on Windows

Hello. Some days ago, I have installed Windows 10 on my desktop computer and everything worked fine. However, not when I start my PC, I receive a blue screen error, which says: “You PC couldn't start properly. The application or operating system couldn't be loaded because a required file is missing or contains errors. File :\\windows\\system32\\winload.exe. Error code: 0xc0000098”. What should I do?

Error 0xc0000098 Bug Check is a Windows Boot Error. For some reason, this error prevails on the latest version of Windows 8 or 10, but that does not mean that it can occur on this OS version only. It is an issue that frustrates a lot of Windows users, from Windows Vista to Windows 10. This error code emerges during the system boot phase and indicates the fact that the system contains some corrupted Boot Configuration Data files.[ref en-1]

The error is displayed in the blue background, so it’s also referred to as 0xc0000098 Blue Screen of Death (BSOD).[ref en-2] It’s one of the fatal errors because it prevents the system from booting up, meaning that all the data stored on it cannot be accessed either. Luckily, PC experts have already grasped 0xc0000098 BSOD error and found the way to fix it.

Therefore, in this short article, we will try to explain what steps have to be performed to fix 0xc0000098 error immediately. NOTE: before you get started, prepare a USB stick or a CD/DVD driver because you are going to need it for the creation of Windows recovery drive.

How to Fix 0xc0000098 BSOD Error on Windows?

This error can be caused by hardware error like a damaged hard drive or bad RAM,[ref en-3] so you should check those out if other solutions including programs and features are not working. Also, there is a good recommendation to run the full system scan using [d1] or similar PC repair tool to find possibly fixable errors or indicate malicious files and programs. Follow our guide and try a few methods or even all of them to properly get rid of the issue.

Repair Boot Configuration Data

• Navigate to the official Microsoft website and download Media Creation Tool. (click on this link to open the page directly).
• Once downloaded, right-click on the .exe file and select Run as Administrator.
• Accept the agreement and click Next.
• Click on the Create installation media for another PC and press Next.
• Set the language, architecture, and Edition.
• Deselect Use recommended option for this PC option.
• Select Windows 10 Edition and Architecture 64-bit / 32-bit according to the properties of your PC.
• Once done, click Next.
• On the Media Selection window, plug in your USB flash drive, and press Next.
• After that, select Troubleshoot and then Advanced Options.
• Select Command Prompt on the current window, type bootrec /rebuildbcd and bootrec /fixmbr commands. Don’t forget to press Enter after each of them.
• Then type two additional commands bootrec /rebuildbcd and bootrec /fixboot each followed by Enter.
• Finally, reboot your PC. Hopefully, it works fine. If, however, it could not boot up normally due to the Blue Screen Error Code 0xc0000098, try the next fix.

Use Startup Repair to fix 0xc0000098 error

• Locate to Troubleshoot and select Advanced Options;
• Click on Repair your computer and choose Startup Repair.
  

  

Run System File Checker Utility (sfc)

• Navigate to the official Microsoft website and download Media Creation Tool. (click on this link to open the page directly).
• Once downloaded, right-click on the .exe file and select Run as Administrator.
• Accept the agreement and click Next.
• Click on the Create installation media for another PC and press Next.
• Set the language, architecture, and Edition.
• Deselect Use recommended option for this PC option.
• Select Windows 10 Edition and Architecture 64-bit / 32-bit according to the properties of your PC.
• Once done, click Next.
• On the Media Selection window, plug in your USB flash drive, and press Next.
• Click Repair your computer (at the bottom left corner).
• Select Windows installation drive.
• On the System Recovery Option, select Command Prompt, type sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\\ /offwindir=C:\\Windows\\ command, and hit Enter.
  

  

  
  
• NOTE: instead of C:\\ you have to type the letter of the drive where Windows OS is installed.